Wayside steps up iPad training for high school prep
Middle school students at Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic School in Arlington Heights are excited this year about a new addition to the school supply list - an iPad "Air2" with 64 gigabytes. Each student has been assigned the device for use until graduation.
Seventh- and eighth-graders are allowed to take their assigned iPad home for homework, but sixth-graders must leave their device at school each night.
Each iPad was preloaded with about 30 apps that teachers reviewed and determined to be useful to the students. The apps include GoogleDocs, Notability, the typical Apple suite, Garage Band, iMovie, iNovice and Power School.
The apps may be updated, added or removed remotely by Our Lady of the Wayside technology coordinator Christine Brenner. The students may not download any apps to the iPad.
Notability and the Google Suite are the most often-used applications and these are the apps most likely to help the eighth-graders when they reach high school and use iPads regularly.
Last year, only eighth-graders used iPads during the pilot year. One freshman at St. Viator said he was grateful for the experience last year and was comfortable in the classroom immediately on the first day of high school.
"Even the summer iPad training session seemed less confusing," he said.
Another Our Lady of the Wayside alumnus, who is now at Rolling Meadows High School, said that seeing the same apps being used as he did in eighth grade helped make the transition to high school easier.
Our Lady of the Wayside middle school teachers use the iPads in different ways. Some ask the students to turn in homework using GoogleDocs, a skill that will be useful in high school. Teachers can provide feedback to students faster and without worrying about collecting and carrying papers. That procedure can make that part of the teacher/student interaction more efficient.
Another advantage of assigning each middle school student an iPad is that classroom time is not wasted as each student signs in and out of each device. The school feels the comfort level that these students will have using iPads for all school work puts them ahead of the learning curve no matter what programs are being used in high schools.
Lisa Gorman, middle school teacher, and Brenner led the pilot program last year with the teachers and students and are pleased that all middle school students will have the same advantage this year.
Our Lady of the Wayside School has served the community of Arlington Heights since 1954. Named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015 and 1997 by the U.S. Department of Education, Our Lady of the Wayside provides an excellent Catholic education for preschool through eighth-grade students.
Our Lady of the Wayside School is dedicated to enriching its students' minds, fostering a deep and meaningful faith in each child, and expanding their talents. Christian values, mutual respect and trust are emphasized for students, teachers and families in all programs and activities.
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