A few years ago I was asked to do an opening day presentation to get teachers excited about educational technology. I wanted to inspire teachers to believe in the power of technology. At that time wikis and blogs were coming of age in education and so I wanted to encourage teachers to use blogs so that they, and their students could contribute their ideas, knowledge, and talents, not just in their school but around the world using these amazing technologies. As I was developing the presentation, an image started trickling into my thought-stream and my mind traveled back to the movie, The Dead Poets Society. Specifically, I remembered the classic scene where Robin Williams, as Mr. Keating, encourages his students to love art and poetry by paraphrasing from Walt Whitman's classic poem, "O Me! O Life!" The scene is incredibly choreographed with Williams in a huddle with the students, and as he says his lines the camera pans to the excited looks on the students faces. It captures their innocence, excitement, and enthusiasm to take on the world. Watching the movie on my own, often brings tears to my eyes as you see looks on the eager students' faces. Isn't that the look, as teachers, we strive to generate? I think that scene did exactly what I wanted it to do for my presentation, namely to exemplify how we live in such amazing times that allow all of us to share art, beauty, ideas,and love across the world, using 21st century technology. Here is the scene: As I was watching football this past Sunday, Robin William's lines from this scene came from a commercial and I was instantly transfixed. Apple created a wonderful advertisement about exactly what I had in mind for my presentation. Namely technology can transform the world by bringing art, beauty, poetry, and love to people around the world. I hate to say great minds think alike, because I certainly don't consider myself to have a great mind. But I was so happy to think that I made the same connection with this scene as someone else. Teachers.... parents.... be inspired to use technology to let your children, your students, yourself... contribute a verse! Apple's Version
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the Geek
My name is Andrew Wheelock- I am a technology integrator who's fascinated with my fellow educators and their powerful uses of tech for learning. Archives
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