Last October, when the kindergarten through second grade teachers at Boothbay Region Elementary School returned from a one-on-one iPad program at the Leveraging Learning Institute in Auburn, they were jazzed.

“They came back with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and excitement,” Assistant Superintendent Shawn Carlson said at the February 26 CSD School Committee meeting. “I understood just how the important it is for an initiative like technology in the classroom to be driven by teachers who are fired up about it.”

Special Education teacher Charlinda Carlson led the presentation. The educators discussed the iPads apps they used and showed the board a half dozen iMovies that showed how the children used the iPads. The educators who created the videos included Donna Maxim, Lisa Andrews, Lisa Smith, Lucy Ann Spaulding, Lindsey Ingraham, Deb Mellor and Barb Crocker.

Charlinda Carlson said they returned aware of the potential that iPads offered to customize student learning, and that they were committed to applying what they learned in their daily teaching. Visit www.boothbayregister.com to view one of the iMovies. (The children expressing their views in the iMovie are Makayla Pinkham and Stephen Duke.)

The iPads or iPad minis are being used to practice and reinforce math and language arts skills. Each student practices at his or her own pace and level.

For example, a math app will increase the level of difficulty based on the child's understanding.

While visiting a kindergarten classroom, AOS 98 Superintendent of Schools Eileen King observed some students were counting, some adding, subtracting, and some were doing double-digit subtracting.

“They were driving that on their own,” King said. “The program recognized what level each child was at.”

The kids, Charlinda Carlson said, and the other teachers, like getting the immediate feedback that the apps provide. Teachers also use the information to drive curricula and instruction.

“Providing feedback is so crucial to appropriate learning,” King said. “If a student practices a concept incorrectly again and again and again, it becomes a learned concept. Having the ability to immediately put them on the right path enhances their learning.”

Self-driven (thanks to the apps) students who are ready to move on to a new concept, do just that. Students who need more time to grasp a concept get it — and do not move on until they do.

“The iPads provide a way for us to customize each student's needs, and at varying degrees of difficulty,” Mellor said.

Another iMovie, this one created by Charlinda Carlson, showed how an app called Book Creator changed a student's life. Due to fine motor skill issues, the young man disliked drawing and writing in class.

Thanks to the app, in just one day, he could successfully write a paragraph and import photos. His teachers were struck by his newfound enthusiasm about writing.

As Charlinda Carlson said at the end of the iMovie, “The iPad has leveled the playing field for him. He is a writer.”

BRES Principal Mark Tess told the group, “This isn't an isolated incident. It happens with many students.”

This child's success with Book Creator has also boosted his confidence when he does have to work on his handwriting skills in class.

“Now he knows that all I want is handwriting, that I want to see him forming letters, which is so important for brain development,” Charlinda Carlson said. “Then, when he reflects on a book he's read, or is going to do a report, he gets to use the app.

“I could literally make an iMovie for every one of my kids using a different app that has changed their lives.”

Each day the students have a little free time on the iPads. But the teachers always know what they will be doing with them — it's all on the sign up sheet of approved areas.

Teaching videos

Each iPad is equipped with a camera, microphone and speaker, enabling students to make videos of themselves as they learn.

A third iMovie of the presentation showed a first grade student working on math problems while recording their voice as they work through the problem. Using teaching videos, educators can listen to a student's video and know exactly where they're at with the concept being taught.

A link to the videos can be sent to parents, which keeps them involved and connected with their child's learning.

“Making teaching videos, they learn to become effective communicators,” Mellor said.

When looking for apps, teachers look at how many levels are available within one app for reading and math; multiple grade levels allows teachers to individualize each student's learning. Many apps are free.

Charlinda Carlson said all of the young learners picked up on how to use the iPads very quickly.

Smith noted that there had been many occasions, as the technology had been rolled out, that sometimes, teachers had been “more apprehensive because they were not as familiar” with the devices and because they thought they would need to teach the kids how to use it.

“Usually the kids will be there to help the teachers out, and it doesn't matter if they are 3 or 6 years old,” Smith said. “Today, teachers from Bath were in my classroom and were absolutely amazed at how self-directed the kids were with the reading program being used, and how they got around places and could see the info (on how they were doing). The kids taught them (visiting teachers) how to use the iPads. I think the kids have even moved on from using iPads, to teaching others how to use them.”

Board Chairman Larry Colcord asked about feedback from parents.

Mellor said it had all been positive and had come with some suggestions on how she could do it. Mellor has been uploading her students' books on YouTube. Parents get the link and then can send it to other family members across the country.

Charlinda Carlson said her kids' parents are proud of their kids and what they are accomplishing.

“We're constantly learning, too,” Maxim said.

Other business

Meredith Duke submitted a request for a one-year leave of absence to pursue her music career in Nashville. An ad for the position will be posted and advertised over the next few weeks. Duke will review the applications and assist with the hiring process.