Academic goalsĭiscovery is a three-star school in the state’s most recent five-star ratings - a year after receiving four stars in Idaho’s inaugural ratings. “I still stand back, and I’m just amazed,” Bray said. And the “kiddos?” They’re talking more excitedly about their classwork - and picking up on the technology quickly. Teachers are collaborating more, and across grade levels, about how to implement the technology. While the rollout has included some “baby steps” and some trial and error, as expected, Bray is seeing some changes already. 27.Īll the equipment was on hand for the first day, she said. School officials scrambled to purchase and prepare equipment for the first day of school Aug. The State Department of Education announced the 11 pilot projects on July 1 - during a ceremony at Discovery. Often, she offers a second set of hands in a classroom. That means, when she walks the hallways, she is also flagged down by fellow teachers who have questions or want to talk to her about the project. But now she spends her afternoons coaching on the technology pilot. She spends her mornings teaching second grade. When she talks about the school - and the technology program - she affectionately refers to the students as the “kiddos.” When she walks the hallways, she is frequently flagged down by students who want to say hello or get a hug. A rapid rolloutīray has taught for six years at Discovery, and her connection with the children is evident. “Small groups make a huge difference,” said Lisa Bray. Then, within a few minutes, the students switch from one station to the next.Īnd all the while, teachers are on the move, giving students closer attention than they would receive in a traditional classroom structure. Troy Partin works on language arts with a small group of his Discovery Elementary School fourth-grade class.Īt any given time, a couple of groups might work on some of the school’s newly acquired mini-iPads, while another group works at a bank of desktop computers, while other groups work on old-fashioned paper worksheets. That’s the essence of the $370,501 technology pilot project at Meridian’s Discovery Elementary School, a project designed to transform classrooms by breaking them into several smaller classrooms.
This is the fifth of a series of stories on the grant recipients.Ĭan schools incorporate technology in classrooms - and encourage kids to collaborate in small groups? They are using $3 million in state grants to try out methods of using technology in the schools. EDITOR’S NOTE: Eleven Idaho schools are launching on an experiment this fall.
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