Our
educational program
Our 'ESLRs'
define a school where learner results are paramount. Helping a learner overcome obstacles
crates growth. Student growth allows the instructor to cover the curriculum.
Some schools seem to have this in reverse. For a learner to grow, the learner
needs to experience and 'do' concepts being studied. Teachers are co-learners,
able to demonstrate that they also are 'lifelong learners'. See also; What
students are doing.
Integration of both subjects to other subjects and
subjects to technology helps the learner to see the world in a more holistic fashion.
The integration of technology moves technology into a 'tool' to use, as opposed
to something the student's do in a lab. Having needed tools readily at hand (in
the classroom) is essential.
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Why is email and the internet so important to school?
The first question might be as to why the internet is such a big deal. Some answers;
Email was the first great use of the internet. Email is equivalent to the TV in its ability to reach people. Using email is an essential skill for all students and staff. Look at the page 'Email ideas' for expanding your current use of email. But email is; someone sending a message to someone. The Internet puts power into the hands of people; I get when I want.
The internet is and will continue to grow in importance (become greater than email) in the way that people would rather watch a DVD/VHS than watch regular TV. User control and involvement is a higher reality. Presently classrooms use the internet primarily as a repository of information. Our library search program and our web link pages give students access to numerous reviewed materials. As teachers and students become more proficient with HTM they become producers of web materials. Many classes are already taught through web created pages.
Teachers and students need to be involved with making web pages for the same reason that we know student's reading and thinking improves as they work at their writer skills. Producers of material (writing, web creation, video production) become more discerning consumers.
The internet is important because material can be accessed at any time. Having accessible help files and tutorials puts control into the users hands. The next step in using the internet will be to use sites and material that are 'interactive' {such as BrainPop and ExploreLearning}. These type of sites allow the learner to experience and/or practice (simulation, animated visual model) concepts or idea, as opposed to a site where reading content is the main media.
The internet is twelve years old. This year marks the
102 anniversary of aviation. One can only speculate as to what the internet will
look like in fifty years.
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Computers
in school
All classrooms have computers. Individually student owned laptops are used
in every subject area in grades seven through twelve.
Running CD-ROMs or computer based program used to be the main benefit of
having a computer around. We have a number of CDs and
programs. New text books being
purchased will come with CD/DVD disks. Now Internet resources have become as
important as programs owned.
Graphic creation and video production
add an important tool for student learning. In a world where we
learn 90% of what we learn from sources other than text, students need to be
media literate. Video and graphic work will continue to grow in importance.
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Other topics related to Laptops;
Is grade 7 the right year
to introduce laptops?
Will students do too much gaming?
Communications
A starting point for the understanding of 'History' is to experience history as
the edited record of a community. Putting together 'photo galleries',
newsletters and emailing class reflections to parents,
helps to create this history. When a child understands, even helps to create
this history then seeking to understand others past history comes naturally.
Connecting communications/history to HTM becomes a natural link to the paragraph above about the internet. Teachers and students have a natural and immediate way of connecting to parents and the broader community. A Digital yearbook and individual student electronic portfolios become culmination projects of this school year's history. They allows for the integration of text, photos, sound and video in pages where all material is linked.
Stopping to reflect is helpful for students. In our modern
society one can get lost in busyness. Reflecting help the learner to create
anchors for future understanding.
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