Case
Inappropriate use of the computers

During my ESOL practicum there were a couple of students using a computer out in the hallway before class. As my CT and I walked out of the classroom to have the class come inside the boys were quickly exiting out of the computer screen and trying to cover up what they were doing. When we took the computer away we checked the history and found searches of very inappropriate subject, subject I wont even mention. After the teacher wrote them up the principle said the students have lost their computer privlages and were to not use any computers for the rest of the school year. The problem is a lot of their work and reading test involove computers. For the next month I was in the classroom I had to use the computer for them reading them the questions and then putting in the responds for them. About a week after I have been doing it for them I noticed one of the boys on the computer. The teacher did not notice. I told the teacher and she ran ove and took him off the computer. No punishment was made to the student. About three weeks later I came back into the classroom and again the same student was on the computer. I asked the teacher if he got his computer rights back and she just said I guess and allowed the student to use the computer. Is this right? Should the student have gotten in troule for usng the computer after being told he was not able to? Should the teacher stick with the punishment?

Posted on: 04/19/13 | Views: 1456
Solution #1
I have a few thoughts on this. If a student is given a punishment, it should not be revoked. This teaches them that we don't mean what we say, and that they can get out of their punishments easily. However, I think the principal and the teacher should have talked about the solution ahead of time. Students should NEVER be allowed to use a computer out of the sight of a teacher. This is asking for problems. Sounds like they need to work on their communication and follow-through.

I agree with you. When a punishment has been made we should not revoke it. Maybe a more feasible punishment should have been made since homework is done online.

Always keep to your word or the students will feed off of it.

I agree with this solution. Unfortunately if you go back on one thing students may expect you to go back on another.

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Solution #2
I think that is not right that the student did not get in trouble. If the students are not allowed to use the computers, then the punishment should stick with the students. Dr. Unal couldn't stress enough, "Don't let the little things go!" And that would be what y'all'd be doing if the student(s) could use the computer. I understand how much of a pain in the @$$ it can be to read students questions and answers, but they've gotta learn. And you should tell your CT that it might be a good idea for the students to be carefully watched at all times so they do not get away with this any more.

I agree with your solution.

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Solution #3
I think that removing the students computer privileges was not in the best interest of the students academic needs. I agree that their privileges should have been limited. For example, the students should never have access to the computers in between classes or out of the classroom or computer lab unless specifies by their IEP. The students should have been monitored while using the computer to complete academic tasks. In addition, a software to limit their access to such sites could have been installed on the computer. The students should have been punished and the parents should also have been involved. In addition, the teacher should have followed through with the punishment that was implemented by the administrators.
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Solution #4
I think that this was an inappropriate action on both the teacher's side and the principal's side. The principal should have further discussed consequences with the teacher instead of just taking away the student's computer rights. The teacher would have known--or would have figured out after a few days--that this is difficult to monitor in a large class. The teacher also should have taken the principal's punishment more seriously and not revoked it herself. This implies to the student that administration and authority should not be taken seriously because they don't mean what they say. Instead of allowing the student to access the computers again, the teacher should have printed out the tests or readings and given the student the assignment on paper. Alternatively, if the website was iPad compatible, the teacher could have had the students work next to her during small group instruction time and done the readings on the iPad and within sight of the teacher.
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Solution #5
The student should only have been limited to using the computer for academic needs. Other than that, no computer use at all. The teacher should have stood her ground.
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Solution #6
If it was decided that computer privileges needed to be revoked then that's what should have happened. I would have told the students that they could regain their privileges once they learned how to use technology appropriately. Any assignment can be printed out and given to students, and to entice the students to behavior better I would include a lot more fun computer activities in the lesson while the misbehaving students had to learn the same topics through a less fun method.
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