Teaching in Samoa -- good grades vs. good people: Jessica Baker at TEDxLansingED

Here in America, we take education seriously. We have programs that are supposed to make your child read before they can even talk, and we have prep schools that give students the upper hand in attending the best universities in the world. We even have countless programs that let education enthusiasts travel the world to spread the beauty of education. What happens when one such enthusiast does just that, and arrives in a place that welcomes them wholeheartedly, but doesn't share the enthusiasm they place upon traditional education?
Baker is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan (2012), where she received her BA in International Studies. After graduation, she taught in American Samoa through the WorldTeach program, and is currently working in Northern Michigan as a substitute teacher. She will be attending Michigan State University College of Law this fall.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Пікірлер: 87

  • @carriepie5404
    @carriepie54047 жыл бұрын

    This is how we as Samoan people have been raised and brought up since we were kids, but its up to you however you inherit the information, and educated tools that your ancestors brought down through generations. I used this formula and aspect in a way of life, transformed it into my studies of knowledge not only in the classroom, but in a real world. I say now finally, Someone differ from my culture gets it. someone different from me finally get it. I am an successful RN, BS, and D.O.N because of it. This way of thinking has been within all along and it all started from my parents, whom taught me the value of life itself not the academics perspective respectfully, but value your families and embraced your background where I came from. R.I.P. MOM. God Bless Samoa.

  • @OkinInc

    @OkinInc

    7 жыл бұрын

    Carrie Pie God bless you too Carrie.

  • @iceandcoconuts
    @iceandcoconuts6 жыл бұрын

    At least someone gets it. Thank you for learning and understanding our culture

  • @wutdafeezy
    @wutdafeezy7 жыл бұрын

    I was born and raised there. She hit the nail on the head about the Samoan way of thinking. It takes teamwork to make the dream work😂 although since the introduction of western thinking, it has become a struggle for many in my generation to find the best of both worlds. I feel like two people and am so torn between wanting to help my family out (tautua & give to all the fa'alavelaves) vs ensuring my own future and rise to the top (save my money and do everything on my own). I found that giving is what makes me feel Samoan. Doing stuff together and helping my family makes me feel Samoan because being Samoan is about community and empathy or better yet, it's about serving my family. To live Samoan is live a selfless life of service to others..elders, parents, matai, community, etc

  • @OkinInc

    @OkinInc

    7 жыл бұрын

    wutdafeezy Uso, whoever you are and wherever you are right now, I feel every letter of your words. Hope all is well with you and yours. Alofa atu.

  • @amdclx4635

    @amdclx4635

    4 жыл бұрын

    Preach toko

  • @hopeautele9698
    @hopeautele96989 жыл бұрын

    I'm from manu'a & I highly respect you for this beautiful presentation. I was born in AS & raised in Faleasao. I spent all my academic years in Manua & just currently moved to Cali to complete senior year. Being here & trying to adjust to the Americanized lifestyle is difficult especially when I grew up learning how to value culture. Here in America, from my experience throughout these couple of months in school, everything seems to be a competition. If you're not academically strong, then they look down on you. I couldn't wish for note but for people to understand the true message of life I. which is stated in your presentation. We had a youth gathering for church in fitiuta and I remember you performing with them. I can still picture your smile & I can tell how tremendously happy you were. Thank you for this amazing message. It touched my heart. Hopefully, I can touch more in the future to come. God bless you Jackie.

  • @hopeautele9698

    @hopeautele9698

    9 жыл бұрын

    *more

  • @leatateo

    @leatateo

    8 жыл бұрын

    Oh my gosh, yes. I go to school over here in the U.S. and I noticed the same thing. It really tests your patience. I'm so grateful humility is important in our culture because to be honest not many people I've came across are generally humble. It's almost like a competition yet we're all going to the same school, all trying to make the best of everything.

  • @faasoutaupau7146

    @faasoutaupau7146

    7 жыл бұрын

    y

  • @faasoutaupau7146

    @faasoutaupau7146

    7 жыл бұрын

    y

  • @cineiopu1458
    @cineiopu1458 Жыл бұрын

    Love this! I applaud you bringing this to light; it needs to be discussed frequently. Appreciate you for taking the time to learn and comprehend our students in light of the lessons they have learned throughout their lives. Love my Samoan community!!!!

  • @savaiiman
    @savaiiman10 жыл бұрын

    I love this! I felt proud and emotional as Jessica spoke. The educational system in developed countries are becoming more mechanical and with less emotion about the person on either side of your desk. Like she mentioned, individuality....that word goes a long way and ends in objectivity and less unselfishness...I am Samoan born in a developed country but raised in American Samoa where I schooled in all levels of education, so I know what she means. I also alternatively during those years had the opportunity to be educated of all levels in developed countries also, so I know what Jessica means...schooling with a community based foundation has perks that make great affect immediately and throughout the generations...Ia Manuia (May you be blessed)...Soifua (Regards)...

  • @OkinInc

    @OkinInc

    7 жыл бұрын

    Fitiuta Manu'a So well said.

  • @LAZEitup
    @LAZEitup10 жыл бұрын

    Love this speech! Good people with Good Grades :) God bless

  • @mact6454
    @mact64547 жыл бұрын

    I salute you Jassica for putting our story out there you are so right and I respect and appreciate your help and your work for us.theres more in life then numbers and degrees.1love to humanity

  • @ViiaLeAtuaMamana
    @ViiaLeAtuaMamana7 жыл бұрын

    wow!! excellent point from a deeper perspective Amazing.. Powerful message for all.. May God increase you with more knowledge and understanding.. thank you...

  • @vaijr.5004
    @vaijr.50046 жыл бұрын

    Malo lava. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on our Samoan culture. Well done.

  • @OkinInc
    @OkinInc7 жыл бұрын

    Jessica. Thank you.

  • @tamachange
    @tamachange8 жыл бұрын

    Awesome speech!! Thanks for sharing.

  • @apelefailautusi6764
    @apelefailautusi67644 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experience while you're in A.S.... I believe this talk help all Native English Speaking who is willing to teach English as an ESL to other country....learn and understand the culture and the way people lived...bless you all...

  • @faivajuniorbrown8466
    @faivajuniorbrown84666 жыл бұрын

    wonderful speech... God bless you soul

  • @deafymc
    @deafymc6 жыл бұрын

    Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine. Much Alofas.

  • @tianalevu5677
    @tianalevu56773 жыл бұрын

    Enjoying listening, love it.

  • @JonahWatt
    @JonahWatt8 жыл бұрын

    I would love to see and hear her speak live, I would definitely go for sure.

  • @Hello-rl6lp
    @Hello-rl6lp9 жыл бұрын

    Great speech Ms. Baker!!

  • @etacollins8155
    @etacollins81554 жыл бұрын

    You speak my language! Great TED talk!

  • @luckyman1170
    @luckyman11708 жыл бұрын

    @ Jessie Baker. Great speech! Thank you for that.. I am a Samoan living in San Diego. It's funny because we moved to the area we live in now mainly for our daughter to receive a better education. Typically Samoan families are huge and growing up in our household our father governed with a strong hand. Education was priority as he wanted us all to have a chance at a better future. By him raising us that way we grew distant from our own culture and it was tough! We moved from the Island to the mainland and always had the hardest times trying to assimilate into the western culture. I remember going to school here in the mainland we experienced so much pushback from everyone. The blacks always fought with us probably because we were like the new minorities on the block, Hispanics couldn't really tell what we were so they just kind of left us alone, and the whites just never accepted us at all. And if we ever did run into a Samoan family, our culture was so blurred to us in a sense that we'd be picked on by them because they thought that we thought we were better than they were. Back to the value Samoans place on education.. You are right about everything! They do put happiness and love for one another first but there's a huge disadvantage to that mostly economically. Although Samoans are taught humility and to respect others from a very young age, the world is changing and we have to change with it I believe in order TO maintain the culture. My father did not want us to live a marginalized life because by birth we were already dealt that card and he pushed education on us as a means to change our future and we are so grateful for him doing that. I don't know because this is a dilemma I'm sure Samoans that are trying to change their future deal with. I'd like more Samoans to push themselves and delve in to their education because it is the only way of liberating yourself. Athletically and just by pure brute strength Samoans dominate that realm, can you imagine ones that have the braun too?! Oooooooo you better watch out! It's a complete Army of some!...lol Seriously all kidding aside tho... @Jessie Baker, thank you for being you! Thank you for seeing the beauty of an amazing culture and its people. I hope to collaborate in a business venture with any one of my Samoan people some day.

  • @neverthat8654

    @neverthat8654

    7 жыл бұрын

    luckyman1170 Thank you for sharing that for it has been a battle of both worlds in myself for the passed decade. Manuia ☺

  • @JasonFightsCrime

    @JasonFightsCrime

    6 жыл бұрын

    That's interesting, I am contemplating a move to an island territory. One of the things that I was thinking of was the opportunity for my daughter to experience another culture. American Samoa is on my mind since they're advertising a position that I'm almost qualified for.

  • @bsiatuu
    @bsiatuu10 жыл бұрын

    Thank you. Very wholistic approach to EDUCATION and true.

  • @anniversary6365
    @anniversary63657 жыл бұрын

    Love this

  • @CCCPhoenix
    @CCCPhoenix10 жыл бұрын

    Not always Mrmoc7...Last time I checked the list of successful business owners in America, a good number of them don't have much of the "higher education", but a whole lot of COMMITMENT and hard work! I'm not saying that good education holds no value at all, but I'm saying that there are also many other ways in addition to classroom education that are very helpful & valuable to help accomplish one's goals. A number of which, as Baker reminds & encourages, is cultural values, family upbringing, and communal living. Peace, kena

  • @Hello-rl6lp

    @Hello-rl6lp

    9 жыл бұрын

    I agree. Education is valuable but also work and life experience is more desirable.

  • @YAMAHAFIASCO
    @YAMAHAFIASCO9 жыл бұрын

    she gets it! :) go girl!

  • @lagituaivaflinders6587
    @lagituaivaflinders65872 жыл бұрын

    That is honorable. God bless you.

  • @toomuch4me69
    @toomuch4me6910 жыл бұрын

    Well said teacher!!

  • @Rayado_26
    @Rayado_262 жыл бұрын

    This is true.. many other place in the world there's is a stronger sense of community.. that is not always learned and or valued in school or in American community.. you can see this in the bigger cyties in the country..

  • @mjoyoung8578
    @mjoyoung85784 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful! ty!

  • @derrickflintstone548
    @derrickflintstone5488 жыл бұрын

    thank you for respecting my race real thankful

  • @temokarasipulouama1366
    @temokarasipulouama13668 жыл бұрын

    It's a good for thought ...agree

  • @captainzork6109
    @captainzork610910 жыл бұрын

    Yes!

  • @lniumatalolo
    @lniumatalolo6 жыл бұрын

    Fa'afetai tele for the care and respect for my people. Manuia le aso.

  • @afaesetigilau1908
    @afaesetigilau19085 жыл бұрын

    Great speach

  • @UameaAasa
    @UameaAasa10 жыл бұрын

    Totally agree

  • @suakilaulu7092
    @suakilaulu709210 жыл бұрын

    Do you still live in American Samoa? Great speech by the way..

  • @brunsonfleesang4475
    @brunsonfleesang447510 жыл бұрын

    sadly, those with educational backgrounds with post graduate degrees are working at lower wage positions due to competitiveness and lack of corporate available positions. But she does make a point - because of corruption and greed, it's executives that have these degrees are the reason for corporate bail outs, fraud, cover ups and wall street crashes, yet those who own entrepreneur businesses who were not as highly educated thrive on integrity and sharing their common wealth and for that, this teacher makes a valid statement.

  • @saileleusoviking4293
    @saileleusoviking429310 жыл бұрын

    I find this very interesting that she is somewhat fond of the education system in American Samoa. Though, I find it hard to correllate speech with her length of stay in American Samoa and how the culture is maintained. Making a point about applying simple methods to an already over glorified Education system in America will be a challenging concept. However, maybe if she should stay in American Samoa for a longer period, she just might be able to find different applications of her view on the American education system of a young talented and enriched culture such as Samoa.

  • @islandvibeandsounds2023

    @islandvibeandsounds2023

    7 жыл бұрын

    foobar Samoan Culture is a perplexed interwoven mesh which is at the root of young talents.

  • @kristianjosh8293
    @kristianjosh82938 жыл бұрын

    That's what I'm talking about. Way to drop some wisdom.

  • @jessiehuggett2466
    @jessiehuggett24668 жыл бұрын

    Are You watching this Rachel Gray

  • @MadPerfect3.5
    @MadPerfect3.53 жыл бұрын

    If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

  • @tsarawalcott7804
    @tsarawalcott78045 жыл бұрын

    You da best

  • @johncarter6331
    @johncarter63314 жыл бұрын

    I was the calmest n quiet kid back in school (samoa) but got smack by the teachers fr being good.

  • @kaz._.683
    @kaz._.6836 жыл бұрын

    Yeah; sometimes kids can be very, um... creative. My family adopted my cousins and they don't know the differences between p & b. Talofae ia kamaiki lol

  • @jordanboss2403

    @jordanboss2403

    5 жыл бұрын

    Maybe its because we don't have a B in the Samoan alphabet.

  • @MarinaFraymo

    @MarinaFraymo

    4 жыл бұрын

    Lolz!

  • @jrlesa08
    @jrlesa087 жыл бұрын

    I'm curious to know miss.baker should there be a reformation in the education system in the U.S to where they should incorporate more values driven principle?

  • @johnt.wolfbanger5731

    @johnt.wolfbanger5731

    6 жыл бұрын

    You mean like God? Yikes! Or traditional family values? You mad? American pride? Think again bro.

  • @rajzsaludario349
    @rajzsaludario3494 жыл бұрын

    Anyone please answer this, what is the educational philosophy of Samoan education?

  • @susantuiloma4244

    @susantuiloma4244

    Жыл бұрын

    Success should never be determined by a piece of paper. The little things matter like making your bed, cleaning the house etc…. We have a saying “fa’amaoni i mea iti e te pulea ai mea e tele” translated be honest with the small things and you’ll succeed bigger. Also our motto is the way to leadership is through service. We value kindness, family, love and support over success ☺️

  • @seanbeck1370
    @seanbeck137010 жыл бұрын

    Sa le saugi si keige mo le ulavale o kamaiki samoa! Hahaha. E tele le mana o le Faasamoa

  • @kerisianotalaeai5655
    @kerisianotalaeai56556 жыл бұрын

    Am I the only one from there

  • @Muzika_Gospel
    @Muzika_Gospel10 жыл бұрын

    @Mrmoc7- I can give you a lot of evidences that are counterpart to your opinion Sir.

  • @damukingchappie2604
    @damukingchappie26047 жыл бұрын

    She's cute

  • @reasonrally6658

    @reasonrally6658

    7 жыл бұрын

    Yes I was thinking the same thing. She is beautiful on the inside too. Intelligent and beautiful. Great job Jessica Baker.

  • @user-tz1bo2ny8y
    @user-tz1bo2ny8y2 жыл бұрын

    American Samoa and Samoa are not the same

  • @micvili7527
    @micvili75274 жыл бұрын

    You want Samoan kids to behave, call the parents

  • @witnessme2351
    @witnessme23517 жыл бұрын

    maaan she got the cakes.

  • @allylewis4345
    @allylewis43454 жыл бұрын

    I was poisoned ...

  • @mapusula9
    @mapusula96 жыл бұрын

    Yea she just explained how fob the kids are 😂

  • @drspiff
    @drspiff10 жыл бұрын

    Don't mean to sound harsh, it looks like unlearned some important lessons in Samoa, but why on earth after spending so much time there you can't SAY Samoa correctly??? It's sAmoa not sUmoa.

  • @jelloisme7520

    @jelloisme7520

    10 жыл бұрын

    tht is just how palagi's are u know

  • @jessicamcnamara3403

    @jessicamcnamara3403

    9 жыл бұрын

    I know how to really say Samoa; however, here in the State's not many know the true pronunciation. Because of who I was talking to, I wanted to say it the way they are used to hearing it. As soon as I step foot on that beautiful island, Samoa is SAmoa. E te malamalama?

  • @jasonleigh5685

    @jasonleigh5685

    9 жыл бұрын

    Jessie Baker Seems perhaps like a missed opportunity to educate audiences in the States. Takes only 10 seconds to explain it. And you can just use Sāmoa throughout your talk. Iʻve never had to explain it publicly and no one ever gets it confused. Just a suggestion. Again, not intended to sound harsh, just some advice. Your talk is still a valuable contribution.

  • @jessicamcnamara3403

    @jessicamcnamara3403

    9 жыл бұрын

    Jason Leigh Agreed. In hindsight I absolutely should have taken the opportunity. If I ever have this chance again, I will make sure to make that change. Thanks for the suggestion!

  • @arieltagaloa9107

    @arieltagaloa9107

    7 жыл бұрын

    It's called dialect. She uses an English American dialect. If you were to come here they would correct your dialect. Just a difference of pronunciation throughout the world

  • @misatoshi07mohammed20
    @misatoshi07mohammed204 жыл бұрын

    You're single right?

  • @Iseyami11
    @Iseyami114 жыл бұрын

    I’m sorry but I hate that she’s teaching are culture to other people

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