In a world where technology is intertwined with most of what occurs daily in our lives, it becomes our job as educators to balance the benefits of technology with experiential, hands-on learning and ‘people skills.’ We continuously revisit our focus on understanding the developmental readiness of our students to use and apply technology in the most optimal manner, while selecting the best technology to serve as a tool for your children to communicate, creatively design and expand existing thoughts. Regardless of how technology is applied at varying age levels at Cushman, reflecting upon how to embrace technology without sacrificing high touch is always at the forefront; preserving childhood and teen-hood is our aim.
As you may know, we have an incredibly brilliant Tech Team that works unceasingly to ensure the many hundreds of devices that are in the classrooms and hands of our students, faculty and staff provide the most robust platforms to achieve our aims. It is exciting to witness how our addition of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools is enlivening curriculum experiences for your children and brings to life concepts that were once difficult to grasp.
Additionally, all of these technologies aid students in communicating their ideas through various formats. These are some of the wonderful benefits of technology; however, we never lose sight on the importance of our ‘human bond’ with your children. I know you’d agree that it is becoming ever more important today to imbue children with a strong sense of self and the interpersonal skills that set them apart from all others. This requires your children to learn how to become more ‘present in the moment’ without the functions of their cell phones and other media so they can continue to practice these life-long skills. It also requires more experiences which provide practice in applying ‘manners’, negotiating, problem-solving with others, and collaborating in real-time. We ensure that the Cushman Experience is all-encompassing so your children can enjoy a life well-lived.
While there are so many wonderful technologies available to enhance programming today, we also look to the newest advances in technology to help us ensure our students’ childhood is preserved while keeping them as safe as possible. With the very generous donation and guidance of ITContingency, we’ve implemented additional security systems to reach our aim. While we regretfully live in a time where tragic school events occur, we remain proactive in our quest to keep your children and our community out of harm’s way. The most recent addition to our security measures was put into place this summer. This state-of-the-art system designed for Cushman detects a gun being drawn even if a shot has not been fired. Please feel free to read this recent article that refers to this technology and, when doing so, know that we will always remain on the leading edge in ensuring the well-being of your children.
– Arvi Balseiro