Cheap Computers in My Classroom?

richeddy asks: "I am going to start teaching elementary school in the near future. As a new teacher, I have the crazy idea that I might be able to actually teach my students a few things that other teachers just don't seem to be able to teach. This involves teaching methods that might be a bit unconventional. To this end, I am interested in building and installing a network of classroom computers that the students can use in real-world ways. That's right, no glorified flash cards in my classroom! I want my students using computers for research, presentations, writing, data collection and analysis, etc. In order to do this, I am going to have to personally foot the bill for the hardware and software. So I am looking for suggestions on what direction to go. I figure that I will need 5-7 computers to accomplish my vision, and I can't imagine paying for Windows and Windows apps. It looks like my only real option is to build the systems myself, which isn't a problem. Any ideas? Suggestions? Comments?"

Comments

What is your goal?

[TheWanderingHermit]

First, I'd have to say I agree STRONGLY with the post by GaryMannDude above about change. Schools are VERY conservative institutions (speaking from experience -- 10 years of teaching before burnout). They do not like change and administrators are often actually feel threatened by teachers -- especially new ones, who konw a lot of things the administrators don't know -- like how to use technology.

Second -- and my main point: What is your goal? Is it to teach the children the objectives for your year that you have them, or is it to teach them all the things you think they should learn? Almost every 1st year teacher I've ever known (myself included) has spent 12 hours a day or more on lesson plans. This is especially true for elementary students. You don't say what grade you'll be teaching (and there's a big range and a BIG difference between kindergarten and 5th grade), but I don't know a single elementary teacher who spent less than 10 hours a day on prep and grading during their first year.

Do you really want to add setting up a group of computers on top of that? Is your goal to teach or to make a new record for quick teacher burn out? If you are not teaching the basic goals, as stated in your state's/county's/city's guides, it won't matter what miracles you're producing or what the kids can do with computers, you'll be on probation and out the door by the ned of the year.

First year teaching, especially in elementary school, is rough. If you want to succeed as a teacher, spend your first year teaching and finding out what it's like being totally, 100% responsibile for a class of children (including dealing with the administrator and the parents) without your teeachers or an experienced teacher helping you through 1/2 a semester of student teaching.

I admire and applaud your goals, but trying to do all this in your first year is asking for burn out and a new career. Spend this year, and likely the next, learning your profession. After you've been teaching for a few years, then make plans for how you're going to integrate the computers into your classroom. You'll do much better if you tie the computers in directly to the required objectives (in Virginia teachers are responsible for teaching the material stated in the Standards of Learning for each grade -- and yep, the Standards of Learning are called S.O.L.s), so when you're setting them up you can show administrators how they tie in directly to what you're expected to teach.

You'll also do much better this way in the long run. You're pacing yourself instead of trying to do everything at once. While your students in the first year won't gain benefits from your computer plans, in the long run, if you pace yourself, you'll reach many more students without burning out.

LTSP

[charlie763]

You can get one quality computer and then get several old 486's donated for free. You can have the 486's rebotly boot from the main server (the quality PC). Check out this site. These people make a version of Redhat that is specific for this purpose. Also, check out LTSP.org.