The Most Important Thing I Teach Isn't Technology
By Jordan Kamer
Categories: Education
Hey there, and welcome back. I want to ask you something right off the bat... What do you think is the most important thing a technology teacher teaches? Go ahead — take a guess. Robots? Coding? How to fix a broken computer? Those are all great guesses. But here's the twist — the most important thing I teach has nothing to do with any device at all. Today, we're going to talk about empathy. And I'm going to show you how a trumpet, a 3D printer, and a busted school computer all taught me the exact same lesson.Let's start at the very beginning. Years ago, before I was a technology teacher, I was working with young students who had autism. One day, I brought in my trumpet and played a game of musical chairs. Simple enough, right? I played 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' and the kids moved around the room. Then... something happened that stopped everyone in their tracks. One child started singing the words. Out loud. And here's the really surprising part — the adults in that room had never heard that child speak before. Not once. A familiar song created an opening. A moment. A chance for that child to participate in a brand new way. That moment changed my life. I knew, right then, that I wanted to spend my career creating opportunities like that one.Now... what does a trumpet have to do with technology? Everything, actually. Because the lesson wasn't about the trumpet. The lesson was about paying attention to what a person needs before you decide what to give them. That's empathy. And empathy, it turns out, is the foundation of everything I do in my classroom. Before I introduce any tool — any app, any gadget, any fancy piece of equipment — I ask one question first. Who is this for? And what problem does it solve for them? Here's why this matters. Let me give you an example. Imagine a student sitting in the back of the room, wearing a hoodie, not participating. You might think, 'That kid doesn't want to be here.' But wait — what if the room is freezing cold? What if…
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- The Most Important Thing I Teach Isn't Technology
What is the single most important thing a technology teacher can teach? Hint: It’s not coding, robotics, or fixing a broken computer—it’s empathy.In this heartwarming and insightful episode, we explore why the true purpose of technology isn't the device itself, but the human connection behind it…
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