Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Appnoxious

I am feeling very appnoxious today. I am drooling over a few new apps. Due to a recent fraudulent use of one of our cards I don't want to add money to my account right now... Someone used our Paypal card (which is tied to our bank account) to order things from Apple, including, apparently a $100 itunes card. I am hoping to wait until it's all straightened out or I can buy another gift card (in my usual $10 or $15 dollar denominations from Fred Meyers.)

I talked with a parent tonight about how awesome iPads are in the hands of young children. I am becoming more sold on an AppleWorld as I have my students use them more and more. I have 11 now for my class of 23 students, so I've been having half use the iPads while I work with the other half, or with one student while the others are doing a project. It is amazing how excited they are to use them to practice sight words and math skills. In the mornings I have let them choose from books on the iPads or the reading and math apps I have placed on the dock.

For anyone new to this blog, I use the dock for apps that meet my criteria of a teaching tool.

*Teaching tools should improve traditional learning activities by:
1.)  saving time, because we never have enough educational time, or prep time.
2.)  allow for differentiation to meet each child's learning needs.
3.)  motivating reluctant learners.
4.)  make learning fun.

These are apps that, if anyone were to come in and say that my learning time was wasted on apps, I could laugh and then show exactly how the apps are sometimes the best use of learning time, when it's just me and 23 kids of various levels and with challenging behaviors.

I would swear that the iPads have saved my sanity this year. So, I am sorry if I come across a little appnoxious... It's just that until I can clone myself and hire a personal and classroom assistant I never want to be/teach without my iPads or the awesome apps on it ever again.

4 comments:

  1. Hi! New to your blog and just curious as to what kind of case/protection you use on the iPads.
    Also, do you use the iPads at all for assessment?
    Thanks, keep writing! Loving all your ideas :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Melanie, Thank you!

    For protection of the ipads I like a portfolio style cover. It also protects the edges and helps absorb shock when dropped. It protects the front and back, and makes it easy to walk around with, as most have a little sleeve your hand fits into.

    I DO NOT recommend the smart cover for the iPad2. I am an easy sell and fell for the beautiful ads when the cover came out. My husband ordered me one and it took me about 20 minutes to realize I hated it. It flops around, pulls off too easy (a dropped iPad is not good thing), doesn't protect the back, etc.

    iLuv sells an inexpensive neoprene case for carrying inside a purse or briefcase. I am going to be buying a portfolio with bluetooth keyboard for my personal iPad since I use it much more than my computer now.

    For classroom iPad2 I bought this cover (iPearl Leather Carrying Folia Cover Case for iPad 2, with Built-in Stand, hand strap and Touch Screen Stylus Pen for all 2nd Generation iPad 2 Tablets) from Amazon (free shipping!) for about $15. I like it a lot for price, my students like the stylus.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oops hit post before I remembered your second question.

    I have used the iPad for informal assessments mostly. I find it a good way to observe and record while students work on the iPad- they don't pay attention to you!

    I use a note taking app with audio recording when I do reading records- that way I can listen to the child's reading later if needed (or even play it during a conference).

    For most assessments I use ESGI software, which can be administered with the iPad or a computer.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks so much for your reply.

    I am going to look into the cover you suggested. I was thinking of investing in an Otterbox (we just have one iPad2 that we were given for our classroom, so I would only have to buy one) - but though their other products are great, I have been hearing not so great things about the one they have for the iPad2.

    I love the idea of using an audio recorder for reading records. Simple, but smart!

    ReplyDelete

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