Friday at the continuation high school. Computer aided drafting (or CAD). I have covered this class many, many times. Just not in this classroom.
At some point last school year, Mr. G switched classrooms with Mr. F, the math teacher. The move made sense as Mr. G needs more room for his "toys" and Mr. F just needs enough room for desks. (Mr. G's "toys" include a 3D printer and a spot where the students can construct small robots.)
The bigger room also gave me a good spot to sit behind the students' desks.
What usually happens in this class is that the students say they're working, but when I watch what they're doing from the teacher's desk (there's spy software that lets me see what's on their screens), I see that they're actually playing games.
Fourth period. While much of the class was on task, two boys were over in a corner, whispering. I finished inputting the attendance, and then I went back to monitoring what was on their screens. The boys were playing some shooter game.
So, I went back to my perch for the day.
I took a chair behind the kiddos. I could see what was on each of their monitors. I mean, I could see that from the teacher's desk, too, but by sitting behind them, it was obvious I was paying attention to what they were doing.
The boys? They were suddenly on IXL. (IXL is a math program.)
One boy explained that Mr. G was having him build and organize stuff for the classroom. Knowing the situation and Mr. G, this tracks. The boy would have been getting credit for helping Mr. G set stuff up. So, no Mr. G, no work for the day. Instead, he was going to do his math work.
I was fine with that.
(I'd rather they spend their time in school productively. They can play games at home.)
And so, I sat there, behind them, zoning out. And they kept their computer monitors on stuff that looked schooly. A win. Sort of.
Alas, some of them just hid their phones with their bodies and did nothing anyway. Sigh.
Spy software? I shouldn't be surprised.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd mentioned the spy software before. It's getting to be out of date at this point. Hopefully they'll upgrade it to something soon.
DeleteBuild robots? Man, I wish we had that when I was in school.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! :)
DeleteThey’ll learn when they experience consequences…
ReplyDeleteIf they don't finish the projects, they don't get credit. They know this.
DeleteThat sounds annoying to literally have to look over their shoulders to make sure they're doing their work.
ReplyDeleteIt is the continuation high school. There's a reason they ended up there.
DeleteThe spy software is interesting. I wonder if the kids know it exists?
ReplyDeleteYou did a very good system for increase the atention of students. My sincere congratulations. Be a teacher is one of the most important works in world.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't work out all that well ;)
DeleteKids will always find a way to cheat if they don't want to work ;))
ReplyDeleteToo bad you can’t prohibit them from going to fun places rather than just work. This is Birgit
ReplyDeleteI can tell them not to do it, but there's no way to restrict their computer access. And you know teens, tell them not to do something...
DeleteStory on news tonight about schools banning cell phones. They have to put them in these pouches when they arrive, that lock, and unlock end of day when they pass them by some device that unlocks the pouch. Productivity and conversation in classes up, was the end of the report.
ReplyDeleteI wish we could do something like that. Alas, when phones were forbidden, parents complained. It got to be an issue, so administration caved and now phones... Well, it's an issue.
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