Apple celebrates World Teachers Day, philanthropically

Apple continues to put some of its billions into supporting education and the evolution of tomorrow’s coders, and wanted to make the news on its efforts to mark World Teahchers Day.

Philanthropy for the rest of us?

That the news emerged as Ireland celebrates its Apple-delivered $14 billion tax windfall by announcing investments in community and infrastructure, Apple has published its first ever Education Impact Report, which explains how it spends some of its vast profits on selective investments in community and infrastructure..

The desire that the broadest shoulders should bear the biggest tax burden doesn’t appear to have achieved critical mass quite yet, perhaps because of the relationship between big money and politics.

And yet there’s quite a lot to celebrate in Apple’s latest news and service introductions concerning what it does in education, not least that they were announced on World Teacher’s Day.

What has Apple introduced for teachers?

Perhaps most critically, Apple has expanded its groundbreaking education grant program into 100 new schools and communities, reaching students and teachers across six continents with free grant-funded STEAM programming.

• The company has also published its first-ever Education Impact Report.
• It has made available a substantial collection of free classroom resources to help educators and students embrace creativity, called Everyone Can Create.
• Look out for special World Teachers’ Day-focused collections and offerings across Apple services.

What Apple said

“At Apple, we have always believed in the power of education to open new doors and give people the tools they need to build a better, more equitable world,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.

“We’re inspired by the incredible work coming out of classrooms and communities across the globe, and the myriad of ways Apple products like Mac and iPad empower learners to create and build on their passions,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Education and Enterprise Marketing.

What free resources are available?

Everyone Can Create resources for teachers include quick interactive lesson ideas designed to boost creative thinking. Each activity strengthens essential skills and gets students creating quickly with templates and shareable links.

New Creative Activities include:

• Drawing: Reveal a Constellation
• Photo: Create a Sticker Collage
• Video: See More in Slo-Mo
• Music: Lay Down a Beat

The new Creative Activities are now available in the Apple Education Community, a professional learning hub with more than 1 million members where educators can find inspiration, share resources, and connect with peers. This is now being expanded to 16 new nations. Apple’s free professional learning program, Apple Learning Coach, has also been made more widely available and is now there in eight languages and 15 countries?

How has Apple expanded its education grant program?

The company has expanded its education grant program, an initiative in which the iPhone maker works with schools and nonprofits to offer grants and other hands-on resources to expand access to tech and deliver work and education opportunities. The company has donated millions to 200+ education and community partners, including in Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

As detailed in the newly released Education Impact Report, in the past five years, more than 10,000 teachers have received professional learning opportunities through Apple grants. Over that same time frame, 500,000 students in close to 2,000 schools and communities around the world have engaged in the company’s grant programs. Apple currently supports more than 200 schools and nonprofit organizations — a number that continues to increase.

Celebrating World Teachers’ Day 

The Great Tools for Teachers collection in the App Store highlights classroom and lesson-planning essentials that educators can use to support their work. Apple Music users can listen to a collection of learning-based albums and playlists highlighted throughout the Kids and Family categories; on Apple Books, readers can explore a collection of nonfiction and kids’ books about inspiring educators; and in Podcasts, listeners can find featured shows focusing on conversations by and for educators alongside narratives about education. Apple TV now features a collection of movies and shows that highlight the importance of teachers in the lives of pupils.

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