What I Wish I’d Done Before Deploying the iPads to 735 Middle Schoolers →
There are many things I’ll detail over the course of the year, but there is one thing sticking out right now, and I must share it with you in case you are considering a similar 1:1 project:
TRAIN STUDENTS TO USE EMAIL APPROPRIATELY.
Each of our students and staff members has a Google Apps for Education account to create documents, collaborate online, and communicate. Since they submit many projects and lessons through email, they have the ability to email teachers. These are 6th, 7th and 8th graders who have limited or no experience with email. They do know how to text, so the logical step for them was to use their Google Apps for Ed email account just like a giant texting feature. They are emailing constantly with not that much to say.
The problem is that they are emailing everyone many times a day, including their teachers, principals and former teachers.
Teachers report up to 120 emails a day with such intoxicating content as “Go Tigers!” and funny cat faces. Their signatures are “PB&J Time!” and “Rangers Fan.” Teachers could just delete them in the inbox, but the students are not using the SUBJECT line, so teachers must open each one to know if it’s class related.
Want a funny, effective, and short video to teach your students how to write a proper email? Here’s one I made.
