We’re nearing the end of our list of things on which Lakeside Christian School focuses in order to prepare our students for college. At this time, we’ll focus on our complementary technology. Every school has some variety of technology, and some will claim theirs is cutting edge. But cutting edge and expense do not automatically prepare students for college. If this were true, every student with the newest, most expensive tablet would be adequately prepared for college or career. These are the ways in which LCS is preparing students using technology:
Lakeside Christian’s Model- Ascend Math was first implemented at Lakeside in August of 2012. At that time Ascend was only being used with select students who needed math intervention. The implementation of Ascend expanded after a year to include ALL students who are enrolled at Lakeside Christian. Students spend a minimum of 2 hours each week in the dedicated Ascend Math computer lab, with struggling students receiving an additional 1.5 hours of remediation. Student use is supported by upper and lower school lab managers, who work with students one on one as needed, and monitor reports and student progress daily. This strong implementation has resulted in profound gains for the students at Lakeside, with many now working on content multiple grade levels above their actual grade level. So far this school year, 70% of the students at Lakeside Christian have mastered a full grade level of math content, with 20% of students mastering 2 or more grade levels to-date. In previous school years, students have mastered up to 6 years of math content in a single year. Due to gains like this Lakeside Christian has been named an Ascend Math Model site for 3 years running, and has been a runner up for the national Ascend Math Gold Medal for superior implementation and gains.”
“I use Moodle to help my students know when homework is due…I make sure that all of my lessons are posted on Moodle and try to ensure that my completed lessons are also on Moodle so that if students are gone from class, they can make up their notes from what we’ve done in class. I also post homework answers on Moodle so students can check their work. These things help prepare students for college by giving them opportunities to take charge of their learning. Students must take the initiative to go to Moodle to print out notes if it will help them learn. They must also take the initiative to check their work to make sure they are completing homework correctly. Ensuring that students are taking ownership of their learning is imperative to student success.”
“I use Moodle for posting class resources, weekly homework assignments, and assessments. Moodle is helpful to hold the students accountable for their work, putting the responsibility on them for: turning work in on time or making it up (time stamped), seeing assessment results immediately, and locating study materials. It creates a “no excuse” policy for not writing down the homework or forgetting a book at school because Moodle is my virtual classroom.”
All of these areas of technology complement each other and create a supportive web of technology under each student. The actual devices provide for the software and management systems to work together and prepare students for the next phase of life!
If your child’s school does not have this complementary technology, or if you’d like to learn more about it, please schedule a free tour of Lakeside Christian School today!
Last year, Lakeside Christian School added an intuitive-adaptive technology (PEG) to help middle school students come up to speed and meet the more rigorous writing requirements of high school. This technology is a part of a closed loop educational system when it is blended and congruent with the curriculum and standards. On its own, it’s capable of improvement for each student. But when put in the hands of a competent instructor, the results can be exceptional!
We have one such instructor that has taken the PEG technology and has made it come alive for her students, causing real change and improvement. Lindsay Anderson, our middle school Language Arts teacher, was selected for PEG’s March’s Spotlight on Teachers.
Ms. Anderson shares some of the joy in using PEG with her middle school students:
“Initially, my students would groan when I mentioned PEG. (Naturally, it forced them to revise and edit their own writing.) After a few projects on PEG, their opinions genuinely changed. The students are often eager to start the writing process, and not-so patiently wait to press submit to see their improved score.”
Even the students have good things to say about PEG:
“A pro about peg writing is that it tells you all these grammar mistakes that you made. On top of peg telling you what you did wrong it gives you interactive lessons on how to fix the mistakes.”
“I am glad we have PEG, because it advances my skills, and helps me grow in writing.”
“My experience on peg has been amazing. It has taught me so many different skills. I like the way it gives you a score.. And when you see that score it gives you a push of confidence. This is a tremendous program for students who want to get better in their writing.”
Follow this link to read PEG’s own post about Ms. Anderson and her brilliant use of PEG in her classroom. We’re proud to have such educators in our school, using such productive technology!
Here, Ms. Anderson’s class presents some of what they’ve learned in their PEG class.
Ms. Anderson is one of the many talented, passionate educators at LCS!
If you’d like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School and the programs we use to make a difference, call and schedule a free tour today!
The next item on the list of things on which LCS focuses in order to prepare students for college and career is:
There is currently a shortage of teachers. There are fewer students studying to become teachers. There are more seasoned teachers leaving the profession for a variety of reasons: low pay, changes in policy and curriculum, classroom behavior issues, etc. And there are many teachers who quit the profession after just a few years. The pool of educators is small, and the pool of excellent, effective educators is even smaller. LCS recognizes the vast importance of hiring only the most effective educators.
Teaching is a difficult job, but a most important one. These educators will see your child five days a week for ten months. Elementary teachers will spend seven hours a day with your child, five days a week, for ten months. For this reason alone, the character of a teacher must be above reproach and the kind you would want influencing your child for roughly 1400 hours a year. Beyond that is the importance of the teacher’s ability to teach the curriculum effectively, producing results in each student’s learning.
LCS chooses teachers who have been properly trained for their area of education. Their expertise is essential for the success of each student. The teachers are also ACSI certified, and continue to build on their own education in order to prosper their students.
Without teachers who are willing to use the curriculum correctly and show flexibility in their own concepts of education in order to meet the needs of their students, there will be few positive results. The educators at LCS are not only willing to do whatever it takes to help eliminate academic gaps and propel each student forward, they are also willing to use the curriculum in the ways that have been proven to produce results. They work diligently independently, and effectively as a team of educators as well.
In order to be this effective, the teachers must also have a lifestyle that aligns with God’s Word. Without that, their effectiveness diminishes. They must not only preach God’s Word, but live it as well, effectively displaying the gospel daily for each student. Each teacher speaks from and helps shape for the students a biblical worldview. It is these things that makes the LCS educator truly effective in the lives of their students.
If you would like to hear more about LCS’s effective educators and perhaps meet some of them, please schedule a free tour today.
Are you ready to join the Lakeside Christian School community? Contact us, and schedule a tour today.
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