Disclosure/Spoiler alert: This is a sponsored post. I have been compensated for my time, but I had to come up with my own words and opinions and everything.
If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that few things are as important to me as my children’s education. Sure, it may be an unwritten truth in many of my posts, but that doesn’t make it any less of a truth.
This fall we are looking for a high school for my daughter and possibly a new middle school (OMG) for my son. It’s not at all stressful and I’m not at all on a cusp of a nervous breakdown. That’s crazy! I don’t know why you’d even suggest something like that. I’m just padding the rooms of my apartment as a lifestyle choice.
It’s interesting to go to the school Open Houses, to see the different approaches to learning and to integrating technology in the classroom.
Because one thing I absolutely know about my daughter is that she benefits from having technology in the classroom– as a learning tool, a research device and a springboard for her studies.
She has been finding her voice and technology has guided the way for her. She is better on the computer than almost anyone that I know, she is excellent at troubleshooting, I’ve never asked her a computer question that she hasn’t been able to answer yet. (Except when Glee is on. Then forget it.)
She speaks the technology language and it’s a joy to see.
So yes, I think technology in schools is important. And in this time of budget cuts, it’s a shame that so many schools have to do without. Or with less. Or make the impossible choice between sports and arts and technology. No one wins when programs are cuts. Least of all our children.
I am excited about the Intel AppUpâ„ Wired to Learn contest. The lovely people at Intel AppUpâ„ will donate three technology packages, worth $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000 to three schools. All you have to do is go to the site, look through the apps and then submit your school to win one of the packages.
It’s easy, it’s fun and it’s for the children.
One year ago ...
- Happy Halloween! - 2010
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: NorthWestMommy
October 31, 2011 at 5:54 am
I like it when big companies give back to the community. Fills me with hope for the future and all.
Twitter: myhomemadehappy
October 31, 2011 at 8:53 am
Totally agree. My kids’ classes have iPads in their rooms this year thanks to a grant they received. They know how to use them better than I do! It’s so great. Thanks for sharing the contest!
O sure, books as articles of the environment will disappear within next 10–15 years.
The Kindle was the best thing that happened to me this year.
And big computer companies will concentrate on giving out “samples” as it is the best way to increase demand for their production.
Twitter: highlyirritable
October 31, 2011 at 9:56 am
I agree, and here (Canada) we seem to be pretty lucky in regards to school funding and accessibility.
The only thing I insist on is that there needs to be a balance struck between home and school. I have cut back on certain things at home (my pre-teen does not have a cell phone or Facebook account) to compensate for the possibility of “over” exposure to technology.
Another thing we do is avoid drive-thru lanes. The face-to-face is transaction is slowly being eradicated, and I want her to know it.
So now *she* goes in to get my coffee, and *I* can still wait in the car.
WIN/WIN.
Twitter: Jomoblogger
October 31, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I live in Joplin, MO and, as you may know, we had several schools destroyed by a tornado that plowed through our city on May 22. Our high school was one of the schools that was completely destroyed, leaving school administrators with the near-impossible task of putting together an acceptable temporary school for the 2,000+ students who attend. Our amazing superintendant and his staff proposed taking a vacant space at our mall and turning it into a school for the juniors and seniors. Don’t laugh – it is state-of-the-art! Including technology! What they have done is nothing short of astounding, and this 11th-12th grade center is serving as the prototype for the new high school which will, hopefully, be completed in 3 years. In addition, a very generous donation from the UAE enabled the district to purchase laptops for all the students. At a time when 1/3 of our students are living in temporary housing situations, these technological advances have enabled kids to come to school, get their work done , and have some fun all while learning despite the terrible setbacks they have encountered thru Mother Nature’s fury. Yes, I am in favor of technology in school – our kids need to have the opportunity to learn and grow in order to be able to keep up with the ever-changing world around us. Thanks for speaking out on our kids’ behalf!
Twitter: Mamabirddiaries
November 2, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Without your daughter, i still would not know how to take a screen shot on my mac. True story.