Common Values

What a wonderful morning at Arbourthorne Community Primary School.  A group of staff from Sheffield primary schools chatting on-line with professor Stephen Heppell, finding common themes by sharing a global and local perspective, all topped off with a pupil speaking proudly about his maths work.

And was the young man in question phased by being live on videoconference?  Far from it- he was quite ok with the whole thing and soon get into the content.  The most lasting impression from this encounter was Stephen's model yacht.  Which is what technology is all about: not getting in the way, but simply being there in the background to help people communicate:

Connection is about widening horizons and helping people see new possibilities.  We're a long way from the sea here in Sheffield, but dare to dream and you can go anywhere.  Did the sight of Stephen's model yacht spark an interest in sailing for life?  Maybe, be even if not, that isn't the point.  It has to be everyone's responsibility to give hope, confidence and encouragement to our children to dream big and wide and far.  After all, it's our children's solutions to the problems that we don't yet know about that hold the key to OUR futures. . .

Digital Divide

Postcode lottery is only the start of it. If we really are citizens of the world then let's do something each and every day to bridge a divide by forgoing wants for others' needs. £500 builds a whole school library in Namibia.

Food for thought. And with that thought come ideas and solutions to build from.
We are one planet, and it's only as one planet that we can create a better future.