He challenges teachers to look for ways to connect our students. This is quite appropriate for me in that tomorrow, my students have a great opportunity to interview a nanotechnology expert, Earl Boysen, author of Nanotechnology for Dummies and www.understandingnano.com - he is also a columnist for Nanotechnology. He is a fascinating person and I am very grateful for his willingness to share.
We will record the discussion and I'll post it on my Cool Cat Teacher podcast this week.
Why are we looking at nanotechnology?
The reason that we are having this discussion is that our computer science book covers hardware very well, but has absolutely nothing on nanotechnology. Nanotech is an essential area of understanding for any classroom looking at science or technology and the impacts are going to be far reaching.
So, I had my students elect a project manager who then divided up the questions they had about nanotechnology and they created a wiki and questions for our presenter for tomorrow.
I have many other things to share about Will's presentation but it is going to have to wait.
Your Essential question of the day! Until then -- think about this. How are you connecting your classroom? How are you getting connected? Are you connecting so that you can learn? Are you modeling the kind of person that they will need to be? The Gift of Connection Teachers, during the most stressful period of teaching probably in the history of mankind, we have been given a gift -- a gift of connections with one another.
No teacher is an island -- we are a growing continent of hope in an education system lost in the last century.
Encourage others to join in but remember this --- we all have our different learning curves and the arrogant and proud never win converts -- it is the humble and willing TEACHER who can encourage others to move ahead into this new world at their own pace and their own comfort level and who never says "I told you so" but only says, "Yes! I'm so proud of you! You can do it!"
Teacher -- remember why you teach! Let that love of teaching spur you to become better and venture unafraid into what has turned out to be, for me, a very good place -- the edublogosphere.
A connected global network.... how do we prepare our students for this reality? A wonderful concept that you have introduced! Enjoy the interview. I want technology to shovel snow and take out the trash......
This is a powerful point. Many of the schools I am working with are new to blogging;what a perfect way to help them think of the power and possibility of connections. Great post!
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A connected global network.... how do we prepare our students for this reality? A wonderful concept that you have introduced! Enjoy the interview. I want technology to shovel snow and take out the trash......