Hannah Emmanuele
Via Vala Afshar and PJ Caposey in HuffPost:
In the words of educational writer and speaker, Todd Whitaker, “If the principal sneezes, the whole school catches a cold.” It is up to the educational leaders to set the tone that technology, social media, and overall connectedness should not be feared. Rather they must be incorporated into the curriculum so that the students become comfortable, proficient, and responsible with it. Since most teachers did not have the chance to experience it as students, they need to see their leaders and administrators using it in order to make the change.
Schools are no longer defined by brick and mortar walls or textbooks. More than ever, they need to teach creativity, innovation, and how to find and verify meaningful information. Schools especially should be teaching important communication skills; not just how to stand awkwardly in the front of the classroom giving a speech, but how to communicate coast-to-coast and country-to-country in discussion and collaboration. Students need to learn how to debate ideas and concepts (not people) and weigh their positions on important and relevant topics. Schools will continue to be relevant as they embrace these changes.
The experience PJ has had with social media is the same experience schools need to be providing their students. Leaders must promote social media and digital citizenship so the educational community can move beyond the mentality of fear and dreaded what-ifs, to adopt a philosophy of innovation and why-nots. Now is the time for leaders to embrace the new technology by personally experiencing the benefits of connectedness and technology and becoming transformational leaders for the children and communities they serve.
