I am now teaching at a school which boasts a one-to-one computer program. All the kids have laptops. All the teachers have laptops. All the classrooms have smartboards, even humanities classrooms! So, I've died and gone to teacher heaven, right?
Yes and no.
I'm soaking up the goodness by taking a Web 2.0 class, and one of my new colleagues is teaching me how to use some new-to-me tech tool--Jing, Joomla, Screencast, etc.-- nearly every time I have a free moment. I don't have to wait for computer lab time to put all these goodies to work, and I've quickly gotten used to paper-free practices.
The school website and my class blog have all the assignments and class documents posted, I accept and comment on papers on the computer, and my students have desktop folders and Google sites instead of Trapper Keepers and composition notebooks. For the most part, going high tech has saved me time and added to my organization abilities. I'm not making photocopies and losing assignments because everything is on-line.
On the con side, marking essays in Word has been more time-consuming and less pleasurable than handling stacks of paper and wielding my trademark green Sharpie. I've been tempted to just print many times. And then there is the whole technology as tool truth. Just because I can use some nifty techie tool doesn't mean I should.
Case in point: Etherpad. I think Etherpad is super-rad. I went "oooh" when I first saw it and immediately thought of about a hundred ways I could use it in the classroom. So, today we took it for a spin.
I am leading the ninth graders through the process of being able to verbalize what makes good writing. They like the way some books, songs or poems make them feel and like to talk about flow, but they generally lack the language to say specifically what makes some writing good and some crappy. So, I ask them to bring in an example of a piece of writing they think is pretty stellar and be able to say why they like it, and I work my butt off trying to get them to say what they like about the writing instead of just the content with the end goal of having the class agree on some writing techniques that are generally considered effective.
I put up Etherpad and invited the class to join. As each student read, we all wrote what we liked/noticed about the writing. I read the Hairs chapter from The House on Mango Street as an example. As I read, one class wrote:
- Crazy Student 1: DONT GET GASSY!!!!!!!! PE YEW!!!
- Crazy Student 2: dafafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsfsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdafdsafdsafdsafdsafdafdsafdsafsdafdsafdsafdsafdsafsdafasfdsafdsafdasfdsafdsafdasfdsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsafdsa GASSY TO SASSY
- Crazy Student 1: Hey waht's up poop nugget?
In the interest of complete honesty, the first responses are from one of my girl sections and the sidebar example is from one of the boy classes, but generally, they were all over the place in the sidebar. They did the assignment and sometimes did it well, but as my colleague--who happened to observe me today--said, what I was doing teaching-wise was all good, but the technology got in the way. Kids think they can multi-task, but they can't really. And, even if they could, their sidebars were WAY too distracting.
I'm not saying I won't use Etherpad again because I totally will. I think there are some fab classroom applications for the program, but I learned again that I need to think about eighty steps ahead of the kids when I use new techie tools. I hate the idea that I would have to set all these rules: Don't use the sidebar. Don't write anything off-topic. Don't say poop.
I agree with Will Richardson that our use of technology needs to be framed in a positive, what-can-we-do-not-what-can't-we-do light. But when I get in the classroom and start using the tools, many don't don't don'ts are on the tip of my tongue. So, what's a girl to do?
One thing I know: Keep it simple during Homecoming week. Worksheets. Seating charts. Scantrons!
If your life feels like it is lacking the power that you want and the motivation that you need, sometimes all you have to do is shift your point of view.
Posted by: coach purses | 28.06.2010 at 12:09 AM
I'm not agree with that because it jut increase the laziness in children because they have many facilities that make easy their job and besides it reduce that they think as they has to do it.
Posted by: Sildenafil citrate | 02.11.2010 at 02:21 PM
1) Everybody should always be able to say poop.
2) I followed the link to Etherpad - looks like it got gobbled up by Google? So I guess I still wonder what it is/was.
3) How do you keep kids from just sitting on facebook/youtube/etc. all day? Are the laptops super regulated?
Posted by: Daniel | 20.12.2010 at 11:27 AM
YES.success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties.
Posted by: Nike Shox | 10.02.2011 at 03:15 AM
which are another example of what some people call the "lexicalist hypothesis", a view that has occasionally -- but erroneously -- been inferred from some previous writings of mine. Since my linguistic creativity is infinite, I can categorically state that there aren't templates of any sort.
Posted by: Cheap Chanel Bags | 11.02.2011 at 08:57 PM
That's amazing! A laptop for each person in the school? I never imagined that to happen, actually. I wish I could have been taught how to use a computer back then. That way, I could have been a computer expert by now. These days, I either rely on my techie brother, or I call the Markham computer service people for help with my computer problems. With a classroom setup like that, or any other basic network for that matter, I'd call for the company specializing in network support Toronto has.
You've explained both pros and cons of a classroom being assisted by such technology as the Ether. I can understand both sides. The technology is indeed good, but yes, it could be a little distracting at times. Maybe these computer stuff are better at home, but you wouldn't want to put the great classroom applications to waste, right?
Posted by: Annie Britts | 14.02.2011 at 04:16 AM
Another great example. I always look forward to your blogs. Thanks!
Posted by: monetary consulting | 14.03.2011 at 07:24 AM
I think that it makes easier for stundents to understand because it is more graphical but the downside it si that they can get distracted more because they can do other things with their laptops.
Posted by: Generic Viagra | 15.03.2011 at 02:00 PM
That's what everyone gets for this kind of technology.
Posted by: alarms systems | 05.04.2011 at 01:45 AM
While reading your blog it seems that you research on this topic very much. I must tell you that your blog is very informative and it helps other also.
Posted by: tiffany on sale | 22.04.2011 at 05:13 AM
Nothing gets lost everything comes and reproduce over and over again.
Posted by: Delayed ejaculation pills | 18.05.2011 at 12:30 PM
I gained a lot of information reading your post. I really loved it. I'll visit your site more often to keep up.
http://taxattorneyblogs.com/ - tax attorney
http://ener-uno.net/ - seo specialist
http://www.instanttaxsolutions.com/tax-problems/irs-levy.html - bank levy
Posted by: Tax Attorney | 30.05.2011 at 01:02 PM
I admire the way you express yourself through writing. Your post is such a refreshing one to read. This is such an interesting and informative article to share with others. Keep up the good work and more power. Thanks!
Posted by: loans till payday | 02.06.2011 at 10:03 AM
There's no word to describe such a great masterpiece. You made such an interesting piece to read, giving every subject an enlightenment for us to gain knowledge and information without any arguments to deal with. Thank you very much and more power!
Posted by: android app developers | 02.06.2011 at 10:04 AM
Ich mag dieses Artikels, sind besonders gut.
Posted by: pandora-Elemente | 11.06.2011 at 03:23 AM
Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: replica watches | 08.07.2011 at 01:32 AM
Ich mag dieses Artikels, sind besonders gut.
Posted by: christian louboutin slingback | 27.07.2011 at 05:35 AM
Ich mag dieses Artikels, sind besonders gut.
Posted by: christian louboutin deutschland | 06.08.2011 at 04:52 AM
Vielen Dank für den Austausch dieses Wissens. Hervorragend geschrieben Artikel, wenn nur alle Blogger angeboten das gleiche Gehalt wie Sie wäre das Internet ist ein viel besserer Ort.
Posted by: Chanel Online kaufen | 06.08.2011 at 05:15 AM
Dein Artikel ist gut wert Augapfel. Außerdem inspirierte mich sehr, sehr attraktiv ,das werde ich diese wieder zu sehen
Posted by: schöne vibram fivefingers | 06.08.2011 at 05:36 AM
Vielen Dank für den Austausch dieses Wissens. Hervorragend geschrieben Artikel, wenn nur alle Blogger angeboten das gleiche Gehalt wie Sie wäre das Internet ist ein viel besserer Ort.
Posted by: bikinis 2011 | 06.08.2011 at 05:41 AM
I am in support of wonderland, this project is seeing very good fame and should be continued.
Posted by: cartier love earrings | 10.08.2011 at 10:38 PM
Vielen Dank für den Austausch dieses Wissens. Hervorragend geschrieben Artikel, wenn nur alle Blogger angeboten das gleiche Gehalt wie Sie wäre das Internet ist ein viel besserer Ort.
Posted by: Chanel Cambon | 05.09.2011 at 01:20 AM
If its possible to contact you directly will be amazing thing .Wish you cooud update your words always
Posted by: TISSOT | 05.09.2011 at 09:00 AM
Ich mag diesen Stil, und wollen mehr Informationen auf dieser Website zu lernen, aktualisieren Sie bitte, ich werde weiterhin auf dieser Website Fokus
Posted by: Gucci | 08.09.2011 at 01:15 AM