Contagious is a good word. Even in the times of H1N1, I like the word. Laughter is contagious. Passion is contagious. Inspiration is contagious. We've heard some remarkable stories from some remarkable speakers. But for me, what was contagious about all of them was that they were infected by something I call the "I Can" bug.

So, the question is, why only them? In a country of a billion people and some, why so few? Is it luck? Is it chance? Can we all not systematically and consciously get infected? So, in the next eight minutes I would like to share with you my story. I got infected when I was 17, when, as a student of the design college, I encountered adults who actually believed in my ideas, challenged me and had lots of cups of chai with me. And I was struck by just how wonderful it felt, and how contagious that feeling was. I also realized I should have got infected when I was seven.

So, when I started Riverside school 10 years ago it became a lab, a lab to prototype and refine a design process that could consciously infect the mind with the "I Can" bug. And I uncovered that if learning is embedded in real-world context, that if you blur the boundaries between school and life, then children go through a journey of "aware," where they can see the change, "enable," be changed, and then "empower," lead the change. And that directly increased student wellbeing. Children became more competent, and less helpless. But this was all common sense.

So, I'd like to show you a little glimpse of what common practice looks like at Riverside. A little background: when my grade five was learning about child rights, they were made to roll incense sticks, agarbattis, for eight hours to experience what it means to be a child laborer. It transformed them. What you will see is their journey, and then their utter conviction that they could go out and change the world. (Music)

That's them rolling. And in two hours, after their backs were broke, they were changed. And once that happened, they were out in the city convincing everybody that child labor just had to be abolished. And look at Ragav, that moment when his face changes because he's been able to understand that he has shifted that man's mindset. And that can't happen in a classroom. So, when Ragav experienced that he went from "teacher told me," to "I am doing it." And that's the "I Can" mindshift. And it is a process that can be energized and nurtured.

But we had parents who said, "Okay, making our children good human beings is all very well, but what about math and science and English? Show us the grades." And we did. The data was conclusive. When children are empowered, not only do they do good, they do well, in fact very well, as you can see in this national benchmarking assessment taken by over 2,000 schools in India, Riverside children were outperforming the top 10 schools in India in math, English and science.

So, it worked. It was now time to take it outside Riverside. So, on August 15th, Independence Day, 2007, the children of Riverside set out to infect Ahmedabad. Now it was not about Riverside school. It was about all children. So, we were shameless. We walked into the offices of the municipal corporation, the police, the press, businesses, and basically said, "When are you going to wake up and recognize the potential that resides in every child? When will you include the child in the city? Basically, open your hearts and your minds to the child."

So, how did the city respond? Since 2007 every other month the city closes down the busiest streets for traffic and converts it into a playground for children and childhood. Here was a city telling its child, "You can." A glimpse of infection in Ahmedabad. Video: [Unclear] So, the busiest streets closed down. We have the traffic police and municipal corporation helping us. It gets taken over by children. They are skating. They are doing street plays. They are playing, all free, for all children. (Music)

Atul Karwal: aProCh is an organization which has been doing things for kids earlier. And we plan to extend this to other parts of the city. (Music)

Kiran Bir Sethi: And the city will give free time. And Ahmedabad got the first child-friendly zebra crossing in the world.

Geet Sethi: When a city gives to the children, in the future the children will give back to the city. (Music)

KBS: And because of that, Ahmedabad is known as India's first child-friendly city.

So, you're getting the pattern. First 200 children at Riverside. Then 30,000 children in Ahmedabad, and growing. It was time now to infect India. So, on August 15th, again, Independence Day, 2009, empowered with the same process, we empowered 100,000 children to say, "I can." How? We designed a simple toolkit, converted it into eight languages, and reached 32,000 schools. We basically gave children a very simple challenge. We said, take one idea, anything that bothers you, choose one week, and change a billion lives.

And they did. Stories of change poured in from all over India, from Nagaland in the east, to Jhunjhunu in the west, from Sikkim in the north, to Krishnagiri in the south. Children were designing solutions for a diverse range of problems. Right from loneliness to filling potholes in the street to alcoholism, and 32 children who stopped 16 child marriages in Rajasthan. I mean, it was incredible. Basically again reaffirming that when adults believe in children and say, "You can," then they will. Infection in India. This is in Rajasthan, a rural village.

Child: Our parents are illiterate and we want to teach them how to read and write. KBS: First time, a rally and a street play in a rural school -- unheard of -- to tell their parents why literacy is important. Look at what their parents says.

Man: This program is wonderful. We feel so nice that our children can teach us how to read and write.

Woman: I am so happy that my students did this campaign. In the future, I will never doubt my students' abilities. See? They have done it.

KBS: An inner city school in Hyderabad. Girl: 581. This house is 581 ...

We have to start collecting from 555.

KBS: Girls and boys in Hyderabad, going out, pretty difficult, but they did it.

Woman: Even though they are so young, they have done such good work. First they have cleaned the society, then it will be Hyderabad, and soon India.

Woman: It was a revelation for me. It doesn't strike me that they had so much inside them.

Girl: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. For our auction we have some wonderful paintings for you, for a very good cause, the money you give us will be used to buy hearing aids. Are you ready, ladies and gentlemen? Audience: Yes! Girl: Are you ready? Audience: Yes! Girl: Are you ready? Audience: Yes!  

KBS: So, the charter of compassion starts right here. Street plays, auctions, petitions. I mean, they were changing lives. It was incredible. So, how can we still stay immune? How can we stay immune to that passion, that energy, that excitement? I know it's obvious, but I have to end with the most powerful symbol of change, Gandhiji. 70 years ago, it took one man to infect an entire nation with the power of "We can."

So, today who is it going to take to spread the infection from 100,000 children to the 200 million children in India? Last I heard, the preamble still said, "We, the people of India," right? So, if not us, then who? If not now, then when? Like I said, contagious is a good word. Thank you. (Applause)

传染是一个好词。即使在甲流肆虐的今天，我也喜欢这个词。笑是会传染的，热情是会传染的，灵感是会传染的。我们都听过一些杰出的演讲者们讲过各自精彩的故事，但是在我看来，有种相同的东西在影响他们，就是他们都被“传染”一种我称之为 “我能行”的病毒。

所以，问题就来了，为什么只有他们能被传染（而获得成功）？ 在一个拥有10亿多人口的泱泱大国，为什么只有这么少的人？ 真的是运气和机遇么？ 能不能有计划的地，有意识地被“传染”呢？ 好，在接下来的8分钟里，我想和你们分享我关于“传染”的故事。当我只有17岁的时候我就被“传染”了。那时候，作为一个还在设计院校学习的学生，我和大人们交流想法，而他们真的认同了我的想法。不断和我辩论，我们喝茶聊天，探讨的很深入。 我很震撼，这种感觉是那么的奇妙，是那样具有感染力，我多么希望，我早在7岁的时候就被“传染”了。

所以，10年前，当我来到河沿小学的时候，我就开始了教学试验。我在那里创建和完善设计一个流程，一个可以不断传染给人“我能行”意念的流程，并且我做到了！ 那就是如果能把学习带到现实当中来。如果你模糊课堂教学和生活实践的分界线，那么，孩子们将经历一个自己认知事物的过程。在这个过程中，他们能看到发生改变。改变生效，接受改变，然后受到鼓舞，主导改变并且可以直接提升学生的幸福感。孩子们变得更有竞争力，不再感到无助，而这些其实都是常识，几乎人人都知道。

所以接下来，我要给你们看看我们在河沿小学是怎么实践这一过程的。简单介绍一下背景：我们五年级的学生正在学习儿童权益的课程。他们被要求制作庙里用的香。用琼脂二糖，工作8小时，让他们体验到童工的境遇。画面切给他们，你将看到他们的这次体验和接下来他们完整而深刻的理解和体会。带着这种经验他们将走出课堂改变世界！ ♫♫♪♫♪♪♫

他们在做香。两个小时以后，他们后背开始酸痛，他们被改变了。 一旦他们感受到了，被改变了，他们就会用切身感受说服城市里的每一个人。童工必须被禁止。 注意Ragav，他的表情变化。因为他知道，他改变了那个大人的想法，这你在教室里是绝对不会看到的。所以，当Ragav经历以后，他从 “老师教我的” 变成“我正在做”，这就是“我能行”的思维转变！ 而这是一个可以被激发和培养的过程。

不过也有家长担心 “好吧，我们孩子能造福人类这非常好”“但是数学，自然科学，英语，这些课程耽误了怎么办？” “给我看看成绩”我们给他看了。实实在在的数据表明当孩子们被信任和赋予权力去做一件事，不论他们擅不擅长，他们都能做好，实际上非常非常好。从这张全印度超过2000所学校参加的对比评估报告上看，河沿小学的孩子排名全印度前10。 包括在数学，英语和自然科学所有方面。

所以，这方法很有效，应该推广出去。所以，2007年的8月15号，国庆节那天孩子们走出校园去“传染”整个Ahmedabad城（印度西部大城市） 现在，这不光光是河沿小学的事。这关系到所有的孩子，所以我们“厚着脸皮”，不再羞怯。 走进市政厅，走进警察局，走进出版社，走进各个公司，市场 我们说：“你什么时候才会觉醒，”“而意识到每个孩子幼小的身体里面都蕴藏着巨大潜力？” “你什么时候才会把孩子们当作社会的一分子？” 其实很简单，只要你像孩子敞开心扉，和他们交流想法。

你们猜，人们做了怎样的回应？ 从2007年开始，每两个月，城市里面最繁忙的街道停止行车而临时改造为孩子们嬉戏的乐园，这就是这座城市告诉她的孩子们的：“你们能行！” 来看一下当时的情况 （印地语） 繁忙的街道不通车了。有交警和市里的官员帮助我们，街道被孩子们接管了~ 他们溜冰，玩街头游戏。嬉戏，完全的免费，完全的属于孩子们 ♫♪♫♪♫♪♪♫

 Atul Karwal：Aproch是个此前一直以来服务少年儿童的组织，我们计划将此推广到城市的其他角落 ♫♪♫♪♪♫♫

Kiran Bir Sethi：城市会提供自由的时间 Ahmedabad拥有世界上提一条儿童爱心人行横道。

Geet Sethi：现在城市照顾孩子们，他们将来会回报这座城市♪♫♫♪♫

KBS：因此 Ahmedabad已被认为是印度首座儿童爱心城市 。

所以，要在树立一个榜样。先是河沿小学的200名儿童 然后是Ahmedabad全城3万多个孩子，继续发展 现在遍及整个印度 所以在8月15号那天 2009年的国庆 用同样的方法 我们使得10万名儿童说：“我能行”！！ 你问怎么实现的？我们做了套简单的工具翻译成8种语言（印度方言） 发给了3万2千多所学校。只给孩子们非常简单的任务，我们说，选一个话题， 任何烦绕你的话题。然后找一周 来改变10亿人的生活

他们做到了！ 于是关于改变的故事 从印度各地如雪片般飞来 东起Nagaland 西至JhunJhunu 北及Sikkim，南通Krishnagiri 孩子们自行设计了各式各样问题的解决方案。从消除孤独感觉，修补路面不平，再到酗酒，并且32个来自Rajasthan的学生取消了他们的娃娃亲 。我想说，这是多么不可思议啊！！！ 这不正再次说明了当大人信任孩子对他们说“你能行”的时候，他们就真行嘛！！ 请看短片 “传染”在印度 这是Rajasthan，一个田园小村庄 。

（视频里的儿童在讲印地语）大意：我爸妈是文盲，我要教他们如何认字写字。 第一次，在一所不知名的田园小学中开展接力赛和街头游戏来告诉父母们文化教育非常重要 看看他们父母说什么 。

（男人在讲印地语）大意：这个活动太棒了。 我们从孩子那里学会了认字和写字，太棒了！

（女人在讲印地语）大意：我的学生参加了这次活动我十分高兴 以后，我再也不会怀疑他们的能力了。 看！他们已经做到啦！

在Hyderabad市内的一所学校 （女孩在讲印地语）大意：581，这是581 。

我们应该从555开始收集（垃圾）……

Hyderabad的男孩女孩，走出去 相当困难，但是他们做到了！

（女人在讲印地语）大意：他们虽然年轻，却做得很好！ 他们先是打扫了我们的社区，接下来是Hyderabad城，然后是整个印度。

（女人说）这对我是个启示。看到他们蕴藏这么大能量我并不惊奇。

（女孩说）谢谢，女士们，先生们，我们有很多精彩画作要在今天拍出。出于非常正当的目的，拍卖所得将用于购买助听器。你们准备好了么？（观众）：好啦！ （女孩说）准备好了么？（观众）好啦！ （女孩说）准备好了么？（观众）好啦！

好，一种怜爱之情油然而生。 街头游戏，拍卖活动，请愿活动， 我想说，他们正在改变生活。 不可思议啊。那我们怎么还能无动于衷，还能免疫呢？怎能免疫于那样的热情，能量，那样的激动？我知道，很明显，但是我必须以一个最最有力的改变的代表来结束，他就是圣雄Gandhiji（甘地） 70年前，一个人 在整个国家传染着一种叫做“我能行”的力量

那今天，谁来接过这一重担去把10万儿童的热情传染给印度的2000万儿童？ 上次演讲，我听到前排观众竟然还说 “我们，印度人民，对吗？“ 那……除了我们还能有谁？ 不趁现在，更待何时？ 我说过，传染是个好词 谢谢你们！ （鼓掌）

( 视频连接：http://www.ted.com/talks/kiran_bir_sethi_teaches_kids_to_take_charge?language=zh-cn）