I was super excited joining Heritage High School this year, part of the Perris Unified School District.  They have a 1:1 chrome book program, an excellent “Legacy” motto, and a principal that believes teachers, parents and administration should do whatever it takes to reach the students.

The first month did not go as well as I would have liked.  Although the students had chrome books, they were very resistant to the idea of a digital notebook.  I was positive, I was organized, and I held many in-class technology training programs, all to no avail.  I asked the administration about it and they were supportive, and believed the students would come around.

After several weeks, the digital notebooks created a polarized atmosphere in the classes.  The students either liked it and got into it or they were violently opposed, claiming they “could not work that way.”  It felt to me that the students had taken a stand.  If they had to use the digital notebooks, then they just would not do the work.  Period.  At that point, I decided I would go back to the traditional notebook.  The courses are about content first, method less so.  It meant more to me that the students be a unified group and learning community.

I went back to traditional interactive notebooks.  Again, Heritage High rocks.  They provided each one of my students with a notebook.  The students still have access to all assignments digitally, but the work is typically done in their ISN.  I was concerned about grading 220 notebooks, but I created a system for the students to exchange notebooks and grade them.  The students are happy about the change and I have high hopes for rallying them together.