At home on a much-needed April break, I am anticipating returning to school next week like a kid on Christmas Eve. When we get back, we will have a new addition to room 356. Not a new student, not a new piece of comfy furniture, but a cart of 30 Chromebooks! Having computers in the classroom every day for the rest of the school year will open lots of new possibilities for me and my 7th graders.
I imagine being so much more productive during class time and, hopefully, reducing the amount of work students will have to do at home. This is especially important for my students who have limited computer access outside of school. Not only will students have the Chromebooks during language arts but Tutorial as well, not to mention Access and Activity Period.
These last ten weeks are usually the hardest with the weather getting nicer and summer just around the corner. I am hoping that this infusion of technology will help to keep us engaged as we finish our work together for the year. Having time to use the Chromebooks with my current students, who already know so much about Google apps, will also enable me to get ready for the fall and how to best prepare my new crop of 7th graders to get them up and running more smoothly.
Seriously. This is a game changer. In a month where we are bogged down with two weeks of NYS testing (and days of scoring for me), our Chromebooks are a bright shining light in an otherwise oppressive month. I am so thankful for my school district's progressive approach to technology and providing such rich opportunities for me and my students. Bring on the 4th quarter!