Students will often have assignments at the beginning of class, during class, wrap-up exercises at the end of class, and homework. Not to mention having the same for the rest of their classes throughout the day.
In a middle school setting, students have upwards of 7 or 8 classes a day. Also, they can be divided up in to teams. Many students aren't able to communicate and socialize with some of their closest friends. This can make it socially difficult, which also makes learning difficult. When a student feels comfortable, accepted, and supported their grades tend to reflect this. When they're not comfortable, accepted, and supported grades also reflect this.
Technology has the power to connect people when they're not physically close enough to communicate. As a former Science teacher there were plenty of lessons where students just didn't understand how I was explaining something. When students would ask their friends to explain it, it was very easy to understand. It just took a different perspective and explanation to get the idea across.
We say all this to emphasize the fact that students learn just as much, if not more, from each other than they do from teachers. It's very important to let students communicate with each other, and communicate with the classmates they feel comfortable, accepted, and supported with.
If students are not in classes with classmates they can learn from, technology can help with that! Teachers can sign up for a Glogster account and be the administrator over all student accounts. Once students have an account they can connect with each other and share what they've learned.
If the teacher isn't quite getting the idea across, students can teach each other the idea or concept and move on in the learning process. No slowing down, no dragging along trying to figure out (and sometimes point out) who's not getting the lesson.
Students are able to quietly and comfortably exchange information so that everyone is on the same page.
We need to give students as many comfortable and acceptable ways of asking for help without pointing them out or grouping them together in an obvious, "I'm in the low group" setting.
For directions on signing up for a Glogster account for your classroom, view this how-to video:
