EAGLE POINT, Ore. – Kindergarten students at one Southern Oregon school district are getting a jump start when it comes to using technology.
Beginning this school year, iPads are being implemented into every kindergarten classroom in the Eagle Point School District.
The school district is giving every kindergarten classroom six iPads. Students at Hillside Elementary School are using educational IPad apps to learn reading writing and math skills.
“I am thrilled,” said Kindergarten teacher Leah Wattenburger. “I am the luckiest kindergarten teacher on the planet because it is really hard to keep them (students) engaged and actually practicing meaningful skills they need to learn.”
Mrs. Wattenburger said the iPad give students the one on one attention they need.
“I’m one teacher, and when I have 27 kids I can’t give them that instant feedback… and like I said some of the apps are self-correcting and if they don’t do it right it’s like instantly whoopsie… That’s what we call it in Kindergarten and then they do it right,” Wattenburger.
With school just starting two weeks ago, the kindergarten students are still in the beginning stages of learning how to use the iPads education officials hope by introducing the iPads early in the education process students will benefit in the long run.
“Right now they are doing drawling letters or tracing numbers or doing equations or drawing pictures and as they advance they will be able to access information to create things and using technology to be able to do that,” said Institutional Coach Denis Sherman.
Students are not the only ones learning how to use advanced technology in classrooms though.
“It’s harder for some adults than other adults, but one thing that the district has done is they are trying to put technology in the hands of the teachers and the staff — also so we are really learning along with the kids,” said Sherman
Third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms at Hillside Elementary already had iPads prior to this year.
Teachers cannot track the progress of their students with the iPads. There are apps that allow them to do so, but in order for that to work each student would have to have their own iPad.