C4T #4

#1
For my first C4T #4 post, I had Educate the Governors by Beth Still. In this blog post of Beth Still she explained that she read a blog titled Tech and Trust written by Doug Johnson. The Tech and Trust post compares two different philosophies on how to manage students and their new high tech devices. One way that the Tech and Trust explains was a lock down method for the iPads if a student mishandles their learning utensil. This philosophy was apart of the LA Unified School District. The other way was to teach safe and responsible internet usage in all lessons. In this second philosophy, the students are allowed freedom to make mistakes. It is here that the mistakes are looked at teachable moments. This philosophy was part of New Canaan High School.

But just a few days before the post of Doug Johnson, Beth conversed with a colleague from her region. In the school, it had a 1:1 ratio of children to iPads, however, a colleague explained that if a students violates the policies that are set for their technologies and the students will have computer access revoked for 15 days. An of the reason for getting access revoked was leaving the device out; it was by a seven year old boy. Beth Still was upset, why are you going to give students devices to use for their education, but as soon as they make a mistake teachers are to take the device away, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to get other materials ready for the student until their access is granted.

Beth Still made very interesting points, for instance: What would be the consequence for Little Johnny if he forgot his textbook? Would Little Johnny be denied access to his book? No! What about if he left his crayons across the room, would Johnny lose his color time? No! So Beth’s question was “Why do some schools feel the need to punish the student by taking away the very tools they must have access to in order to learn?”Beth Still did make a great solution to burning question. Her solution would be to assign different internet access. If a student is not responsible, they would lose their full internet access and join a group with limited access to the internet. Once the student has proven themselves, they can be moved back to full internet access. I explained that in our public schools here in Mobile, AL, do not have iPads yet, but it has been debated and talked about heavily. I thought that this post was very interesting, because I liked her opinion on the topic. I especially like her solution for the students.

#2
For my second C4T #4 post, I had Beth Still. The post of Beth’s that I read and commented on was No Potty for You! In Beth’s post she discussed that while she was in her second semester of her second year of teaching, she had students that would constantly ask to go the bathroom. She thought that she would be smart and make a new bathroom rule. The rule was a limit of 3 passes to the bathroom each quarter. Beth Still was so proud; she went to her principal to share her new idea. Her principal guided her to the realization that it was not reasonable. Beth Still gave great advice to new teachers: “never make rules that are based on all action of a few, empower your students and pick your battles wisely. I explained that I was an Elementary Education Major and that the restroom passes probably would not work for me. In the Kindergarten class we have to set aside time to go as a class to the restroom, however, there are still a few that will ask in the class. But these are very young students, and there is no need to procrastinate with the issue. I also thanked Beth Still for the great advice.