Thanks to Knight Foundation, OLPC will be providing laptops and training to over 2,500 teachers and students in Charlotte’s Project L.I.F.T. Zone.
Initial Teacher Training: August 14 and 15, 2012
On the morning of August 14, OLPC staff members and support personnel embarked upon three school sites to provide training and development to nearly 150 teachers from seven school sites. OLPC was greeted warmly and the positive energy was contagious; teachers were eager to get their laptops and to begin exploring right away. It was a thrill to see teachers dive right in opening laptops, exploring new Activities and “friending†one another. The first day, trainers focused on OLPC’s learning principles and project goals. Teachers learned about our work around the world, the theory of Constructionism and the benefits of the SugarLearning Platform. It was a meaningful session of exploration and collaborative learning. By day’s end, teachers were able to present their Portfolios and talk about the various projects they created in Sugar. 
Day two of training was dedicated to curriculum alignment and ways to incorporate XO laptops into daily classroom routines. Teachers were given strategies for implementation and some spent time sharing ways that these machines could transform their classroom cultures. In the afternoon, teachers worked in grade level groups to create aligned lesson plans using Sugar Activities and Common Core State Standards. North Carolina is one of 45 states that has adopted Common Core, a comprehensive K-12 curriculum thatemphasizes 21st century learningskills and real world application of content. Community leaders, administrators and teachers all believe that these laptops are one tool that will position their students for success in the global economy.
As we closed day two, teachers were given an opportunity to share their lesson plans and discuss the many new options that the XO laptops provide. Student engagement and collaboration will take on a new meaning in the 2012-2013 academic year.
Check back frequently for how OLPC is doing their part to L.I.F.T. up Charlotte’s West Corridor!
Teachers and support staff are currently creating aligned lessons using various Sugar Activities. Follow OLPC_CLT for updates on when these these tools will be made available.
I’m very interested in hearing about the ways the Charlotte educators found to use the OLPC and Sugar with the new Common Core Curriculum. Teachers in so many states are feeling overwhelmed by these new requirements. Knowing how to use Sugar to help, if they are lucky enough to have access to XOs, would be a big help. Is the info available online? If not, perhaps someone could make it available.