Dealing with Misbehaving Students

It's my first week as a "real" teacher and already all that I've been learning recently is coming into
play. It's our third class together this week, with a brand new type of schedule. Most classes are going well - I was laying it on thick with the positive reinforcement, and generally, the students were really responding well. But on the third day, I faced my first opportunity to try out my new set of "behavior modification" tools - negative reinforcement measures were in need!

The first day, I greeted each student at the door and gave students specific seats. Almost immediately, we reviewed the rules of the IT Lab which are prominently posted on the walls around the room, and we discussed this early on. They were the rules that govern the use of the school's technology, They are irrefutable, given, writ in stone, by the Technology Department. The Classroom rules, I explained, will be created by all of us, together, over the next few days. They are the rules and procedures that we will use to help create a great learning environment for ourselves. They included entering quietly, respecting the equipment, and no swirling in the computer lab chairs.

At the end of my  introduction, and following their initial sharing with me about themselves, I displayed  a broad set of norms that I had in mind for our class. We discussed each norm and we all agreed that they made a good basis for our classroom. I asked them to think about what kind of rules and consequences we should put in place to create the kind of environment I was describing. I  explained that we would work together to decide on rules and consequences that will help us to create the kind of environment we're looking for. there are a couple of basic rules that we all agreed on immediately, such as the need to raise our hands, be respectful of teacher and each other, and following school rules in the classroom as well.

At the end of that first brief session (we had only 20 minutes with each class on the first day) I allowed each student to choose a "gemstone" from a huge pot of colorful glass stones that I had collected. Some were clear, some opaque, some with jagged edges and irregularly shaped, and some were perfect ovals and smooth. These were a gift, I told them. But once we set up our rules, they will be tokens we can use to earn rewards, both individually and as a class.

The second day as they entered class, I again, but this time, I told them that since we'd had such a great first day, I felt they deserved a reward - I told them that today they could choose their own seats, and it would be their permanent place for the rest of the quarter -- but with a word of caution: choose wisely,because they will be moved if they prove that they need to be.

They were happy about having a choice, and they all made their best effort to follow the rules -- they entered quietly, made big efforts to be prepared with pencil and notepad, and to put their backpacks in the cubbies at the entry. We continued class with their introductions to me, and we had a couple of tools we used to help us with that, including those gemstones that they selected - they used them as a jump off point for telling me something about themselves.

However, we had some struggles with the temptation to swish from side to side and twirl around in our new computer chairs. I had to remind several students, and they quickly adjusted their behavior -- but this was virtually irresistible, especially for kids. So at the end of the class, I tried giving each class a One Minute Twirl- A-Thon when they could twirl as much as the wanted to get it out of their system. This was given as a reward at the end of the class period, for having been such an attentive class --- and  because I realized that they had had to struggle a bit with that temptation, and I appreciated their effort! I think that was a good thing, but time will tell!

The third day, however, trouble struck. The younger grades, 6th, 7th, even 8th, responded very well to the rules and the introduction games. They seemed to have selected good seats for themselves, and it was lots of positive reinforcement, with only a few incidents of verbal reminders. The 9th grade, unfortunately, and predictably,  was a bit more challenging.

On day three I had my first real trouble. In a class of only 12 students, 3 are identified English Language Learners ( F, T, S), Another student (A) may also be ELL, but doesn't speak much and has not yet been identified by the ELL team. It was quickly apparent that another 5 of the students were high-level computer skilled and intellectually developed (D, J, E) -  one of which was apathetic (J), one of which was a bit hyperactive and trying to entertain himself and/or his classmates in negative behaviors (D), and the third of which was very engaged but trying hard to entertain his classmates (E) with humorous, albeit a bit random and esoteric commentary. The last 2 were well behaved, acted with self-control, offered appropriate responses, and were generally ideal students (M and B). The last 3 were students who appear to be of average computer skills and ability, and to be of appropriate intellectual level and English language ability. They were (P, V, and K)

What I've learned is that it is extremely important to take the right action - a balance of positive and negative reinforcement, right from the beginning.

My first mistake was in permitting them to choose their seats, the grouped themselves in ways that turned out not productive for the class dynamic. I learned that all bad things stem from poor seating arrangements!

The trouble began when one student - a student (A above) who is new to our school, and possibly English Language Learner, entered class late, without a pass. He then failed to quickly and quietly put his things in the cubby, instead he engaging in talk with one of the students who was sitting next to him. Next involved the same student, wearing his hood in class, which is a school rule that had been discussed at orientation. Third, another student, (D) seated in the same row as A but with one student in between them, put on his hood, going one better, covering his face with the hood, and moving about in his chair.

At each point, students were addressed, and they complied. Lateness was due to the guidance counselor keeping him late. Getting organized for class was apologized for and quickly finished.
The hood was removed, too snickers and some commentary about why was that necessary.

Enter my second fatal flaw. When D put his hood on, and was asked to remove it, he raised a question as to why that was necessary. After stating, because it is in the school rules, etc. Both students had removed their hoods, at that point, but there was still some dissatisfaction about it.  I, trying to gauge the situation, and not wanting to alienate any student so early in the game, especially over something so minor, thought I would try to engage them by making this hood wearing thing, part of our "getting to know you" activities. Bad idea.

I moved closer to the students in question but enabled them to have the chance to talk about this rule. tt went from bad to worse, as I inadvertently gave D the stage for launching into his historical understanding of the significance of hoods, why they were worn, and why people stopped wearing them, and how none of the conditions applied in our situation, so therefore the wearing of hoods should not be deemed an offense. Of course the other students didn't quite know how to respond to this, nor did I because it was spoken in low tones, so we could not hear him, nad what we did hear did not make sense. But what I'd really done was to engage the student in argument. Definite mistake,

After that, the middle student, a faultless young man (P) who I have had before who has never given me trouble, but... had seated himself between D and A. He raised his hand after D's long dissertations, and asked "Why is it some teachers care about the hoods and other teachers don't?" To which D made loud protestations, "Don't say anything! Don't say anything!"

In the meantime, I looked to the other side of the class and realized several other students had completely disengaged and were involved in a discussion of their own.

At long last, I thought better of the "getting to know you" defense.  I thanked and silenced D and P with a request to see them after class, and returned to the lesson.

Ultimately, the students ended up in the principal's office, and he set them straight, as did the guidance counselor. I understand that their advisor is going to have something to say, as well.

As for me, the next day when they came to class, I had rearranged all of the seating, separating the students who were giving me trouble, as well as the small clique on the far left side of the room. They were all rather shell shocked, I am afraid. But there were no problems with hoods in the classroom that day. Or any day since.

Creating High Performance Learning Environments

As teachers in an ever changing, rapidly evolving world, we need to be prepared to evaluate our teaching practices and adjust and change as necessary. Currently, there is emphasis on setting high standards for our students, especially for those we believe to be low achieving students, for one reason or another. 

The idea is that by holding to the highest standards for all students, and then working towards their achieving those standards using any number of teaching methods and strategies, we can elevate all students, including those expected to be low performers, to high achieving status.

According to the research and writings of those such as Doug Lemov, in Teach Like a Champion , he realization has been that the higher one sets the bar, the more students will achieve. Theory and practice have proved this point, with one caveat, most notably reported by Robert J. Marzano in The Art and Science of Teaching, - that to be truly effective, the teacher themselves must first undergo a sincere and honest measure of self reflection, so as to be very clear on their own perceptions, beliefs, biases, which when left subconscious, may unwittingly be translating into their behaviors and affect towards students, and undermining their efforts. Such self reflection operates as a diagnostic by which the teacher may then prescribe appropriate strategies necessary to create a culture of high expectation within their classrooms, that is, or can be, as needed, tailored to the needs of each child. The most important thing is to know yourself, and your students as well as possible.

This week, we've been reviewing how we may set high expectations using the techniques of Project Based Learning and Whole Brain Teaching. These are methods which seek to involve the student in a more holistic way, activating all areas of the brain during the learning and teaching process, with the expectation that this will help students learn and perform to higher standards.

Academic expectations 
The examples we were given all seem to show that the teachers have high academic expectations of their students. We were provided two examples of American Project Based Learning and Whole Brain Teaching, and one example of a Chinese school system. However in the American teacher works with students on academic tasks, presenting a portion of information, then engaging students to become involved -- teaching each other, collaborating - and then producing a final product. However the Chinese system, was the most academically challenging of the three.

This was exemplified in the video of Crystal Chen's 3rd Grade Chinese Math recited their times tables in Chinese, which was provided context through Qingyang Chen's (who goes by Coolog in Youtube) video Interviews with Chinese High School Students. Here we were able to see the epitome of setting high academic expectations for students, As Qingyang Chen showed, it was clear from the moment you walk into the school, where you may see signs saying "nation," "future," and "pride" and in the classroom hallways, words such as "self motivation" "self-improvement" "innovation," and "triumph" are prominently displayed. For the Chinese, their entire young lives and academic program are geared towards students entry into one of two fields; and their ability to succeed and continue on to college depends on their performance in those fields. 

On the one hand, this seems a great way to ensure that the masses of the population do indeed, have a good education, have mastered academic skills. They must do so, just to survive trough high school. But, to my mind it is extremely short sighted, and very limiting. The potential of so many people is completely lost when there is so little room for any other expression or development, and basically those who are best at rote memorization are most valued and prized. 

The students interviewed seemed to understand this, in as much as they expressed that though they were interested in leadership, community service, or arts clubs, there was very little time for them to pursue those interests, or they were reserved for only a select subgroup of students. Another student expressed how much she enjoyed her one year of a project based type of learning -- only to have to return to the same grueling hand written homework that she had had before. This young lady also expressed that she had a liking for geography but, she said, she's in science so she can't study geography. One can only imagine what could come of a child with such cross curricular interests!

Behavior Expectations

From my perspective, I found that the Project Based Learning programs provided in the examples of Donna Migdol's Roller Coaster Physics and Liz Loether's Project Based Blended Learning of a Space Probe were much more promising. These are simple amazing strategies! I loved the Roller Coaster Design Challenge the most, because it was the most practical, and probably the method most suited to my personality and style. I love watching students take what they have learned and turn it into something that works in the real world.

It was clear in each case, though I think more so in the Roller Coaster Physics Challenge, that the expectations were high, not only academically, but in terms of behavior. In this case, the teacher treated the students as if they were professionals, providing them roles within their teams, expecting them to "show the science that they know" to each other, collaborating correcting and assisting each other. I love that the students talk to one another, not so much to the teacher. The expectations are that they are engineers, and they are to behave in that way. The teacher guides them through the process, and provides them the science tools that they need to know, but in effect, the students are testing their learning as they go. 

In effect, this, too, is what the Whole Brain Teaching is really all about, too - engaging the entire brain in an activity. In the case of the roller coaster, many of the same elements were present --

• Prefrontal cortex - students were involved in decision making and planning 
• Motor cortex - Students were involved in physical movement as they actually got down and dirty, bending twisting taping their roller coasters together. The reasons for each movement were related to some fact or concept that they were learning about, so this physical action related to the content will certainly help them to retain information. 
• Visual cortex - Through the use of the computer simulations, as well as drawings, and actually running the roller coasters, the visual cortex is also engaged, and this all contributes to learning and problem solving 
• Limbic system - The roller coaster challenge is competitive, but ultimately, there is the inherent challenge and thrill of accomplishment in itself --- as well as the sinking sensation of defeat when things don't go as planned -- that comes of working on such a project . Definitely the emotions are involved in this process. 
• Wernicke’s area, Broca’s area - Language was involved in many levels, as teachers led and students listened, as students discussed and learned from one another, and as the teams worked together to collaborate and share their ideas, and create new solutions. All of that involves language. 
• Nucleus acumbens - Hope has a power and an energy in itself! Engaging in any kind of activity where there is the hope of accomplishment or of experiencing some form of success -- seeing that marble make its way all the way to the end, hoping it would, wondering if it will.. all of that creates that dopamine producing effect that WBT talks about. 

The  Whole Brain Teaching video was powerful and very exciting to see as well. 

It is amazing to see how much more quickly we can remember things when we are engaged in them so completely. This was similar to what we saw in the 3rd Grade Chinese math class - this kind of rote memorization by way of using physical, language, sound, gestures to help the brain absorb the information.

I had mixed feelings about this video, though. 

As I watched the teacher engage in whole brain teaching strategies as she delivered her lesson on longitude and latitude, I am sure that all the students got the point and learned what longitude and latitude were. But, I am just not convinced that it was all necessary. In the case of this video, I am actually prone to think that the teacher's expectations were actually set rather low, if she believed that these strategies would be necessary for her students to absorb these concepts. Perhaps I missed something in it, but it struck me as a lot of activity for something that could have been learned much more quickly and easily in a more old fashioned manner.

I watched another video, How To Begin Whole Brain Teaching: 1 that was an intro to how to do Whole Brain Teaching, and it worked great for learning rules - but I am not sure how i would use it to teach an actual lesson. This method attempts to engage all parts of the brain - the areas listed above - by using a system of call and response, using physical movement, and building in some sort of challenge or expectation of reward. These elements each serve to work from a different are of the brain, presumably then strengthening the students' ability to learn the content being presented.

My impressions - there is something militaristic about the approach - like Army running cadences. Or, from another perspective, it reminded me of the way some eastern practices are taught. For example, in typical and traditional Ashtanga Yoga and Tai Chi (and other martial arts, to be sure) the class performs the entire series of movements, similar to the Chinese 3rd graders. Newcomers and beginners simple begin with the class, and perform as much of the series as they can remember. At the end of the session, the teacher turns attention to the beginners, and works with these small groups to bring them up to the next level. Slowly but surely, each student adds to his or her ability, bit by bit until they are able to perform the whole series, too. In the 3rd grade class, there were students who definitely were not participating as much as the other students. I wonder if that is what was happening in that video? 

Norms and Procedures

In the end, the one thing that all of these approaches have in common are their norms. No matter which method one may use, it is clear that the norms must be clearly set from the outset. This was most obvious in the example of the Chinese school system, but they are evident in the way the classes work together, and how the students move through their work. It would not be possible to engage in these kinds of projects if there were not firm norms and rules in place. 

As I embark on this new school year, I have a lot to think about. At our school, we are also embarking on a new philosophy, culture, and approach to learning in our Upper School - the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.  A lot of what we are learning in these discussions of Project Based Learning, Whole Brain Learning, and of critical thinking and collaboration, classroom culture and norms and procedures -- all of this lends itself to my ability to successfully prepare my middle school students to participate in the IB program when the time comes. 

And so I aim to establish high expectations in my classroom beginning the moment they enter the door. Like the Chinese schools, I'll have posted words (along with Mr. Spock and the Peace sign!) around my room that will let them know clearly that I expect the best form them, and that I believe that they can be their best. The IB has a series of terms that are meant to describe the Learner Profile:

• Inquirers
• Knowledgeable
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled
• Open-minded
• Caring
• Risk-takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

However I think it's important to note. While these terms represent high expectations, they are not the same as those in the Chinese school. These are terms that symbolize high expectations of another kind - it's way more than getting a high score on a standardized test. 

I appreciate the concept of whole brain teaching and thinking. I believe that there is value in this method. After all, the teachings of unity of body breath and mind is signature of yoga, and the mastery of mind and chi (energy) are the domain of many other eastern philosophies and practices for thousands of years. But I think that the way that the Whole Brain Method is demonstrated here, makes it a method that has its place and purpose and should be used judiciously. Whole Brain Teaching In a Math class for learning one multiplication tables? Yes! Or Geography, working on the capitals of the world's nations? Absolutely. Perhaps in Science, running through facts about the Table of Elements, or in Language Arts, learning vocabulary or memorizing a poem. Perhaps. But for areas requiring problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity, I don't know that this method would be very useful. 

I guess what I am getting at is that I think there are times and places for each of these techniques, and that it's best to find a combination that suits the teacher and the particular needs of a particular class or individual student.

In another discussion, I spoke about my son. He is going into 3rd grade, in an American curriculum school using Singapore Math. I have found that many times, I really wish that he had been taught the rote memorization of math facts, because it definitely helps in later math, if you can quickly pull the basic math facts into play without having to figure them out all the time. I see this with my son. He's learning really great conceptual aspects of math -- I see him doing things that remind me of algebra, and I know that the students work with each other to work their way through these problems, so I know he's getting a great foundation for algebra, for critical thinking, collaboration, etc. But there is no denying it - it's so hard to see that he still has to count and figure out basic arithmetic and multiplication facts before he can move on and get the answers he's looking for!

I can see the value of all of these approaches. I hope I can, and I will try to use as many different techniques as I can, to help my students. Though it is hard to imagine me actually teaching in the Whole Brained Teaching method, I imagine it will be useful when it comes time for them to learn certain technology facts, or for, say memorizing a keyboard or something. For me, my preferred method and what suits my style best would be project based learning. 

What I will take from these examples are some of the methods used for maintaining structure and forward movement. I like the idea of providing the challenge with restricted resources, and challenging them to come up with solutions using the materials provided. I also like the way their progress is staged, moving from theory to planning, to testing, then actually constructing a product to test the theory. I like the idea of chime sessions, where students who have been working in a similar project in small groups, are brought together to share their experiences, and learn from and help each other.

To conclude, it is clear that the world of education is exploding with new possibilities as we learn more about the brain, how we think, and how we are meant to work and learn together. We are carving out new ways to teach - but I think the lesson is that there must be a thoughtful mix of strategies. There are times when techniques like Whole Brain Teaching may have incredible teaching and learning value -- making addition and multiplication facts quickly memorable and well embedded in the memories of our students. But these must be balanced with lots of opportunity for project based learning approaches, where students are challenged to use their critical thinking, where they can collaborate and work with and learn from each other, and develop their leadership, creative, diplomacy, and other skills - all while having the ability to call on those math and science facts quickly and readily, when needed -- so that they don't lose time counting on their fingers, while trying to solve real world problems.


Bibliography 

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Welcome to the Peace Zone!

As I continue on this journey to learn more about the art and science of teaching, I find myself
reflecting on my own classes, and my library. I've been a librarian for many years now, and teaching for almost half of those years -- but only now am I going into a classroom all my own.

I've always taught in my library, in the computer lab section. This idea of a class atmosphere or environment is sort of what we do in the library. We cultivate a culture there; most everyone knows and understands the rules of a library. We are meant to provide quiet spaces where people can read, think, and dream. In my library I've called this the Peace and Quiet Zone.

I used to have a statue of a hand in a peace sign gesture that was placed near the entrance. It was one of the first things you saw when you walked in. It's funny - I didn't realize how important that was, or really what it did. But it set the tone for our library. You could not pass without seeing it. This universal sign for peace was a quiet but insistent announcement - this is what is expected of you here. This is what you will find here. And it created a safe place for students who needed and wanted that kind of environment.

One of my former students,  Dominique asked if she could keep
the Peace Sign for her dorm room.  I said of course, of course!
But it shows me how much these small things can mean
to a student. She's graduated college by now. 

What I like about the idea of establishing a Peace and Quiet Zone is what it symbolizes - Peace meaning tranquility, where respect of oneself and others is paramount. Peace referring to harmony, where ideas and peoples of different background can exist side by side, with acceptance and appreciation. Like books on the shelf, each with its own story to tell, its own unique viewpoint, which when taken together, one may glimpse the beautiful, colorful, poignant whole that is also the truth of things. So is it with the people who entered our space. Their - our - value is in our differences, and in our unique and varied character and history.




And finally, Peace meaning the absence of aggression. There is no place for it here. No tolerance of intolerance. No abrasive, brutish, or boorish behavior here -- NO bullying allowed or tolerated! Ours is the Peace and Quiet Zone.

Quiet is another powerful term. It requires a community in agreement towards that end, out of a respect for the needs of the community, for places to work, think, ponder. Imagine. Dream.
Quiet is a request for that which we all need, but which is often hard to find. When you enter a Peace and Quiet Zone, you come because its what you need and want. And all who enter, agree. This is a place where we care for one another, for one another's needs, in this case, the need for peace and quiet. And because we care, we agree to respect one another's need... for quiet.

Finally, the term Zone. This is another very specific term, We could have used the words "place" or "room," but those don't mean the same thing. Zone indicates a particular space, with a particular boundary, that is defined by a shared energy, or activity. Ours is the Peace and Quiet Zone. If you want loud and noisy, there are other zones for that. But not here!

But seriously, bullying and cyber-bullying are serious concerns. My peace sign is a great start, but how else can I  deal with such issues? Rules and posters, of course, but one of the first things we do in the technology class is review the Acceptable Use Policy for using the schools network and internet resources. In this document there are explicit and specific rules and consequences for cyber-bullying in particular.

In addition, each year we provide units on Digital Citizenship, Netiquette and Internet Safety. One of my favorite lessons was having students actually go through their privacy settings on Facebook, and teaching them about the levels of controls that they have available to them. We use another service called Goodreads and Edmodo to introduce students to social media, and when these accounts are set up, we go through similar practices and discussions. Our IT class also provides the perfect opportunity to introduce some of the work from  The Ophelia Project : It Has a Name . This program provices some wonderful on line materials and work sheets that we can incorporate into our unit on Digital Citizenship. 

So then. How do I accomplish this task? ? How do I transfer these ideas, these norms, to my new classroom? To create a Peace and Quiet Zone there, where everyone understand and respects them? I'm learning and realizing that it all begins and ends with communication. You have to convey the message, and others have to understand it. And we all have to agree to abide by it, to build it.

But before I can communicate a message, in other words,"set a tone," the first and most important thing is to KNOW what message I want to send. To be clear on what I want this space to look like and be. How I want it to feel. How I want us to function within it. What kind of tone I want to set -- what are the norms that describe and create the kind of environment that I want? That we all will want?

Once we've got our tone identified, and the norms that will help us to create that tone, then we have to set rules. Rules are the specific behaviors that we are all expected to observe. They are like the bricks that form the foundation of our norms.

Secondly, I have learned, it is vital to start DAY 1! This is not something I have done consistently in the past. I can see now, how important it is, though. I plan to begin at the beginning - from the minute they arrive at my door. I want to control the entrance - and also establish a connection with each student. I plan to greet each child with a smile, a hello, and a small gift. Then direct them right from the beginning to a seat assignment before they even enter the room. Hopefully, with this gesture, I will both form an initial positive connection, and also establish that there is order in my classroom, and we have rules to follow.

But besides establishing an initial relationship, and communicating that this room has order and rules, I also want to ensure that all my students, where ever the come from, whatever language - or languages - they speak, no matter what their background, all are welcome here. I want them to understand that my room - our room - is a Peace Zone. I will have to find other ways to communicate that message to my students. Another type of peace statue or sign. Whatever it is, it must be universal, and simple. Instantly recognizable, and understood by all.

In addition, this is, after all, a computers skills    class. I want to convey a sense that this is also a space for creating, making, experimenting and doing everything techy and cool. I want students to feel comfortable setting their inner nerd free! I'll need another universally understood gesture for the kingdom of Geek....

Ah. I've got just the thing for it. Spock's got me covered.

That will certainly speak to aliens of all planets - but how will I relate to my kids, who are coming from so many different countries?

Certainly one way will be to have greetings in various languages, and flags from many nations as part of the classroom decor. Part of our introductory activities can involve sharing where we call home. Perhaps a world map posted on the bulletin board, with students placing pins in the various places they are from. Then, as a technology project, perhaps we can make a Google Earth version of our wall map.

Also, in terms of technology teaching, one thing that is helpful is to have both AZERTY and QWERTY keyboards for students who are French speakers. It's a controversial point, though, as it is an American school, and everyone is supposed to adhere to English. But its it would be interesting to study the various keyboards, as part of a lesson as we do our typing practice. Imagine having our students practice typing on a keyboard they are not familiar with!

We have done, and will do again, Host Country Studies, to help students learn more about Cote d'Ivoire. One of my favorites was a lesson that time climate change to cocoa production in Cote d'Ivoire (one of the top three producers of raw cocoa). It was interesting to learn that the change in temperatures were making longer lasting cold spells in the mountains of Man -- thus impacting the growth of cocoa, and hence, the income of people in that area.

Another such project was a collaboration with the art class as students learned about the various ethnic groups in Cote d'Ivoire, but studying - and making masks.

Another important aspect of classroom climate is the decor and arrangement. Unfortunately, in a computer lab, where the furniture has already been picked out and installed, I won't have as many options as I'd like. But I have some ideas. Perhaps I can hang signs from the ceiling to identify the different functions I want for my room -- the Creation Station , The Research section, the Presentation section, etc.... We can circulate from section to section when the time arises.

And a lot can be done with color and decor, too. I have had this lovely shade of what I call zen jade green in mind for a long time. Not sure if I'll be able to find it here in Abidjan, but I will try. It used to be the color of my office space in my old school. Kids seemed to love my office. They stopped by all the time, to sit in my wicker wing chair, and chat. I think it was because of the environment I'd created both for my office and my library. I'll seek to do the same in my classroom, too.

As I am planning and contemplating, I am thinking about the kind of tone I'd like to set. I'd like to keep that Peace and Quiet Zone feel - but I also want my classroom to be a place that is alive with exploration and experimentation. I want kids to feel excited about making and creating things, from video to robots, to whatever sparks their imaginations. It seems those are two opposites. So I think I have my work cut out for me! 

Bur the classroom, like my library, is a community, And just like any community, we will decide what is acceptable and not, what we value and what we do not. What we will tolerate, and what we will not. These will become and are the norms of our community. We'll set the rules, and we'll figure out the procedures, so that all the newcomers will know what to do. And brick by brick we'll build it. Together.

Mobile Learning in the Classroom? Heck, Yeah!

Everywhere you look these days, the topic of mobile devices in the classroom is up for debate: Is there value in using cell phones and tablets, ipads and android in the classroom? Specifically, Should teachers allow or require students to use mobile devices to achieve learning objectives? If so why? To my mind, the answer is simple. Yes we should. Because, like it or not, we need to. We owe it to our kids. For as theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku asserted in his Keynote address to the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) last month, ”In the future, internet will be everywhere and nowhere." The world is about to change.

Perhaps it helps to look to the past. When the Gutenburg press was first invented, according to the Harry Ransom Center in their website article Gutenburg's Legacy "It has been estimated that there were perhaps 30,000 books in all of Europe before Gutenberg printed his Bible; less than 50 years later, there were as many as 10 to 12 million books." The shift is comparable to what we are experiencing now.

At that time, this rapid advance meant a threat to the powers that be. Suddenly the aristocracy, the monasteries - the Catholic Church - were no longer the guardians, controllers, and shepherds of the flock. Now the sheep could read their own Bibles and come to their own conclusions. Books were suddenly available to, well, anyone. Everyone! At least, to anyone that could afford them, that is. But then, they became affordable.Ye gads! (Censorship was invented soon thereafter.)

Today,some 500 years later, we've gotten used to the idea of widespread access to information. In fact we cherish the notion. With the advent of the internet  we've moved from our comparable world of guardians, controllers, and shepherds of information, to one in which the goal seems to be nothing less than the total elimination of barriers between individuals and information. Access is pervasive and instantaneous, and we are fast approaching the world Dr. Kaku envisions. The use of mobile devices is but the beginning of this transformation.

But what does this mean to education? Just as historian Elizabeth L. Eisenstein noted about the age of Gutenberg, when “Gifted students no longer needed to sit at the feet of a given master in order to learn a language or academic skill. Instead, they could achieve mastery on their own, even by sneaking books past their tutors” so it is today. With the advent of mobile devices, educators must shift their way of thinking, and their relationship to the students, to information, and to the technologies of information.

For example, at my school last spring, we introduced 30 ebook tablets to our library.

Instantly, teachers and students created new and unexpected uses for them.

• Our AP Physics instructor gave her students access to a study guide
• Our Language Arts instructors instantly added 12 copies of an ebook, for a new class reading they wanted to try.
• Our African History teacher had her class access to the Economist, take notes, share them on Google docs
• Our science instructor had her students use them to do research in her classroom, where they could more comfortably collaborate

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As our experience showed, the real value in mobile devices lies is their ease of access and affordability. “Not every classroom can get a laptop every day, so [devices like smartphones], even if you have to pair up, become something useful for teachers,” states teaching veteran Ken Halla, in a report from the National Educational Association.  

And once the way is opened, teachers are discovering new and exciting uses for mobile devices. Not only can they help support students' academic achievement, better collaboration, more engagement, but they enable teachers to better track students' progress and understanding. As Christopher Dede, Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, and  adviser to the U.S. Department of Education's National Educational Technology Plan (NETP)  explains, mobile devices enable data collection, and provide a "cognitive audit trail"  that can show how students think and what they understand.

As we approach the future envisioned by Dr. Kaku, mobile devices enable the use of the latest new information enhancement and access tools, such as QR (Quick Response) codes, Augmented Reality (AR) and with Virtual Reality and 3D. These technologies make information even more accessible, integrating the real world with additional information, and enabling us to experience new environments far beyond our classroom walls.

For example, according to a an Edutopia report by Andrew Miller Instructional Coach at Shanghai American School, QR Codes can be used to create learning stations, provide extension material or enable students to quickly check their answers, and for teachers to track their progress.

As Patricia Brown describes in  EdSurge, Augmented Reality (AR) enables teachers provide supplemental information and additional support for students."For example, jazz up your school’s art show, or make math come alive through videos of students solving math problems--perhaps students can trigger an Aura by pointing their smartphone at a particular equation. You could even attach a trigger image to a Google Form to request time with the school counselor, or make a class picture image on your teacher website trigger a virtual tour of a classroom."

Similarly, Virtual Reality (VR) can enable special needs students to learn social skills such as turn-taking, sharing, listening and taking an interest in others, while Heather Hansman of Smithsonian points out, with VR students can visit the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History where “They can look around, and the teacher can share information about things they're seeing.”

These are the ways in which mobile devices can be of help in the classroom. Can we do without them? Perhaps. For now. But as Dr. Kaku points out, this is the future our students will be living in. The world is not just about to change - it already has. And it is our job as educators is to prepare them for it.

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