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Teacher spotlight
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Music and Humanities TeacherLouise Anderson
As in many schools, the faculty members at Manheim Central vary in their use of
technology. Though you would be hard-pressed to find a teacher who isn't using e-mail,
Internet, and word-processing skills regularly, visitors to Manheim Central also
see teachers reaching far beyond the basics. Louise Anderson is one of those teachers.
Thanks to technology, Louise can record her students playing an instrument or singing,
and she can give them instant feedback to help them improve. Hear Louise
talk about how technology allows her to interact with students instead of queuing
up CDs or records and cassettes. (Windows Media File)
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Manheim Central High School
Schools all over the country are reaping the benefits of teaching with technology,
developing 21st-century learning communities that are engaging and inspiring to
teachers and students alike. Educators and administrators are creating new models
for learning and environments that promote digital inclusion—with many positive
results.
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Manheim Central High School, in Manheim, Pennsylvania, finds that integrating technology
in all areas of the learning experience can help the school in multiple ways.
On this page:
Engage students in innovative ways
Manheim Central High School Math Teacher Rod Brenize is a big believer in using
technology to reach students. For him, the future of educational technology includes
online math courses—some of which he is beginning to design for the school. In addition,
he is integrating multiple modes of technology into his math classes. The personal
response devices, or clickers, he assigns to students keeps them engaged while providing
formative assessment data.
In the video below Rod Brenize discusses how technology helps motivate students in the classroom.
Work in agriculture
According to Agriculture Teacher Deb Sieber, the county surrounding Manheim Central
High School contains the richest farmland "on planet Earth"—so rich it doesn't require
irrigation. The Manheim Central agriculture program supports more than 700 students,
with technology as a key component. Sieber takes students out of the four-walled
classroom and into hands-on learning labs.
Additionally, Manheim sits among some of the biggest food manufacturers in the country,
which makes it a haven for food science and bioengineered foods. Agriculture teachers
at Manheim have embraced this trend. They are working technology and science standards
into their curriculum to help their students in a competitive job market.
Technology meets tradition at Manheim Central High where more than 700 students study
agriculture.
Increase the students' cultural exposure
A rich curriculum at Manheim Central High School encourages appreciation for the
local and global communities. And the leadership at Manheim works hard to develop
programs that expose students to life outside their corner of Lancaster County.
A growing humanities course helps Manheim Central widen its scope of cultural knowledge.
The cross-curricular course offers students opportunities to see, hear, and discuss
many of the philosophers, musicians, politicians, and artists that have long influenced
Western culture.
As part of this course, humanities students listen to Gregorian Chants and polyphonic
music. During her lecture, Music Teacher Louise Anderson moves from mp3 player to
Microsoft Office PowerPoint slide show, to the piano, and back. Louise shows how
technology can enhance and increase her students' cultural knowledge.
Overcoming challenges
As it moves into a 21st-century learning environment, the main challenge facing
Manheim Central High School—for both teachers and students—is the need to embrace
change. In the past, technology wasn't a priority in the district, and the school
initially struggled to catch up. Manheim hosted a series of parent workshops to
show families the technology their students use at school. Even school administrators
in the district are educating themselves about change and how to make it happen
in this agricultural town. Now, students are more engaged and less shy about responding
in class, and teachers are generating new models for learning.
In the video below Hear Chris Gantz, Manheim Director of Technology, and other Manheim educators,
talk about how the school has overcome initial hesitation and embraced the change that technology brings. Manheim now has a parent portal
and a student information system, and the collaborative academic community is growing.
About the community
Manheim, Pennsylvania, is a town committed to tradition. Technology is not yet part
of life for everyone in Manheim Borough. Yet, as the town grows out of its position
as a traditional farming community, Manheim is feeling the impact of the global
economy. Initiatives at Manheim Central High School include working with the local
community and helping to usher it into the 21st century.
Innovative technology is helping Manheim, Pennsylvania,
embrace change in the 21st century.
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