One of my favorite podcasts is “TED Radio Hour” on NPR, on which each episode examines TED talks that address a particular theme. Last week, the theme was, “The Power of Design,” and I found many parts applicable to education. The show includes Tony Fadell, who speaks about the thought processes that went into the first iPod, and Janine Benyus, who speaks about what designers can learn from nature (very applicable to my 2nd grade unit on structures), and three other TED speakers. Alice Rawsthorn speaks about the rebellious natures of the best designers – such as Blackbeard. Yes, the pirate. You can thank Blackbeard for the skull and crossbones.
I have been thinking about innovation and creativity quite a bit, and how I can help my students to try to be more original and less derivative. Listening to this podcast reminded me of this recent interview with Quentin Tarantino when he was asked for his advice. “My advice for when you want to find a story you want to tell is: What is a movie you want to see?” Tarantino said. “What is it that you want to contribute? There’s a whole lot of movies you could see without you. What’s the movie that we have never seen because you haven’t made it. Make that movie. Make the movie that’s the reason you’re going to be doing it.”
What’s the ______________ that we have never seen because you haven’t made it? The story, the invention, the picture, the school, the educational system… Fill in the blank with what you want to design.
