Before I even was out of bed this morning I was already learning... a link in my Twitterfeed from @lhilt (http://goo.gl/4jiQe ) was an exciting discovery.
Using Twitter to connect students learning a language in kindergarten is an intriguing idea. In this example the teachers were helping their students share their ideas, experiences and thoughts with other classrooms of eager students around the world. What was particularly interesting to me about this was the depth of learning!
What the students gained was an understanding of language. That others were using the language they were learning as their primary tool for communication is a deep and important concept which made their own study of the language more meaningful and inherently important.
What experiences can we bring to our learners that will bring understanding and drive to them? How can we connect our learners to the world of other learners and make the learning be far deeper than the "content"? What opportunities are we missing because we think too simply or because we think time is too precious?
This kindergarten teacher took the time to connect her students to others and, as a benefit, they understood at a deep level WHY what they were learning was important and valuable. SO much more powerful than simply answering the question "Why do we have to learn this?"
What will you do today or this week to help your learners unearth the deeper value of the things they are learning?
