Teaching with iPads at an independent high school

1. Keep Calm & Read On (iPads)
Dr James Forman, Buckley School, CATE Feb. 2013

2. Interactive Session
Let’s Collaborate .
Questions/Comments along
the way
I’ll ask you questions
Stop and talk to a neighbor
Q & A Discussion
afterwards

3. Show of Hands 1. Classroom teachers?
Survey 2. Administrators ? Chairs?
Teacher Leaders?
3. Lower School? Middle School?
High School? College?
4. Using iPads currently?
5. Using tablets, devices, laptops?
6. Internet use restricted by filters?
7. Cell phones allowed?
8. Other technologies?

4. About me
• 6th-12th Dept. Chair
• Taught 9th, 11th, 12th, AP Lit, Chem.
• Taught in Peace Corps in Nepal
• Attend NCTE, CEL, CATE, CUE, CAIS
• Read Kittle, Burke, Gallagher, Jago
• Classroom as Experiment/Lab
• Shifting from Teacher-Centered

5. My hunches
• Tech can help student learning
• iPads help reluctant readers
• iPads take time & effort
• The highest priority is…?

6. Today’s Talk A. My Story with iPads & Adopting
them
B. ‘Readicide’ at Buckley vs. College
C. Discovering apps and the iPad
D. More Choice? Sustained Silent
Reading?
E. Blogging, Acting, Projects with iPads
F. Discussion/Q & A

7. Students reading on
iPads

8. My iPad story • My First Response: “No”
• Tried to Convince Others
• May 2012 = Decision Day
• Pilot Program Only
• 12th English, History, Math, AP Bio,
AP Art History
• Only Vision: Textbooks
• Heavy Backpacks lighten
• Got Training?

9. From Twitter
@edudemic
• If you get $2,000 for tech, spend $1,000 on
devices and $1,000 on teacher training.
• If you give traditional teachers iPads but not
training, they’ll teach traditionally, standing at
the front of the class with the device as a
glorified textbook.

10. At first, just a
textbook
Lighter backpacks
Paperless Classroom

11. iPad Pilot program
My Story Buckley tuition credit = Parents purchase
Textbooks only.
No grand vision.
No expert training
High-Tech sounds good

12. Reading in my classroom
All iPads all the time; All our texts on iPads
Air Server projects my iPad onto the wall
Difficulty Annotating on iPads

13. Goal: use Tech  Teach
Close reading: attention to language, word
connotations, style
Strategies for Comprehending dense, complex texts
Class discussion: look back at the text
Read between the lines: infer, detect ironic tone
Read Austen, Shakespeare, Conrad, Freud
Read to write: struggle to express one's analysis

14. (iPads)
Reading on iPad My evolving ideas about iPads
Pilot Program for Senior English
NCTE 2012-Conference on English
Leadership (CEL)
Reluctant Readers = College-bound
Seniors

15. Tech vs. Teaching?
Technology v. Pedagogy Who’s the Master?
Not about device, about reading
Annotating on iPads
Tech hassles
Distraction Device

16. Learn to love iPads
Time and Effort
Evolution of my teaching with iPads
Time and Effort (lots of both!)
Patience
Challenges my tried and true methods

17. Teachers need:
patience-time-training
Enhance your curriculum through technology

18. What actually happened
• Fewer pages per night
• Hard to annotate
• Shakespeare texts not correct
• Air Server unreliable
• Teachers under-prepared
• Students positive (at first)
• Teacher regret

19. How we’re progressing
• Remind me why we got iPads?
• Prep, Grade, then Troubleshoot?
• Move beyond textbooks
– Apps
– Subtext
– Upload PDF’s
– iPad Functions

20. Which platform to choose?
• KNO
• iBooks (iTunes)
• Subtext
• Adobe Reader
• Evernote
• iTunes U

21. Hamlet Right Justified

22. Hamlet properly indented

23. Resistance to iPads
Student newspaper
Parent resistance
Teacher resistance

24. Resistance: 20-50-30 rule
• 20% enthusiasts, 50% will go along, 30% resist
“The conviction of an advocate, even a powerful one,
inspires resistance if it simply dismisses the inevitable
dilemmas of implementation. … It is not that
innovators should not have deep convictions but rather
that they must be open to the realities of others.”
– The Human Side of School Change (Robert Evans, 2001)

25. Resistance
• Student resistance to annotating
– Inaccurate, takes more time
– Stylus helps
• Reduce amount of reading homework

26. Turn & Discuss
Resistance
Share an initiative or technology in which
your school faced resistance.

27. Lead from the bottom up
• Not enough authority
– (No authority over budget, over committees, over
meetings, over programs)
• Borrow authority (to convene meetings)
• Allies at the top: principal, asst. head, others

28. Lead from the bottom up
• Lead by example
• Persuade others
• Converse with early adopters in History,
Foreign Language, Theater
• Bring in the lower school

29. Start Somewhere
• Set up a Voluntary Faculty iPad Club
– Meets after school on Fridays!
– People actually come!
• Make allies in technology dept.
• Enlist the students’ help
• Work out how to use your own curriculum
with the iPad

30. Enlist Students
• Surveys and Feedback
– Frequent written feedback
• Ask for Patience
• Reassure them
– Despite my panic!
• Tech savvy kids help me out

31. Students teach Students
• How to annotate on iPads
• How to highlight in colors
• How to use sticky notes
• How to use look up definitions
• How to load books on KNO, iBooks, or Subtext
• How to use bookmarks
• How to push my annotations to their ebooks
• How to use MyJournal to view notes

32. iPad Program Speed Bumps
DISTRACTION DEVICE on every desk!

33. Students on distraction
“Students nowadays
simply do not have
the patients to finish
a novel. Students
neglect their text and
resort to faster,
easier methods of
reading (watching
the movie).”

34. TOO MUCH TECH!
• LCD screen and volume controls
• Media player to play audio recording of
Hamlet
• New “Walltalker” with electronic pens
• Air Server to project my iPad
• KNO open on my iPad
• KNO.com on laptop (in case Air Server stops)

35. Air Server projects your
iPad onto the screen
(but sometimes it’s “buggy”)

36. Air Server
Projects iPad image on LCD screen

37. Complexity in Reading
Common Core: Complexity
Make sense of difficult text
Enter the text thinking
Reading = getting meaning
Model reading aloud

38. Too much Text Complexity in Senior English?
Conrad: Long
paragraphs, sentence
structure, many
adjectives, ironic tone
of Marlow as narrator,
Freud: translated,
long sentences,
difficult subject,
extreme views of
human nature
(allowing students to
question text)

39. Too much complexity?

40. Keep Calm as We Read on
iPads!
Compare reluctant high school readers with
college readers
Is there anything I can do in 9 months?
Can iPads help?

41. My last assignment:
email from college
“I love ucla but as we were warned last year the
biggest difference from high school is definitely the
reading load. For anthro and interracial dynamics they
assign about two
hundred pages a week
for reading for each class and you pretty
much have to have the reading done by the beginning
of the week. Some of the reading is very dense but I
am getting the hang of it now.”

42. from NYU
“We had to read and sort through (too) many works,
but the main focus of the essay was on "The
Odyssey." We're now reading "The Aeneid," have (re)-
read "Antigone," and have read a solid amount of Plato
("The Cave," "Apology," "Symposium,“
"Phaedo"). Honestly, the exercises we had done in
class last year really prepared me for college. By this I
especially mean time-management/skim-reading
exercises. There is about 60 pages of reading or so
every other night, which makes it kinda ridiculous
to actually read through everything.”

43. from USC
Undeniably, your class definitely prepared me for all of
this! A few things to share with your current seniors-
It's true... THERE IS A TON OF READING IN
COLLEGE

44. from Sarah Lawrence
“Democracy and Diversity has by far the heaviest
reading load with roughly 100-200 pages a
week, then philosophy at about 100 and television at
about 50 plus three-hour-long screenings twice a
week.”

45. from Westpoint
“The reading load here isn't nearly as bad as it is in
other colleges. I get maybe 50-60 pages a night
which is a breeze considering we're given a 3 hour
mandatory study period where we're forced to do hw
with no music and no distractions.”

46. from Carleton College
“This term I only have 1 humanities class which is
on average 60-100 pages in between class
periods which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. It
is my 5th week here and I’ve already read The
Analects of Confucius, Laozi, and the Daodejing.
Aside from Chinese religion, biology reading
varies from 4-50 pages.”

47. College-bound, Non-AP, reluctant
My seniors don’t readers
read (much)
Readicide through technology
Screen-induced Attention Deficit
Challenging texts: Hamlet, Heart of
Darkness, Freud, Pride and Prejudice
Can I make a last-ditch difference?
Silent Reading on iPads?

48. How Schools Are Killing Reading
Kelly Gallagher
“Shouldn't schools be the place
“I am not simply teaching the where students interact with
reading; I am teaching the reader.” interesting books?”

49. Readicide at Buckley
Non-reader or Reluctant Reader?
• “I tend to skim books. I like to read
dialogue and not the sub text. I read 50
Shades of Gray this
summer and couldn’t
finish it. I am too accustomed to
being on my phone and computer to sit
down and read.”

50. Reluctant Readers?

51. (what my current seniors say)
“In high school I only read books “When I was younger, reading was
that are required. I did not really something I did constantly and as
like any of them, but I still read the years have gone by I have
them anyway.” stopped.”

52. My students say:
My mom is an addicted When it comes to
romance novel reader. . school reading, I
. I just don’t find it as tend to blow it off
compelling as doing and just cliff note
other activities such as
playing sports, being
chapter summaries,
with friends, or going but as of late I have
to the movies. started to read and
thoroughly enjoy it.

53. I lack real ambition to begin About the time I entered
books, but once I get started
I really enjoy them high school I stopped
reading on my own. I
found most of the books
for school uninteresting.
In high school, I lost my
interest for reading and
honestly haven’t read a
non-school book for a
really long time.
.

54. seniors
“I would not read any “I’ve been a very
books the school gave discriminating
out. This summer I reader. I like very
interned at a talent few authors and have
agency and read 22 a non-existent
scripts. Thanks to tolerance for lengthy
this, I’ve started expositions.”
reading more.”

55. seniors
“Starting in middle “I like stories. My
school, my love for problem is that I
learning started to have to translate
diminish. I was books from English
surrounded by the to the language of
fun games on the my brain: words’s
internet and instant ideas. I will probably
messaging. . . It move to audio books.”
saddens me.”

56. Turn and Discuss
Reluctant Readers
Your experience with reluctant readers

57. Can iPads help non-readers?
Outside of school, I don’t really read.
But I have realized when the iPad
reads to me and I follow along it
makes things more enjoyable.
“I used to read comic books. I
have never really enjoyed reading
novels in English class but I am
able to make myself if I have to. I
enjoy reading on the iPad
more than physical books.”

58. Can iPads help non-readers?
“I've come to enjoy reading a bit
more all thanks to the iPad. I
would get so bored and lost in a
text but somehow reading on the
iPad helps me find my place in
the book . . . it has allowed me to
enjoy reading again and
hopefully even make it a hobby of
mine!”

59. Can iPads help non-readers?
“Freshmen year through junior year I
did not read that much. However
once the iPad was introduced to
us I began to read much more. I
use apps to have the text read to
me. Making it much easier to follow
along and making it easier to
understand and making the story
more enjoyable. Also I feel more
prepared for in-class discussion
because of it.”

60. Read Silently on
iPads for
READING STAMINA
Sacrifice class time for reading
Visual and Auditory
Focus student attention in class
At home, it’s harder
Building reading habits

61. Listening and Reading
on iPads

62. Listening and Reading
on iPads

63. Read On (iPads)
Buckley Senior Listening and
Reading on iPad
Dual modes: listening & seeing
SSR in class
Only Quiet time to read

64. PEW on Ebooks

65. Book Love
Helps kids love books
It’s never too late to get students
How to get students to love reading! reading.

66. Class Reading Time
Class reading time

67. Choice
If I began to read Assigned texts taint
enjoyable books I the image of reading
would build my reading in eyes of students.
"stamina." I would like to However, if students
be assigned books that were allowed to
I get to choose. choose a book they
want to read that falls
within certain guidelines
students would enjoy
reading again.

68. Reading for Pleasure
I think that finding a Facebook is
book that you enjoy currently diverting
and starting with our attention from
just reading for learning to current
pleasure will help events in our friends’
when reading for lives. One quick fix is
school. I think to the implementation
really get into of self assigned
reading for school reading.
you have to enjoy it
first.

69. Sustained Silent Reading
The silent reading we I think this English
have been doing in class is helping me
class has been very prepare for college
beneficial. It's the because we read every
perfect opportunity to week and even if the
sit in a quiet room and book is boring or
just read—it gets uninteresting to me, i
easier. You don't am still forced to read.
necessarily have to like I think we should also do
what you're reading, self-assigned reading.
you just have to
pretend like you do.

70. Turn and Discuss
Reading on Devices
Your experience with Students reading on
any device (or you)

71. Jim Burke: using iPads
Twitter screen shots of iPad Follow @englishcomp

72. “So, when the bold move to
invest in iPads for each
student in our high school
materialized two weeks ago, I
found myself in that familiar
place of excitement combined
with uncertainty as we’re
finding our way
together, understanding how
daily technology influences
our learning.”
~ Sarah Brown
Wessling
Teaching Channel

73. Best Practice, 4 ed. (BP4)
th
Zemelman, Smokey Daniels, Hyde

74. Reading
Give kids choice
Nonfiction (Common Core)
Make sense of difficult text
Enter the text thinking
Model reading aloud

75. Best Practice in Reading
"Writing powerfully promotes ability in reading"
Assess reading authentically
Reading in Science, Social Studies, and Other
Subjects (CCS)
Fewer textbooks, fiction and nonfiction, primary
sources, and web content
Dig deeper into a smaller number of topics
Create time for free voluntary reading

76. Read aloud
Reading (BP4)
Time for independent reading with choice
Balance easy and hard books
Activate prior knowledge
Social collaboration: discussion/interaction
Write before and after reading
Evaluate holistic, higher-order thinking (not facts)
Establish habits, attitudes, comprehension

77. Smart Boards (BP4)
information, images,
videos, directions
articles, stories, or
internet, images
Teacher-controlled,
front-of-the-room
device

78. iPads (BP4)
Not centralized, not teacher-controlled
Kids scatter throughout the room
Kids pursue own learning, conduct research, develop
reports
Kid-driven devices
Content-consuming device
Content-generating device
Blogs, videos, photos, keynote presentations,

79. What else can iPads
do? Audio Video Apps
Not just a text reader
So many apps

80. Subtext App
"Reading together is better"
Social activity
Shared text with shared annotations
Discussions in the margins
Not 'buggy' (like KNO)
Teacher can monitor all student reading and
comments
Mostly free or discounted books

81. Subtext App on iPad
Reading is a social
activity
Annotating together
Conversations in the
margins

82. See Student Activity
List of students
reading text
Photos
No. pages/min
No. word look ups
No. comments

83. Subtext Group Bookshelf
All books displayed
Tap to read
Some sample
chapters
Kids' choice for small
book clubs
Kids' notes displayed
for teacher

84. Subtext Discussions
Social back and forth
conversations

85. “Subtext is Game
Changer”

86. Groups Acting Texts
Design project-based
active assignments
iPad as text
iPad as video camera
Critical Thinking
Discuss & Deliberate
Perform & Present

87. Acting Hamlet with
iPads

88. First, listen to the
teacher
Then go off on your own

89. Follow instructions

90. Director’s conference

91. Student Learning
without a teacher
.

92. Let’s collaborate
How do we perform these lines?

93. A teacher learns. . .
To trust his students!

94. Action!

95. Cinematography
On the fly!

97. Turn & Talk about
Project Learning
What works in your experience?

98. Blogging with iPads

99. Blog
• Every student creates a blog
– (blogspot, Edmodo, kidblog, Weebly)
• Add instructor as co-author
• Student chooses design
• Daily homework on blogs
• In-class exercises on blogs

100. Blog Cycle
• Class discussion 
• Continue the discussion on the blog 
• Open blogs in class the next day 
• Continue the discussion from yesterday =
• Sustained focus + development of ideas

101. Blog
• “Does grammar count?”
• “I cant spell.”
• Informal writing = journaling
• “We must assign more writing than we can
grade or even read.” ~Jago

102. Blog
• Open blogs at start of class
• Skim read blogs
• Students summarize their blogs
• Date and time stamp on every post
• Glaring errors seen by class

103. Blog
• Easy to give credit in grade book, daily or
weekly
• Tabs across the top
• “Working On” tab

118. “What anachronism?”

119. Discussion / Q & A
• Those who have used iPads?
• Only one iPad per classroom?
• iPad cart?
• What barriers do you face?
• What do you see as the advantages?

120. Who do you follow on
Twitter?
@Skrashen (Steve Krashen)
@donalynbooks (Donalyn Miller)
@edutopia
@PennyKittle
@englishcomp (Jim Burke)
@CarolJago
@KellyGToGo (Kelly Gallagher)
@DrForman (me!)

121. Contact me
• jforman@buckleyla.org My email
• http://gladlyteach.org My tech blog
• http://collegethreshold.blogspot.com My Class blog
• @DrForman My Twitter

122. Read Leaders in English
• Read Carol Jago, Kelly Gallagher, Penny Kittle,
Jim Burke, Nancy Atwell, Kylene Beers
• Read not just tech, but pedagogy

123. California English
CATE resource Carol Jago

124. Thank you!