Our goal for our technology program can be divided into broad categories: enhancing the curriculum, supporting student learning, preparing students with essential skills, and cultivating curious and caring citizens. GHS is rich in resources. We are a 1:1 iPad school in Grades 3-8. MacBooks are also available for more involved work requiring faster computing and greater memory.
At GHS, we believe it’s important to integrate technology thoughtfully, intentionally, and in a balanced way. We carefully examine tech tools and consider whether they might improve or enhance teaching and learning. While we do believe it’s important to prepare our students for the world of tomorrow–a world in which using digital technology seems fairly certain–we also believe in finding balance by “unplugging.” We support our students in developing healthy, functional relationships with technology by also practicing mindful awareness of self and surroundings, and teaching critical thinking skills.
In Grades 1-8, technology instruction supplements and expands classroom learning through mastery of applications across subject areas. For example, software programs such as Smart Music allow students beginning in Grade 4 to get immediate feedback when they practice their instruments at home. Through the use of our 3-D printers, students learn to design and to calculate proportion and scale. Robotics is one of the many ways our budding engineers learn how to program and write code. Our students use iPads to research, calculate, draw, read and write stories and to reinforce math skills. The availability of iPads give children access to creative projects, such as making movies and other multi-media presentations, which allows students a wider choice in responding to what they are learning and provides a potentially much wider audience for their work.