The guest speakers Professors Stanzler and Fontichiaro brought in for our final class of summer semester were superb and really nicely captured the spirit, usefulness and do-ability of everything we are learning in this course. It was impressive and in more ways than one. We had a former recent former MACer Google video-chat in from France, two other former MACers speak to us in person about their experiences out in the “real teaching world,” and finally, a class Skype session from a New York City classroom with another former MACer and her students. And it all felt perfectly seamless and smooth, with nary a sign of technical glitch or disengagement. All of our guests were fantastic and gave us a really good idea of what it’s like out there in the real world as well as just how useful and helpful technology is in the teaching and learning process. I thought Larry and Kevin were especially helpful in articulating in their depictions of their respective school environments and teaching with technology experiences. Larry’s classroom policy embrace (and openness) with student cell phones was highly enlightening to me because I always figured I would have to take a hard guy stance with regards to their use if I ever expect to get anything accomplished in class. Larry’s strategy, all of sudden, seems a lot smarter and a heck of a lot more useful. Why bother spending massive energy and time enforcing something that students are going to go far out of their way to get around anyways, and instead just embrace it and use it to everyone’s advantage? Larry’s attitude about it gets at the heart of the issue of respecting your student’s cultural learning environment as well as perhaps increasing their respect for you as an adaptable, tolerant and with-it teacher. Imagine the confrontational environment you create in the classroom if you’re always chasing and berating students for “breaking rules.” It’s a fine line of course, but I think a bit of leeway and creative usage with cell phone technology (and others) will go a long way towards mutual respect and understanding from both sides of the student/teacher divide.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Last Class Reflection (July 29, 2011)
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I like your thinking about deciding how you want to use your energy: enforcing or reinforcing. While often expressed less positively than you do, the idea of "choosing your battles" is one that can really help us focus and prioritize in class.
ReplyDeleteI was also intrigued by the idea of giving cell phones a place in the classroom. I liked the idea of telling students they can use phones to do research, or even pull them out when they're finished with an activity. If kids can doodle while they wait for others to finish up, why can't they text?
ReplyDeleteI've always been concerned about cell phones in the classroom. My high school had a very strict "no iPods and no cell phones" policy. We could have them with us, but we weren't allowed to take them out of pockets or backpacks. If we were caught with them, they were taken from us and we had to pick them up from the main office with a note for detention.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of this "red light, yellow light, green light" strategy. I guess it might be better to let students do what they want to do, rather than fight a losing battle. But I'd think texting during class would still be distracting to other students. Although, perhaps this isn't true, since college students text during class constantly (at least in the big lecture hall classes I took).
I'm interested to hear more on this topic of cell phones in the classroom; when I get into my placement, maybe I'll finally make up my mind on how I feel about it.
Like your other readers, Charles, I also found Larry's thoughts about classroom management in conjunction with everyday technology to be interesting and provocative. There's a lot to be said for finding ways to rest significant responsibility for maintaining a respectful, learning-conducive classroom environment with the students. It's good for them, and a little less of a law enforcement burden will be good for your long term staying power in the profession ;-)
ReplyDeleteGlad that you liked the last session.
I think your points about Larry's position on cell phones in the classroom are really good. I agree that students would probably respect a teacher who allows cell phone over an out of touch, cell phone banning, oldie teacher. Also, your point about respecting "cultural learning" in relation to cell phone use was a really good point and one I had not thought about before. Students have tons of prior knowledge when it comes to cell phones, and it would probably be best to use that prior knowledge instead of ban it (as long as we can find a suitable way to do so).
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