Teaching the Teacher

     I know that it is important for teachers to allow students to experiment with a topic we are teaching.  We can't just lecture all day and expect every child to get what we are trying to teach.  Students must be actively involved in their own education.  I know this, but when I experience it myself, the message becomes even more powerful.  Thursday night, I had the chance to experience the power of students (in this case, me) being actively involved in their learning.  When I read about all the different multimedia resources in the textbook, a lot of what I read just disappeared into thin air.  I couldn't comprehend what I was reading well enough to retain the knowledge.  But when I was given the opportunity to play with some sites in the computer lab, suddenly I understood what the author of the text was saying. The lesson Thursday was on ways to use technology to enhance my instruction, but I also learned first hand just how important it is to allow my students to take part in their own learning.  I think both lessons were equally important.