High-tech vs. no-tech... Which is best?

Sitting down on Sunday morning to read the Washington Post I was pleased to see an education issue made the front page. The article delves into the differences between two schools that I have worked with during my time at Latino Student Fund, Flint Hill School and Washington Waldorf School. The schools take dramatically different approaches to classroom instruction and the use of technology during class time. As a former teacher, I can speak first hand about the convenience of a "connected" classroom. Video and audio clips can support different learning styles. Resources become endless, almost overwhelming, and teachers can select materials that specifically address the needs of their students. While teaching content-based English in rural Mexico, the internet was my greatest resource. The school's limited English materials often left me with limited options for scaffolding lessons, an absolute necessity for an English as a Second Language instructor.

With that said, the spotty internet connection often forced me and my students to take a more traditional approach. I couldn't always depend on technology to pull me through with a lesson plan. As the article insinuates, kids get bored when they are expected to do the same activity for an extended period of time. Switching things up is vital to classroom management, student engagement, and consequently, student learning. In hindsight, limited access to technology made my lessons more creative, more group focused, and more student-centered. I'm not sure which approach to technology is more effective to student learning and development in the world today. I am a strong believer that every child has their own learner profile and will respond to instruction styles in different ways. Ultimately, a parent should know their child well enough to make the call when deciding which school's philosophy will best meet their child's learning needs. There is a strong case for why building a foundation of knowledge in technology is relevant and useful in the world today. But... I'm still grateful for the hands-on (real paint, muddy mud, squirming bugs) experience that I had as a student. What's your opinion? I encourage you to read the Washington Post article and weigh in.

Thanks for Reading the LSF Perspectives Blog!

Welcome to the LSF Perspectives blog! We are excited to share what's been going on at the Latino Student Fund. We are proud to serve Latino families around the Washington, DC through our four primary educational programs. Here is an overview of our programs.

Saturday Morning Tutoring Program

The LSF Tutoring Program was established in 1998. It provides free academic support through individualized tutoring for Latino students from the Washington, DC Metropolitan area in all areas of academic learning. Each student is tutored individually with a tutor who will ideally work with them throughout the school year. For parents and family members of students enrolled in the Tutoring Program the LSF offers two levels of ESL classes.

Scholars Program

The LSF provides financial aid and education-related support through our Scholars Program. For the upcoming academic year, the LSF will support over 90 students in grades PreK-12, representing over $100,000 in supplemental financial support. The Scholars Program includes mentoring, workshops on higher education, and support for students and their families. The small stipends that we provide are supplemented by a series of workshops designed for family networking and to prepare students and their families for the future. Though our stipends are small, they are often the ‘make or break’ money for parents to be able to enroll their children in private or parochial school and frequently cover such additional expenses as books, activity fees, and uniforms.

Access Program: Independent & Parochial School Admissions 

The Latino Student Fund is dedicated to empowering Latino families as they explore their children’s PreK-12th grade educational options. We are committed to working with independent and parochial schools throughout the DC Metro area to provide a foundation of knowledge about the application process, financial aid and school program offerings so that families are able to make the most informed decision about how and where to send their children to school. The Access program will address the needs of Latino families interested in Independent & Parochial education with guidance in topics such as application assistance, interview basics, student entrance testing and general counseling.

LISTO College Preparation Program/SAT Prep Courses

“LISTO: A College Prep Course for Latino High School Students” is a new program of the Latino Student Fund that was developed in response to increasing educational needs for our fastest growing demographic that has the greatest lag in high school and college completion rates. Today, the college-going rate for Latino high school graduates is 37% and around half of Hispanics enrolled in college are the first in their family to pursue higher education. Financial aid and scholarships are crucial for many Latino students, but on average, they receive lower amounts of aid of compared to any other racial or ethnic group. LISTO seeks to remove common barriers to higher education by increasing college readiness and helping Latino students and their families navigate the complex college admission and financial aid process.

To find out more about these and other LSF program offerings and events, visit us at www.latinostudentfund.org. Be sure to check back often to see what's going on. Thanks for reading LSF Perspectives!