Apple Classroom to Support Classroom Culture

This year, a new Apple program has emerged in Ida Crown’s classrooms called Apple Classroom. Through this app, teachers can see and control what students are doing on their iPads during class. Teachers have the ability to lock iPad screens when students are not be doing what they’re supposed to be doing during a lecture.

The first ICJA teacher to implement this program was Mrs. Chavee Gottlieb, who tried it out last year on her chemistry classes. She had heard about the program from Rabbi Binyomin Segal and wanted to see how it worked practically in a classroom setting. The results were overall successful. “Rabbi Matanky asked me to present the program and how it works at a teacher meeting at the end of last year,” Mrs. Gottlieb recalls. Now, at least three more teachers, including Mrs. Arons, Ms. Sennett and Mr. Cooper, are using the program in their classrooms and are very pleased with their results.

Ayden Allswang, a current sophomore in Mrs. Gottlieb’s Chemistry class, said,“I think it’s a logical app and why it’s used makes sense [because so many students misuse their iPads].”

Junior Max Miller, however, is uncomfortable with the program. “Apple classroom is a violation of students’ privacy,” says Miller. “I’m uncomfortable with the fact that teachers can always see what I am doing–it gives me a weird feeling.”

Mrs. Arons, a new Apple Classroom user, is a firm believer that her role as a teacher is to teach her students to “treat technology as a tool, not a crutch” in their learning. “Lots of people are easily distracted [by technology]… the filtration and focusing [that Apple Classroom offers] helps to make my classroom a safe haven.” Mrs. Arons claims that Apple Classroom helps her be able to tell when students are behind: “I can see how long it takes for a student to do a grammar lesson, and from there I can help the kids learn better.”

Mr. Cooper also implemented Apple Classroom into his classes this year. His goal is to “make sure technology is an advantage [to his students] while also maintaining control over the distracting elements of technology. I just can’t compete with Candy Crush.”

This article by Bayli Alter was posted with permission from The Crown Prints newspaper staff.