Charger News

PLATO: software to strengthen student skills

Spud Flatt, Charger Staff

During our high school years we try to focus on learning how to become successful in whatever we choose to do for a living. It is high school that conditions us for the race of success.

Sometimes, however, we face hurdles that slow us down in the process, and we need a boost to get over the hurdles.

A few years ago, a group of teachers at Cookeville High School saw a need for expansion in the school.

This expansion would be directed toward the school’s need to help struggling students.

They decided to develop the Career Resource Center. Using Carl Perkins vocational funds, the Career Resource Center was started.

Located in the vocational wing, it is supervised by Darlene Hatcher.
The Center is focused on helping vocational students, but is for any student needing assistance in the high school.

Recently, software was installed in the Resource Center’s lab. PLATO, the new software, is designed to help struggling students pinpoint their weaknesses and to put the students back on track.

The PLATO software is a broad-based curriculum that is applicable for kindergartners to seniors in high school. Math, English, reading, science, and social studies are the main subjects offered in the PLATO system, but a number of other studies are offered.

Remeditaion and intervention for the ACT, Gateway, and other assessment tests are included in the PLATO package.

Unlike most of our labs here at CHS, the PLATO lab is outfitted with Dell PC’s. Most of the PLATO software is not available for the Macintosh computers that are so prevalent in the rest of the building.

The PLATO software is a very promising tool for the improvement of student learning. The students who have been fortunate enough to use the system have given PLATO a good review.

PLATO’s main objective is helping the struggling students, but it can benenfit all students.

The system will soon be available for classroom use. The Resource Center will be getting its own server which will allow for entire classes to use PLATO at once.

As technology has advanced with teaching, so has Cookeville High School.

With the new PLATO system CHS is on top of the world of school technology.