I realized recently that I’ve been assembling bits and pieces of an outline for a Tablet PC School the way I’d start one. I’d start with a classroom to find out how to go further in the school.
These are a few of the principles I’ve used with other schooling start-ups and renovations. They seem reasonable to consider again when featuring the use of advanced technologies. Note the absence of committees, authorizations, etc.
Important Caution
This outline is an opinion, not anything else. All start-ups involve risks. Make an independent assessment of risks involved in how to start a Tablet PC program at a school. This outline seems like common sense to many experienced organizational developers, but at least it provides something for a novice to change before starting a Tablet PC school project.
By definition, each start-up is an experiment. Collect data before and after starting a new project to indicate effects of the start-up.
Keep a low profile about the start-up until collected evidence demonstrates enough student progress from that project to hold a debate. Expect a debate. Not everyone will agree with any part of a start-up or renovation. So, let things evolve slowly. Expect help and obstacles. Choose early which things to persist with, which to compromise on, and which to abandon at least until another time after challenged by someone who can scuttle the project.
Primary Principles
1. If it’s to be, it’s up to my Tablet PC and me. Think of this effort as a personal venture or pilgrimage in professional development. This commitment can show a teacher as a master learner. Like it or not, students imitate teachers, so let them imitate a master learner. Expect to face increasing obstacles the more the Tablet PC project appears to compete with vs. complement established procedures and results.
2. “It’s what you do with what you have that pays off in the end,” my dad used to tell me. Use whatever I have to start. Then, add or change what I use, based on data I collect as the program develops.
3. Just start with whatever assignments and responsibilities I have at the moment. Don’t over analyze the situation, possible consequences, or the effort. Just begin and adjust first to student results, then to observations from others. By definition, good supervisors will appreciate and encourage teacher initiative.
4. Use a fly-to-honey strategy. Get positive small results promptly, and then continue building more positive results quickly. Brag on students’ accomplishing so much so fast.
5. Let learners take the bows. They do the work and they deserve the credit. There’s always more credit where that came from.
6. Let them learn. This seems obvious, but it means getting out of the way of learners. Remove obstacles to learning by showing what to learn, how to learn it, and how to show others they learned it. Control only what directly leads to the few measurable intended results from using a Tablet PC. Insist on that control, and demand expected results that each student can demonstrate.
7. Use as much direct learning as imagination and arrangements permit. For example, distribute copies of final exams on the first day of class with the statement that all students will pass these to receive “Cs” for those subjects or classes. Higher grades will depend on how much more proficiency each learner demonstrates. Also, describe how they may independently surpass minimum expectations.
8. Develop individualized learning plans with each student. Most students will follow didactic instruction to formulate acceptable plans. One simple way to start the process is to post a copy of teacher’s lesson plans for the week for all to copy and use as a guide. I’ve seen fifth grade students complete a year’s work in three months with this simple step. Teach says, “Yea, but then what do I do?” And next year’s teacher says, “Hey, they already know what I’ve planned for the year. That’s not fair. You made my job harder. I’ll file a complaint against you.” Aren’t those great issues to have to address!
9. Plan lessons to exceed state and Federal education standards, since they are minimum performance expectations for students. Results from good teaching exceed standards, by definition. For example, standardized tests examine proficiency with vocabulary and logic codes to solve problems in various subject areas. Show students these codes, how to demonstrate mastery of them at their grade level, and how to exceed minimum proficiency levels.
I think I’ll comment about other (secondary?) principles later. This is almost fun!