A fourth-grade teacher at Central Intermediate School is taking steps to inspire his students while ensuring they can keep up with even the most technologically savvy individuals.
Jonathan Smith recently received a grant for $600 to purchase three iPod touches for his classroom.
“The i-touch is basically a handheld device that is Internet-capable,” Smith said.
He added that there are more than 100,000 downloadable applications that can be put on the devices.
“The trick is finding the ones that are educational and appropriate,” he said.
Some of the applications Smith has downloaded to the iPod touches enable his students to study math facts, view science study guides in the form of flash cards and review states and capitals.
“In my grant, I wrote about using them for formative assessments, or quick checks to see what students are learning,” he said. “These formative assessments help me to adjust my teaching to ensure that all students are learning. They are great motivational tools.”
“He’s a really innovative teacher,” said Central Intermediate’s principal, Brian Hoelsher. “He has increased student engagement in the learning process. When you increase engagement, you increase learning; and that’s our biggest goal.”
Many Central Intermediate classrooms currently have projectors and smartboards, basically electronic chalkboards.
“We are using them to stream up-to-date and relevant media to our students. They are capable of recording our lessons digitally for students to study later or for absent students,” Smith said.
He said his students love incorporating technology in their classroom and that some are probably more comfortable completing an assignment on the computer than writing it out with a pencil and paper.
“Technology in the classroom is important because I believe that it can take education in general to a whole new level,” Smith said.
One advantage is that technology gives teachers the ability to modify assignments to meet the needs of students at different levels.
“The days of giving the exact same worksheet to every student in the class could come to an end,” Smith said. “It will allow students to be self-guided learners.”
“It motivates them, it encourages them, and it engages them in the learning,” he said.
