Lately, this is something that has been on my mind because it's been part of my student teaching experience for the past 2 weeks. I know I have mentioned this before, in many of my classes, so it may sound like old news to many of you, but it's been bothering me more as of recent. The fifth grade classes have been abusing the laptops provided to them on the laptop carts by picking off the keys. The first time I encountered this, I was sure it was an accident. Maybe the student was typing a little too hard and a key popped off, no big deal. Then, it kept happening. In one day, I replaced (I kept a record) 7 laptop keys... that means 7 students thought it would be a good idea to rip keys off of a keyboard while their teacher was teaching, helping another student, or just had their back turned. 1 time is a mistake, 7 times makes me question things a little. The keys are hard to get back on because they are so tiny and consist of 3 different pieces (2 little hinges and the actual key). I've actually gotten to be pretty good at putting them back on, so every time one comes in, it's immediately delegated to me on the helpdesk.
The reason I am writing this as my chosen topic for my edtech blog is because I want to know what all of you ed. tech specialists would do in this situation. Would you take the carts away from the students? Would you hold an assembly explaining that it takes time to put the keys back on (or would that just give students the idea of picking off keys)? Would you enlist the help of the classroom teachers? The technology coordinator? The principal? Or would you simply leave it alone, and fix the keys as they come in broken, hoping that all of the pieces are still there? Because I am an intern, I simply fix the keys with a smile, return the laptop to the cart, and go about my day until another students walks in with a laptop in his hands saying "They just fell off!"
It really bothers me, especially as someone living in the community, that the students would purposely damage brand new laptops. The community, which always passes the increased school tax budget proposal, paid for these laptops for students to enjoy and use. It is unfair that several destructive students are able to ruin it for the entire school population. I hope the students decide to make better decisions this week, I am tired of putting keys back on!
Wow...picking off laptop keys. That really stinks. It's so disrespectful of property which is not theirs! And, you would think they would want the laptops to be beautiful and functional so they could use them. If you can--I would talk to each of the teachers. Perhaps there should be some behavioral plan put into place. Please let me know what you decide and how this resolves! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Fortunately for me, I switched schools in the middle of last week, so no more 5th grade tech breakers for me for a while... The principal made an announcement to the entire school earlier this week, but I don't think it's going to do much good. I hope the trend just stops, breaking laptops is such a waste of time and energy!
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