Summary Post for C4T#1

Kelly Hines's Blog: Keeping Kids First

Locals and Tourists
In this post, Ms. Hines analyzes technology as a beach, and the users of technology as either "locals" or "tourists".
The locals of a beach would be the people who have been there most of his/her life and know where all the cool/romantic/dangerous places are. They are also the people who love and respect the territory: they don't abuse it and they keep it clean. Similarly, the "locals" of technology would be the people who know the ins, outs, ups, downs, do's and don'ts of it all.
The tourists of the beach, on the other hand, either disrespect the territory, or are fearful of it. Similarly, the "tourists" of technology either don't know how to use it properly, or, as Ms. Hines described, are afraid to "take the plunge"--they see technology as an intimidating shark to avoid at all costs.
In my comment to this post, I described myself as an "in-betweeny" of technology. i explained that I am familiar with it, as I have been exposed to it most of my life. However, I have yet to "take the plunge" into the bigger, deeper ocean.

How Full Is Your Bucket?
After reading the book, How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, PhD, Ms. Hines highlighted a few things from the book that teachers could do to fill up a child's "bucket", or praise them and lift their self esteem, rather than taking away from a child by constantly telling them what they did wrong.
In my comment, I explained that I could identify with having "Empty Bucket Syndrome", from having a teacher who never saw the positive in me. I also feel that a teacher should do whatever they can to make a child feel special, whether it goes from telling them, on the spot, what a good job they've done, or surprising them with a small, yet meaningful gift.