Private Funding Helps Teachers Bring Latest Technology Into Classrooms
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: September 28, 2012
More and more schools around the Big Country are gearing up with some of the latest technology.
However, budget cuts and other expenses don't allow for some to get as much as they want.
So several individuals in school districts around the Key City and beyond are teaming up to raise their own funds.
Technology like this is changing the way teachers teach.
"If we didn't have the [electronic] board shed have to like hold it up and id have to stand up because everyone would be trying to see it," said Wylie Middle School student Landon HIll.
"So I'd basically have to reteach it like twenty different times," said Wylie art teacher Kina Tiemann.
Art students at Wylie Middle School no longer have to struggle to see the board.
"It gets you to where you can see what shes doing better," said Alexis Smart.
Tiemann Uses the latest technology to project everything she does so every student can participate.
"Now I can demonstrate sitting down, I can demonstrate with paint, charcoal, graphite," she said.
But it wouldn't be possible without extra funding.
That's why she applied for the Wylie Bulldogs Education Foundation Grant.
"Luxuries like this I would never be able to get with my regular budget," said Tiemann.
Forget the calculators there's a new way to learn math.
Using robots is actually a way to teach numbers.
"Its a fun added dimension to education," said Wylie math teacher Carol Stringfellow.
Stringfellow used her $1,000 grant money to purchase a few of robots for her students to program.
Her class has 50 students; that's the highest enrollment so far.
"This is really cool how you can learn mathematics and measuring and science and make a Lego robot," said Wyatt Whitemeyer.
Yep, kids can learn from Lego's and teachers can make learning fun by taking their classrooms into the twenty first century.
More than $40,000 has been awarded during the two years the grant has been available.
Board members are now preparing for their third year of funding.
They'll be holding a fundraiser gala the first week of Oct.
However, budget cuts and other expenses don't allow for some to get as much as they want.
So several individuals in school districts around the Key City and beyond are teaming up to raise their own funds.
Technology like this is changing the way teachers teach.
"If we didn't have the [electronic] board shed have to like hold it up and id have to stand up because everyone would be trying to see it," said Wylie Middle School student Landon HIll.
"So I'd basically have to reteach it like twenty different times," said Wylie art teacher Kina Tiemann.
Art students at Wylie Middle School no longer have to struggle to see the board.
"It gets you to where you can see what shes doing better," said Alexis Smart.
Tiemann Uses the latest technology to project everything she does so every student can participate.
"Now I can demonstrate sitting down, I can demonstrate with paint, charcoal, graphite," she said.
But it wouldn't be possible without extra funding.
That's why she applied for the Wylie Bulldogs Education Foundation Grant.
"Luxuries like this I would never be able to get with my regular budget," said Tiemann.
Forget the calculators there's a new way to learn math.
Using robots is actually a way to teach numbers.
"Its a fun added dimension to education," said Wylie math teacher Carol Stringfellow.
Stringfellow used her $1,000 grant money to purchase a few of robots for her students to program.
Her class has 50 students; that's the highest enrollment so far.
"This is really cool how you can learn mathematics and measuring and science and make a Lego robot," said Wyatt Whitemeyer.
Yep, kids can learn from Lego's and teachers can make learning fun by taking their classrooms into the twenty first century.
More than $40,000 has been awarded during the two years the grant has been available.
Board members are now preparing for their third year of funding.
They'll be holding a fundraiser gala the first week of Oct.
