Close your computers, sometimes.

I have been re-reading The Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. Also I have been thinking about my work which aims to infuse technology (as one line of strategy) into classes to enhance student learning.

Kids need to be connected to nature.

Kids need to/ love to communicate/share/learn/ collaborate using technology.

These two things don't have to be mutually exclusive. As a teacher and a parent, I don't have to pick a side. I believe that they are both important and I believe that we need to embrace both as we educate ourselves and our children. Gone are the days when pale tech-geeks hide in the basement shadows. You can (and I do) love tech and love the outdoors and being "unplugged". The school where I work is a 1:1 school but in the middle school, for summer school, kids don't take computers home. That is part logistical issue and part a decision to give kids a summer. That is not to say that most of the students are not on their personal computers at home, but I think it is a bold and good thing for a school to say (in so many words), "Be a kid this summer, leave your laptop at school."

But when you are in school does this become a different question? What are the implications of choosing to be "pro" or "anti" laptops when it comes to your instruction and your classroom? I was reading a great blog post by @capohanka about her reaction (as an adult learner) to being told to leave her computer at home for a day-long workshop. She was "snarky"; I get that. This year as a graduate student I was also told to close my computer and denied wireless access in some classes. We are ADULTS! If you can't keep us engaged, then you need to re-think your instruction. Wait, shouldn't that be the same thing with students of any age? And shouldn't teachers, of all levels, recognize that people learn in all sorts of ways and need to have access to the tools that best support their learning. And by agreeing to that, you are not saying that kids should look at computer screens 12 hours a day, you are saying that you are willing to support an optimal learning environment for each individual student.

Okay, I am going to head to the beach.