Mimio at Jefferson School
Muscatine Journal
MUSCATINE, IA – April 18, 2012 -- Jefferson Elementary students in Sarah Manjoine’s kindergarten class take pride in self accountability.
And they have a prime opportunity every day when they come to class and record their own attendance.
Completing that small job is fun and easy, the students said, using an electronic MimioTeach stylus from the Mimio Corp.
The equipment takes a conventional dry erase board and turns it into an interactive board.
The stylus, which resembles a pen, can move text and symbols from one area to another on the board.
In the morning, the students use the stylus to check in and mark themselves present.
“Mrs. Manjoine showed us how to use it,” said kindergartner Corey Shank. “It’s fun.”
On Wednesday, the entire class shared high fives after learning their class had scored a perfect attendance.
Kindergartner Alexys Petersen said using the stylus was a little tricky at first, but she and her fellow students are catching on.
“Sometimes we get to play games with it too,” she said.
Manjoine purchased the stylus and charger set with a $500 Muscatine Community School District Investing in Innovation grant.
The mini grant program invites teachers to apply for money for implementing innovative practices and technologies into the classrooms.
Over the past year, Muscatine High School math teachers Bill Flowers, Judi Amerine and Staci Orr shared a combined grant to purchase Geometry Sketchpad software for $1,600.
The Sketchpad comes with 500 lessons and students and teachers can create more.
West Middle School art teacher Jame Hayes used a $500 grant to purchase digital cameras which allow students to produce stop-motion animation.
Teachers can apply for the grants at the school district website.