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12/15/14
Plainfield Community School Corporation
IN THIS ISSUE
- JOURNEY TO 1:1
- LETTER TO PARENTS ABOUT THAT KID
- UPCOMING EVENTS
- FAMILY INSIGHTS: College and Career Readiness
- AROUND THE DISTRICT
Technology Update
Pilot teachers have been working diligently with the PHS technology committee to prepare for the 2015-2016 integration of 1:1 technology. The team has determined that a fine point stylus will be a necessary part of next year’s initiative to ensure maximum functionality with devices.
Students are used to interacting with technology through touch. While a great way to interact with a device, a touch screen is not perfect. Using a “fat finger” stylus or just the user’s finger is comparable to doing work with a large marker or crayon. A student’s handwriting is often large and distorted, making it very difficult for students and teachers to complete documents and annotate current notes and assignments.
The fine point stylus will allow students to interact with a device and write in a way that is more native to them. Classrooms will still be able to emphasize note taking skills, handwritten work, and peer revisions as well as utilizing new and engaging technology to deepen student understanding. Below are two quotes from our pilot teachers about the use of a stylus to enhance the instruction in their classrooms.
"Math and science students need a fine point stylus with their tablets in order to complete notes, assignments and activities with speed and efficiency," says pilot teacher Rachel Freeman. "Students need to be able to write out their steps when solving a problem; this requires the use of various symbols that aren't easily accessible on a keyboard, if at all."
Freeman explains that even if students have a program on their tablet with mathematical symbols to select from, it is very time consuming to type out the steps to a problem versus writing them with a stylus.
Science teacher Susan Ritter agrees that the fine point stylus is a must for 1:1 technology.
"The fine point gives students the ability to draw, both free-hand and on assignments. They will be able to add sketches to lab reports, label diagrams, complete graphs and show work in math. The stylus gives students the ability to personalize their work on the tablet.”
You know...THAT kid
Full post: Dear Parent: About THAT kid...
Murray's message is a call to compassion and understanding - to the empathy we all need for each others' children and each other as parents and teachers. It's a reminder of the great responsibility held by teachers and the fantastic job that they do.
Murray says in an interview with Yahoo Parenting that she couldn't have predicted the impact of her words when she sat down to write her post on Nov. 10. She indicates that feedback to her blog has come from three distinct camps... Read the full article: Yahoo Parenting
CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS
The goal of education is to prepare students for careers – directly after high school or, often, after completing a college or post-secondary program. Academic achievement is essential, of course, but other training is necessary to ensure that students understand their career options and the steps they will need to take to attain their goals.
College and career readiness are primary educational goals at every high school and are a priority of the U.S. Department of Education.
The definition for readiness is still under development. To help ensure that all educators are on the same page, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has defined college and career readiness with three skill areas that students should learn to succeed in the workforce: academic skills, employability and technical skills.
ACTE Executive Director Jan Bray says, “All three of them must be in place and must be achieved by an individual in order to be considered career ready.” See below...
Academic Skills
Employability
Employers do not only seek workers with jobs skills; they also look for skills that will ensure success with colleagues and leadership, such as creativity, teamwork, problem solving and effective communication, to name a few. These are essential skills for keeping a job.
Technical Skills
As schools adopt digital tools, students are gaining more technical skills that will translate to the modern workplace, but these technical skills are broader than computer literacy. Students who seek to pursue specific career goals should also have exposure to the modern equipment in today’s jobs. Employers want to hire workers who can use equipment that meets modern industry standards. Students who train on old tools are not work-ready for the updated tools in place in many fields.
STARTING EARLY
Getting ready for college starts early. Students need a solid academic background at the earliest grades. The achievement gap for students who fall behind academically usually grows wider each year. According to a study published in July, if students are not on track to meet educational standards in fourth and eighth grades, they face a one-in-three chance of graduating high school prepared for college or careers.
How can parents help their young students?
Aside from supporting elementary students academically, especially in literacy, follow these tips to help prepare students for success after high school (full article).
Around the District - Parent Newsletters
Statehood Day
Electricity Experiment
K-Kids Caroling
State Museum
Football players shop for family in need
Thank you for your support!
Scott Olinger, Superintendent
Mary Giesting, Assistant Superintendent
Jud Wolfe, Assistant Superintendent
Email: pcscmessenger@plainfield.k12.in.us
Website: www.plainfield.k12.in.us
Location: 985 Longfellow Lane, Plainfield, IN, United States
Phone: (317) 839-2578
Facebook: facebook.com/PCSCQuakers
Twitter: @pcscquakers