Students in the Mount Airy City Schools are finally jealous of their teachers, at least for the time being.

This week, 58 teachers working with fifth through ninth graders in the school system are receiving MacBooks and iPod Touches during a training session.

As part of Project iLearn, students in those grades will get iPod Touches to use during classes. The teachers are the first to receive the items so they can learn how to use the technology before it gets into the hands of students. They will undergo additional training during the weeks of March 1 through 4 and March 22 through 25.

For the teachers, learning how to use this new technology is exciting and they cannot wait to take it back to their classrooms and use it with the students.

“It is absolutely amazing,” said Shelli Owens. “We’re bored with textbooks, too.”

“The kids now are so stimulated it’s hard to keep their attention. This will force them to be zoned in,” said Donna Jarrell.

The teachers are already thinking about how they can implement the new technology into their classrooms. With all of the applications available, many of which are free, the possibilities appear to be limitless. Teachers will also have access to laptop carts for their students to use.

“The apps that are available on my end will allow me to assign my students a piece of music, load it onto their iPods and have them work on their individual parts at home,” said Bob Chilton, music teacher. “This will provide me with more class time. I’m always running out of time in the classroom.”

The teachers are excited about the possibilities it will provide and what it will do in getting the students interested in learning. However, they all know that the new technology will not completely replace the old, meaning pencil and paper will not go by the wayside. They do believe that by using this type of technology and allowing students to explore more information they can teach higher level thinking skills which will get the students farther in their education.

Many of the programs on the MacBooks, including its ability to read aloud everything on the screen, switch to sticky key mode which allows students to type one-handed and even cater to hear-impaired students and those with more severe disabilities, which will mean students can be on a more level playing field. It also makes it easier for teachers to cater to individual students’ needs.

“I love it, because I’m an exceptional children teacher so I have to differentiate instruction for all of them,” said Jarrell.

“I teach gifted students so I have to differentiate my instruction as well in order to challenge the students,” said Owens.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.