“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge and wisdom in the pupils.” – Ever Garrison
As the school year comes to a close I, like many of you, are extremely ready for summer. At this point in the year, sometimes it is easy to forget just how important our role as educators actually is. We are reviewing and preparing for the state test, and I am so looking forward to the regeneration process that comes with summer vacation. Ahhhhh 🙂
So many awesome quotes will be posted on social media this week that attest to the great challenges and responsibilities we have as educators. In less than 20 words, Ever Garrison sums up the enormous task that teachers have…inspiring students to seek knowledge beyond what the state test requires of them.
In our 21st century classrooms, we have so many tools at our disposal to attempt to accomplish the huge challenge described by Garrison. We can inspire students to move beyond memorizing facts in ways our predecessors never knew were possible. Do students want to apply their knowledge of the bill to law process beyond the classroom? Encourage them to try the awesome games at iCivics. Are student anxious to present their knowledge of the Revolutionary War in an innovative way that’s not a research paper or typical poster project? Check out screencasting. Do you want to break down the walls of your classroom environment and connect with students in another city, state, or country? Check out Google Hangouts and connected learning communities. We have so many opportunities to create engaging classroom environments and “activate the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom” in our students!
I hope we all remember how important we are in our students’ lives…beyond reviewing and preparing for a standardized test.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! And remember, summer is coming 🙂
Thanks for reading!
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