Day 5: Note Reading Apps

“On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…” TECHNOLOGY 🙂

Usually the fifth day of Christmas is extra special and brings something very exciting. But I have to admit I chose technology as the fifth day more because my students love it, not so much because I do 😉 Don’t get me wrong, my life largely runs on technology, and as I type this I am aware that I am listening to a podcast, typing on a laptop, and checking my notes on my iPad. Technology is everywhere and in our world we have to make conscious efforts to turn it off and set it aside from time to time.

I used to be the teacher that would love to grab the newest note reading app and plug it into our lesson routine. But I have almost entirely eliminated my student’s use of technology during the lesson (besides of course, the online lessons … we are using technology whether we want to or not).

Why is this? Am I seeking to be irrelevant? Quite the contrary actually. I know that most of my students have lots of screen time each day. The pandemic has turned screens into how we run the world. School, work, and even thanksgiving family gatherings have all moved into the tech world. And I am grateful! Technology has allowed me to continue to see my students during unprecedented shutdowns, and I was able to see several family members on Thanksgiving day despite being states away.

Because we are inundated with technology, I have made it a point to teach my lessons as tech-free as possible. Because it is possible to learn and have a good time without all the gadgets!

So why am I including apps in a series of multi-sensory note reading activities if I don’t use them very often in lessons? Because I do suggest my students use these apps at home! If they are going to be spending time on their devices anyway, educational apps are a great way to spend that time 🙂 I encourage you to check these out, use them sparingly in your studio, and share them with your studio families. Chances are, there will be several families who are willing to pay (some are free, with paid upgrades) and download educational games. Gone are the days of the flashcards … repetition through videogames is here to stay!