Leave Behind No Child Left Behind?

For my professional development conference I attended the Teaching & Learning with Technology Fair and Symposium that was held on campus on March 26, 2008.

The keynote speaker was Mary Margaret Cavera and she discussed how to make effective power point presentations that would keep all types of students engaged in the learning process. The presentation demonstrated ways to cater to different learning types while explaining those types. (Yeah it’s not as confusing as it sounds really).

Ms. Cavera spoke for about an hour on the subject and by the time I left the brief lecture I felt as though I had only scratched the surface of an immensely intriguing subject. I enjoyed the lecture but I do wish that there had been a bit more substance to the presentation. Ms. Cavera talked about the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) and how there are four distinct types of learning that occur in the average classroom. She demonstrated how a carefully designed power point presentation can reach out to all types of students and keep them involved.

Ms. Cavera was not the only presenter at the Technology Fair though. I left the keynote speech scratching my head and wishing that I could have learned more information on the subject. However, I was not done learning for the day just yet.

I ventured into the hallway where there were booths set up with all sorts of cool technological devices. I looked around and was immediately caught by bright colored mini computers and fuzzy cooing robot dinosaurs. (Come on, you know you would go for that first over standard booths with boring pamphlets and only half interested presenters.)

The presenters, Russ Barneveld and Barbara LaBeau both appeared genuinely interested in the booth they were running while most of the other booths seemed anxious to avoid visitors Ms. LaBeau was very friendly and helpful. I found myself talking to her for an hour before I realized that I was supposed to visit other booths. I shrugged it off figuring that at least I was learning something. That was the idea of the fair, right? Although they were listed as being there to promote “Portfolios Online –using personal web start pages” they drew me to their booth with video of little robotic dinosaurs that they had posted on their web pages. I learned about personal web pages as well as important philanthropy programs and fun new technology for in a classroom.
I learned that the mini computers were part of a program to get computers to children in underprivileged areas of the world and that the dinosaurs were interactive “pets” that classes could raise. The dinosaurs develop personalities based on how they are treated. An interesting and tantalizing venture if I’ve ever heard of one.

What did I learn from the fair?

Even with massaging squirrels and various Disney character graphics the keynote speaker’s presentation was overshadowed in my opinion, by pure enthusiasm. Ms. LaBeau and Mr. Barneveld were so gracious and open to questions that I really wanted to hear everything that they told me. So how can I translate that to a classroom setting? I think that answer is obvious, no matter how well a teacher knows their subject it is their enthusiasm and willingness to interact with the students that really makes a great teacher.

I do not wish to discredit Ms. Cavera. She gave a wonderful presentation and I did learn from it. However, it is difficult to fight bright colored mini computers, fuzzy robotic dinosaurs, and lots of enthusiasm!

Click Here To See Cavera’s Power point Presentation Slide Handouts

Web Page Start Pages — as demonstrated by Russ Barneveld and Barbara LaBeau