See you 3rd.

RE: “Don’t know Bill” — ask anyone who does, they’ll all probably agree that it’s better that way :)

But all kidding aside, in the interest of setting the record straight, when I worked as a tech director at the K12 level, I started/ran a couple of laptop programs, with no internet filtering. As you might imagine, this led to some interesting conversations with parents. My position: if you don’t have the option to do the unwise thing, you can never learn how to choose the better path. This was in independent schools, and I had the benefit of a Head of School who was on the same philosophical page.

And this was backed up with training, reinforcement, cajoling, etc.

Cheers,

Bill

Keep up the posts! It is very interesting watching the dialog as it comes in. I will be on the lookout for sarcasm in the future;)

@Evan, sorry you had to waste your word count on Bill, who, I’m pretty sure, totally agrees.

Wow! What a statement. Not my cup of tea, but to each their own.

My opinion is that we are educators because we want to teach students something. Whether that be history, math, or whatever. In my case, I teach Industrial Technology (Shop Class). I consider it part my job to teach the procedures and understand how to safely use the tools and equipment before I turn them loose.

Who is teaching them how to properly and productively use the internet? Who is teaching them to use their cell phones properly and productively? In most cases, no one. Does that mean that they students are not using them, heck no. Once they leave school their cell phones are out and in action. At home, most have unfiltered internet.

As an educational system, I really think that we are missing out on teaching some basic skills that many of our students are missing.

Is the answer to filter the internet and ban cell phones, maybe. In my opinion we should be opening these up, teaching their proper usage and show the students how powerful these tools can be.

Just my 2 cents, keeps the change ;)

Did you really say, “Psh. I have some pretty solid call blocking software.” ?

To a student (hell, to *me*), that sounds an awful lot like “Let’s see if we can get this to break!”

Yet another reason why internet filtering technology and cell phone bans are so successful.

Cheers,

Bill

That was a special crowd of pranksters and stalkers, truly, but it’s significant that when they asked the question, “You aren’t worried about giving us your number?” I said:

Psh. I have some pretty solid call blocking software.

Rather than:

I have every reason to believe you’ll enjoy this access responsibly.

High expectations aren’t a cure-all. Unsupported by positive classroom culture, pushed consistently over a year, they’re recipes for disappointment.

I’m not theorizing that the difference between high/low expectation accounts entirely for the difference between this year and the last, but I know it’s significant that, somehow, in both years, both classes met them fully.