Page 8 - How to teach reading with heart
P. 8
“Educating the mind without educating the
heart is no education at all”
Aristotle
Technology on Top of
Old Ways
While teaching fifth grade reading, personal computer game. Somehow his
I was required to take my students 21st century brain had worked out the
to the computer lab one day a week program because he was so incredibly
to get an assessment of their reading bored with the task we had asked him
ability by a reading computer program. to perform. Think about this, what did
This program tested their vocabulary, his actions do to his data the school
fluency, and comprehension. One day district would see? What did he look
I am standing behind a student as he like on paper? Would there be a call
is working on vocabulary. I see a word for remediation? Absolutely. Will this
at the top of the screen, four definition young man continue to have an interest
choices are below it. He chooses in his education, be motivated? No. In
definition four. I say, “You know that my opinion, there is a mistaken belief
is not the correct answer. Why did if students are given access to all the
you choose it?” He began an elaborate updated technology, they will blossom
explanation of how he had developed with knowledge. No, something new
a sequence he followed, knowing by is just being put on top of old ways of
choosing answer four, the correct answer teaching to the standardized state test. It
to the next one would be answer two, is still just a worksheet - just this time it
and he was right. He had created his own is delivered by a computer screen.
8 myindigosun.com
