Dr. Tyson’s presentation-can it work for all students?
March 4, 2008
I recently watched a video of Dr. Tyson, the principal at Mabry Middle School and could not help but be inspired. The link to this speech is included below.
“Why do we want to stick it on the bulletin board when we can share it with the world” Dr. Tyson
He is absolutely correct. Our children are more connected to the world in more significant ways than any other generation throughout history. They have information at their fingertips, delivered at the speed of light. They have a question it is answered, they have something to say they have an audience of millions. They do not need a studio to produce a movie or a set to send out a newscast. They only need a digital video camera and a computer. As a teacher how can we show surprise when we our students are not stimulated by an anonymous grade or poster board on the wall which will only be seen by thirty of their peers. Dr. Tyson is right, when a child is sharing something with the world they are producing something much more tangible and alive. They are producing something that will not merely be critiqued by the sole authority figure in the classroom, but by their peers throughout the world. The motivation factor alone is significant, but the inspiration and molding of a truly involved human being is, as MasterCard says, priceless.
However, there is a significant problem with Dr. Tyson’s inspired movement. He teaches at Mabry Middle School in a very affluent are of Metro Atlanta. His student’s come predominately from homes with higher than average median incomes and parent’s with higher education. This usually means that his student’s are presented with higher concepts at home and education is supported more strongly. But most significantly, is the fact that these student’s come from homes with expendable incomes for electronic luxuries. A student from a poorer district does not have the luxury of spending hours per week familiarizing themselves with the world web and their own digital technology. So as inspiring as his philosophy is I cannot help but ask how is this method compatible with the fifty-four percent of Georgia students who live far below the socio-economic status of the average Mabry student?
As he stated in his presentation it was the students who approached him. The students he is fortuneate enough to teach are already self-motivated and engaged in technological endevears from their own homes. How would he present this project to students who had no access to computers except those provided in the school computer lab? How would he integrate a program to teach the students how to use the programs he needs them to be proficient in to make these movies, afterall, there will be a huge learning curve. You see Dr. Tyson is an inspiring educator and I fully intend to implement some of his ideas into my curriculum; however, the reality is that I may not be fortunate enough to teach at a school like Mabry.
