ATLANTA, GA–(Marketwired – May 10, 2013) – Logical Choice Technologies Inc. (“Logical Choice”), a leading technology solutions company focused on the K20 education market announced today that it has received Five Million of New Investment from Vert Capital Corp for a controlling stake in Logical Choice.

Founded in 1994, Logical Choice Technologies has been recognized for innovation and leadership in education including, “Top Fastest Growing Women-led Companies in North America” as reported by Wall Street Journal and “America’s Fastest Growing Companies” by Inc. 500.

“We are extremely excited about our merger and the infusion of energy, expertise and capital this brings for our employees and customers,” said Cynthia Kaye, CEO of Logical Choice Technologies. “This merger and funding allows us to continue to expand and innovate into new education technologies.”

The education marketplace is undergoing a major transformation with the advent of new technologies and accessibility of personal devices. Logical Choice has developed best-in-class solutions that solve the new challenges created by federal mandates for online testing, 1:1 learning and digital textbooks. Today’s school districts are looking for partners that have the experience and reputation to protect their investment in existing infrastructure and allow interoperability between current classroom tools and new technology initiatives.

Michael Pope, Managing Director of Vert Capital, said, “Logical Choice’s loyal customer base and impressive line of education solutions makes this acquisition an attractive opportunity that marries well with our broader investment objectives. We feel confident that by partnering our knowledge, relationships and capital with Logical Choice, we can continue to achieve great things in education.”

About Logical Choice Technologies:

Logical Choice Technologies is a national technology solutions company for K20 education with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Logical Choice offers solutions to schools that integrate leading brands of mobile devices, Wi-Fi, projectors and other A/V classroom accessories, combined with leading educational publishers and Logical Choice’s proprietary software. Logical Choice also manufactures its own brand of classroom audio systems (AudioGear), its own Logical Choice Alive(R) interactive whiteboard and a popular supplemental reading program, Letters alive(R).

About Vert Capital Corp

Vert Capital Corp is a merchant bank and financial advisory firm that focuses on small and middle market companies worldwide. As a business accelerator, the company provides tailored solutions including corporate development, strategic relationships, M&A expertise and financial capital. Vert Capital invests in businesses across multiple industries that are typically undergoing varying degrees of operational, financial or market-driven change.

Contact:

Chris Barrett

KBC Media

Direct: 917-977-0613

chrisbarrett@kbcmedia.com

Reading Specialist

Let’s get ready to READ!

At the grocery store….

What? Really?  Yep!

I just spent several days talking to Head Start teachers, administrators and parents. We discussed how research tells us good readers make good students.  Good students are more likely to graduate from high school and go on and get additional education.  Students with more education are likely to have a greater income.  We all want that for our kids. So how do we do that? Help our little ones get ready to read. How do we do that?  Go to the grocery store.  We all have to go anyway.

Way before we start talking about letters and sounds and reading, we learn language.  Well duh!  Literacy is just language represented by print.  If children have good language skills, they are more likely to be good readers.  How do we help our preschool learners have great language skill?  We talk, sing, read and verbally interact with them.  All of those fun songs, nursery rhymes and conversations do more than entertain.  They create a foundation to build on with literacy.  The grocery store is a great time to talk about EVERYTHING.  You have to be there anyway and so do the kids.

Before you go, have kids write their own list for the grocery store. Even before they know about letters kids can draw pictures of what they want.  For example, what fruit do you want at the store?  Draw that.  What vegetable?  Draw that.  Or if you are like me and want to set more limits… do you want grapes or bananas today?  Draw that on your list. So much learning happens with this simple activity.  For example, what are fruits, vegetable etc…, and the organization skill of making lists.  Here’s the literacy part.  Pictures are one way to represent ideas.  That later leads to letters being put together to represent words or ideas.

If your child often uses your tablet or smart phone, let them help you make the list.  Bananas need to go on the list.  Bananas…b…b…b starts with b.  I know you are busy.  I know it makes these tasks take a little more time.  It’s totally worth it.  Play the sounds like game in the store.  Bananas start with /b/.  What else sounds like banana at the beginning?  Bagels, butter etc.  Today let’s see how many things start like bananas. The matching game works for so many skills.  For example, bananas are yellow, what else is yellow?

You can do math too!  How many bananas should we get?  Let’s count them.  That starts a whole new set of fun ideas!

I know you’re busy.  Really!  I understand.  That’s why you have to squeeze learning into the tasks you have to do anyway.

Math Specialist

It’s Earth Day!!  Sometimes this day goes under the radar without a chance to truly celebrate at school.  And, when we do, we often implement the same type of activities: recycling, gardening, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, let’s keep pushing forward with these, but it usually keeps all the fun in the Science classroom; this year, let’s spread the love!  Here are a few cross curricular activities that you can do to celebrate Earth Day…and yeah, I know it’s just for a day, but if you need to spread it out over the week, go for it!  Have fun!

1. This week is definitely the day to encourage recycling; maybe focus on recycling one type of thing, like bottles.  Make it a school wide competition, and through the week, you can collect data with tally marks and begin working on a school wide graph (bar or picto, depending on the grade level) to represent how each class is doing!
2. One of my favorites, a little mix of Art.  You don’t want to waste those bottles you’ve collected.  Let’s REUSE!  Give each student a certain amount, in which they must use those bottles, coupled with other “used” items to create something new.  This can be a take home project due at the end of the month!  Of course, display their work!
3. For our older kids (5-8^th grade), Scholastic has a very cool Math Hunt Activity for Earth day; students go online a mission to find the answers to math-related questions about the environment.  Take a minute to check this out: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/activity/earth-day-math-hunt-activity
4. What a great time to read/watch (or maybe both; good compare and contrast) The Lorax.  Combine that with a writing activity, in which the students decide how they would help the Earth, if they were the Lorax.
5. If you don’t use Skype in the Classroom; this is the time to do it!  I’ve heard of classes skyping with NASA Space Scientist; what kid wouldn’t absolutely love this!
6. And what would this day be, without simply planting a flower; whether potted plants that maybe could be used for Mother’s Day (hint, hint), or even a tree on school grounds!

Today is definitely a day to be celebrated!  And the kids will definitely appreciate something a little different from the normal!

By TESS ARNOULT

Reading Specialist

The benefits of praising good behavior are well known.  This also applies to good reading behaviors.  So, why am I writing about this?  Sometimes the obvious gets forgotten.  I was reminded of this during a basic manners class I’m attending with my dog.  Tyler, the instructor, said “Praise the behavior you want, even if it happens by accident.”  That statement made me think about teaching readers.

Praising good reading habits and behaviors of young and early readers will increase those habits.  My friends, that have children learning to read, often ask how they can help their kids.  My answer often surprises them.  Stop correcting every mistake the kid makes when reading.  What?  Seriously?  Yes.  Most adults have very little tolerance for constant criticism when learning a new task.  Why should we expect kids to be different?  We shouldn’t.  So… what is praise worthy?  Here are just a few suggestions.

• Self-correcting = fixing a miscue (reading mistake) without help
• Rereading = going back to the beginning of a sentence to read it again, either to self-correct or figure out a hard word
• Asking a question about vocabulary or comprehension – we want children to be curious, that’s how they learn

I am only putting three suggestions, even though there A LOT MORE.  Why? Because all learners need information is small digestible increments.  When we correct an early reader every time they make a mistake, the feeling of accomplishment is lost.  Reading quits being fun.

Oh… and one more thing… don’t praise a kid for EVERY good behavior either.  Then the praises become meaningless.  Constant interruptions also get in the way of reading comprehension and understanding. I’m sure you all know this already… just like I know I need to praise my dog for sitting instead of jumping on a visitor.  But, it’s good to be reminded.

Math Specialist

This time of year has come again.  Back from a refreshing Spring Break, and now the kiddos have to prepare to take their state’s standardized test.  This is what they’ve been working towards all year, right?  Well, of course as teachers we know better; but, it is an opportunity for our students to show the principals, superintendents…those who make the decisions, what they know!  But with this challenge comes so much fear and stress for most kids.  So, what can we help them do to take control of the situation?

I found this image (I wish I could give credit where it’s due…but it was on Pinterest, without a source), and I thought…what an awesome way to tap into the typical student’s interests, while giving them the tools needed to be successful on any test!  We’d love to hear what cute ways you’ve created…or maybe borrowed…to help your students feel mentally ready!

Once they overcome the fear, we can really begin to implement strategies that will decrease everyone’s stress, teachers included.  Here are a few tips, courtesy of Nell Duke and Ron Ritchhart via Scholastic:

1.       Don’t Skimp on Practice Tests 

Students need as many opportunities to practice testing in the exact environment that they will be in on test day.  Have them take old versions of the same test, actually time them, require complete silence…give them a chance to live the day!  This sets expectations and gives them a chance to practice!

2.       Promote Positive Attitudes about Testing

We all know that attitude definitely affects how well someone does on this type of test.  You’ve been giving them the content knowledge all year long; now is the time to build their confidence!

3.       Deal with Basic Roadblocks

Even though we all, parents included, know how important testing week is, there are always going to be a few issues…that’s life.  As a teacher, we need to prepare ourselves for the student who didn’t have breakfast, the parent who always gets their child to school just a little late, etc.  Have a plan!

4.       Plan a Fun Day-of-Test Activity

There is so much pressure surrounding these tests, it’s important that we give our students a little mental break.  In athletics, we encourage our athletes to take a break the day before, mentally and physically.  We don’t want them to completely clock out, the day before the test, but we can make learning a little more fun!

5.       Look out for Daydreamers

When you are preparing your seating chart, make sure to seat children strategically.  If Sally always stairs out the window and gets lost in her own thoughts, it may be a good idea to have her face something a little less interesting.  But, on the day of the test, make sure you’re walking the room and keeping your students on task.

6.       Talk about Those Last Few Minutes

We always seem to forget to prepare the students for the last few minutes of the test; this is the time that, the student who hasn’t finished, is completely panicked. We can decrease that panicking by giving them a strategy: in the last few minutes of testing, skim and guess.  It’s better to try every question than to leave it completely blank.  And, for those who have been finished for a while, this is an opportunity to double check all of their work as well as their bubbles, to make sure they’ve done everything correctly!

I know the next few weeks will be stressful, but let’s stay focused and get things done!  After the test, it’s always smooth sailing until the end of the year…you can do it!

Math Specialist

How did I spend my Friday night?  Hanging at the office, until 10 pm, with the rest of my team.  Friday was deadline day, which means, no one leaves until all work that’s due is done.   Sounds awful, right?  Quite the contrary.

We had plans to wrap up everything at 7:30.  But, what I’ve started to realize is that, no matter of planning can prepare you for certain issues.  Everything was submitted, every single asset, and as Josh began putting everything together, in the magical programming way he does, certain things just didn’t work as expected.

Unit 6 is all about measurement.  Set in the backdrop of a carnival, kids get the chance to learn all they can about length, height, weight, time, and temperature.  But, you can’t learn much if the games don’t function as they should.  How useful is a game that won’t let you choose the right answer even if you know it? Or what about a game that, even with instructions, is still somewhat confusing?  We ran into both of these issues and even more on Friday night, so we had to spend hours correcting all of the problems that would make the game less than educationally sound and user friendly for kids!

But, we did it!   After a 14 hour work day, we got it done.   And, I can’t describe how proud I am of the team for hanging in there, but also completely impressed and excited by what we have created.   I know, without a doubt, that kids will want to learn all about measurement, and classroom educators will have a different means to teaching a set of skills that is extremely hard to learn. This is just a small piece to the larger picture, but it’s nothing short of fantastic!

I can’t wait to get input from educators, bloggers, and parents!  If you’d like to help, we would love to hear from you!

Reading Specialist

As the weather starts to warm up, are your kids wanting to spend more time outside?  Not surprising. Now is when children are noticing changes going on in nature.  This is a great time to encourage that interest and READ!  What?  Read?  That’s for inside… isn’t it?  Yes and no.

If your children are a bit tired of their current book selection now is the time to get some great nonfiction to freshen things up.  With an increased focus on Common Core comes an increased focus on nonfiction.  We know as adults we read a much higher percentage of nonfiction than fiction.  We also know some of our children are much more interested in nonfiction.  Now is the time to bring nature inside.  Libraries have a great selection of nonfiction books with amazing pictures.

I for one am planning my garden now.  It may still be a few weeks before I can risk planting anything, but the plans are coming together.  If you have similar plans get kids involved.  They can research what plants to buy, what conditions the plants need etc.  Kids are also more likely to eat vegetables they choose and grow themselves.  If you don’t have a place to plant outside, there are lots of indoor choices.  Let the children help you research and decide.    When we allow kids to follow their natural interest in a fun project they learn the value of reading nonfiction.

If gardening and planting don’t get you excited, there are still lots of fun choices.  The love of animals seems to be universal.  Now as the weather warms there are more animals out and about.  The birds that went south are coming back.  The animals that were hiding to keep warm are looking to eat some of those new green plants.  Grab a bunch of books about animals.  Have kids keep a journal about the animals they see.  Make a graph showing how often they see those animals.  There are so many fun ways to enjoy spring and bring the outdoors inside.  What do you love about spring?  Share your passion with your kids.

By JESSICA MARTIN

Math Specialist

By now, most of us have had the time to enjoy the awesomeness of TED.  For free, you can watch some of the coolest videos about Technology, Entertainment, and Design.  Well, at least that’s where the scope started, but now, it’s more of a platform for sharing and spreading new and exciting ideas.  Check it out, if you haven’t already.

But, their focus has expanded, with the birth of TED-Ed, created with educators in mind.  The goal of the website is to create lessons for the classroom that all teachers can access.  Most of these videos were created by collaborations between educators (who create the lessons) and animators (who bring the lesson to life).

So, what makes TED-Ed, so special?  You can, what they call, flip any of the videos they have posted, as well as videos that can be found from YouTube.  How many times have you found a video that you really like, but it’s not quite perfect for use in your classroom?  Well, now you can fix it, making as many changes as you’d like to the lesson, including the video, allowing for customization for your classroom.   

If you want to learn more about TED-Ed, check out this video I flipped to show you the perks of the website: http://ed.ted.com/on/6yYJj5ts#sthash.auRmcpgW.dpuf

Alive Studios Math Specialist

As a company, we focus on preparing our primary babies for the mathematical awesomeness that’s to come….like learning about Pi!  Although this is typically celebrated by older students, there’s no reason why our younger kiddos can’t participate in the fun!  So I’m sharing a few age appropriate activities for our Kindergarten and 1^st grade students and hopefully, you’ve brought in the pie to get them excited about the day!

Give them a brief explanation about Pi, how it relates to circles… and start in on the fun!

1.  Spend today working on fractions with paper plate fractions!  Yes, one paper plate, is “1 whole pie”, and you can cut other plates into halves, thirds, and fourths, so that they can see the connection between parts and wholes.  Get creative: add a little color (making sure to have each set a different color).  Now, let the students create whole pies, by putting the puzzle-type pieces back together to re-make circles.  They can mix and match, as long as one whole is created!  For your more advanced students, you can definitely add 6^th and 8^th pies as well!
2.  Have fun with patterns!  ALL CIRCLE patterns!  With pre-cut circles of all different colors and sizes, let your students work in pairs to create the best possible pattern they can!
3.  Create circle collages.  I know you have different size and color circles left over from the pattern activity!  So use those to let the kids make circle collages.  Allow the students to create any type of picture they would like, with their circles.  Maybe a bear, or a happy face…or maybe just a cool design!
4.  Divide your class into teams, and track their group scores as they compete in a series of Pi Day events.  These events don’t have to be centered around Pi, but can focus on any math skills you have been working on in class!
5.  Couldn’t we make this a school wide event…one in which we give back to the community?  Have each class try to collect 3(.)14 cans of food to give away to a local shelter/food drive.   Of course, the winning classroom can celebrate with a Pizza Pie Party!
6.  To get the students pumped up for what pi really stands for, have them make bead necklaces or bracelets, where each number in pi is represented by a different color!  Or you could just make a class chain out of construction paper!

I know Pi is something way far out in the sky for kids this age, but it’s good to get their minds thinking about what’s to come…and making sure that, if nothing else, they understand the basics, like what a circle is, and all of the fun things you can do with a circle!  I hope you have a Pi-tastic day!

Math Specialist

Technology is literally changing everyday; some smart brainiac is pecking away at his computer, figuring out the next best thing.  I absolutely love the constant changes; it speaks to where our society really is in the 21^st century!  And, at this point, our kids expect to see the constant change!  Although it took a while, we are finally starting to see these cool technologies pop up in the classroom…

By now, you’re no stranger to the world of Augmented Reality.  But, only a year ago, I hadn’t even heard of it.  The most basic explanation of Augmented Reality, for those who don’t know, is 3D without the glasses.  And, I’ve seen it used in a lot of cool ways, but very rarely in the classroom.  Well, Math alive is dealing with this issue head on!

Not only will you see the fun games to reteach topics, in Math alive, students will have the opportunity to completely interact with the program.  It comes with a set of 64 cards, and those cards, combined with the built-in camera on your tablet, make for a very cool way to learn about numbers and shapes, for example!

The constant question: why Augmented Reality…couldn’t the kids learn the content just with basic tablet technology?  Well, they could.  But, Augmented Reality has a lot of perks, especially for our early learners.  The idea of seeing something 3D is just super cool to kiddos.  It’s why parents will pay 11$ /person for a 3D movie; at the end of all of it, your kid is going to be super excited and will remember that for a long time to come.  Translate that to education: you get them pulled in by the coolness factor, but then you have the opportunity to keep their attention and impart knowledge in a way that is simply much more memorable.  Then, when little Johnny is trying to recall the information, he will remember the cool animals floating in space.

The other reason, well, we want to make sure that we are reaching all types of learners with Math alive.  We have the pencil/paper activities for the student who must write things down to retain the information, we have video games for the child who must be entertained with constant changes, there is Augmented Reality for the kiddo who is a tactile learner and needs the cards to relate to the content or even the spatial learner who has to see those 3D shapes in space.  Math alive seeks to give everystudent an opportunity to learn!

And for the non believers, take a sneak peak below of how we are using Augmented Reality right now, but please know, there is much more to come…