Good teachers are the magic in the classroom.
Personal computers aren't magic, they are just a tool. What you need to make the educational process work is a good teacher who is knowledgeable in the subject and can get kids excited.
National Archives, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 - 1989
When the Chairman of the Board of Intel Craig Barrett, Mr. Chips himself, speaks about science education, policymakers listen.
Know your stuff. Get kids excited. Magic happens.
Eduwonks might cringe at the word "magic"--magic is a tough thing to measure in our reductionist universe of norm-referenced assessments--but he gets the point across.
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4 comments:
I agree. Technology is not nearly as important as the teacher's knowledge and enthusiasm.
I may back off a bit on newer technologies, and rely more on the board.
The right technology for the right time.
I still love the collaborative possibilities of the high tech goodies we have, but I think I'm going to take the "wow" factor out of the equation of what to use when.
We'll see what happens come September--I may be more mesmerized than my children with the high tech stuff.
I may dedicated a day or two a week to "board only" technology--with nothing more than an erasable marker to hide any deficits I might have.
Hahahahahh you should read Schooled by Anisha Lakhani - - this is one teacher who literally got eaten ALIVE by technology in the classroom!!!
I read an interesting article in the NY Times last year about a new charter school in NY that is paying teachers a starting salary of $120,000 a year. The idea is to attract the best teachers possible to help the students learn. The founder of the school had an interesting statement. He said: “I would much rather put a phenomenal, great teacher in a field with 30 kids and nothing else than take the mediocre teacher and give them half the number of students and give them all the technology in the world,” said Mr. Vanderhoek.
Thought this fit the topic.
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