Teaching with New Eyes

John Snyder's article restated one of the main reasons why I decided to switch career paths and go into teaching. He stated,

"The fact that students need to acquire technology skills does not mean that they must sacrifice other skills. The fact that we need to help students learn to act ethically and kindly and responsibly does not mean that we need to neglect other areas. Good teaching is still good teaching, and kids are still the focus. If we can use technology to shape their assumptions about connections to the community, we will have given them treasure that will be measured in lives, transformed by insight."

Although I teach 6th grade math, I believe that I am instilling in my students social conscience, social graces, and good citizenship along with the course content I am required to teach. Many times I feel that the importance of the role in loco parentis is vastly underestimated by many educators. Along with the responsibility of role model, educators also must include in their repertoire that of technology facilitator/teacher.

Snyder's reminiscence of an almost off-handed comment made at a convention brought it all together not only for him but for me as well: "To adults, computers are something to marvel at. To kids, they're just a part of the fabric of their lives."

How true!