TED Talk: 3 Rules to Spark Learning

In this TED talk, chemistry teacher Ramsey Musallam reflects on the moment he transformed his teaching style. When faced with a life threatening condition, an unexpected exchange with his surgeon inspired Musallam to create the following rules for his classroom:

1. Curiosity comes first. Questions can be windows to great instruction, not the other way around.
2. Embrace the mess. Learning is ugly.
3. Practice reflection. What we do is important. It deserves our care, but it also deserves our revision.

These rules are exactly what we talk about in STE+aM. We have the opportunity to spark curiosity, inquiry and imagination in any subject matter, it boils down to perspective and intention vs. following a standard lesson plan. Musallam asks in his closing, “can we be the surgeons of our classrooms?” I say yes. What do you say?