Watertown 1 to 1

In October I set up an information booth at our 1st quarter midterm conferences with the hopes that parents might stop by with questions and comments. I didn’t have many customers that night but one parent inadvertently taught me something that has changed my thinking and which had added to the mission I and others need to undertake in implementing 1 to 1 computing programs.

On that night a mother approached me and asked, “Do you want to know what I think of the laptops?” I could guess from her look and tone that she didn’t like them.

I said, “What do you think?”

She said, “They should be elminated and I’m thinking of taking up a petition!”

“Why?”

“Because they have ruined our family - before the laptops, my daughter used to watch TV with us. Now she goes to her room and plays with her computer.”

What followed was a conversation about how parents might manage this portable technology in order to remain in control of their family.  More importantly, I realized that if one parent felt helpless and frustrated about the laptops, there were probably many more.

And so this past Monday I presented to parents on internet safety and on simple things that parents might do so that “their families aren’t ruined” by 1 to 1 computing. This audience was small, friendly and largely grateful (I think). And I believe that most agreed with my assertion in my introduction. I said that parents need to learn about internet safety and home management of technology early in the school year, not on the first Monday after Thanksgiving.

Because 1 to 1 initiatives explore largely uncharted territory, there are many things for teachers, managers and technology leaders to learn. If you are reading this and you are considering a 1 to 1 initiative, be sure that your technology plan includes a heavy dose of adult education. I hope to take an improved and an expanded version of Monday’s presentation to a larger audience. We know that parents can be important allies in what we do in education. So don’t forget them in your laptop initiative.