"Welcome to EdTechAfterDark! Our community was born out of discussions for a rich EdChat type gathering for those of us who are thinking about the digital edu-landscape long after the sun has gone down. For us night owls, when the clock strikes 10PM EST, you’ll find us on Twitter over at #edtechafterdark. All are welcome! Our discussions range from our philosophies about EdTech, digital best practices, and simply sharing our stories." --www.edtechafterdark.com
Welcome to #EdTechAfterDark! tonight we will be discussing Martín Luther King Jr’s op-ed “The Purpose of Education”. Check the link if you would like to pre-read this short piece. https://t.co/Dg2QQM0V9I Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do? Why do you do it?
Hey hey #edtechafterdark high school teacher librarian & Associate Director empowering in central Cali because everyone deserves someone who believes in them.
Good evening #EdTechAfterDark family! Sylvia, Writing Coach / Reading Tchr @BrandonHSEagles ... I like seeing sts learning to read better & enjoy reading! Skills , talent, & a calling ... I do what I’m meant to do! ☺️
A1 I think it can ... when 1 focuses on standards, sts can learn the skills to discern in any & all contents ... we need to teach to the standards #EdTechAfterDark
A1: To some degree, I feel truth is being learned, but widely, I do not see that people are being guided towards an understanding..more like being coaxed to believe what others believe...we can make it happen! #EdTechAfterDark
Jeremy, I parent... because, well, I’m a parent. And I do communications/editing for an education agency because I guess I have a way with wordsmithing. #EdTechAfterDark
A1:Although there are pockets of educators answering the call, preparing students to discern truth from fabrication in the digital world has been all but ignored by education at large. We’ve shrugged off this responsibility & opted for laser-focus on test scores #EdTechAfterDark
A1: it is getting closer, though I feel that our leaning toward standardized testing is pushing away from that learning to discern and closer to finding the "right" answer. #EdTechAfterDark
A2: I see the morals being more important than intelligence. I can live morally and not know everything...but if I know everything without a moral compass, I could be headed down a dark road... #EdTechAfterDark
A2 I wish we didn’t have to because I do believe morality is the responsibility of the parent ... yet many of our families may not have the skills (sadly) ... so maybe our role should remain supportive - let’s model the model #EdTechAfterDark
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 #EdTechAfterDark
A2: I see the morals being more important than intelligence. I can live morally and not know everything...but if I know everything without a moral compass, I could be headed down a dark road... #EdTechAfterDark
A2: I see the morals being more important than intelligence. I can live morally and not know everything...but if I know everything without a moral compass, I could be headed down a dark road... #EdTechAfterDark
#edtechafterdark A2 Our Ss had the opportunity to interact with Congressman John Lewis a few years ago. Shared his story of the civil rights movement and relationship with Dr. King. Outstanding opportunity to learn about how to overcome adversity and fight for equality.
True...but there is such an 'urgency of now' as MLK put it, that puts many of us in position to act in proxy in many cases...so that their courses are set in the proper direction, or in some cases redirected... #EdTechAfterDark
A2: Schools have become increasingly afraid in these polarizing times to draw a line in the sand and take a moral stand for or against anything. At some point, we as educators must be the compass for a wayward nation. #EdTechAfterDark
I have to say, I was on the fence about character education until... our country’s current path. To some extent, education should spread common expectations as citizens of the country and world. Otherwise... is it ok if the president says or does it? #EdTechAfterDark A2
Like integrity...this is one thing I try to instill on the regular...even with 8 year olds..sometimes it is huge contrast to what they learn at home..but I digress.. #EdTechAfterDark
I like that ... “act in proxy” ... it’s just sad that our society has required this .. it hurts my heart to see grandparents raising their own children ‘s kids b/c of poor choices (I.e., drugs>Kids) ... but urgency is definitely now #EdTechAfterDark
True...but there is such an 'urgency of now' as MLK put it, that puts many of us in position to act in proxy in many cases...so that their courses are set in the proper direction, or in some cases redirected... #EdTechAfterDark
#EdTechAfterDark I'm an old timer trying to live in a digital world. Started at beginning of computers, films on reels, dittos and mimeographed papers. I is old
A1:Although there are pockets of educators answering the call, preparing students to discern truth from fabrication in the digital world has been all but ignored by education at large. We’ve shrugged off this responsibility & opted for laser-focus on test scores #EdTechAfterDark
A2) It always surprises me that we often exclude moral purpose from education, when education has served as the vessel that has challenged the #StatusQuo and shifted aspects of our world. #EdTechAfterDark#MLKDay19
I go out on tangents all the time when teaching, if I can connect it...I go there...and make the most of moments...ends up taking us much further than my limited plan would have...following that unction... #EdTechAfterDark
Yes I feel that pain too...probably too deeply at times...but if something I do is the reason why crisis is averted...I feel compelled to do it... #EdTechAfterDark
A2. Teaching students about the importance of Mindset and Character is just as important as the curriculum we teach. Anyone can learn new methods and strategies but we must be taught how to respect, accept, and be tolerant from a very very young age. #EdTechAfterDark
Yes I feel that pain too...probably too deeply at times...but if something I do is the reason why crisis is averted...I feel compelled to do it... #EdTechAfterDark
I imagine schools are playing catch-up. I was struck by student King’s reference to a “morass of propaganda.” He saw it, he anticipated it... and yet I don’t think the education system or the country was prepared for what we’re dealing with today. #MLK#EdTechAfterDark A1
Sometimes I wonder if 'character education' wasn't given that name, but we just lived it, would it be perceived and received differently? #EdTechAfterDark
A1:Although there are pockets of educators answering the call, preparing students to discern truth from fabrication in the digital world has been all but ignored by education at large. We’ve shrugged off this responsibility & opted for laser-focus on test scores #EdTechAfterDark
A2) It always surprises me that we often exclude moral purpose from education, when education has served as the vessel that has challenged the #StatusQuo and shifted aspects of our world. #EdTechAfterDark#MLKDay19
A4: the role of bias, the need for equity, the importance of using your voice in times of discomfort, and of course the pathagorean theorum. #EdTechAfterDark
Possibly. I was put off by the term... sounded sermonizing. Think it was my own ignorance. And I’ve come to realize what I thought were universal truths about character apparently aren’t. #EdTechAfterDark
A3:I think kids should have the opportunity to grapple w/ the big problems they’ll face after grade school: Global Warming, income disparity, systemic racism, war, etc. check out John Hunter. He tackled all that and more with 4th graders! https://t.co/w5oHr9ujcK#EdTechAfterDark
I hear that Jeremy...It does sound a bit titlish (made that word up), too titlish that is seems to lose some of its impact...and true, universal believes of character...perhaps the gap has widened rather than narrowed today.. #EdTechAfterDark
Sometimes I wonder if 'character education' wasn't given that name, but we just lived it, would it be perceived and received differently? #EdTechAfterDark
A2) It always surprises me that we often exclude moral purpose from education, when education has served as the vessel that has challenged the #StatusQuo and shifted aspects of our world. #EdTechAfterDark#MLKDay19
A3: My biggest objective is problem solving. I tell my students that you may not always use the exact math I teach, but you will always need to know how to solve a problem. I also am not afraid to throw in relevant life lessons. #Edtechafterdark
Sadly many adults lack them these days ... we have succumb to a society of negativity ... if we were to step back and reflect, maybe we could find common ground for a positive future #EdTechAfterDark
No doubt and high past time! With issues ranging from discernment as noted to representation and ownership, #criticalmedialiteracynow! is our only choice. #EdTechAfterDark
A4: A piece of paper granted by someone else as a measure of your value or worth is not it! What is true is that you have purposed in your heart to gain an understanding with which to transform yourself into one who can influence the world. #EdTechAfterDark
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this. We provide a compass as a family, but our kids have to navigate much of the rest of the world in whispers. I thought the American education system was built in part to inculcate common values that I’d taken for granted. #EdTechAfterDark
A2: Schools have become increasingly afraid in these polarizing times to draw a line in the sand and take a moral stand for or against anything. At some point, we as educators must be the compass for a wayward nation. #EdTechAfterDark
A4.2: I have a few pieces of paper, but they only mean that I have taken time to study a thing...and know more about a thing...but I still don't know every'thing'... #EdTechAfterDark
Sometimes the title becomes meaningless over time as the carrying out of the thing falls short of its intention. I have seen “character development” be successful at developing little more than overcoming boredom in some settings. We get what we put into it. #EdTechAfterDark
A4.4: I can know a thing without having that piece of paper too. In fact, I may even know more that way depending on who granted me that piece of paper. #EdTechAfterDark
A4: education cannot rest alone in the rocks of knowledge but must be grown in the soil of wisdom in order for it to bloom and bear fruit. #EdTechAfterDark
A4 a true educator is a life-long learner in word and deed ... it is not just about getting PD credits, though, it’s about continually to push your practice by learning whenever & wherever they can 😍 #EdTechAfterDark
It comes down to acceptance. Schools should be accepting and welcoming places for all students without exception. For some students, that makes it a refuge. #EdTechAfterDark
It comes down to acceptance. Schools should be accepting and welcoming places for all students without exception. For some students, that makes it a refuge. #EdTechAfterDark
A4: Degrees don't matter but the heart and character of a person will show how truly educated they are. My dad had a high school diploma but was one of high character and cared for all. Very intelligent not just book smart.
A4: What Socrates understood long ago was that a true education is an acknowledgement of our own ignorance more than a discovery of any leve of knowledge. #KnowYourBlindspots#EdTechAfterDark
As #MLK said, education must include character. Grades and degrees and scores don’t measure that at all. The truest measure is an ability to navigate life—its situations, its people, its changes—and to grow along the way. #EdTechAfterDark A4
A4) #Education without application is no education at all. Far too often we diminish the lives experience of others due to the lack of a piece of paper. #EdTechAfterDark
A4: I believe that one can be educated on a topic, so a degree could measure one's scholarly education. Measuring one's education in other aspects should be based on their actions.
A5 with a focus on “covering curriculum” our sts learn to be puppets of info rather than thinkers & creators .. Twain said, one who does not read is no better than one who cannot read (paraphrased) #EdTechAfterDark
A5: We must be careful to engage in those activities that broaden a child's understanding, so that he or she is empowered to know, seek, and discover...we must be careful to be what students need, not what a piece of paper says they need. #EdTechAfterDark
THIS... this is why I struggle with steering kids away from college. Everyone deserves their own path, yes. College isn’t everything and it probably isn’t for everybody. But I don’t trust the system not to be biased. #EdTechAfterDark
Daily mental battle ... am I dis-serving sts when I push them to college or away from college? My goal is to open doors and windows, not slam any shut. #EdTechAfterDark
THIS... this is why I struggle with steering kids away from college. Everyone deserves their own path, yes. College isn’t everything and it probably isn’t for everybody. But I don’t trust the system not to be biased. #EdTechAfterDark
A5: Teachers must be careful not to ignore and/or deny their implicit biases. They exist. They’re real. And if they go unchecked, they can have grave consequences in the lives of those we are called to serve. #edtechafterdark
I telll my Ss that my brother was a mechanic and made more than I did for years..2 years of tech school. We have to make sure they understand working with your hands may be best option. #edtechafterdark
A5: We must be careful to engage in those activities that broaden a child's understanding, so that he or she is empowered to know, seek, and discover...we must be careful to be what students need, not what a piece of paper says they need. #EdTechAfterDark
Talk about current relevance! But the danger isn’t from higher ed but from the morass of media and exploitation that surround us. Education should be a savior from it. If you think teaching tolerance is propaganda, though, I suppose you’d object. #MLKDay2019#EdTechAfterDark A5
A6 I used to use “IHADream” as a mentor text for students to write their own speech with anaphora and figurative language ... would add focus now power of his message #EdTechAfterDark
A4: What Socrates understood long ago was that a true education is an acknowledgement of our own ignorance more than a discovery of any leve of knowledge. #KnowYourBlindspots#EdTechAfterDark
A6: Since I don't have a classroom, I try to make sure Ss understand their words and actions can be considered racist or demeaning. Had many conversations about this topic. #edtechafterdark
A6: I love jarring students’ whitewashed vision of the beloved MLK Jr and replacing it with the radical figure that he was. To do so, a close reading of Letter from Birmingham Jail and The Other America tend to do the trick https://t.co/AheHIZxf6Q#EdTechAfterDark
