Smack Dab in the Middle of Change
When I was younger, my grandmother used to tell me a story of my great-grandfather’s first automobile. It was the mid-1920s, and the family eagerly piled into the new car to head out for a Sunday drive. My great-grandfather, attempting to back the car out of the barn--yes, I said barn--inadvertently put the car in a forward gear. Trying to stop the car, he did what came naturally to him from years of driving a team of horses: He pulled back on the reins (i.e., steering wheel) only to find that this works to stop a horse, not a car! Needless to say, their brand new automobile crashed through the side of the barn.
This story exemplifies the struggle that we often feel when we go through a significant change or paradigm shift. There is excitement and enthusiasm for all of the new possibilities, but there is also anxiety and frustration caused by the unfamiliar and unknown. In the 1920s, a major change was the integration of automobiles into society. In 2015, at least in education, it’s the integration of technology.
This is the second year of our fully implemented 1:1 iPad program. Obviously, we are finding great benefit to putting a device into every student’s hands. Our students and staff largely report improvements to their ability to communicate, collaborate, and stay organized. Teachers are designing learning opportunities that just weren’t available before. And once people acquire a certain skill level with the devices, they tell me that they never want to go back to the “horse-and-buggy days” of life before the iPad.
Growing pains do exist, and that is the point of this article, but we cannot deny the growing presence of technology in all facets of our lives. Doing so would be a disservice to our students. Gone are the days when being college and career ready only refers to reading and writing skills. In today’s world, college-ready also means that (1) students should know how to use technology to solve problems, and (2) they should be able to use technology responsibly.
The main concern I hear from both parents and teachers is how easily students are distracted by their iPads. I acknowledge that this is a problem. That is why we have restricted our freshman students’ access to the most common distractors, including games and social media apps. Why not restrict this for everyone? If we limit access completely, how do we teach students about responsible use?
Here are my suggestions for managing your student’s iPad use at home:
- Treat iPad use like any other privilege in your house, like curfew, driving, having friends over, etc. If your student is struggling to meet your expectations for technology use, let us know! We will work with you to address your specific issue.
- Expectations should include things like:
- Limiting screen time for recreational use
- Appropriate online behavior and social media use
- Parental access to the device and its electronic content (Know the unlock code!)
- Goals for work completion - “You said it would only take 45 minutes. Why did it take longer? Did you get off task?”
- Regular check-ins on Infinite Campus (for grades) and Schoology (for homework).
- If your student is not meeting your expectations, please call your student’s administrator, who can help you devise a plan to get your student back on track. We can restrict access to certain apps, or even the App Store, for that matter. We can “lock down” the iPad in other ways, too, if needed. And when the time is served or the lesson learned, we can restore privileges to allow your student to practice responsible use again.
Our great iPad experiment won’t be without a few dents in the fender, maybe even an occasional hole in the barn. But I also think that we’re not that far away from being able to enjoy a leisurely Sunday drive.
Highlights and Successes
- Congratulations to Jiamin Huang on achieving a perfect score on the ACT test.
- Congratulations to Coach Ryan Moreau and the Boys Golf Team on taking 3rd place at the Inverness Invite in a field of 10 teams. Colin Robinson shot a 75 for the 6th place individual medal, and Payton Kim shot a 77 for the 8th place individual medal.
Upcoming Home Activities and Varsity Events
September 4
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Fremd Football vs. Elk Grove @ Elk Grove - 7:30 p.m.
Girls Tennis @ Buffalo Grove - 4:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball Tournament @ FHS - 4:30 p.m.
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September 5
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Girls Tennis Invitational @ FHS - 8:30 a.m.
Girls Volleyball Tournament @ FHS - 9:00 a.m.
Boys Cross Country Invitational vs. Crystal lake @ Veterans Acres park - 9:00 a.m.
Boys Soccer Tournament @ Naperville North H.S. - 12:00 p.m.
Boys Golf @ Buffalo Grove - 10:30 a.m.
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September 8
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Girls Golf vs. Conant H.S. - 3:30 p.m.
Boys Golf vs. CHS @ Poplar Creek Country Club
Girls Tennis @ Buffalo Grove - 4:30 p.m.
Girls Swimming & Diving vs. RMHS @ Elk Grove H.S. - 4:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball @ Elk Grove H. S. - 6:00 p.m.
Boys Soccer vs. CHS - 7:00 p.m.
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September 9
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Girls Golf vs. St. Charles North - 4:00 p.m.
Boys/Girls Cross Country vs. HEHS @ Barrington Pond -4:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball vs. Palatine - 6:00 p.m.
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Staff Spotlight
Name:
Chad Jonas
Position:
Business Education Department Chair
Years at Fremd:
10 yrs.
Life Before Fremd:
I am a product of Fremd High school and graduated in 1998. I attended the University of Iowa (Go Hawks) and graduated with a degree in Finance. Before getting into teaching, I worked in corporate America as a Business Analyst and Credit Analyst.
Hobbies/Interests:
In my life beyond Fremd, I am an avid runner who has completed 9 marathons. However, the days of marathon running are quickly coming to an end. There are a couple more bucket list races that I would like to compete in before officially hanging up the racing boots. I am also a huge soccer fan and while I no longer play competitively, I enjoy watching professional soccer matches (English Premier League) on TV. I enjoy being active outside which includes hiking, biking and whitewater rafting.
Insider Tip for Parents:
Help find your child’s strengths and encourage them to pursue and take hold of their many great opportunities.
Ask the Principal
Q: My student is gearing up to take the ACT. Does Fremd offer any test prep?
A: Yes we do, and it’s free! I will devote part of a future blog post to all of the test prep services we offer, but for now, you can browse some of our resources under the Student Services section of our website, specifically the Testing Information and Prep section. Here, you can click on the specific standardized test your student wants to take to access resources. Here is the ACT link, which provides test prep dates and times.
Q: Since much of my student’s school work is done on the iPad, they don’t bring home papers, so I don’t know which skills they are still developing. How can I track their academic progress and support them academically at home?
A: In theory, school work done on the iPad should be more accessible than paper copies--at the very least, they are harder to lose, either accidentally or purposely. Many teachers use Schoology as their repository for course materials, including worksheets. They can complete the workflow (hand out, turn in, grade, give back) all within the software program. You’ve never been on Schoology before? Come to Open House on September 10, where you will be given your student’s Schoology access code. Can’t make it? Send an email to our Technology Director, Keith Sorensen (ksorensen@d211.org) for information about Schoology access.
Are you curious about something at Fremd but have never asked? Email me at ktenopir@d211.org. If your question is pertinent to a wider audience, I will include it in the next blog post.
