0:00:07.252,0:00:11.419 Hi, my name is Ilana Vines,[br]and I go to the Emery/Weiner School. 0:00:11.419,0:00:14.599 I like to think of myself[br]as a pretty well-rounded person. 0:00:14.599,0:00:15.949 I am an okay student. 0:00:15.949,0:00:19.026 I'm an exceptionally hard worker[br]if I say so myself. 0:00:19.026,0:00:20.456 I play basketball. 0:00:20.456,0:00:22.920 I like to think of myself[br]as pretty creative. 0:00:22.920,0:00:25.730 Like everyone, we all have[br]strengths and weaknesses, 0:00:25.730,0:00:28.121 some more easily recognized than others. 0:00:28.261,0:00:31.101 For example, when you see someone[br]who's in a wheelchair, 0:00:31.101,0:00:33.502 the first thing you see[br]is a weakness of theirs. 0:00:33.502,0:00:36.195 But let's say you see someone[br]who's not in a wheelchair - 0:00:36.195,0:00:37.701 let's use me as an example. 0:00:37.701,0:00:40.148 You may not see someone[br]who gets distracted easily. 0:00:40.439,0:00:44.909 For some people, they may have a unique[br]quality that can be looked as a weakness. 0:00:44.909,0:00:49.109 For example, not being able to work[br]in a normal learning environment. 0:00:49.109,0:00:52.991 School systems have worked incredibly hard[br]to provide a good education 0:00:52.991,0:00:55.906 for kids to take on[br]and go and do exceptional things. 0:00:55.906,0:00:57.971 However, there's one flaw. 0:00:57.971,0:01:00.592 It only accommodates[br]to one kind of learner. 0:01:00.592,0:01:04.670 Classes are structured on that one[br]learner's strenghts and weaknesses. 0:01:04.670,0:01:08.157 By doing this, you're helping[br]a lot of students, but not all. 0:01:08.157,0:01:10.783 Why can't the other kids[br]have the same advantage? 0:01:11.220,0:01:15.110 So far, the only solution[br]I've seen to this problem is one thing - 0:01:15.110,0:01:17.128 One thing that seems like they're helping, 0:01:17.128,0:01:19.747 but actually doing nothing[br]to help the situation. 0:01:19.747,0:01:23.422 The solution schools have come up with[br]is to group all the other kids together 0:01:23.422,0:01:25.143 that don't learn like everyone else. 0:01:25.463,0:01:26.803 By doing this, you're saying 0:01:26.803,0:01:30.121 they have more in common with each other[br]than with the other students. 0:01:30.121,0:01:33.957 But what if there was another way, a way[br]for all kids to learn at their on pace? 0:01:34.157,0:01:35.707 The idea I came up with 0:01:35.707,0:01:39.152 is to allow the student to decide[br]how they get the information. 0:01:39.152,0:01:41.132 Yes, the child decides. 0:01:41.681,0:01:44.561 Research shows that kids[br]do tremendously better in college. 0:01:44.698,0:01:45.698 They do better 0:01:45.698,0:01:48.345 because they pick and choose[br]their own classes. 0:01:48.345,0:01:50.319 I mean, this makes so much more sense. 0:01:50.319,0:01:52.409 No one knows you better than you. 0:01:52.758,0:01:55.578 I'm not saying we get to pick[br]our classes and what we learn. 0:01:55.578,0:01:58.698 I'm just saying we get to choose[br]how we get the information. 0:01:58.698,0:02:01.707 For example, if a child has ADHD, 0:02:01.707,0:02:04.756 instead of putting him or her[br]in a separate learning environment, 0:02:04.756,0:02:07.275 why not letting the child decide[br]how they learn better 0:02:07.275,0:02:09.097 and the teacher helps them from there? 0:02:09.847,0:02:13.397 So far, in the United Kingdom,[br]they're already using this idea. 0:02:13.397,0:02:15.146 They call it PLE, 0:02:15.146,0:02:17.463 Personalised Learning Environments. 0:02:17.463,0:02:18.753 PLEs are environments 0:02:18.753,0:02:21.154 in which individual learners[br]and groups of learners 0:02:21.154,0:02:26.446 can access a range of tools and resources[br]for personalised learning activities. 0:02:26.690,0:02:30.456 By doing this, you are not separating[br]the child from the rest of the classmates. 0:02:30.456,0:02:33.837 You are also putting the child[br]on a path of academic success. 0:02:33.845,0:02:36.945 Right now, they're being prepared[br]because when they go to college, 0:02:36.945,0:02:38.988 they will know exactly what to do. 0:02:38.988,0:02:40.098 Thank you. 0:02:40.098,0:02:42.368 (Applause)