Learning through Students

By Jamie Guillaume

Recently our eLearn team has been focusing on gathering Jr.-Sr. High students to form a technology team.  The idea behind this is to give a group of students the opportunity to further explore their technological interests and also present their discoveries and ideas to teachers and students.  During this process I have found myself pleasantly humbled and educated by these students.  As teachers we tend to be nervous about a student knowing more about a topic than what we do; however we shouldn’t.  We should instead learn to recognize the opportunity and be willing to learn from these students. 

My first experience with this idea of learning through students occurred when I acquired my first iPad in 2010. My oldest son was 2 years old at the time.  He was playing the iPad and began putting apps into folders.  When I got the iPad back, I had no idea what he had done, and when I asked him, he showed me; a two-year-taught me a skill using technology!  Examples such as this, explain why this generation of children have been labeled, “Digital Natives.”  Using technological tools comes naturally to them. 

As teachers we of course strive to be lifelong learners but sometimes forget or do not consider that we can learn from our students too. When using technology in the classroom, teachers always need to consider the concept first and then go to the technology to enhance the learning.  We also need to be careful not to disregard a webtool or device a student can use to present his/her knowledge of the material just because we are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the tool.  It could be a learning experience for us too. 

Give learning through students a try.  Let them show you something your phone can do, shortcuts using your laptop, or special settings on your iPad.  The options and learning opportunities are endless!