MONROE - Sixth grade students may soon jump at the chance to complete homework when the iPads they were issued are allowed to come home with them: a move expected some time later this week.
In the classroom, the new devices have been a hit by students and teachers alike.
Sixth grade Monroe Middle School teacher Stephanie Wiegel said she has become a better language arts teacher since the district implemented iPads, which teachers across the district are using as an education tool.
"It gives me tools I have never had before," Wiegel said. "This is a tool that can help enhance my classroom."
Wiegel, along with math teacher Charlie Baumann and Monroe Middle School Principal Lynne Wheeler, updated the board on the iPad deployment at the board meeting Monday night.
Sixth grade students were given iPads last week after student and parent training. Both Wiegel and Baumann explained the apps they have used as tools to teach students math and reading skills.
"I thought the roof was going to blow off," Baumann said of the iPad deployment. "Those kids were fired up. I cannot in my life remember so much positive energy in one moment."
Wiegel shared an app called itooch that she uses with her sixth grade class to help teach reading and language skills. The itooch program can be used with third to eighth grade students, she said. With itooch, students can complete learning, practice and testing features in various reading and language skills.
Wiegel said the English lessons on the app are aligned to the common core standards.
"I may think I'm doing a good job in the classroom," Wiegel said. "If I'm not doing a good job in the classroom, this will help make sure we get to everything."
Baumann teaches an advanced sixth grade math class that covers math standards for sixth grade and seventh grade in one year. He shared how he is incorporating the website Khan Academy and the app Educreations to give students course work that is more drill-oriented that they can practice and learn through hundreds of videos. Meanwhile, Baumann is using class time to focus on more difficult and collaborative problems.
"It allows me to expand my instructional minutes," he said.
The Educreations app has a recording feature that will record each student's math problem work and will record their voice as they are working on a problem.
Baumann said teachers can then identify which skills students are struggling with.
The board had $160,000 from last year's curriculum budget that they used a portion of to purchase the iPads for teachers and students. Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the board will consider expanding the iPad initiative in January for next school year.
Wheeler, who has been in the district for almost 35 years, said the iPad is being used across the curriculum in engaging students and increasing instructional practices.
"They are not just for students," Wheeler said of the iPads. "They really have the ability ... of improving the efficiency of the staff."
Wheeler said students will probably receive their first homework assignment where they are required to take the iPads home this week.
Professional development is ongoing with the iPads for the teachers and students. Middle school teachers are meeting once a week to discuss iPads and technology in each subject, and once a month middle school staff meet and have app shares. A committee is also working to develop a curriculum with the iPads, and a student group is being formed to offer technology support to other students and classrooms.
"This is a transformation for our district," Wheeler said. "I think the connection between home and school has been strengthened."
In other action, the board:
• Received a $500 donation from Colony Brands for Unity Day T-shirts.
• Received a $1,300 donation from Monroe Kiwanis Club for the Monroe High School Costa Rican Exchange.
• Received a $1,000 donation from Monroe Morning Optimist Club for the high school's Costa Rican Exchange.
• Approved a youth options request for a high school senior to take Race Ethnic and Ethnic Diversity and Geometric Dimensioning at NWTC in Green Bay. The board denied a request for the student to take CAD since there is a comparable class offered at the high school.
• Approved a junior virtual school student's youth options request to take either Math 521 or Math 431 (Introduction to Probability) at the University of Wisconsin. The board denied a request by the student to take advanced chemistry.
• Approved the open enrollment of eight students to the district. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district would not receive full state funding for the students. He said the district's enrollment funding would be prorated for the number of days they are in the district.
In the classroom, the new devices have been a hit by students and teachers alike.
Sixth grade Monroe Middle School teacher Stephanie Wiegel said she has become a better language arts teacher since the district implemented iPads, which teachers across the district are using as an education tool.
"It gives me tools I have never had before," Wiegel said. "This is a tool that can help enhance my classroom."
Wiegel, along with math teacher Charlie Baumann and Monroe Middle School Principal Lynne Wheeler, updated the board on the iPad deployment at the board meeting Monday night.
Sixth grade students were given iPads last week after student and parent training. Both Wiegel and Baumann explained the apps they have used as tools to teach students math and reading skills.
"I thought the roof was going to blow off," Baumann said of the iPad deployment. "Those kids were fired up. I cannot in my life remember so much positive energy in one moment."
Wiegel shared an app called itooch that she uses with her sixth grade class to help teach reading and language skills. The itooch program can be used with third to eighth grade students, she said. With itooch, students can complete learning, practice and testing features in various reading and language skills.
Wiegel said the English lessons on the app are aligned to the common core standards.
"I may think I'm doing a good job in the classroom," Wiegel said. "If I'm not doing a good job in the classroom, this will help make sure we get to everything."
Baumann teaches an advanced sixth grade math class that covers math standards for sixth grade and seventh grade in one year. He shared how he is incorporating the website Khan Academy and the app Educreations to give students course work that is more drill-oriented that they can practice and learn through hundreds of videos. Meanwhile, Baumann is using class time to focus on more difficult and collaborative problems.
"It allows me to expand my instructional minutes," he said.
The Educreations app has a recording feature that will record each student's math problem work and will record their voice as they are working on a problem.
Baumann said teachers can then identify which skills students are struggling with.
The board had $160,000 from last year's curriculum budget that they used a portion of to purchase the iPads for teachers and students. Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the board will consider expanding the iPad initiative in January for next school year.
Wheeler, who has been in the district for almost 35 years, said the iPad is being used across the curriculum in engaging students and increasing instructional practices.
"They are not just for students," Wheeler said of the iPads. "They really have the ability ... of improving the efficiency of the staff."
Wheeler said students will probably receive their first homework assignment where they are required to take the iPads home this week.
Professional development is ongoing with the iPads for the teachers and students. Middle school teachers are meeting once a week to discuss iPads and technology in each subject, and once a month middle school staff meet and have app shares. A committee is also working to develop a curriculum with the iPads, and a student group is being formed to offer technology support to other students and classrooms.
"This is a transformation for our district," Wheeler said. "I think the connection between home and school has been strengthened."
In other action, the board:
• Received a $500 donation from Colony Brands for Unity Day T-shirts.
• Received a $1,300 donation from Monroe Kiwanis Club for the Monroe High School Costa Rican Exchange.
• Received a $1,000 donation from Monroe Morning Optimist Club for the high school's Costa Rican Exchange.
• Approved a youth options request for a high school senior to take Race Ethnic and Ethnic Diversity and Geometric Dimensioning at NWTC in Green Bay. The board denied a request for the student to take CAD since there is a comparable class offered at the high school.
• Approved a junior virtual school student's youth options request to take either Math 521 or Math 431 (Introduction to Probability) at the University of Wisconsin. The board denied a request by the student to take advanced chemistry.
• Approved the open enrollment of eight students to the district. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district would not receive full state funding for the students. He said the district's enrollment funding would be prorated for the number of days they are in the district.