Anyone who knows me a little bit knows how desperate I am to get digital technology into the hands of kids who need it. The one school-provided student computer in my classroom is not nearly enough to meet the needs of a classroom population that largely does not own its own devices, so BYOD is a bit of a moot point.
Last year, I was fortunate enough to write a successful grant proposal for a research project that included the acquisition of a laptop and an iPad mini, and this year, I bought one more small tablet on sale early in the school year, so that the number of student devices is now 4. But a 4:25 ratio is not really enough for many pursuits to be undertaken with any efficacy, even when supplemented by the 3 or 4 additional students who have devices they bring from home.
Last year, I was fortunate enough to write a successful grant proposal for a research project that included the acquisition of a laptop and an iPad mini, and this year, I bought one more small tablet on sale early in the school year, so that the number of student devices is now 4. But a 4:25 ratio is not really enough for many pursuits to be undertaken with any efficacy, even when supplemented by the 3 or 4 additional students who have devices they bring from home.
Recently, I convinced a good family friend with a general interest in education and a particular weakness for my school passions to purchase two additional devices for our classroom. Always keen for a great writing or speaking lesson, I asked him to have the donations delivered straight to my classroom, so that we could predict what might be in the box, and who could have sent it.
Said boxes arrived today.
"School supplies?!" was an early obvious guess, though many students suspected something more exciting was afoot.
After making an initial prediction, selected groups of students were invited up to more closely examine the shipping labels and weights of the boxes. They took this information back to their seats and shared with students nearby, who then modified their original predictions, based on this new information.
Said boxes arrived today.
"School supplies?!" was an early obvious guess, though many students suspected something more exciting was afoot.
After making an initial prediction, selected groups of students were invited up to more closely examine the shipping labels and weights of the boxes. They took this information back to their seats and shared with students nearby, who then modified their original predictions, based on this new information.
It was hard to contain the excitement, as Ms. Teschow began opening the mystery boxes...
"Thelma's sister!!!" came an excited shriek, as I began unpacking the smaller of the two boxes, and pulled out a pink Otterbox case. I then pulled some bubble wrap from the box, confirming the suspicions of those who had predicted something fragile.
Students then wrote in their notebooks about how and why their original predictions about the contents of the boxes evolved with each additional observable clue. They will have to wait until tomorrow, when we finish unpacking and I share with them a little information about our generous donor, before they see with their own eyes what is inside the mystery box!
"Thelma's sister!!!" came an excited shriek, as I began unpacking the smaller of the two boxes, and pulled out a pink Otterbox case. I then pulled some bubble wrap from the box, confirming the suspicions of those who had predicted something fragile.
Students then wrote in their notebooks about how and why their original predictions about the contents of the boxes evolved with each additional observable clue. They will have to wait until tomorrow, when we finish unpacking and I share with them a little information about our generous donor, before they see with their own eyes what is inside the mystery box!
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