ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Adora Svitak - Child prodigy
A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12) speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy.

Why you should listen

A voracious reader from age three, Adora Svitak's first serious foray into writing -- at age five -- was limited only by her handwriting and spelling. (Her astonishing verbal abilities already matched that of young adults over twice her age.) As her official bio says, her breakthrough would soon come "in the form of a used Dell laptop her mother bought her." At age seven, she typed out over 250,000 words -- poetry, short stories, observations about the world -- in a single year.

Svitak has since fashioned her beyond-her-years wordsmithing into an inspiring campaign for literacy -- speaking across the country to both adults and kids. She is author of Flying Fingers, a book on learning.

More profile about the speaker
Adora Svitak | Speaker | TED.com
TED2010

Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids

Adora Svitak: Ang matututunan ng mga matatanda mula sa mga kabataan

Filmed:
6,022,458 views

Sabi ni child prodigy Adora Svitak, kailangan ng mundo ang mga "isip-bata": mga mapangahas na ideya, malayang pagkamalikhain, at lalung-lalo na ang positibong pananaw. Marapat bigyang pagpapahalaga ang malalawak na pangarap ng kabataan, at ito'y masisimulan sa pagnanais ng mga matatanda na matuto mula sa mga bata kaalinsabay ng pagtuturo sa kanila.
- Child prodigy
A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12) speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
Now, I want to start with a question:
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Ngayon, nais kong magsimula sa isang tanong:
00:17
When was the last time you were called childish?
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Kailan kayo huling tinawag na "isip bata"?
00:20
For kids like me,
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Sa mga batang tulad ko
00:22
being called childish can be a frequent occurrence.
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ang matawag na "isip-bata" ay madalas mangyari.
00:25
Every time we make irrational demands,
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Tuwing may hihingin kaming mala-imposible,
00:28
exhibit irresponsible behavior
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magpakita ng iresponsableng pagkilos,
00:30
or display any other signs
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o magpakita ng ano pa mang
00:32
of being normal American citizens,
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taliwas sa pagiging normal na mamamayang Amerikano,
00:34
we are called childish.
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kami ay binabansagang "isip bata",
00:36
Which really bothers me.
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na talagang nakakabahala.
00:38
After all, take a look at these events:
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Kung titignan nating ang mga kaganapang ito:
00:40
Imperialism and colonization,
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imperyalismo at kolonyalismo,
00:43
world wars, George W. Bush.
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mga digmaang pandaigdig, si George W. Bush.
00:46
Ask yourself, who's responsible? Adults.
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Tanungin nyo nga: Sino ang may kagagawaan? Mga matatanda.
00:49
Now, what have kids done?
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Ngayon, ano naman ang nagawa ng mga bata?
00:52
Well, Anne Frank touched millions
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Hinimok ni Anne Frank ang milyung-milyon
00:54
with her powerful account of the Holocaust,
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sa pagsasalaysay tungkol sa Holocaust,
00:57
Ruby Bridges helped to end segregation in the United States,
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si Ruby Bridges, na winakasan ang segregation (pagbubukod-bukod) sa Estados Unidos,
01:00
and, most recently,
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at kamakailan lang,
01:02
Charlie Simpson helped to raise
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si Charlie Simpson na nakatulong makaipon
01:04
120,000 pounds for Haiti
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ng 120,000 pounds para sa Haiti
01:06
on his little bike.
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gamit ang kanyang mumunting bisikleta.
01:08
So, as you can see evidenced by such examples,
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Sa mga halimbawang ito,
01:11
age has absolutely nothing to do with it.
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makikita nating walang kinalaman ang edad.
01:14
The traits the word childish addresses
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Ang pinahihiwatig ng salitang "isip bata"
01:16
are seen so often in adults
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ay napakadalas ring makita sa mga matatanda
01:18
that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word
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kung kaya't dapat itigil na ang paggamit ng salitang ito
01:20
when it comes to criticizing behavior
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kung ito'y patungkol sa pag-aasal
01:22
associated with irresponsibility and irrational thinking.
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na iresponsable at pag-iisip na walang katuturan.
01:25
(Applause)
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(Palakpakan)
01:31
Thank you.
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Salamat.
01:33
Then again, who's to say
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Sino nga ba ang magsasabi
01:35
that certain types of irrational thinking
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na hindi natin kailangan
01:37
aren't exactly what the world needs?
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ng ganitong uri ng pag-iisip?
01:40
Maybe you've had grand plans before
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Dati ba'y nagkaroon kayo ng dakilang plano,
01:42
but stopped yourself, thinking,
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ngunit napatigil at napaisip:
01:44
"That's impossible," or, "That costs too much,"
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ito'y imposible o hindi kaya'y sobrang gastos
01:46
or, "That won't benefit me."
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o hindi ito kapakipakinabang sa akin.
01:48
For better or worse, we kids aren't hampered as much
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Kaming mga bata ay hindi kasing dali sumuko
01:51
when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things.
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sa mga imposibleng bagay.
01:54
Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations
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Punung-puno ang mga bata ng masisiglang hangad
01:56
and hopeful thinking.
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at pag-asa,
01:58
Like my wish that no one went hungry
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gaya ng nais ko na walang magugutom
02:00
or that everything were a free kind of utopia.
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o lahat ng bagay ay libre na parang utopia.
02:03
How many of you still dream like that
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Ilan sa inyo ang nananaginip ng ganun
02:05
and believe in the possibilities?
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at naniniwala na posible iyon?
02:08
Sometimes a knowledge of history
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Minsan ang ating natutunan sa kasaysaysan
02:10
and the past failures of utopian ideals
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at mga kabiguan sa mga ideolohiyang utopian
02:12
can be a burden
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ay nagiging pabigat
02:14
because you know that if everything were free,
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dahil kung gagawing libre ang lahat ng bagay,
02:16
then the food stocks would become depleted
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mauubos ang lahat ng pagkain,
02:18
and scarce and lead to chaos.
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maghihikahos at magkakagulo.
02:20
On the other hand,
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Sa kabilang banda,
02:22
we kids still dream about perfection.
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kami'y nangangarap pa rin ng mundong perpekto.
02:24
And that's a good thing because in order
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At iyon ay mabuti dahil upang
02:26
to make anything a reality,
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makamit natin ang isang bagay,
02:28
you have to dream about it first.
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pinapangarap muna natin ito.
02:30
In many ways, our audacity to imagine
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Ang mapangahas na kaisipan
02:33
helps push the boundaries of possibility.
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ang nagpapalawak ng mga posibilidad.
02:36
For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington,
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Halimbawa, sa Museum of Glass sa Tacoma, Washington,
02:39
my home state -- yoohoo Washington!
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ang aking home state -- yoohoo Washington --
02:41
(Applause) --
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(Palakpakan)
02:44
has a program called Kids Design Glass,
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may proyektong Kids Design Glass,
02:46
and kids draw their own ideas for glass art.
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kung saan iginuguhit ng mga bata sa salamin ang mga ideya.
02:48
Now, the resident artist said they got
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Nabanggit ng resident artist ng museo na ang
02:50
some of their best ideas through the program
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ilan sa pinakamahusay na ideya ay mula sa proyekto
02:52
because kids don't think about the limitations
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dahil walang limitasyon ang imahenasyon ng mga bata
02:54
of how hard it can be to blow glass into certain shapes;
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kahit gaano kahirap man i-blow glass ang mga hugis na ito.
02:56
they just think of good ideas.
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Pawang magagandang ideya lamang.
02:58
Now, when you think of glass, you might
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Kapag nag-isip ka ng babasaging kristal, maaaring
03:00
think of colorful Chihuly designs
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makukulay na disenyong Chihuly ang maisip mo
03:03
or maybe Italian vases,
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o di kaya'y mga plorerang Italyano,
03:05
but kids challenge glass artists to go beyond that
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ngunit hinahamon ng mga bata ang mga glass artists
03:08
into the realm of broken-hearted snakes
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na bumuo ng mga disenyong ahas na nabigo sa pag-ibig
03:10
and bacon boys, who you can see has meat vision.
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at bacon boys, na may kapangyarihang meat vision.
03:13
(Laughter)
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(Halakhakan)
03:15
Now, our inherent wisdom
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Ang angking talino namin
03:17
doesn't have to be insider's knowledge.
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ay hindi naman monopolyo ng kabataan.
03:20
Kids already do a lot of learning from adults,
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Natututo ang mga bata mula sa mga matatanda,
03:23
and we have a lot to share.
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at marami din kaming maibabahagi.
03:25
I think that adults should start learning from kids.
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Palagay ko marapat simulan ng mga matatanda na makinig sa mga bata.
03:29
Now, I do most of my speaking in front of an education crowd,
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Madalas akong naiimbitahang magsalita sa harap ng mga guro at mag-aaral,
03:32
teachers and students, and I like this analogy:
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at lagi kong ginagamit ang ganitong paghahambing:
03:34
It shouldn't just be a teacher at the head of the classroom
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Hindi lamang guro sa harap ng silid-aralan
03:36
telling students, "Do this, do that."
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ang may karapatang magsabi na gawin ito o gawin yan.
03:38
The students should teach their teachers.
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Marapat na turuan din ng mga estudyante ang mga guro.
03:41
Learning between grown ups and kids
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Ang kaalaman ng mga matatanda at bata
03:43
should be reciprocal.
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ay dapat gawing palitan.
03:45
The reality, unfortunately, is a little different,
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Sa kasamaang-palad, hindi ganito ang nangyayari,
03:48
and it has a lot to do with trust, or a lack of it.
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at ito'y dahil sa pagtitiwala, o sa kakulangan nito.
03:51
Now, if you don't trust someone, you place restrictions on them, right?
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Kung wala kang tiwala sa isang tao, may mga limitasyon kang nilalagay.
03:54
If I doubt my older sister's ability
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Kung pinagdududahan ko ang ate ko
03:56
to pay back the 10 percent interest
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na mababayaran niya ang 10 porsiyentong interes
03:58
I established on her last loan,
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na patong ko sa kanyang huling utang,
04:00
I'm going to withhold her ability to get more money from me
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hindi ko na siya pauutangin muli
04:03
until she pays it back. (Laughter)
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hangga't mabayaran niya ako. (Halakhakan)
04:05
True story, by the way.
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Totoo yun.
04:07
Now, adults seem to have
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Ngayon, madalas pinaghihigpitan
04:10
a prevalently restrictive attitude towards kids
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ng mga matatanda ang mga bata
04:13
from every "don't do that,
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mula sa mga "bawal" na mga
04:15
don't do this" in the school handbook
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alituntunin sa student handbook,
04:17
to restrictions on school Internet use.
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sa paghihigpit sa paggamit ng internet sa paaralan.
04:20
As history points out, regimes become oppressive
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Patunay sa kasaysayan na nagiging malupit ang pamahalaan
04:23
when they're fearful about keeping control.
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kapag ito'y natatakot na mawalan ng kontrol.
04:25
And although adults may not be quite at the level
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At bagamat hindi pa umaabot ang mga matatanda
04:27
of totalitarian regimes,
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sa pagiging diktadurya,
04:29
kids have no, or very little say in making the rules,
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wala o napakaliit ng "say" ng mga bata sa mga alituntunin,
04:32
when really the attitude should be reciprocal,
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na dapat sana ay gawing palitan,
04:34
meaning that the adult population should learn
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at dapat matuto ang mga matatanda
04:36
and take into account the wishes
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na makinig sa mga ninanais
04:38
of the younger population.
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ng mga kabataan.
04:40
Now, what's even worse than restriction
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Higit na nakakabahala ay ang pagmamaliit
04:42
is that adults often underestimate kids abilities.
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ng mga matatanda sa kakayahan ng mga kabataan.
04:45
We love challenges, but when expectations are low,
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Gusto namin ang paghamon, subalit kapag maliit lang ang inaasahan sa amin,
04:48
trust me, we will sink to them.
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hindi rin kami makakaalpas.
04:51
My own parents had anything but low expectations
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Hindi naging mababa ang ekspektasyon ng aking magulang
04:54
for me and my sister.
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sa akin at sa aking ate.
04:56
Okay, so they didn't tell us to become doctors
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Hindi nila kami sinabihan na maging mga doktor
04:59
or lawyers or anything like that,
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o abogado o ano pa man,
05:01
but my dad did read to us
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bagamat laging binabasa ng aking tatay sa amin
05:03
about Aristotle
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sila Aristotle
05:05
and pioneer germ fighters
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at ang mga pioneer germ fighters
05:07
when lots of other kids were hearing
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habang ang ibang mga bata ay nakikinig ng
05:09
"The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round."
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"The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round."
05:11
Well, we heard that one too, but "Pioneer Germ Fighters" totally rules.
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Alam din namin yun, pero sa "Pioneer Germ Fighters" pa din kami.
05:14
(Laughter)
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(Halakhakan)
05:16
I loved to write from the age of four,
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Mula nung ako'y apat na taon gusto ko nang magsulat
05:18
and when I was six
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at nung ako'y anim na taon
05:20
my mom bought me my own laptop equipped with Microsoft Word.
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binili ako ng aking nanay ng isang laptop na may Microsoft Word.
05:23
Thank you Bill Gates and thank you Ma.
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Maraming salamat Bill Gates at inay.
05:25
I wrote over 300 short stories
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Nakasulat ako ng mahigit sa 300 maiikling kuwento
05:27
on that little laptop,
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sa maliit kong laptop,
05:29
and I wanted to get published.
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at ang hangad ko'y malathala sila.
05:32
Instead of just scoffing at this heresy
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Sa halip na hamakin itong maling paniniwala
05:34
that a kid wanted to get published
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ng isang bata nagnanais na malathala,
05:36
or saying wait until you're older,
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o kaya'y sabihin maghintay na tumanda,
05:38
my parents were really supportive.
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sinuportahan ako ng aking mga magulang.
05:40
Many publishers were not quite so encouraging,
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Maraming mga tagapaglathala ang nakakadismaya.
05:44
one large children's publisher ironically saying
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May isang tagapaglathala ng librong pambata ang nagsabi
05:47
that they didn't work with children --
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na hindi sila nakikipagugnayan sa mga bata.
05:49
children's publisher not working with children?
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Isang pambatang tagapaglathala na hindi nakikipaguugnayan sa mga bata?
05:52
I don't know, you're kind of alienating a large client there.
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Ewan ko lang, may malaki-laki atang grupo ng kliyente ang pinapabayaan nila.
05:55
(Laughter)
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(Halakhakan)
05:57
Now, one publisher, Action Publishing,
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Ngayon, may isang tagapaglathala, ang Action Publishing,
06:00
was willing to take that leap and trust me
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na pumayag at nagtiwala sa akin,
06:03
and to listen to what I had to say.
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at nakinig sa aking gustong ipahiwatig.
06:05
They published my first book, "Flying Fingers," -- you see it here --
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Sila ang naglathala ng una kong libro, "Flying Fingers," -- itong nakikita n'yo --
06:08
and from there on, it's gone to speaking at hundreds of schools,
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at mula roon, nakapagsalita na ako sa daan-daang paaralan,
06:12
keynoting to thousands of educators
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sa libu-libong guro,
06:14
and finally, today, speaking to you.
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at, ngayon, sa inyo.
06:16
I appreciate your attention today,
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Ako'y nalulugod sa inyong pakikinig ngayon,
06:18
because to show that you truly care,
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dahil ito'y nagpapakita na kayo ay tunay na nagmamalasakit,
06:20
you listen.
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kayo ay nakikinig.
06:22
But there's a problem with this rosy picture
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Ngunit may problema sa malarosas ng larawan na
06:25
of kids being so much better than adults.
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ang kabataan ay mas mahusay sa mga matatanda.
06:28
Kids grow up and become adults just like you.
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Ang mga bata ay lumalaki ant nagiging matanda tulad ninyo.
06:31
(Laughter)
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(Halakhakan)
06:33
Or just like you? Really?
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Katulad ninyo, nga ba?
06:35
The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult,
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Ang layunin ay hindi hubugin ang mga bata na maging tulad ninyo,
06:38
but rather better adults than you have been,
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kundi ang maging mas mahusay kaysa sa inyo,
06:41
which may be a little challenging
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na medyo mahirap gawin
06:43
considering your guys' credentials (Laughter).
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dahil ang huhusay niyo na,
06:45
But the way progress happens
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ngunit ang pag-unlad ay nagaganap
06:47
is because new generations and new eras
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dahil sa bagong henerasyon at ang makabagong panahon
06:50
grow and develop and become better than the previous ones.
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ay sumisibol, yumayabong at nagiging mas mabuti kaysa sa dati.
06:53
It's the reason we're not in the Dark Ages anymore.
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Ito ang dahilan kung bakit wala na tayo sa Dark Ages.
06:56
No matter your position or place in life,
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Ano pa man ang estado mo sa buhay,
06:59
it is imperative to create opportunities for children
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marapat bigyang pagkakataon ang kabataan
07:02
so that we can grow up to blow you away.
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upang kami'y lumaki na sisindak sa inyo.
07:05
(Laughter)
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(Halakhakan)
07:08
Adults and fellow TEDsters,
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Mga matatanda at kapwa TEDsters,
07:10
you need to listen and learn from kids
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kailangan niyong makinig at matuto sa mga bata
07:12
and trust us and expect more from us.
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at magtiwala at umasa sa amin.
07:16
You must lend an ear today,
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Bigyan ninyo kami ng atensyon ngayon,
07:18
because we are the leaders of tomorrow,
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dahil kami ang magiging pinuno ng kinabukasan,
07:20
which means we're going to be taking care of you
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at kami ang mag-aalaga sa inyo
07:22
when you're old and senile. No, just kidding.
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kapag kayo'y matanda na at uugod-ugod. Hindi, biro lang.
07:25
No, really, we are going to be the next generation,
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Sa totoo lang, kami ang susunod na henerasyon,
07:28
the ones who will bring this world forward.
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ang henerasyon na magpapaunlad sa mundong ito.
07:31
And in case you don't think that this really has meaning for you,
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At kung sa palagay ninyo'y wala itong kahulugan sa inyo,
07:34
remember that cloning is possible,
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tandaan ninyo na posible na ang "cloning",
07:36
and that involves going through childhood again,
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at ito'y mangangahulugan na dadaan muli kayo sa pagkabata,
07:38
in which case you'll want to be heard
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at nanaisin n'yo ring mapakinggan
07:40
just like my generation.
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katulad ng aming henerasyon.
07:42
Now, the world needs opportunities
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Ngayon, kailangan ng mundo ng mga pagkakataon
07:45
for new leaders and new ideas.
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para sa mga bagong lider at bagong ideya.
07:48
Kids need opportunities to lead and succeed.
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Mga pagkakataong mamuno at magtagumpay ang kabataan.
07:51
Are you ready to make the match?
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Nakahanda ba kayong tumulong?
07:53
Because the world's problems
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Dahil ang mga problema ng mundo ngayon
07:55
shouldn't be the human family's heirloom.
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ay hindi dapat maging pamana ng sangkatauhan.
07:58
Thank you.
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Salamat.
08:00
(Applause)
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(Palakpakan)
08:03
Thank you. Thank you.
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Salamat. Salamat.
Translated by Roberto Halili Jr.
Reviewed by Schubert Malbas

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Adora Svitak - Child prodigy
A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12) speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy.

Why you should listen

A voracious reader from age three, Adora Svitak's first serious foray into writing -- at age five -- was limited only by her handwriting and spelling. (Her astonishing verbal abilities already matched that of young adults over twice her age.) As her official bio says, her breakthrough would soon come "in the form of a used Dell laptop her mother bought her." At age seven, she typed out over 250,000 words -- poetry, short stories, observations about the world -- in a single year.

Svitak has since fashioned her beyond-her-years wordsmithing into an inspiring campaign for literacy -- speaking across the country to both adults and kids. She is author of Flying Fingers, a book on learning.

More profile about the speaker
Adora Svitak | Speaker | TED.com