7 Biggest Surprises of 1-to-1 So Far

Last August we launched into 1-to-1 at Bolivar High School. After years of dreaming and planning we were thrilled to be off and running. We elected to go with HP Chromebooks as our school provided device, but also allowed students the option to use their own device, provided it would run the Chrome browser or be compatible with Google Classroom and Google Apps.

Overall, we have been very pleased with our implementation. There were definitely a few early challenges we had to overcome. And there are some challenges that remain.

1. From our survey data, we learned a majority of parents report that they really don't know exactly how the device is being used for learning. So we have some work to do in this area. I don't think it was for lack of trying though. We held parent meetings leading up to the implementation and have showcased examples of the devices in action through social media and parent newsletters.

As a result of the survey data, our student digital leadership team is planning a Digital Learning Showcase in conjunction with our regular Parent Open House. We are going to have tables set up manned by students who can demonstrate different ways they've used the devices for learning. We'll let parents play Kahoot. And we'll display examples of student work that has been developed using technology. It will be completely student led.

2. It's challenging to get filtering right. Our intent was to filter content at home as well as at school. There proved to be some technical challenges with the original plan our tech department had developed. We ended up choosing Go Guardian as the solution to our home filtering concerns. The only thing we filter at home is adult content.

Filtering at school has also been challenging. Our tech people tell me our current filter is to blame, and we will likely have a new provider next year. It seems we can never be sure what is being filtered from day to day. We wanted to keep YouTube unblocked since so there is so much opportunity for learning there. Of course, there is also plenty of material that isn't right for school, or maybe for anywhere. 

Most social media is unblocked at school. Exceptions are Facebook, Snapchat, and a few others. Again, social media has become much more than a tool for social. It is quickly becoming a major source of business, networking, marketing, and learning and sharing. Maybe we should consider unblocking Facebook too? The decision to keep it blocked was made on the belief that it had fewer benefits to learning than some of the others.

3. Teachers can help lead professional development. Our training plan wasn't nearly as comprehensive as some others. We didn't want to treat everyone as if they were in the same place in their learning. We wanted it to be more customized. Our philosophy is that professional learning is 51% the responsibility of the individual. The school is there to support and create conditions for adult learning as a partner for the other 49%.

So most of our PD was done through sharing with each other and by sharing resources. We did provide teachers with a Chromebook a full semester in advance of our launch to help give them a head start. We held a few Tech Cafe meetings, where teachers met together to learn and share. And, we provided a few lessons online that teachers could work through on their own.

Once a month, we have a group of teachers lead learning for the rest of the faculty by sharing ways they have used digital tools to support learning. The teachers are deciding which tools and practices to share and then leading the staff through some related learning. So basically we asked teachers to own this piece and help other teachers get the information they need to grow.

4. Digital distractions are a concern for teachers. Nearly 60% of our teachers indicated that students were constantly distracted from academic work by the Chromebook. But only 7% of students we surveyed admitted that the Chromebook is a regular distraction. The discrepancy in the perceptions of our students and teachers raises several questions. Do students not think they are distracted but they really are? Is there a difference between what students and teachers consider distracted? Are students in complete denial? Are teachers hyper-sensitive to student multi-tasking?

I'm not sure about the answers to these questions. It calls for further exploration. However, I do think fears about distractions can be magnified by educators. There have always been distractions in the classroom. Students don't need a device for this to be an issue. When I see students slumped over in desks, with their eyes heavy and nearly lifeless, I see a distracted learner in that situation too. Daydreaming. Passing notes. Reading a book. There are lots of ways students have been distracted now and in years past, even without devices.

I think the key to the distraction problem is to create a more relevant, engaging learning environment, one where students are actively learning and not just passively consuming information. I detail a vision for this type of learning environment is a recent post, 9 Ways to Make Learning Irresistible. We will continue to have conversations about this and find ways we can support students and teachers. Dealing with distractions in our connected world is something most everyone faces.

5. There were some early logistical issues we had to work through. Nearly 90% of our students are taking the Chromebook home daily. The others check the Chromebook in and out in our library at the beginning and end of the day. At first, this process was a little crazy. But we now have a few student workers who completely manage the check-in and check-out routine every day. It took some time for us to work out some of the details. As well planned as we were, the devil is always in the details. How do we collect the device when a student moves away? How do we track damage? How do we track loaners? Collect payments? There were a few bumps along the way, but most of these systems are working well now.

Everyone has use of a Chromebook during the school day, but we require students to pay a $25 insurance fee to take the Chromebook home. We wrestled with this issue quite a bit. On the one hand, we don't want students to miss out on access because of lack of financial resources, but on the other hand, we felt there would be greater personal ownership if there was an upfront investment. We tried to make that cost reasonable.

6. We need a more concerted effort around digital citizenship. We did a few things early on to communicate expectations to students. We had some lessons on Google Classroom. We had a guest speaker provide assemblies related to cyber safety. And of course, we have an acceptable use policy. But I still think we need to do more. 

Our teachers are great about using teachable moments to share wisdom about online use. And digital citizenship is part of the curriculum in a couple of courses. But I would like to see us develop a more comprehensive approach that is really embedded in our culture. We've talked about having a system where students can earn greater access, to social media for instance, by completing certain activities and demonstrating positive leadership in this area.

7. And one of our best surprises is that damage to the devices is less than we expected. That's a real credit to our students. They have done a great job taking care of the Chromebooks. Mostly, we've had some broken screens, a few devices that were lost or stolen, and some hardware failures covered by warranty. But overall, we are doing very well in this area. We were able to add 800 devices in our building without adding any additional staff. I don't think that would be possible with any device other than a Chromebook.

There are a lot of moving parts to make a successful 1-to-1 program. Beyond the logistical concerns, the biggest shift has to be in how we teach and learn. Most every teacher in our building has taken steps to use the technology to benefit learning. But we definitely still have room to grow. We didn't mandate how the devices were to be used. Instead, we worked to develop a framework of why technology can be so powerful in shifting agency for learning to the learner. 

I can't say enough about how our technology department has supported this effort. They really make all of the details work so we can focus on the teaching and learning aspects. If they weren't so committed to this project, there is no way we would be where we are today.

Question: What are challenges you see with 1-to-1? What is your best advice for a school considering going 1-to-1? What questions do you have? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

Will This Attack or Preserve the Dignity of a Child?

Lori and I are blessed with four kids, and over the years our family has been blessed by many great teachers who have helped our children grow and learn. Our oldest, Drew, is now in his first year of college. Cooper is a high school senior. Maddie is a high school freshman. And Emma is in 6th grade. All four kids have had so many positive experiences in school thanks to their teachers and principals.

But there have also been a handful of times that were not positive. You don't really ever forget when you feel your child's dignity was compromised. If you feel he or she was embarrassed by a teacher, it's hard to let it go. I think parents are just wired that way. We want to protect and defend our kids. And it angers me on a professional level, too.

As educators we are charged with always building stronger kids. Sometimes that means we have tough love and set them straight. Sometimes we have to discipline them. Not every situation is positive, but every situation can be used to build dignity and avoid tearing a child down. Every situation can be handled in a positive manner.

Using sarcasm. Cutting remarks. Public humiliation. No student should ever have to endure this type of behavior from an educator. All schools should work to create a culture where it is not acceptable to steal anyone's dignity. Schools should be a place where adults are committed to do everything possible to preserve respect.

I should also note that I understand teachers and principals are human too. We all make mistakes. I'm not angry about the times when I felt one of our kids was treated poorly. And I'm not accusing anyone of being malicious. I don't think there are many teachers who come to school and think today I'm going to make it my goal to ruin a kid's day. It's usually just a careless word or deed or a bad moment. It can happen to any of us.

Image retrieved: http://rongelok.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/power-of-words.jpg

In fact, I'm sure there have been times I've said things that were not helpful, and that made a student feel less than. But that is never my intention. And I work very hard to communicate a high level of respect for all students. In fact, I always start the school year visiting with students about respect. I tell them up front, "I will never intentionally disrespect you. If I ever say or do something that makes you feel disrespected, please let me know so I can apologize." I then challenge them to treat their teachers and each other the same way. If nothing else, let's make sure that respect is important here.

Is it ever okay to take a child's dignity? Every reasonable person would likely say no, so why does it still happen? Teachers can lose patience, feel disrespected themselves, or just be having a bad day. We want to save face, feel in control, be shown respect. But we have to get past that. We can't let our feelings cause us to act unprofessionally. When you can respond to disrespect with love and care, it only makes you stronger. We must always model kindness, compassion, and humility. 

Recently I was in a situation where I felt a student's dignity was being compromised by an adult, and I was present. I was completely caught off guard and didn't really know how to respond in the moment. The student didn't seem too bothered by it, but I was very uncomfortable. Thankfully, the conversation turned in another direction. I later followed up and asked the adult about what happened, "How do you think (the student) felt when you said..." The adult was open to the feedback and seemed to understand how the words might have been hurtful. We had a good conversation.

I think we also have an obligation to step-in when we observe students stealing each other's dignity. There are a number of ways to do this without further embarrassing anyone. We can change the direction of the conversation, pull the student aside, or simply give a disapproving look to the offender. I had a teacher tell me once they didn't want to get involved when this type of thing happened. They said students need to learn to navigate these situations themselves to develop their social skills. I completely disagree. Our job is to create emotional safety. Students should be able to count on teachers to stick up for them.

There have been a few times I can remember where a teacher was openly critical of a student in front of the class, while the student was not present. Of course, this information made it back to the student, who was not happy. If the same information had been shared directly to the student in a private manner, there would be no concern. The teacher would be giving the student valuable feedback. We can never be too careful with our words. We should ask ourselves, "Will these words be beneficial to this situation? Will they serve to build-up or tear-down?"

Sometimes it's very obvious that dignity is being attacked. Other times it is more subtle. We need to question any practices in our schools that might chip away at dignity. Intervention programs are extremely popular right now in education. But I question the wisdom of endless remediation of students. I think it can be a constant reminder of a student's deficits and lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness toward school. I think we should give students extra support when they need it, but we need to be careful about how we do this. We need to build on students' strengths and help them find things they are passionate about. I think that's just as important as any of our academic goals.

Every teacher should be intentional about contributing to a culture of kindness and respect. We should always ask the question, "Will this attack or preserve the dignity of a child?"

Can you think of other examples of practices that might chip away at students' dignity? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below to respond. Or, share on or .

9 Ways to Make Learning Irresistible

True story. The bell rang and nobody moved.

They were completely focused, totally engrossed. They probably didn't even hear the bell because they were so focused on what they were learning. Amazing, right?

How often are students counting down the minutes of each class? They have their eyes on the clock. They start packing up early, preparing themselves for the transition to the next class. Sometimes they are even lined up at the door, waiting for the bell to ring to move on to the next thing.

But not on this particular occasion. The students were so into what they were learning, the teacher had to remind them it was time to leave. You can work more on this tomorrow. You'll be late for your next class. It's time to go.

via @silviaduckworth

How often does this happen in your classroom? How often does the learning in your classroom elicit this kind of passion and commitment? If your classroom is like most, it happens infrequently.

I remember when I was teaching high school English, I would tell my students, "If you work hard all hour, I'll give you the last five minutes to relax and just visit with your friends." That was a terrible idea. I would never do that now. I tried to be an engaging teacher and was doing the best I could with what I knew at the time.

But the underlying message was that learning is "work" and unpleasant and you need a break, so I'll give you some time later to visit. We should create conditions where students are disappointed there isn't more time to work on whatever they are learning. As for my promise of social time, my students should've been interacting throughout the whole class. I don't have to reserve time for you to visit. You will be talking with your classmates as part of the process. You will be sharing the amazing things you are learning.

We have all experienced moments of flow. It's during these times that we feel we are completely immersed in what we are doing. We are in the zone. Flow is a mental state where we have intense focus, complete involvement, and enjoy the process entirely. It can happen in learning, play, work, or a variety of activities. When we find our flow, it probably feels more like play even if it's not. It's amazing what we can accomplish when we feel this sense of full absorption in what we are doing. It's where we find our genius.

Image retrieved: http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/wp-content/uploads/flow-notebook3.jpg

It seems obvious to me the classroom full of students that didn't budge when the bell rang was experiencing flow. When I heard this report from one of our teachers, I was thrilled. Let's celebrate! That is so cool. We want this type of learning experience for our students.

But should this be a rare happening? Shouldn't every student experience this type of full engagement, at least on a semi-regular basis?

While it's likely not possible to maintain flow at all times, shouldn't it be something we seek to help our students achieve often? Why isn't this a priority? Shouldn't we aim for this type of full engagement? Wouldn't our students be stronger learners now and in the future if they knew the feeling of complete immersion in what they are learning?

But instead, we settle for on-task. If students appear engaged and participate in the lesson, we have achieved success. Or we hear demand for rigor. That communicates a positive outlook on learning. Rigor does not sound fun. It sounds just a little painful. 

Image retrieved: http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/wp-content/uploads/flow-notebook3.jpg

So in the name of rigor, we feel the need to assign homework as sighs and groans echo around the room. I'm calling for a culture where students are so excited about what they are learning, they want to extend the learning on their own. They give themselves their own homework, because they are curious and what they are learning is interesting to them.

So what are we afraid of? Why are we covering content and teaching lessons without aiming for more? What teacher wouldn't want a classroom full of students who are so into what they are learning, they don't want to stop?

Maybe we are afraid to give up some control. Maybe we're afraid we won't be the purveyors of knowledge? Or that we won't cover as much curriculum? That students won't be prepared for standardized tests? Or that it just won't work for these kids? Blame, blame, blame. We blame the system. We blame the parents. We blame everyone possible, and just continue to play school and make sure we are good enough.

But it's time to stop playing the blame game. We can have amazing learning that can work for all kids, and we don't have to wait for someone else to change. There are places where this is happening now, even in schools that are quite traditional. What it takes is an innovative teacher. It takes you. You can create more and more experiences of flow in your classroom. You can make learning irresistible.

But it does require sacrifice. You have to choose different priorities. The first priority is to really know your students and what excites them. It's about relationships. The second priority is to see them fully engaged, and finding moments of flow, as often as possible. And then, your curriculum becomes the third priority. I realize the curriculum is important, but if you have great relationships and a culture of learning, students will exceed your goals for the curriculum.

So all of that reflection brings me to these ideas for creating flow in your classroom.

9 Proven Ways to Make Learning Irresistible (How to find flow in your classroom...)

1. Learning involves choice. Learners need greater ownership and opportunities to make choices regarding time, place, path, and pace. 

2. Learning involves student conversations. Whoever is doing the talking is doing the learning.

3. Learning that is creative. Creativity is one of the best ways to find flow.

4. Learning makes a difference. When learning is making a difference for me, for others, or for my community, it matters so much more.

5. Learning involves play. Play involves fun, laughter, imagination. These are great ways to find flow. Making learning a game can be a great way to make learning irresistible.

6. Learning is filled with discovery. Constructivist learning promotes true understanding and appeals to a learner's sense of wonder and curiosity.

7. Learning involves community. Connect with experts. Invite the community in. Go out into the community. Break down the classroom walls.

8. Learning that is visible to real audiences. Learning is more relevant and meaningful when I know my work will be valuable to a real audience.

9. Learning that is challenging. Not rigor. It means arduous and severe, and it makes you want to have an ice cream cone. But learning that is challenging pushes you on. Why can a teen spend hours trying to conquer a video game? That's challenging. And that involves flow. Capture this in the classroom and watch it transform the culture of learning.

Question: How do you find moments of flow in your classroom? How do you make learning irresistible? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .