Because It’s Cutting-Edge Doesn’t Make It Better

My View

Over the years, as a superintendent in four school districts, I’ve led one-to-one initiatives with Nooks, iPads and Chromebooks. I’ve advocated for cutting-edge programs, shifting from textbooks to Apple Books and developing online courses. I’ve been a leader in pushing for technology implementation, and I’ve been proud of the results.

In recent years, I’ve begun to ask myself a core question: Is a one-to-one approach really the best way to educate our children?

As educators, we learn. We know the most influential factor in a student’s learning is the classroom teacher. With that in mind, at a recent board of education meeting, I announced our district’s decision to no longer focus on one-to-one initiatives in our primary classrooms. We will continue having devices available when teachers want to use technology, but these students will not be on devices every day.