I need to vent!

[GoktimusPrime]

Hmmmm... I hadn't thought of the exam/test scenario you propose, where he may not be allowed to have access to his device. I will have to talk to teachers about that when the time comes. Even so, I can't imagine why a scientific calculator would cost that much. It's possibly one of the simplest computing devices you can get, so it just shouldn't be that expensive, to my mind anyway.

In my personal opinion, I think that Year 7's too early to begin introducing calculators. Maths teachers all say that it's to get Year 7s used to operating calculators at an early age so that it gets easier when they have to use more complex scientific functions later on. But let's face it, there's not a whole lot in Year 7-8 level maths that really requires the use of a calculator. When I was in Year 7-8, using a calculator actually started killing off my maths skills. My maths coach outside of school forbade me from using a calculator, basically weened me off it and forced me to do sums with my head again. My maths results improved after that.

As for digitizing books, unless the original text books were typed out with a typewriter or hand written, I can imagine it would be too difficult. What was it that took a long time for your language booklets? Presuming you didn't have digital copies somewhere?

^The latter. We didn't have digital copies.

As for the changes in the classroom setting - I imagine there were changes every time a new technology has been introduced. This is no different. There are going to be adjustments along the way, for sure. It sounds like you're finding your way in your classroom, despite the limitations.

Well... anytime anything new of any nature is introduced. And I'll admit that I've been wrong about new innovations that I was initially hesitant about. Two of the biggest revolutions to my own teaching that I was initially skeptical about were:

PBEL (Positive Behaviour in Engaging Learners); the idea of being able to manage children's behaviour without shouting and getting angry at them? Giving kids choice and power instead of telling them what to do? I thought that this was just some do-gooder hippie idea that would ultimately spoil the kids rather than giving them discipline. How wrong I was. To this day I still use PBEL, I still teach it to my student-teachers, and I even use it in dealing with my own daughter.

CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning); teach a class entirely in the target language using ZERO English? And you want me to move away from teaching the target language but to actually teach a broader course curriculum in that language (e.g. maths, history, science)? Again, I thought that this was more impractical fluff. I couldn't have been more wrong. I only recently learnt about CLIL last term, and I can't wait to get back to school and try to develop my skills in using it more! It not only boosts student engagement (and enjoyment of lessons), but also drastically reduces misbehaviour (because most students act out in class because they're not engaged in the lesson).

So hopefully I'll be proven wrong about BYOD too. Honestly, there are times when I want to be proven wrong. I'm still waiting to be proven wrong about my thoughts regarding Michael Bay's TF movies, but uh... 5th time lucky?