--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a…" description: "\"My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a book, \"Children Designs,\" has a documented story of a kid who was very shy, isolated and didn't talk much to oth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg" --- # My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a book, "Children… ![“My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a book, "Children Designs," has a documented story of a kid who was very shy, isolated and didn't talk much to other kids. She was a little overweight, and the other kids looked down on her for that reason.But then she made a discovery about how to do something…” quote by Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg) > “My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a book, "Children Designs," has a documented story of a kid who was very shy, isolated and didn't talk much to other kids. She was a little overweight, and the other kids looked down on her for that reason.But then she made a discovery about how to do something on the computer. The discovery was picked up by other kids, and within a few weeks there was a total transformation. This kid was now in demand. And that changed her feeling about herself.” [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A shy, overweight child gains confidence after discovering a computer skill that peers value, transforming self‑esteem. **In simple terms:** Computer skills can boost confidence and social acceptance. Key Takeaway Encourage hands‑on tech exploration for all kids. Themes education self‑esteem technology inclusion transformation Mood inspirational empowering Type educational psychological When to use this quote - classroom projects - after‑school clubs - online tutorials Key Concepts constructivist learning peer validation digital literacy Questions to Reflect On - What non‑tech activities can also empower shy children? - How can educators ensure inclusive tech access? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑emphasizing tech as sole confidence source. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Designs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-designs-2982851/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Ex Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ex-student-2532334/) [Exes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exes/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Isolated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isolated/) [Kid Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid-demand-2982853/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Overweight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overweight/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Shy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shy/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Talk Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-kids-960899/) [Transformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation/) [Transformation Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation-kid-2982852/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [A teacher's major contribution may pop out anonymously in the life of some ex-student's grandchild. A teacher, finally, has nothing to go on but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-teacher-s-major-contribution-may-pop-out-anonymously-in-the-life-of/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A teacher's major contribution may pop out anonymuosly in the life of some ex-student's grandchild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-teacher-s-major-contribution-may-pop-out-anonymuosly-in-the-life-of/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [When I talk to kids who are overweight, I see my face on their bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/when-i-talk-to-kids-who-are-overweight-i-see-my-face-on-their-bodies/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [Men aren't asked about age. Men aren't asked about their children. Not that these things aren't important, but I do feel like it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/men-aren-t-asked-about-age-men-aren-t-asked-about-their-children-not/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [The teachers thought there was something wrong with me because I wouldn’t talk to other kids. I was almost playing mind games with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-way/the-teachers-thought-there-was-something-wrong-with-me-because-i/) [Mikey Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-way/) > [No government should ever make you afraid to talk to your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslyn-lewis/no-government-should-ever-make-you-afraid-to-talk-to-your-kids/) [Leslyn Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslyn-lewis/) > [The time that Ted and I spend talking about our careers is almost infinitesimally small. We mostly talk about our kids and our grandkids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/the-time-that-ted-and-i-spend-talking-about-our-careers-is-almost/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I think my books talk about kids learning to like and respect themselves and each other. You can't write a message book; you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-danziger/i-think-my-books-talk-about-kids-learning-to-like-and-respect/) [Paula Danziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-danziger/) > [When I was a kid, I hated being talked to as a kid. I don't know if all kids feel that way, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-feldman/when-i-was-a-kid-i-hated-being-talked-to-as-a-kid-i-don-t-know-if-all/) [Michael Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-feldman/) > [We've fallen down on our responsibility to our children by somehow creating this world where they're surrounded by images of sexuality; and yet, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-ve-fallen-down-on-our-responsibility-to-our-children-by-somehow/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I go to correctional facilities and talk to kids there. They have little kids in there who are, like, 12 years old, stealing cars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eazy-e/i-go-to-correctional-facilities-and-talk-to-kids-there-they-have/) [Eazy-E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eazy-e/) > [I totally believe parents should talk to their kids about drugs. I totally believe that educating them in every way is really important. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/i-totally-believe-parents-should-talk-to-their-kids-about-drugs-i/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [I talk to my kids about my mothers energy and how she would have loved them. I talk about how kind and polite my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemon-andersen/i-talk-to-my-kids-about-my-mothers-energy-and-how-she-would-have/) [Lemon Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemon-andersen/) > [It's always fun whenever you can come out and support the kids and get a chance to talk to the kids. You don't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-lindor/it-s-always-fun-whenever-you-can-come-out-and-support-the-kids-and/) [Francisco Lindor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-lindor/) > [I don't talk down to kids. Usually someone my age who's talking to a ten or twelve year old is yelling at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-vallely/i-don-t-talk-down-to-kids-usually-someone-my-age-who-s-talking-to-a/) [Mike Vallely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-vallely/) ## More by Seymour Papert > [We imagine a school in which students and teachers excitedly and joyfully stretch themselves to their limits in pursuit of projects built on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-imagine-a-school-in-which-students-and-teachers-excitedly-and/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [It's not what you know about the computer that's important, but your ability to do things with it. By studying French in an academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/it-s-not-what-you-know-about-the-computer-that-s-important-but-your/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I prefer software where kids build something and run into problems they have to solve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-prefer-software-where-kids-build-something-and-run-into-problems/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [What the gears cannot do the computer might. The computer is the Proteus of machines. Its essence is its universality, its power to simulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/what-the-gears-cannot-do-the-computer-might-the-computer-is-the/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [The reason most kids don't like school is not that the work is too hard, but that it is utterly boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/the-reason-most-kids-don-t-like-school-is-not-that-the-work-is-too/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What matters most is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/for-what-is-important-when-we-give-children-a-theorem-to-use-is-not/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [We often treat children as if they're not very competent to do anything on their own. So we make them stop learning in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-often-treat-children-as-if-they-re-not-very-competent-to-do/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I think Disney is a very interesting company, and it does have an extremely powerful means for projecting a certain way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-think-disney-is-a-very-interesting-company-and-it-does-have-an/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [One might say the computer is being used to program the child. In my vision, the child programs the computer, and in doing so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/one-might-say-the-computer-is-being-used-to-program-the-child-in-my/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [The goal is to teach in such a way as to produce the most learning from the least teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/the-goal-is-to-teach-in-such-a-way-as-to-produce-the-most-learning/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Similarly, computer literacy courses tend to produce computer people who know a lot about computers or a piece of software but they don't help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/similarly-computer-literacy-courses-tend-to-produce-computer-people/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Our goal in education should be to foster the ability to use the computer in everything you do, even if you don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/our-goal-in-education-should-be-to-foster-the-ability-to-use-the/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [This frenzy about cyberporn indicates some deeper fear of adults as they see kids become more independent and learn things they never learned. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/this-frenzy-about-cyberporn-indicates-some-deeper-fear-of-adults-as/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Rather than pushing children to think like adults, we might do better to remember that they are great learners and to try harder to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/rather-than-pushing-children-to-think-like-adults-we-might-do-better/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Working with the computer gives rise to many opportunities to transcend asocial behavior, because it produces exciting and visually interesting things to share, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/working-with-the-computer-gives-rise-to-many-opportunities-to/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) [Explore all 56 Seymour Papert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a book, \"Children Designs,\" has a documented story of a kid who was very shy, isolated and didn't talk much to other kids. She was a little overweight, and the other kids looked down on her for that reason.But then she made a discovery about how to do something on the computer. The discovery was picked up by other kids, and within a few weeks there was a total transformation. This kid was now in demand. And that changed her feeling about herself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seymour Papert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-book-children-designs-has-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-book-children-designs-has-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/seymour-papert-12175_book_my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-boo_1114055.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote a book, \"Children Designs,\" has a documented story of a kid who was…” — Seymour Papert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Seymour Papert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My ex-student, Idit Harel, who wrote...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-book-children-designs-has-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/my-ex-student-idit-harel-who-wrote-a-book-children-designs-has-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```