Response to Tim Tyson

Here is the link to the video if you are my mom or my fiance (those are the only two people I can think of outside our class who would check my blog) and you haven’t seen it:

Wow – no really, wow. I mean, I’m changed after watching this – I will be buying free trade chocolate from here on out (seriously – who knew?). And that last video killed me – “Don’t Laugh at Me.” I mean, I know I’m a girl, but I cried. Anyone out there with me? Anyone?

Dr. Tyson is simply a phenomenal speaker; he states things in a way that truly forces his listeners to reflect on the “why” of teaching. I love when he states that “Believe means you are living – be living.” I think he’s got a point here: we’ve got to aim higher for our students than to simply make good grades. Grades shmades – how do we make it matter to their hearts? How do we inspire them with more than fear of the dreaded red ink pen?

The part that really resonated with me throughout the whole video can be summed up by something he states towards the end when he mentions “that precious teacher in the classroom who collapses that distance between children and meaningful contribution.” This is so true – all we ever heard about in school was how our teachers had to “get us ready for next year,” which is all fine and well, but I agree with Dr. Tyson that it’s got to be about more than that. It just does – meaningfulness IS the product of connectiveness. Educators throw that word around so easily: “connectiveness.” But the connection is lost if the teacher isn’t willing to help show the students WHY IT MATTERS.

Bravo, in my opinion, to Dr. Tyson and his students. This is a truly inspiring feat he has embarked upon; I am even more excited, inspired and hopeful about the limitless possibilities there can be with technology, a little passion, and my future students. Awesome!