Those who can do, because….

It is amazing job, being a teacher…..

The other day, I was instructing my students how to go online, find a website, enter a passcode, to find more information about a concept we were learning. I suddenly realized I was teaching my students how to use a technology that didn’t exist when I was their age. What is amazing, I haven’t even made it to the 1/2 century mark yet. The technology has moved at lightning speeds, leaving behind those who blink.

Winston Churchill, arguable the one man who changed history. I’ve taken an interest in him lately because not only did he accomplish an incredible feat (for all of those of you who missed it, he challenged Hitler, and won) but he had such a timeless philosophy, it can be easily applied to today’s world.

Consider this quote: “Where my reason, imagination and interest where not engaged, I would not or I could not learn”.

How to catch the interest and imagination of our children or students is a daily challenge. I am teaching students to be ready for a (their) world that probably doesn’t exist today, by using today’s technology (that didn’t exist in my world), with yesterday’s (my grandfather’s) philosophy.

When we ignore today’s world, and teach them ours, we are missing an opportunity to use their interest and reason.

So what do we teach them from our world? Love, understanding, respect, compassion, trust, honesty, loyalty. To stand for what you believe in using a moral compass that guides them through a world of amazement and confusion. It is a challenge to teach. It is not for the weak hearted. People joke “that those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach….I have a different thought…Those who can do, because they can’t teach.

photo credit: InSapphoWeTrust via photopin cc

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Toys Without Boundaries

Children today have a wide variety of choices to engage their minds during their free time. Electronic games have goals to reach, board games have a means to the end, and sporting games eventually have winners and losers. I encourage my students and children to do activities that have no “end game”. Toys like building blocks, connecting rods, and erector sets. Crafts like painting, working with crafts and modeling clay. And imaginative play, like role playing, building then playing creative instruments, and just playing. These activities engage the imagination, remove boundaries and and encourages creativity. The late amazing Walt Disney was asked if he thinks outside the box, and he replied, “why does there have to be a box?” Therefore, next time your child or student says “I’m bored”, answer them, “then you are not curious”.