It is the third week of school. It is the first week of September and I know that I am typically further in my curriculum than this. I knew that getting all of my students iPads this year meant it was going to be at least three to five days of digital bumps and bruises, wireless connectivity blunders, and short fuses from our overworked technology department (that of which I cannot fault because the same staff got 1500+ iPads to configure and troubleshoot on top of all the other items on the to-do list to get teachers ready for the year. On that note, they did a fantastic job).
I knew that I was going to have to really work to get students on the same page, but I didn't know there would be so much occurring outside of my control that at some points I had to tell students, "I am not sure why that is happening", or "I don't know why you cannot connect to the network", or "What do you mean it is the third day of school and you still haven't gotten you iPad and put into the system?" Teachers are so used to controlling their teaching environment that such a transition can definitely make a veteran teacher wonder why they wanted to put these devices in their students' hands.
From day to day during the first week and a half of school I was not sure what I could expect. As a matter of fact, I could not anticipate what problems needed addressing period to period. But now, it is about the tenth day of school and I think I can look back on those first several days and accurately reflect on the experience and maybe offer some useful device.
What you plan won't be your plan:
Your school's network specialist will probably have nightmares on the eve of a massive 1:1 roll-out. Add to the mix that most students in a high school will bring their smart phones that will connect to the open guest wi-fi network. The routers will be the host of battle for device survival on the school's network. Until consistent network connections occur you may have to do a lot of showing students what they may have to do when they connect to a network later in the day or when they get home (of course, not all students have wireless internet at home). emphasize flexibility.
It's hard to trust them:
My district seems to have had a couple different policies when it comes to mobile devices in the classroom. I have run the gamut of upholding policies over the last ten years. In the last few years, I allowed students to use them for education purposes. Maybe they used Evernote or I allowed them to use Twitter for class. But now that all students have a device I am finding myself redirecting students - or at least wanting to. I have to relax. Most of my students are eager to use the device appropriately for school. Some of my students would be distracted some other way if they did not have the iPad, and those students may always need that oversight. I haven't yet had to take one away from a student and doing so would be detrimental to what is trying to be accomplished. Perhaps it's harder to trust myself. This is a new experience for all involved and since these are personal learning devices I have to be able to let go of some of the traditional roles as a classroom teacher and allow students to take more control of their education. Emphasize accountability.
The world in their hands:
I asked a question to a class regarding an an assignment students had done in small groups. The assignment required the groups to collaborate via a Google spreadsheet and create a chart about British colonization of North America. This was only the second assignment and it was done largely in class as a way to teach the benefits of using Google Drive. All the students had their charts available for the discussion and were able to edit them throughout the course of the discussion. At one point I asked the aforementioned questioned and students stared blankly at me. After several minutes of empty eyes trying to look through me and not at me, I made the students aware of an observation I had just made. Not one student thought to use the device in their hands to look up the information. I allowed students to say "I don't know". I didn't want to, but I am glad I did and I am glad I made the connection to my observation. I told them that "I don't know" won't be appropriate anymore. "I don't know" was the safe way a student that didn't want to participate (for whatever reason) could get passed over by the teacher at the expense of just a few moments of embarrassment Students know how to use the iPad for Twitter and Facebook and playing the recent hit game, but they cannot break themselves of past classroom habits very easily. That will be part of the transition too - not just what I create and provide for them, but how they condition themselves to take ownership of their own academic performance. Emphasize possibility.
Tomorrow is Day 10. Emphasis is learning.
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