The United States spends billions of dollars each year on standardized testing. Imagine redistributing those funds into resources, smaller class sizes, and better pay for our hard-working educators and administrators. In this TEDxOldHickory talk, Dr. Heidi Williams, college professor and homeschool mom, discusses her personal experiences with standardized testing and why she endorses home education. Homeschool gives families the freedom to deemphasize standardization and allows more space nurture a child’s creativity, sense of wonder, and desire to learn. Dr. Heidi M. Williams holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition with a concentration in Writing Program Administration and has over 15 years of experience teaching in Higher Education. Heidi has dedicated her career to cultivating classroom spaces that appreciate and celebrate cultural, personal, and linguistic differences.
Heidi is a visionary, creative, and reflective and is committed to education in multiple capacities. She's presented at national and international conferences on various topics regarding Higher Education, published in academia, and has written and received several grants. Heidi has been named Top 22 under 40 Racer Young Alumni by the Murray State University Alumni Association Young Alumni Council. She has taught at three college institutions and in Zhejiang, China. Outside of the institution, Heidi homeschools her two daughters and is heavily involved in the Tennessee homeschool community. Heidi is a writer focused on both Higher Education and homeschooling. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx