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What adults can learn from kids

Posted at 1:37 PM on April 8, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Criticism, Culture

Listen up adults! You've been in charge for far too long. Time to start re-thinking some of your old, outdated beliefs.

In all seriousness, child prodigy Adora Svitak makes some really wonderful points. Using humor, logic, and a very well organized powerpoint presentation, Svitak asks the adults in the room to rethink what it means to be "childish."

"Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations and hopeful thinking," says Svitak, "like my wish that no one went hungry or that [we lived in a] 'everything-were-free' kind of utopia. How many of you still dream like that and believe in the possibility?" Ouch!

One of the reasons this talk caught my attention was not just that the featured lecturer was 12 years old, but that a similar talk will be taking place later this month at the Walker Art Center. Developmental psychologist Edith Ackerman believes a lot can be learned from children about creativity, imagination and self-directed learning. Interested in learning more? You can hear her speak on April 22.