Blog Juice for Educational Technology

Two things that I’ve been mulling over for a few days:

From Chris Lehmann:

“I want our students to be the ’21st Century citizen’ in that they understand how to thrive in an ever-changing world. I want them to have the cognitive tools and energy and passion not just to react to the changes around them, but to help to shape those changes.”

And via Joanne Abel from the Oz Teachers mailing list who points to a quote from Bernard Percy:

“What makes a great teacher?

• They have high standards and expectations that they won’t compromise.
• They dare to dream of truly making a difference in their students’ lives.
• They’re the “restless” individuals, innovative thinkers. They don’t want to adapt or conform to the world around them, when that world has limited expectations of what a teacher can do or achieve.
• They challenge students to think differently, innovatively, and not merely adjust to their environment.
• They’re comfortable in a space with motion, action and innovative thinking.
• They help students find their true purposes; develop their unique, special talents; and ensure they develop certainty in their ability to overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.
• They create space for students to find and develop belief in their own potential.
• They create special, positive moments where a student has a realization or experience that positively affects his or her life, forever.
• They seek the real barriers that prevent students from learning, i.e., helping students learn the skills, gain the knowledge, and develop their abilities to be problem solvers.
• They never see the child only as a statistic or number, but as worthy of the recognition of his or her own individuality.
• They strive to put and keep the joy in learning.
• They’re willing to find the magic residing in each child.
• They’re dream makers, not dream breakers.

Technology in the hands of a great teacher becomes a powerful tool to individualize and customize each student’s educational program, one that aligns with their true potential, interests, needs and uniqueness. It’s a tool that can help students rejoice in what they can and do accomplish.”

JoAnne goes on: I tell the children that I am teaching them ‘how to learn’ so that they can spend the rest of their lives finding out about the things that they love!