Thank you Shannon Miller

This past Friday, in my Ed Tech & Design class, we were given the privilege to have Shannon Miller, an expert in using technology to connect students to the world in their classrooms, come and share about her experiences in using technology in her class. She talked about how in her school library, she used all kinds of technology to promote learning, collaboration, new experiences, and ultimately to give her students a Voice in their learning.

She shared many stories about students and their experiences, but the thing that sticks out to me the most, is that Shannon made it all possible. She truly gave her students the platform and opportunity to do some incredible things by working hard, and by taking the student's passions and making them her own. I was inspired by the fact that she was able to get so many different authors to Skype with her classes about their favorite books, simply by reaching out to them via Twitter, or email, or Facebook. This shows her dedication and commitment to giving her students every possible opportunity to be apart of something greater, and to connect with the outside world.

It's easy to give up on something when it seems like it cannot be done, and I think most people would consider it impossible to get a well-known author to Skype with kids in a random school in Iowa, but she didn't think like that, and something amazing came out of it.

When I become a teacher, I want to do whatever it takes to give my students a way to connect to the world and to explore uncharted waters. I want them to have experiences that they'll remember and use as a foundation in their learning for the rest of their lives.

Thank you Shannon Miller for your inspiration, and your dedication to empowering the next generation.

Image by: Jamie Becker