Yesterday we held parent teacher interviews in the afternoon and while I was walking around on yard duty I spotted these boys sitting under some playground equipment connected to our wireless network via their i phones or newly leased laptops from school.
What intrigued me was that it was 20 minutes after the bell to go home on a hot 35 degrees day yet here they were still here connected still working on something. I started a conversation and found out that some just wanted to finish something, others were busy searching the web but the universal theme was that the new student laptops were great and when were the others going to get access to our trial lease program.
For me the picture stood out as young people engaged not only with each other in a common activity of using technology but strongly connected to the school.
I have had similar positive responses from the students who have access to the laptops from the program. Unfortunately I have been told the program will not continue to be funded and we have only been able to extend it to our yr 9-12 students.
Thanks Helen for the comment – its not funny when students use the technology at home, on the street with their iPhones, at their friends house but no not at school. My own kids, who are now at University, asked for new laptops for their birthdays or bought one themselves.