New world of tech in the classroom

Most teachers at Shelter Island School have abandoned independent teaching in favor of a team approach, relying on colleagues’ skills to improve and coordinate lessons.

The result is not only more engaging experiences for their students, but the opportunity to incorporate different disciplines in each lesson.

It’s why math and finance teacher James Theinert and information technology and math teacher Walter Brigham spend time together developing ways to incorporate technology into their teaching. The tech component is also promoted by Mr. Brigham to other staff members.

While Mr. Brigham and Mr. Theinert are fans of technology, they realize it’s intimidating to some teachers. Their goal is to “eliminate the fear,” Mr. Brigham said.

Students in a class with either Mr. Brigham or Mr. Theinert don’t have homework or see assignments posted on the board. But during the afternoon and again in the early evening, a system called “Remind” will deliver a 10-to-15 minute video lesson to students’ iPads or cellphones to prepare them for the next day’s class work.

The Remind videos are entertaining and personal the teachers’ said, generally including uploaded images of the students.

The great advantage of the the software, they said, is that students become more engaged with the subject matter, tend to easily master what they’re taught and retain the lessons.

Teachers may communicate at night to answer questions or work with the students the next day. And the students may interact with one another through text messages if that helps them grasp material.

“They love it and hate it,” Mr. Brigham said about the students’ constant re-engagement with their studies.

Students who have to be out of class for a trip or sports competition, for example, can keep up with their studies via Remind, Mr. Brigham said, and the teachers can monitor the time students spend online watching the video lessons.

Of course, they have no way of knowing if a student puts the video on and then leaves the room. But that’s something quickly uncovered with some basic questions during the next class period, Mr. Theinert said.

In addition to the Remind software, the teachers use “Show Me Math” software, which teaches computation via linking animated videos for individual math problems. The two teachers also make time for some game playing through a software program called “Kahoot!” that can pose questions about Shelter Island or any other subject.

Back in the classroom, students work individually and in groups with the teacher acting more as a facilitator rather than a lecturer, Mr. Brigham said.

A visitor to one of the classrooms will seldom find Mr. Theinert or Mr. Brigham standing and speaking before a group of students. Instead, students work individually or in groups, with guidance from their teachers.

It’s a concept known as “flipped classrooms,” where the student, not the teacher, is front and center. It tends to make for a more engaging learning experience as students research concepts togehter.

“There is no substitute for the class group environment,” Mr. Brigham said.

One change from the teachers’ perspective is it extends the work day. It’s a matter of being on call away from the classroom, receiving text messages from students, for example, with questions.

“If it’s something worthwhile, you make time for it,” Mr. Brigham said.

“Once you start doing it, you know it’s worth it,” Mr. Theinert agreed.