Synching with the iKid and Adopt and Adapt

Synching with the iKid
I don't think I've given my students enough credit. I try to keep everything in the classroom incredibly structured, which I still think is needed, but they are very capable of multitasking and have even remarked that they do better when they can focus on multiple things at the same time. It's just difficult to change the way I've always "done school." But I think it's worth a try, because I have noticed that students tend to do better when they work with a computer and it is much easier to personalize for each student using a computer. To the point that when we were doing portfolios one student said they could not write without the computer...maybe that is a little too far?

Adopt and Adapt
I enjoyed how Prenksy described the "four-step process," I think I am at "Doing old things new ways" on my good days. He also pointed out my biggest problem, not that I'm afraid of the technology, but I don't think I can trust my kids with it. The few myspace sites I have seen are not very nice and it is a battle in the computer lab to keep them ontask. They do work better with music and agree to play it softly, but I can't understand what the artist is saying and doubt that it is appropriate. JCPS has done a lot to filter out "bad stuff," but my students are experts at finding ways around the filter, much more than I could do, and that is not a fun thought.