App reviews and help

Check out this site from Common Sense for a review of apps and other student/education/family  information.  http://www.commonsensemedia.org/app

Using the iPad in the Classroom

Recently our teachers participated in an in-service program on increasing active student engagement in lessons.  One of the activities was establishing partners to collaborate on learning experiences.  A partner organizational technique is "buddies".  Using the compass rose to set partners is a tool that was used.  For example, you  might have a "Northeast" partner on your chart.  The form, presented to the teachers in hard copy form, was placed on the iPad for the students to use.  Kept in electronic subject areas files, the students have ready access to the document. No more lost papers!

iPad Family Meetings

We had a small, but very interested turn out for our family meetings to update on the 1-to-1 Initiative and Implementation.  Lots of great information was shared and important questions asked and answered! The students shared some of their best strategies and uses for the various apps.  More meetings to come in the future.  
If you have topics, feel free to share your interests with us!

Today is iPad "go home" day!

Today the students brought their iPads home.  It was a day of sorting plugs and cords, checking apps, remembering all the things learned about digital citizenship and sharing ideas!  Students asked lots of good questions and clarified several key points.  We are so pleased with their responsiblity, interest knowledge and excitement!  BE CAREFUL!!!!!

iPad Family meetings

 

The Saucon Valley Middle School will be hosting two iPad information sessions (same agenda) for the families of our 7th grade students on Tuesday, October 9th from 4-5pm and Wednesday, October 10th from 7-8pm in the Saucon Valley Middle School Large Group Instruction Room (just off the Main Lobby).  

The purpose of these sessions is to help parents understand how students are using the iPads in the classroom and how we believe they should be using them at home.  

Topics to be discussed include -

·      how to connect the iPads to your home wireless network

·      how students can complete their assignments if they do not have home wireless

·      demonstration of using the iPad with the student iTeam

·      how to ensure that students are using the iPads responsibly

·      How do you monitor your children’s safety using technology at home?

·      How do you monitor your children’s time using technology?

·      Do your children use technology for their homework?

·      Questions/Answers

Please consider joining us for one of these two informational meetings.

Moving along . . . digitally, of course!

We are well into week 3 and students have been working through the Digital Citizenship Curriculum, as well as learning lots of features of the "apps".  Recently I was in a geography class, the teacher had a worksheet, graphic organizer, displayed on the white board and the students were completing the chart on their iPads, sharing with the teacher electronically and making corrections, real time.  

No paper/pencil here!

                          

Today was iPad Day! Well, first day of school . . .

Happy first day of school! 
We began the introduction of the iPads with some of our 7th graders.  Two teachers and the Network Supervisor coordinate the efforts.  The students were reminded of the "care and feeding" of an iPad, along with some helpful hints about being a good digital citizen.

 

SAVE the DATES - 
Back-to-School Night for grades 5, 6, 7, 8 on Thursday, September 20, 2012 beginning promptly at 7:00 P.M. 
and 
Family Information Sessions scheduled for Tuesday, October 9 @ 4:30 P.M. and Wednesday, October 10 @ 7:00 P.M.  Both dates will present the same information. 

The sessions are meant for parents and 7th graders to attend. 
More details will follow in Courage and Determination weekly newsletters.