EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM PRACTICES
Typically a well-managed classroom will continue to be well-managed when every student has an iPad. Clear and reasonable expectations communicated early and reinforced consistently lead to an orderly classroom environment.
Start with the Core (3 Key Strategies to Effective Classroom Management)
The following three considerations of effective classroom management become even more important in a 1:1 environment:
- Move! You need to move: Feet, head and eyes. Work the room
- Check-in with every student on a regular basis
- Variety and pacing. Pay attention to what your students are DOING on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. (Classes where students DO things tend to have fewer problems with technology)
Set Reasonable Limits (What is Acceptable Use in Your Classroom?)
1. Start with the community standards and use them as a baseline. Do you know and understand the school’s policies and expectations?
2. For you, personally, what is in bounds and out of bounds? What do you want and not want from the technology? Be clear and communicate this regularly.
2. For you, personally, what is in bounds and out of bounds? What do you want and not want from the technology? Be clear and communicate this regularly.
Use Clear, Consistent, and Informed Technology Language (Communicate Your Expectations in a Way Students Will Understand)
The following is progressive language that is effective in responding to a classroom full of devices. The more teachers use this language and reinforce it consistently, the easier it becomes for students to understand the appropriate use of technology in academics. The students will be taught this language in their bootcamp.
1. Eyes on me Before giving an instruction related to technology, start by making sure everyone’s attention is on you and not the screen. Don’t begin talking until they are all quiet and looking at you.
2. Covers closed (No glow) When longer instructions and attention is needed, have the students close the cover rather than tell them to put the iPad down. Do not let them open the cover until you instruct them to do so.
3. Power down This is when you need students to stop working for a while but when they may need to resume work after a short lecture or longer explanation/instructions. Begin by saying “iPads facing me.” Then say, “Power down”. Train the students while facing the screen toward you, to hold the top power button until the slide to power down image shows up then slide it to the the right.
4. iPads Away This means that they are not to be seen at all. They should either be in the student’s back pack or away from the student’s attention and focus. You might consider designating a place in your room for iPads to take a nap if you are concerned about students tempted to "sneak a peak".
1. Eyes on me Before giving an instruction related to technology, start by making sure everyone’s attention is on you and not the screen. Don’t begin talking until they are all quiet and looking at you.
2. Covers closed (No glow) When longer instructions and attention is needed, have the students close the cover rather than tell them to put the iPad down. Do not let them open the cover until you instruct them to do so.
3. Power down This is when you need students to stop working for a while but when they may need to resume work after a short lecture or longer explanation/instructions. Begin by saying “iPads facing me.” Then say, “Power down”. Train the students while facing the screen toward you, to hold the top power button until the slide to power down image shows up then slide it to the the right.
4. iPads Away This means that they are not to be seen at all. They should either be in the student’s back pack or away from the student’s attention and focus. You might consider designating a place in your room for iPads to take a nap if you are concerned about students tempted to "sneak a peak".