Students and teachers took time out of second period Wednesday to watch and discuss a speech about the consequences of making generalizations based on limited information and perspective. The video was shared with students in order to promote tolerance and advise against making false assumptions, principal Alan Goodwin said.

“I would hope that they learn to be more understanding and accepting of others,” he said. “That would be wonderful.”

The presentation, a TEDTalk delivered by Nigerian writer and activist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, emphasized the importance of understanding all facets of a story, not just one part.

Adichie’s speech included powerful anecdotes about generalizations drawn from her personal experience: she told of how her college roommate assumed that since she was from Nigeria, she had never used a stove, and how her professor claimed that one of her stories was not “authentically African” because the characters were educated and not starving.

Hearing stories from a unique viewpoint, such as Adichie’s, can be especially helpful in exploring major ideas , English teacher Omari James said.

“I think that watching a piece like this really helps to broaden our horizons because it’s another perspective, and a very different perspective from what we might be used to,” Jamessaid.

MCPS originally showed the video to county administrators, including Goodwin, who then presented it to Whitman staff before school started this year. Based on the staff’s positive response, Goodwin decided to share the clip with the rest of the school.

While Adichie’s speech focused on interpersonal relationships and experiences, its message is certainly applicable to learning environments.

“It’s especially important in a school setting where [students] want to feel accepted and safe so they can concentrate on learning and participating in school activities, and not be distracted by mistreatment, Goodwin said.”

The presentation received overwhelmingly positive reviews from staff and students. In fact, because of the video’s success, Goodwin is planning similar activities on other subjects.

Viewing videos like TED Talks more frequently would provide immense benefits to students and staff alike, James said.

“I think it would be great to look at some of the other ones that are especially powerful, maybe every month, few months,” he said. “I think it would do a lot to enrich the entire community.”