They say kids ask the darndest questions, and yet asking questions as an adult is one of life’s most difficult skills. In this talk, educator Helen Waller talks about teaching young Myanmar adults to rediscover the passion for asking questions and thinking critically in a country with an archaic education system which prizes rote-learning. As Helen’s students learn the art of inquiry and discover the intricacies of the world beyond their textbooks, we are reminded that, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime”.

Since she was young, Helen Waller has enjoyed watching people, listening to stories, and digging into the questions of human motivations. She finished at Carleton College as a Pre-Medical student with a Bachelor’s degree in French and Francophone Studies. She came to Myanmar in 2011 and has spent years teaching both teens at the Pre-Collegiate Program and adults at Yangon University. Through this time, she has become preoccupied with figuring out how people can uncover their innate abilities to be voracious and creative learners.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx