Before relocating to the Miami area recently, David and Eda Schottenstein paid a visit to Lubavitch Educational Center—the largest Chabad school in South Florida—as they considered where to enroll their children.
A tour of the school and a meeting with Elementary School Principal, Mrs. Chaya Sara Dalfin, and English Language Arts Director, Mrs. Staci Berry, left the Schottensteins with a positive impression and a strong desire to become involved in the institution’s growth.
“What can we do to make a positive difference in the curriculum and the quality of education the school offers?” was the question the Schottensteins posed.
In response, the principals focused on their long-time desire to technologically upgrade the classrooms, a step that would benefit all students on every level.
The Schottensteins were enthusiastic about the idea, and graciously committed their support, expressing one request—secure the best product available in the area of Learner Response Systems for every student, and provide ongoing support to ensure that the teachers are using them.
Rabbi Menachem Tauber, a teacher who had already some experience using a Smart Board and other technology in the classroom, was given the task of researching the interactive board market and accessories and helped the school find the very best product that would benefit both the Judaic and English departments.
Over the summer, thanks to the combined effort of hard working technicians who installed the boards, and the teaching staff who spent their summer months learning how to use them, 25 classrooms are now fully equipped with the top-of-the-line Promethean Interactive Boards. Each room is also supplied with Activ Expression Clickers for each student.
When asked how the upgrade has affected her class, 4th grade teacher Mrs. Nechama Tauber said,
“Aside from the boards, which make my lessons more visual and exciting, my students love using their Activ Expression Clickers. They add a game-show-like element to lessons and allow all students to participate simultaneously. This is especially helpful for those students who do not frequently raise their hands or who are uncomfortable sharing in front of the whole class.
“The Learning Response Systems gives me immediate feedback from all students and allows me to check frequently for understanding and follow-up to assist children who may be having difficulty. Activ Expressions also enables me and other teachers to create self-paced assessments where students answer a series of questions directly on the device.
“Teachers can track responses during the assessments and export the results to Excel. This technology provides hard data instantly available to help teachers plan and differentiate instruction on the fly. The possibilities of what we can achieve are very exciting.”
Although the change was initially hard for some of the less technologically savvy teachers, with support, training and patience Rabbi Tauber brought all teachers to a level of comfort using the boards, and are learning more techniques and resources to help them engage and educate their students.
The school said the Schottenstiens have truly raised the bar and through their generosity they have made an enormous impact on the education of the over 400 students in LEC Elementary.
Last week Rabbi Benjy Korf held a ceremony to thank the Schottensteins. David Schottensteins spoke to the students and “It’s now up to you to make sure that that the technology is utilized, and we are not done yet, we are already working on our next project, to ensure that every one of you will be computer literate”, The Schottensteins were given a tour of the classrooms and sat and observed two classes using the boards and clickers.
mommy your the best
keep working on it!!!!!!!!!!
love,Racheli Y.
What about zal?????
Everyone saying what about us- well, what about you? Just be happy for others for a change
My children love the boards and clickers. Thank you for enhancing their education.
Thank you to the amazing prinicipals who had the vision and dream of technology in the classrooms and to the schottensteins for making the dreams, a reality.
weres eli and rochele and mendel s.?????????
what about beis chana, the high school? we can definitely make use of these!
Smartboards are great, but for those schools who can’t afford them, it’s worth trying the iPad alternative:
http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/2011/04/can-your-ipad-replace-your-smartboard.html
LEC is simply THE BEST! There is no comparing!
All you have to do is walk the hallways of L.E.C. and hear the excitement happening in every classrooms!! Every child has a clicker to answer questions on the board and every child is focused on what they are learning. Thank you to the Shottenstein family… you’ve made a big difference in the lives of the students at L.E.C. Learning at L.E.C. is truly exciting! Thanks again!
snort. when were you last in BR? I was just there today and they still have good old fashioned blackboards. and I mean BLACK. with chalk. they didn’t even graduate to white boards yet.
I Am pretty sure that Bais Rivka classrooms have this as well
Mrs. Dalfin,
Thank You for all that you do for our childrens Chinuch.
You truly raised the bar!
We appreciate it greatly!
May you be blessed with all the brochos!
Gmar Chasima Tova!
Shottensteins, please continue your support!
Moshiach Now!!!
#12- Government funding only provides a certain number of boards per year and LEC has taken advantage of that. The Schottensteins however provided the additional need of 26 boards with all the clickers for each classroom and extensive training as well. (I am a staff member and sat through it, it was amazing. The training is STILL ongoing). To #14, why would the Schottensteins do anything in Crown Heights? Their children are in school in Miami. There are plenty of people in Crown Heights who can learn from their example and step up to the plate to help their own… Read more »
How wonderful!! May Hashem bless you with only revealed good!
How about helping our kids in CH also for a change???
The school actually has 4 boards that they received from Title 1, but that didn’t provide the training and Response devices that brings this to a whole new dimension.
And the Ipad solution doesn’t solve anything, You mean Ipad for every student, A. Not every school is ready for that jump, and B, the cost would be way over 5000 per class, and here for 5000 you get a board and clickers for every student.
Thank you. The kids love it. I’ve seen it in action. It really brings the lessons alive.
A great investment; making learning fun will truly inspire our youth.
All schools should take note that this technology is also available from government funding. Administrators and board members just need to do their homework….
Wishing all a sweet new year and hoping to see this in all yeshivas to inspire our youth in learning.
Smartboard:$5,000 – $10,000.00
Ipad + Airplay + Projector (or Apple TV): About $600.00
Welcome to the 21st century!
The doors this tool has opened is beyond that imaginable…thank you for providing this for our children. Thank you LEC for always striving for the betterment of our children’s chinuch!
are they in the cards for upgrades…
they should use someone who can pronounce the hebrew words and names properly to do the voice over.
kol hakavod to the shcottensteins
very nice!
Greatful parent
Thank you so much to the Schottensteins for this tremendous enhancement of our children’s education. LEC is a first-rate school and now thanks to your generous contribution will only get better and better. May you go mechayil el chayil and continue to positively affect others. Gmar Chasima Tova.
i think its so cool to have a computer as a blackboard but with todays day thats the first investment to get rid of the classroom and the world will be a bunch of dummies using iphones ipads ipods imacs and soon ipeople
thank you for enhancing our childrens education.