Editor's note

NEA Today, Nov 1999 by Fischer, Bill

It's always nice to see stories in other publications about NEA members who first appeared in NEA Today It hap pens often.

California teacher Jim Dieckmann was on the cover of NEA Today in 1997, touting the benefits of technology for his students at Clear View Charter School in Chula Vista.

Last September, Dieckmann and his students were part of a feature story in USA Today.

Dieckmann's school is one of five spotlighted in Learn & Live, a series of hourlong documentaries narrated by Robin Williams that airs on public television this fall. (Check local listings for time.)

The series is co-produced by the George Lucas Foundation, a California nonprofit dedicated to promoting innovative teaching. and State of the Art. a Washington, D.C., multimedia company.

Howard Gardner, whose multiple intelligences theory has sparked educational innovation everywhere, adds commentary to the film.

Dieckmann's students have access to some of the best, most innovative technology, the USA Today story points out. But what really excites Dieckmann is his students' involvement with the technology.

'You can see their desire to do their very best." he points out, "and not only in science."

The program has had a "tremendous effect on his students," adds Dieckmann. Some have gone from being truants to model students.

The Dieckmann spotlight is just one part of the work Lucas is doing to showcase innovative teachers and how they use technology to spark creativity and imagination. The Lucas Foundation is aiming to highlight school successes and help teachers in the digital age.

A kit that includes a video of Learn and Live and a 300-page resource book can be purchased by calling 888/475-4371. Or check the Lucas Education Foundation Web site at www.glef.org.