Need to Believe
"No, the iPod (or other mobile device) can't be taken home because so and so's son just left his in his pocket and it got washed."
"No, I can't unblock You Tube (or other social media) because they will look up sex stuff."
"No, they can't bring their cell phones to school because they are going to cheat."
Where does this innate distrust of children come from? What have they done to prove that they are untrustworthy? While there are pockets of students across the world using technology inappropriately, there are thousands not. And so for those few rule-breakers, the masses are being punished.
We (adults) need to pause and consider the message we are sending our youth. Instead of saying, "you are a rotten good for nothing that can't be trusted to do anything right" we need to say, "let me show you how to do this so that you can be responsible." Once we do this, we empower our students. And instead of fulfilling our negative prophecy they will change the world. All because someone believed in them.
"No, I can't unblock You Tube (or other social media) because they will look up sex stuff."
"No, they can't bring their cell phones to school because they are going to cheat."
Where does this innate distrust of children come from? What have they done to prove that they are untrustworthy? While there are pockets of students across the world using technology inappropriately, there are thousands not. And so for those few rule-breakers, the masses are being punished.
We (adults) need to pause and consider the message we are sending our youth. Instead of saying, "you are a rotten good for nothing that can't be trusted to do anything right" we need to say, "let me show you how to do this so that you can be responsible." Once we do this, we empower our students. And instead of fulfilling our negative prophecy they will change the world. All because someone believed in them.
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