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"What this demonstrates, I think, is how impressionable and vulnerable we are in the face of a story, particularly as children." This video served as a useful reminder to listeners about being aware of the immense impact a story or narrative may have on others, often creating stereotypes and generalizations. This is especially important for us, as future teachers, to bear in mind and know the influence we and the content we present may have on our students.

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This TED talk was very eye-opening. It was very representative of the stereotypical, racist ideals of how certain people are meant to be/are portrayed. The lady mentioned how she wrote a story about an African person but her teacher did not approve it because the character didn't appear to be "poor" enough or "starving". This example is very reflective of how racist ideals exist in society.

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The speaker stresses the importance of broadening your perspective and recognizing the universal tendency to generalize. In references to stereotypes, she states that although "stereotypes could be one story, they are not the only story."

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Young people are impressionable but at the same time you do not need others and media/books to validate you. I understand where Chimamanda is coming from, but as someone who came to Canada at 3 years old I did not have this experience. I knew I was not from here so I never looked to belong. I didn’t need to see others that looked like me in media or books. Of course the books I read in school in Canada were not going to have characters that looked like me or did the same things culturally like me either.

Diversity is important but it also needs to be genuine. These days it seems like different ethnicities are added just to have that diversity quota filled. Very disingenuous. I will endeavour as an educator to make sure everyone is heard but make sure to that everyone is comfortable.

I do not need others to validate me. I do not need to see people that look like me in the media or books because I know my existence is enough.

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That people have a predisposed opinion or view about specific things that are not necessarily true. Media plays are large role in our perspective of different cultures and views. As mentioned in class this can have political ties and aim to control how we see things to benefit their agenda. It is interesting to hear from someone’s perspective of how propaganda and misinformation changed how people saw them or how they see others.

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"The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story"

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The talk reminded me of how these single stories lead to totalizing ideas of identity, and tokenization politics. It makes being a racialized person, or a queer person, more difficult because you are expected to speak for a whole group of people, or as a representative of that group. That pressure is deeply harmful to people from marginalized groups.

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One narrative drives the perspective, biases, and assumptions of their point of view. This risks other stories to be silenced or viewed as not as important. We are limited in our knowledge and understanding when we focus on a single story. Facilitates fear of difference... limits connections in the classroom.

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The TED talk made me think about the importance of stepping into your class rooms with an open heart. And how it is important to take the time to actually talk to our students and to get to know who they are outside of the classroom environment. Being willing to get to know your students, and letting them get to know you is such an important aspect of being a teacher.

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It is common for us to hear the misconceptions or assumptions about other countries, but when she was talking about how she grew up believing a false narrative about someone else and the moment she learnt it was not true, it was interesting to hear her side. We are supposed to be taught to not assume or have preconceptions about people, but we do it without even trying, so we need to be mindful of our opinions before we make a comment.

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"I wrote exactly the kinds of stories I was reading: All my characters were white and blue-eyed, they played in the snow, they ate apples... What this demonstrates I think is how impressionable and vulnerable we are." The fact that the speaker had never been outside of Nigeria, and yet this is what she knew for writing a story shows how limited and inaccessible culturally diverse literature is. We like to think things are better now, but realistically we still have a long way to go. This video was filmed 14 years ago and yet today we still have a lot of work to do. Classroom libraries I've experienced are home to many "white" pieces of literature, and yet many of the students don't fall into that bracket. It's essential at this point in time that we branch out to include literature that appeals and is relevant to everyone. For years, high school English teachers have been reading Shakespeare as a class, but maybe it's time to choose a more culturally diverse novel to study. It's okay to move on from the past, and create your own path.

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It's so clear that people (particularly young people) are impressionable by what we consume and engage with. The biases that we learn (and need to unlearn) are based on assumptions and these 'single stories' from what we absorb. Chimamanda provided some great examples (writing, new roommate) that capture the way that these assumptions - these assumptions cause harm but she provided these examples cleverly. As educators, we really need to instil this ability to listen and understand other peoples' perspectives, rather than simply assuming. There is power in our impact as educators. Every person has multiple identities and so 'single stories' dismiss the realities of people & experiences (we are complex beings) and create harmful generalizations.

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I enjoyed this video because I've read Ngozi Adichie's book Half of a Yellow Sun and after hearing her TEDtalk, I realized how influential her writing really is- she talked about how Nigeria was perceived by white people and as a writer, she's given the ability to switch the narritive on perception of Nigeria. I think this can be impelemted in the classroom by telling multiple perspectives and whatnot

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When we listen to a single story or single version you might form a stereotypical view of the subject.

I liked the example of the Nigerian man in her story and how she related it to American psycho book. And how not all Americans are psycho. She had very clever examples

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where if you only focus on one narrative or story you cant think openly or critically to the other stories that are being shared also. causing you to have a narrow view

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a typical example of false generalization.

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Literature diversity is important in life and in the classroom. There's a lack of understanding, connections and critical thinking when only one narrative is told. It is shockingly easy to let one story, or very few stories, influence our opinion or view on a person, event, or country.

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Watching this video was very insightful into understanding how representation is important when it comes to telling stories and experiences. We are so used to seeing a certain cookie cutter formula when it comes to writing stories, but when it is from a different perspective and can only be told authentically from that perspective, it broadens our horizons, and in the context of teaching, it can broaden our students perspectives.

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"...but stories can also be used to empower and humanize" I think having multiple different perspectives of different stories is so beneficial in creating a worldview that isn't limited to simply what we experience. Stories can teach us so much more about the world and people that we don't see instead of just assuming.

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This TED talk was very influential. I thought her story about her roommate thinking she did not know how to use a stove was very eye opening. She explained how she comes from middle class but due to where she comes from a lot fo Americans assumed she lived in poverty. I think this goes to show that everyone has their own story and we cannot assume something about someone due to where they come from.

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I have to be brutally honest and admit that I completely forgot to watch. That being said, being a history nerd, I'm often painfully aware of the issues that result from one story, or even just a one-sided story being told. While beneficial in terms of promoting unity within a group that benefitted from a specific situation, it's detrimental in nearly every other aspect. It denigrates any idea of critical thinking and awareness. It negates any true understanding of a situation, which undercuts true learning and shifts the idea of truth away from a factual position, to one where the truth is created by the victors or people in power. In history especially, the idea of a good guy and a bad guy is a major issue. Rarely are situations black and white and the nuance of important events is often lost in the fray of promoting the idea of fighting for a greater good.

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The importance of perspective and how assumed knowledge of someone or something can be so swayed by reading one simple story or text. The idea of having a better understanding through a multitude of readings or experiences or personal reactions to the subject is a massive additive and should be a priority when learning anything new. Knowledge is power of perspective, the more your knowledge the more powerful your perspective will become.

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"The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete"

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This TED Talk made me consider all of the stories I've heard about different people, whether about an individual or an entire demographic, and how we can allow one or few stories influence our thoughts on the person or population as a whole. I think we're all guilty of falling into this trap in our experiences, but the point is to remain open to new information and understanding of the fact that there is so much we don't know.

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Impact/Influence in the classroom: The more you know the less you know - letting students check their own "stories" they tell about themselves and others by giving them information from other angles

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I found her personal anecdotes and stories so telling about how common it is to have a specific perspective of place/people/race without considering the complexity of those people/places/races. Telling a single story limits us so much in our understanding of others.

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The importance of not assuming stuck out to me. As a teacher, it is important not to assume things about students and instead they should ask questions and understand their stories rather than jumping to conclusions. This can be in regard to anything.

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thinking a little more critically and opening up to more than one narrative or story

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"When we reject the single story, we regain a kind of paradise"

I really like this quote from the end of the video

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The story of young woman stopping her in the street to tell her how the next book has to go and what to do with the characters is such a good example of how many people are only anti-book because they have not been properly exposed to stories, often due to availability.

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Share what you found interesting or useful about "The Danger of a Single Story" TED Talk. Please be specific and thoughtful in your reflection. Don't forget to include your name.