IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Fall 2017 | Page 21

Education
Live streaming enables students to
have face-to-face contact with students, teachers, community
leaders and industry experts like never before. Visualization
is a proven tool for success, as teachers on the other end are
able to demonstrate lessons instead of simply lecturing. This is
exceedingly helpful in the matter of virtual learning. Instead of
teachers working through chat, they have the opportunity to
talk directly to their students, allowing for a more personalized
experience for online learning.
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
The idea of community schools was born with the thought
of a school becoming the center of a community, instead of
just a place located within it. A community school is built on
partnerships between schools and other community resources
and focuses on academics, social services, and youth and
community development with the goal of being a hub for
students, teachers, parents and community leaders to come
together to provide support and opportunities to one another.
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS OFFER:
• Engaging Instruction – Community schools provide
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real-world learning and problem solving opportunities
for students both within and outside of the classroom.
Instruction goes beyond the teachers, encouraging students
to engage with community leaders, local businesses and
other public organizations.
Expanded Learning Opportunities – Community schools,
which are typically open 24/7/365, offer and encourage
students to pursue both academic and non-academic success
by enhanced opportunities to learn and grow.
College, Career and Citizenship – Whether this is readiness
for college, technical school, or simply to entering the
workforce, community schools focus on ensuring that
students are comfortable and confident after graduation to
become engaged members of society.
Health and Social Support – A strong community starts
with healthy members. Ensuring mental and physical well-
being is a high priority in community schools.
Community Engagement – Community schools are run by
a collective number of teachers, community organizations
and other stakeholders that monitor and grow the well-being
of the entire community.
Early Childhood Development – Community schools focus
on ensuring that high-quality early learners enter school with
confidence and readiness to learn.
Family Engagement – Community schools offer critical
support for family growth and development through
activities to increase family engagement.
Join us for
Penn State Day
Fall Open House
Tuesday, October 17  5:30 p.m.
Call today to reserve your spot
412-675-9010
greaterallegheny.psu.edu
• Youth Development Activities – Students are
given the opportunity to engage in hobbies
outside of the classroom for the chance to
find out what makes them excited to learn.
TEACHING THE FUTURE
Teachers are tasked every day with
correcting spelling tests, entering grades,
writing lesson plans, and now with
integrating technology along the way. They
would be doing their students a disservice if
they choose to ignore the fact that technology
has become woven into our daily lives, but they
are taking cautious steps to ensure that they are
using and teaching technology in a beneficial way. Doing so provides
students with a fundamental approach to utilizing technology to
increase productivity, access resources and to lay the groundwork for
use in their future careers. Teachers continue to learn and grow through
continuing education courses that allow them to integrate new methods
for incorporating technology in the classroom to ultimately guide our
students to a successful future.
Providing students with access to technology in a structured
setting provides them with the freedom to individually learn and
discover solutions to real-world problems and prepare them for the
future. Students have a paved path to achieve success with the help of
cooperative, communal workspaces, online portals that encourage cross-
collaboration, and support from their teachers, peers and parents. ■
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