Working in a 1:1 environment is a fantastic experience! Utilizing the available technologies really helps to open up the world of learning and extend education beyond the confines of our school walls.
Of course along with opportunity comes challenge - one of the major ones being how students use their laptops in the home. Having a middle school aged child can be a challenging time for parents in itself, then when you add in a tool that enables students to be connected 24/7 it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain and develop family relationships. Parents need encouragement, support, and education on how to establish effective boundaries at home that will empower students to become responsible and balanced users of technology.
Tim Bray offers the following 5 tips for parenting in a 1:1 world:
- Never allow the computer to be in the bedroom
- Set reasonable time limits for computer use
- Open communication about everything
- Responsible computer use
- Help your child with homework
(You can read a further explanation of each point at
Tim's blog)
In a 1:1 environment our goal should be to help parents (and teachers and administrators) move from a fear driven control mindset to one where responsible and authentic use of technology can be role modeled and supported. Utilizing the 5 steps above in the home may be a good starting point in this paradigm shift.
This really is a wonderful celebration and it is a great time to see how the different Asian nations celebrate this special event. Two things that I always associate with this time of year are the color red and the smell of firecracker smoke. These cultural experiences are one of the true highlights of being an international educator.