Chris Walters

I have removed the names to protect the innocent, but this is an actual email from my son’s 3rd grade teacher.  My son’s teacher sends several emails each week on various topics.  We love her dedication and commitment to educating our children and also going above and beyond with helpful information about technology and outside learning tools.

Thank you Ms. L for all you do!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Parents,

I’ve talked to a couple of you about the use of educational apps on the iPhone or iPod touch. If you are interested, our technology specialist sent us a list of educational apps she found that can be used by elementary sutdents. All of these apps are free and the math ones are a great way for students to practice math skills with their iPod..have fun!

<Son’s 3rd Grade Teacher’s name was here>

3rd Grade Teacher

……. This is forward from our school districts head of technology:

Parents may be asking for apps to use on their phones with their children. Here is a list of free, fun, and educational iPhone Apps. Below list is a little research that I found interesting concerning cell phone use and children.
3D Brain
ABC Phonics Animals Lite Free
Balloonimals Lite
Brain Blaze Add
Brain Blaze Divide
Brain Blaze Multiply
Brain Blaze Subtract
Brain Blaze WhichWord
Convert Units for Free
Daily History
Dictionary.com
Doodle Buddy
Dragon Dictation
Dragon Search
Evernote
iDaily
iPDF
Learn Stocks
Masterpiece Art
Math Drills Lite
NASA App
Shakespeare: Macbeth
Word Spy – Free

………. some very interesting facts:

Kids, Parents, and Cell Phones

• The average 13 to 17-year-old sends 2000 text messages a month!
• The average age to first own a cell phone is between 9 and 10.
• The average age to borrow a cell phone is 8.
• By age 12, fully three-fourths of all children have their own mobile phone.
• Parental use of advanced data services mirrors that of their tween kids. If their children text, then 80% of parents will text as well.
• Nearly 60% of parents of cell phone-owing kids have forbidden downloads of games, ringtones, and videos, the extra items that often incur a charge.

An article you might be interested in:

SUMMARY: When is a phone not a phone? In the hands of children and tweens, today’s cell phones are primarily used as text messaging devices, cameras, gaming consoles, video viewers, MP3 players, and incidentally, as mobile phones via the speaker capability so their friends can chime in on the call. Parents are getting dialed in to the social media phenomenon and beginning to understand—and limit—how children use new media. link

<name was here>
Campus Instructional Technologist

CW