MES TED Talks 2020

26 ноября 2020

On November,19 the program of World Languages Day at Presnya traditionally included TED Talks. It is the 3^rd year DP students take the chance to build an intellectual discourse in English on different vital topics using various effective rhetorical devices.

This year the motto of World languages day «A little kindness goes a long way» determined the context for public speeches and made the event a unique experience. Kindness, being a crucial and at the same time complicated concept, was explored and discussed in a sophisticated way in all the talks presented.

Can kindness save lives? Snap judgements: nature of assumptions, Who’s your hero? Best Cure for Depression, Media and Self-image, Mistakes, Placebo Effect, The Mystery of Number Phi, The Importance of Not Giving Up, How to Boost Productivity, Are lies Evil? Those were the ways students expressed their understanding of kindness.

Being a leader, effective communicator, self-starter, creative thinker, resilient and adaptable has become essential nowadays and, undoubtedly, these are the skills DP students showcased through handling the speech as a means to deliver their “ideas worth spreading” and make a meaningful impact on the audience.

The results of the survey conducted after the event have proved again relevance and inspirational value of this experience for high school students. Here are some reviews they shared:

«TED Talks have become a good preparation for future TOK presentations. Some of the speakers participated in this event last year. I am very proud of IB students Year 1, who have had the first experience of being on stage with a TED Talk. The most powerful speeches were about the impact of media on our self-image and depression, these are really serious themes, which take courage to be discussed. Next year I am obviously going to give a speech because some of the speakers have inspired and motivated me». Vasilisa K. IB DP Year 1

 «It was my first time as a performer at such an event as TED talks. It has been a mini-dream of mine ever since I saw last year performances. Being an extrovert, I absolutely loved the idea of delivering something you enjoy and want to share with the audience. 

I spoke about the importance of not giving up – something very personal for me and relatable to a lot of people these days. Not going to lie, I was really nervous, knowing I tend to stutter and feel lost when I get emotional. And although my presentation didn't work – I only realized it in the end – I enjoyed every moment of it. And you know what? I'm willing to repeat!» Anna Y. IB DP Year 1

«TED talk was certainly a great opportunity that enabled me to bring up a very important topic. I was speaking about the social media and how it influences our self-image.With my performance I have challenged myself to explain this connection and to advise some practices for building self-love and acceptance(as I believe this particular topic is extremely actual). TED talk event was the place a platform for students to give a talk on the issues and diverse themes that matter for us. I am extremely proud of my classmates, as they have fully demonstrated their advanced skills of presenting information, research and targeting the audience. I would like to thank our school for giving such opportunity, it was such an exiting experience that made me believe in myself and helped me to practice addressing the speech, which is essential for the IB students». Maria F. IB DP Year 1

Hopefully, the kind intentions of all the speakers will go a long way. We are all looking forward to TED Talks 2021!