Start with the Vision

I came across this quote recently:

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
                                                                              --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

As far as I remember, I hadn't read it previously, but it sure fits with what I've been feeling lately as I've been training teachers to use technology.

A few weeks ago I posted this picture on Twitter, summing up my three steps to successful teacher tech training. I'd add that steps 1 and 2 should be as brief as possible.

This goes beyond just tech training. It probably applies to anything. Start with the dream or the passion. Begin with the heart. Only then will we be willing to do the real work required to see it through.

Some thoughts from previous posts:

• My intro to the Google for Education session from May 2015
• A reflective exercise for teachers