The beginning of the school year is full of anticipation and promise. Our students come back to school in the fall excited to learn and we cannot wait to share new ideas and lessons with them. However, as the weather turns cooler and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, the condition we refer to as October Slump can set in. We are tired, irritable, and might even begin to question our ability to make it to Thanksgiving break.

These five TED Talks were the ones I would listen to when I needed a reminder of why I went into education. I hope they provide you with some inspiration as well.

• How to Learn From Mistakes Diana Laufenberg shares her insight about how to learn from mistakes.
• What I Learned From 100 Days of Rejection Jia Jiang shares his story about spending 100 days of seeking out ways to get rejected and in the process discovered a world of possibilities.
• Bring On the Learning Revolution! Sir Ken Robinson makes a case for shifting from standardized schools to creating conditions where kids’ natural talents can flourish.
• School is Broken  Chris Lehmann passionately discusses that schools should encourage students to pursue what they care good at instead of making them do more of what they are bad at.
• The Surprising Truth About Learning in Schools Will Richardson shares what he has discovered about learning during the last decade while working with schools from all over the world.