I don't think the students really know what is ahead of them and the "fun" they are going to have with 1:1 computing. I continue to talk to them about how we are training for our own computers, and I am watching them for signs of being responsible and able to follow directions with technology.
We used the school laptop cart for the first time this week, and the cart of 12 was just about perfect for my class of 25 to do 2:1 computing in the room. They were very excited to work with their partners on an exploration task with a math website. The looks on their faces and their attitudes toward the lesson reinforced the fact that using technology is where these students belong. They were engaged, focused and completely on task. They were "in the zone."
Later in the day we started our first blog post. We will be using Kidblog and we had discussed and previewed the site earlier in the week. Today we were "blogging." Again, not enough computers on the laptop cart for everyone to do it at once, so I had half of my class working on a reading assignment and other half blogging, then we would switch. It got crazy and I realized that by myself, I couldn't take care of all of the questions and issues that arose as the students explored "blogging."
I had to "Give Away the Power!" As teachers, we tend to be control freaks or Type A personalities. I am both of those, and up until about 1 1/2 years ago, I was always the Queen of my Kingdom and I was in total control. As I worked with my TRT on the project that we took to the Microsoft PIL Forum in 2011, I began to realize the joy of giving away the power. The idea of students collaborating and students teaching each other was something that I only did when I had a structured cooperative learning activity planned, otherwise, I was in charge and everyone did what I said.
As I help these students to become 21st Century learners, I have realized the importance of collaboration and moving from controlling my classroom to managing my classroom. As certain students became profficient at the steps to using Kidblog, I let them help the many other hands that were raised with questions. At one point I stood back and watched 4 different conversations going on with students teaching other students, and the smiles of success on the faces of all.
So as I get ready for 1:1 computing in my classroom,
I need to remember to...
GIVE AWAY THE POWER
and
MANAGE my classroom, not CONTROL it!
