In a week where I have spent the majority of the time working with students, I have been really trying to promote the notion of “Digital Leadership,” and hoping the students look at some of the opportunities that are out there now to make a difference in the lives of others. I have told the students that they do not have to wait for “the future” to make a difference, because they have the ability to do something now. Some of them took me up on it, and one student started a blog trying to promote “acts of kindness”, while others started a Twitter page to compliment others in their school. If you give them the chance, students can inspire you to become better.
Many of the conversations that I have with adults go directly to the “negative” online. Although I understand the concerns, it is sometimes an “out” to not teach students about it, and sometimes comes from a lack of awareness. Although I do talk a lot about all of the opportunities to do something great online, I do promote an awareness of the bad things that exist out there as well. That is vital. In reality, online is not the only place that bad things can happen, yet it is often the message that we share with our youth. If we keep telling kids that the Internet is bad, they might just make that true.
Whatever you are looking for online, you will find it. There is so much information out there, that there is going to be a lot in the negative. So why not steer our kids to some of the amazing? If I make the assumption that the majority of people in the world are good, and the majority of people are on the Internet, what does that tell me? Where are we directing our students to go?
Awareness is vital and I will always teach that, but I am also going to continue to promote some of the great things that exist online. In the last 12 hours, I have been amazed, inspired and “happy” with some of the things that I have seen shared. Hopefully some of these will show some of the awesome that exists in our world that you can find online.
Be Amazed
This video is a compilation of 852 Instagram images from 852 different users to make one remarkable video.
This is an amazing video that shows struggle, happiness, and perseverance from not only a mom and dad, but this amazing little guy. (Grab tissues)
Be Happy
Pharrell Williams put together a 24 hour video for his new single “happy” and it is simply people dancing and smiling. Simple, but I love it.
All of these videos I have seen in the last 12 hours, but it is probably because I was looking for them. What are you trying to find and share with your students?
