ksl.com - Read Today: Tooele man beats the odds, learns to read
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Kearns High students to get iPods for school use!
By lisa schencker
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated Jul 1, 2010 03:00PM Next school year, teachers from at least one area high school won't nag students to put away their iPods during class.
They'll encourage kids to use them.
About 1,600 students at Kearns High will get iPod touches next school year, thanks to a $1 million federal stimulus Enhancing Education Through Technology grant. They'll download applications to use during lessons, use them to take notes, do research on the Internet and read their English textbooks on them. They will use the devices during class, take them home after school and keep them after they graduate.
"We're very, very serious about making it effective," said John Anderson, Kearns High assistant principal. "We're not putting toys in the kids' hands; we're putting tools in the kids' hands."
Anderson said it's almost like giving every child a laptop but without the same expense, and it allows each student to have Internet access in every class, not just in computer labs.
The handheld devices typically retail for a minimum of about $199 each. They can be used to download music, surf the Internet, e-mail and download applications.
Kearns teachers will spend the first two months of next school year learning how to better engage students and use the iPods in their instruction. Kids will then start using the iPods in class as early as November, Anderson said.
Last school year, Kearns experimented with a couple hundred iPods, and some teachers were trained how to use them in class, Anderson said.
In a history class, students used the iPods to research topics to create another verse of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" as part of a lesson.
A Spanish teacher downloaded an application that allowed students to hear the pronunciation of words and conjugations of verbs.
And a wildlife biology teacher downloaded an application that allowed students to see pictures of birds and hear the noises each made.
Tara Sorensen, who will be a senior at the school in the fall, said she enjoyed using the iPods to hear the bird sounds.
"They helped a lot," Sorensen said. She said she looks forward to using them full-time next school year. "I think they'll be really useful, and it's better than carrying a ton of books."
Anderson said students will still use books next school year, but the school's new English textbooks will also be available digitally, meaning students can access them on the iPods.
Michael Bagley, who will also be a Kearns senior in the fall, said he's excited students will be allowed to keep them if they graduate on-time.
"I think that will be the coolest thing ever," Bagley said. "I think that might be a little initiative for those who are thinking of not graduating to graduate, kind of a going-away present."
Anderson said school administrators are now working on changing Kearns' policies on electronic devices to match plans for the iPods. For example, students still will not be allowed to use the devices to access inappropriate materials, and social media sites, such as Facebook, will continue to be blocked.
But students will use them during class, and they will be allowed to download music to them.
He acknowledged that it might be difficult to keep some students from using the iPods to chat with friends or play games during class, but he said such challenges are nothing new in education. He said teachers will be trained to use the iPods to engage students so their attention doesn't wander.
"Kids have found ways to hand signal each other and send notes back and forth for generations," Anderson said. "In good classrooms, with good teachers, that can be avoided."
Plus, he said, he's not sure it's such a bad thing if kids use the iPods to multi-task, even during class. He said it's something college students and modern workers do every day.
"We've had to ask ourselves as a school, when the student is engaged and carrying out the activity, does it matter if they're IM-ing [instant messaging] somebody else at the same time?" Anderson said. "We don't know the answer to that, but we have to be able to look at what our college students are successfully doing as a model."
Bagley's mom, Michelle Bagley, said she hopes the devices aren't a distraction and don't lead to cheating. She said, however, she thinks the devices will be a plus as long as teachers know how to incorporate them into their lessons.
At least a handful of schools in the Tintic School District are already using iPod touches in class. Last school year, all of West Desert High's 14 students started using iPod touches in class.
Principal Ed Alder said the devices are synced to school computers. West Desert students used the iPods' advanced calculator feature in math classes, downloaded books for English assignments, used them for research and chose songs to play for a guitar class.
"The students do not have to huddle around one computer," Alder said. "They all had a computer in front of them."
He said he also allowed students to download music to them, so the students felt invested in them. Alder said not one device was lost all year.
Anderson said the grant money at Kearns High will last three years. He hopes they will have been successful enough to warrant funding from other sources after that.
Jena Anderson, who will be a Kearns senior next school year, said the iPod touches will be "awesome."
"The world around us is getting more technological, and I think that our schools need to start upgrading and using the technology for good," Jena Anderson said. "It can be helpful if we make it helpful."
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Colton woman's nonprofit site Donate2Educate raises cash for libraries!
Colton woman's nonprofit website Donate2Educate raises cash, supplies for schools
Published: Friday, June 18, 2010, 11:07 AM Updated: Friday, June 18, 2010, 11:22 AM
Special to The Oregonian Special to The Oregonian
John Flavin/Special to The OregonianDarleen Vaterlaus of Colton has put in numerous hours and dollars over the past seven years to create a bridge between schools and communities.
As K-12 public education suffers yet another round of cuts, Darleen Vaterlaus of Colton, founder of the website www.donate2educate.org, works to help local communities help their schools.
Since Vaterlaus started her nonprofit site in 2003, she and its board, along with 40 volunteers, have been responsible for injecting more than $300,000 into Oregon schools. She is aiming to raise more than $400,000 by the end of 2010.
Once a school signs up with Vaterlaus, teachers at that school can then post their needs on the website -- recent requests include Spanish dictionaries, first aid kits, calculators, paper, playground equipment and supermarket gift cards to buy healthy snacks for students who arrive at school without having had breakfast.
Roger Rada, superintendent of the Oregon City School District, said, "Donate2Educate allows teachers to easily submit their classroom requests online, allowing funds to flow directly into our classrooms."
Visitors to the site can either make donations with their credit cards or deliver their donations directly to schools. In Vaterlaus' words, the website is "a communication and funding bridge between the classroom and community."
"This is about the community," said Vaterlaus. "It's that whole 'it takes a village' mentality."
She said 51 percent of teachers' requests are being fulfilled, up from 40 percent last year.
About 80 percent of donations are delivered directly to the schools. "That's a huge thing for people to understand," Vaterlaus said, because that erases donors' doubt that their gifts will be lost in administrative costs or diverted in some way.
Teresa Lewis, a teacher at Eagle Creek Elementary School, said she recently received money to buy prizes so she could reward students for their efforts in reading. "I am pleased to say that the help of Estacada Community Foundation and Donate2Educate is making a difference in children's lives," Lewis said.
Vaterlaus is not collecting administrative fees or taking a salary. "Volunteerism runs this program," she said. She runs the website because she wants to make a difference. Vaterlaus, 45, attended Oregon schools and has two children who graduated from Colton High School and are attending Oregon universities.
Vaterlaus said 25 Clackamas County schools are participating in Donate2Educate, along with six elsewhere in the state; six more are awaiting approval. By the end of 2010, she hopes to add 70 more schools. She and the board plan to pursue grant and sponsorship funding, with the goals of hiring a small staff, leasing office space and eventually getting participation from every district in the state.
"If someone makes a donation to a teacher, it does more than provide an item or activity for a classroom," Vaterlaus said. "It reminds teachers that the community cares. I've had teachers say to me, 'I didn't know that anyone cared.' "
-- John Flavin
Published: Friday, June 18, 2010, 11:07 AM Updated: Friday, June 18, 2010, 11:22 AM
Special to The Oregonian Special to The Oregonian
John Flavin/Special to The OregonianDarleen Vaterlaus of Colton has put in numerous hours and dollars over the past seven years to create a bridge between schools and communities.
As K-12 public education suffers yet another round of cuts, Darleen Vaterlaus of Colton, founder of the website www.donate2educate.org, works to help local communities help their schools.
Since Vaterlaus started her nonprofit site in 2003, she and its board, along with 40 volunteers, have been responsible for injecting more than $300,000 into Oregon schools. She is aiming to raise more than $400,000 by the end of 2010.
Once a school signs up with Vaterlaus, teachers at that school can then post their needs on the website -- recent requests include Spanish dictionaries, first aid kits, calculators, paper, playground equipment and supermarket gift cards to buy healthy snacks for students who arrive at school without having had breakfast.
Roger Rada, superintendent of the Oregon City School District, said, "Donate2Educate allows teachers to easily submit their classroom requests online, allowing funds to flow directly into our classrooms."
Visitors to the site can either make donations with their credit cards or deliver their donations directly to schools. In Vaterlaus' words, the website is "a communication and funding bridge between the classroom and community."
"This is about the community," said Vaterlaus. "It's that whole 'it takes a village' mentality."
She said 51 percent of teachers' requests are being fulfilled, up from 40 percent last year.
About 80 percent of donations are delivered directly to the schools. "That's a huge thing for people to understand," Vaterlaus said, because that erases donors' doubt that their gifts will be lost in administrative costs or diverted in some way.
Teresa Lewis, a teacher at Eagle Creek Elementary School, said she recently received money to buy prizes so she could reward students for their efforts in reading. "I am pleased to say that the help of Estacada Community Foundation and Donate2Educate is making a difference in children's lives," Lewis said.
Vaterlaus is not collecting administrative fees or taking a salary. "Volunteerism runs this program," she said. She runs the website because she wants to make a difference. Vaterlaus, 45, attended Oregon schools and has two children who graduated from Colton High School and are attending Oregon universities.
Vaterlaus said 25 Clackamas County schools are participating in Donate2Educate, along with six elsewhere in the state; six more are awaiting approval. By the end of 2010, she hopes to add 70 more schools. She and the board plan to pursue grant and sponsorship funding, with the goals of hiring a small staff, leasing office space and eventually getting participation from every district in the state.
"If someone makes a donation to a teacher, it does more than provide an item or activity for a classroom," Vaterlaus said. "It reminds teachers that the community cares. I've had teachers say to me, 'I didn't know that anyone cared.' "
-- John Flavin
Monday, June 21, 2010
ksl.com - Read Today: Getting boys interested in reading
ksl.com - Read Today: Getting boys interested in reading
Abdo publishing specializes in K-12 Non-Fiction and Fiction materials. Go to www.abdopub.com to view books or call me for a free sample showing of all of ABDO new releases. I'll be happy to go through them with you one by one so you can hand pick the best books for your library!
Looking forward to meeting you!
Take Care,
Kim Paul
801-603-6570
Abdo publishing specializes in K-12 Non-Fiction and Fiction materials. Go to www.abdopub.com to view books or call me for a free sample showing of all of ABDO new releases. I'll be happy to go through them with you one by one so you can hand pick the best books for your library!
Looking forward to meeting you!
Take Care,
Kim Paul
801-603-6570
Local Libraries are lending more than Books!
Local libraries are lending more than books
Elisabeth Archer, Staff Writer Fox 13 News
3:31 PM MDT, June 18, 2010
Local libraries are lending more than books
UTAH - If you are pinching pennies and in need of a summer vacation, your local library may have the answer. Most libraries in the state have received at least one state parks pass, and are lending them out for free.
Last year passes were checked out more than 1,200 times. Pass holders will also receive $2 off camping fees, excluding holidays.
Libraries that are currently lending the park passes are Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove, Payson, Eagle Mountain, Springville, Highland, Orem, American Fork, Salem, Mapleton and Utah County Bookmobile.
For more information about the program e-mail: rockin@utah.gov or call (801) 537-3123.
Elisabeth Archer, Staff Writer Fox 13 News
3:31 PM MDT, June 18, 2010
Local libraries are lending more than books
UTAH - If you are pinching pennies and in need of a summer vacation, your local library may have the answer. Most libraries in the state have received at least one state parks pass, and are lending them out for free.
Last year passes were checked out more than 1,200 times. Pass holders will also receive $2 off camping fees, excluding holidays.
Libraries that are currently lending the park passes are Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove, Payson, Eagle Mountain, Springville, Highland, Orem, American Fork, Salem, Mapleton and Utah County Bookmobile.
For more information about the program e-mail: rockin@utah.gov or call (801) 537-3123.
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