This semester my preservice administrator students are creating a wiki that hopefully will become a helpful resource for high-poverty rural school districts. In particular, they’re trying to locate resources that are helpful for educators working to increase the academic achievement of economically-disadvantaged rural students. If you know of any good resources in this area, please leave them here as a comment. Thanks!
Help wanted – Resources for high-poverty rural schools
by Scott McLeod | Sep 29, 2008 | Assessment, Miscellaneous, Pre-Service Preparation | 8 comments
If it is about saving tech money, there is an interactive whiteboard tip here…
Save about $1900 per installation using a Wiimote. It works and I am using it in my room.
Wikipedia has an interesting article about increasing student achievement with interactive whiteboards. I wonder if the data is too good to be true. If there is a problem, it is teacher side with a lack of training causing problems.
This is one of the best ways to demonstrate software.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_whiteboard
Remember the PBS documentary “Country Boys?” The film highlights a program in KY that is along the lines of what you’re talking about. Whether useful or not for the purposes of your project, the film is EXCELLENT viewing for any aspiring school leader. You should be able to view it here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/countryboys/
Here’s a link to a rural high-poverty district that uses student broadcasting and blogs to tell stories about their place. Kind of a ongoing, multimedia, Foxfire-type story about rural Alaska. http://www.bssd.org Check out the links to student broadcasting and site-based school blogs.
I would check out Teach for America resources. They have a ton of teachers in rural areas and their resources have greatly improved since back in the dark ages when I was there (1991!!).
Hello – It sounds like you need high-quality, engaging AND free resources.
Check out iCue.com – a new student-focused learning community that incorporates content for three classes – US History, Language Arts, and Government & Politics.
I think that the most important “tool” to help under-resourced school districts with their technology is Priority 2 funding through the Federal E-rate program.
Many poor school districts do not realize that they are entitled to thousands or millions of dollars in disbursements from the federal government to help fund technology at their schools.
I recently published a blog post on the topic and encourage all IT directors and educational leaders to reach out and learn more about this important program.
http://ssik12.com/2008/09/30/e-rate-more-important-than-ever/
I teach in a high-poverty rural middle school. With virtually no money for new technology, I am constantly looking for new ideas and free resources to engage my students. It is frustrating to be technology coach for a school that cannot afford much technology! Teaching is my second career. I spent my ‘first life’ in Information Technology, so I know the value and importance of teaching our students using today’s technology. Without this experience, they will not be able to compete in the ‘real’ world. It is also frustrating that devices such as cell phones and iPods are banned from use at school. There is so much technology in these individually-owned devices that I could use in my classroom…if only they were allowed! If anyone has experience with a school that allows the use of these devices, please let me know what your policy is and how it is working for you.
Scott,
Not sure this will help your students, but I figured it couldn’t hurt leaving a comment:
http://www.teachingquality.org/legacy/NC_NBCT.pdf
This is a report that I helped to co-author a few years back about the kinds of incentives that it would take to draw accomplished teachers to high needs schools.
Not really tied to improving achievment and more of a policy level resource that could be used by school districts to work on teacher recruitment.
Anyway….Hope it helps,
Bill