Cart Management Tip

Identify Reliable Helpers

My management tip comes from a secondary point of view.  I have a very relaxed style with my cart, and that maximized the time students spent working by minimizing the time spent issuing and collecting Chromebooks.  That style is not without its risks and challenges.  My Chromebooks were pulled out by the first period class each day and remained on the desks all day. During the last class, Chromebooks were collected and plugged in to charge.  In order to make this work, I identified a couple of reliable students in each class to help with monitoring.  

• First period those students were the ones who were allowed to unplug and distribute the books. (All students sign for the Chromebooks as they are used each day) 
• Helper students in classes throughout the day took count of Chromebooks at the beginning and end of class, and monitored sign-out sheets.  
• The helpers at the end of the day collected Chromebooks and made sure they were returned to the cart properly and plugged in to charge for the night.  

My helpers were not the students with the highest grades in my class, rather students I could identify early as those who would have to work hard to get by in my class. For them, this extra responsibility was a vote of confidence and they became some of my most attentive and hardest working students.  Until they were firmly identified I did all the monitoring myself.  Once they were identified they were extremely beneficial to me and invaluable to a substitute!