What Children are Trying to Tell Us When We Listen | Dr. Victoria Privott | TEDxCharlotte

From the bottle that quiets a crying baby to the policies that decide what children can read, adults are taught to manage children's voices long before young people are taught to use them. Drawing on more than 25 years as a teacher, principal, and equity-centered leadership consultant, Dr. Victoria M. Privott traces how adults often train children to believe their voices don't matter, and what it costs us when they do. Anchored in James Baldwin's reminder that "the children are always ours," she uses personal stories to offer three deceptively simple things every adult can do the next time a child speaks. Dr. Victoria Privott is an educational equity advocate who has spent 25 years in public education asking one question: Who's listening to the children? As a teacher, principal, and leadership coach in schools across the U.S. and internationally, she has witnessed how often children's voices are absent from the decisions that shape their lives. Today, as CEO of Robin's Way Consulting, Victoria coaches school leaders and partners with districts nationwide to build learning environments where every child is seen, known, and heard—and where their voice matters. Victoria holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from NC State University and is a fierce advocate for ensuring children aren't just educated—they're heard. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx