Devices and Apps as Tools in Education

At Millbrook Andrea loved working at the zoo, traversing up into the canopy walkway, and researching in the wetlands, and here she fell in love with science. After graduating from Union College (with a major in anthropology and minor in biology), she joined the Peace Corps and served in Jamaica for two years, teaching environmental science to students in pre-school through grade 6. Teaching became her passion, and she enrolled at George Washington University in D.C., graduating with a master’s degree in transition special education. When a position opened at Stoneleigh-Burnham School in 2011, Andrea applied and was hired as the director of their academic center and teacher in both the math and science departments, and she transitioned to teaching Algebra I and 8th-grade science full time in 2013. In 2012 Andrea led the development of Stoneleigh-Burnhams’ 1-to-1 iPad program, which requires students to utilize an iPad in their daily school work. There is now far less reliance on textbooks, and thus students no longer struggle to lug heavy books around campus. The overall expense of book purchases for families has also been greatly reduced. Over a three-year process, all students were equipped with iPads that include the apps they need to use in classes.