My mother, Erma Gene Christian, was an English teacher. She instilled in me the value of a good education and always stressed the importance of reading. She not only read to me, she read in front of me, modeling positive behavior that I would emulate for the rest of my life. 

As I grew up and advanced my education, learning — particularly reading — became more and more important to me. And, as you may know, in addition to acting, I have dedicated my career to spreading the joy of reading to kids around the world.

I began doing so as the host of "Reading Rainbow," and today I continue that mission through the Reading Rainbow Skybrary, which leverages the power of today’s technology to help kids build a lifelong love of reading.

I am always connected to the online world — I get most of my news from social media and the web, and I do most of my reading electronically. I truly believe that if we marry educational technology with high-quality, enriching content, it’s a circle of win.

That is what makes me so excited about the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students. They provide educators with a guide for creating a learning environment to help kids live, work and play in a world that's infused with technology.

Rather than saying, “a student should be able to use this specific device,” the ISTE Standards for Students provide a framework for empowering kids through technology, for developing the attributes of good digital citizens, and for participating in meaningful, digital age learning. Providing students with an environment where technology and digital resources are effectively and appropriately integrated enables them to take learning into their own hands. It’s the first step in cultivating a generation of lifelong learners.

The ISTE Standards for Students are provided to ensure that every child everywhere has access to the same learning opportunities, the same information and the same chances to create collaborate and achieve.

Let the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students guide digital learning in your classroom or school. Download the standards today.