iPads Help 2nd Graders With Their Reading Lessons

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/apr/06/ind-school-to-use-ipads-to-help-2nd-graders/?' target='_blank'>http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/apr...p-2nd-graders/?</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"All second-graders at one northern Indiana school will be issued iPad tablet computers next year to help them with reading lessons."</em></p><p><img height="183" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1269881720.usr105634.jpg" width="600" /></p><p>Thanks to $200,000.00 USD grant from Classroom Innovations, the kids at Columbia Elementary School will get some iPads to help them with reading, as well as some parental instruction on how the iPads work and how to keep their kids safe online. The kids aren't the only ones getting some tools though, the 2nd and 3rd grade teachers will all get MacBook Pro laptops.&nbsp;</p>

[Brad Adrian]

Okay, I'm turning on the rant-o-matic for a few moments here, because education is a topic that's near and dear to me...

This is a great idea, and I'm not slighting anybody for trying to help youngsters learn through technology. I was just struck by the comment that the goal of the school is to get all students to read "at grade level" by grade three.

In other words, their goal is to get third-graders to read at the third grade level. That is, to do what they're already in school to do. How sad that such mediocrity is such a tantamount goal these days.

[/rant]

I feel better, and look forward to your flames. :o

[Deslock]

Okay, I'm turning on the rant-o-matic for a few moments here, because education is a topic that's near and dear to me...

This is a great idea, and I'm not slighting anybody for trying to help youngsters learn through technology. I was just struck by the comment that the goal of the school is to get all students to read "at grade level" by grade three.

In other words, their goal is to get third-graders to read at the third grade level. That is, to do what they're already in school to do. How sad that such mediocrity is such a tantamount goal these days.

[/rant]

I feel better, and look forward to your flames. :o
I'll bite.

Their goals are X, Y, and Z. They're doing OK on X and Y, but having some trouble with Z so they're going to try using this new tool/approach.

Why doesn't it make sense to apply tools obtained with the grant to an unmet goal? That doesn't exclude the possibility of them being used for other things as well.

(there may be reasons to rant about the school, use of tablets, use of MacBooks, the grant itself, etc, but nothing in the linked article bothered me)

[Brad Adrian]

...Why doesn't it make sense...?

You're right. Like I said, I have no problems with using technology to help meet the goals of students and schools. And, there is nothing intrinsically in the report that bothered me.

I went off on a complete tangent and just think it is sad that these days we have such a problem getting even our youngest students to perform at grade level. It is epidemic in the U.S. that so many third-graders cannot perform at the third-grade level by the end of the school year. That tells me that there is something wrong.

'Nuff said, though. I don't want to de-rail the point of the post, which is that cool technology is being introduced to young students. I applaud that effort (especially since it's in my home state).