Digital Natives have taken over!

Last year, in December I posted my first blog... I thought I'd reread it tonight and decided to repost it.  (Does that break some cardinal rule of blogging?) New stuff appears at the end-I promise!

From 12/16/2010---Digital natives are taking over my classroom!

My students, all 25 of them this year- active and loud, quiet and mild, boys and girls... LOVE technology. They are truly "digital natives." They do not shy away from new experiences- in fact they beg to be the first to try! When I run into a problem- and there is almost always going to be a problem with something when you have 25 bodies watching and waiting on you- they are often the ones to help ME figure out the problem.

My husband is the "computer guy" for our district. I was on the internet back when it first started up... and I am not THAT old, but it makes me feel ancient. So much is changing in our fast paced digital world that even a self-professed tech lover like me married to a techie feels lost facing new technology. Recently I was faced with using an iPad for the first time. I clearly recall the uncertainty and feeling of stupidity I felt not knowing how to work the thing. I couldn't figure out how to close the "apps." I know you might feel the same way when facing newfangled technology- so I hope this blog can be a little help to you. And I hope you'll share your experiences with me.

My reward for being the most tech-savy (or most gullible) teacher in our elementary building is that I often request and get new technology first. Our tech goals included starting to use interactive whiteboards... which of course arrived just days before school started. So I jumped in using it the first days of school and had lots of "uh- what do I do now?" moments. One day when it just WOULDN'T work and I really, really, really needed it to- my students began to threaten revolt- a 5 year old said to me- "I think it's unplugged Mrs. H."

Teaching with Technology Rule Number 1. ALWAYS check the power cords first.

Computer Tech's- even when they have to come because they are married to you- DO NOT like being rushed down to "fix" a problem that involves an unplugged cord. And, don't forget- cords usually hook up to the wall & the machine. Check both before you call for help!

Why are today's children "technology natives?" You and I (assuming you are in your 20's at least!) grew up along with the current technology. Today's kids are born into a technological world. For adults, computerese is like a second language- for the little munchkins I teach- it is natural and normal.

So, in my classroom I capture the minds of my little ones through any means possible- and increasingly, through the use of technology. Some teachers resist technology, saying "They need a break from being "entertained" and that the old instructional methods work just fine."

Consider- a few decades ago microwaves were new technology. Is there a house without one on your block? Would you not use your microwave because it doesn't cook the way people did for generations?

A hundred years ago, cars were new. Unless you have an Amish community nearby I doubt you know anyone who doesn't use a vehicle of some type to get around.

I am committed to staying current to meet the needs of my learners. Are you?

A year later... I feel like I have conquered iPads, Macs, and apps.  I have mastered the interactive whiteboard- well, at least when it's plugged in!  I haven't been posting like mad on here because I feel like everything I've been doing is old news.  It helps me to realize that while it's old to me, it's not necessarily to you, dear reader.  Since moving to my current school I've had an in-class tv/vhs/dvd, a document camera, a projector, a desktop or laptop, and access to a computer lab or a few computers for student use.  Most recently I have had a Macbook, an iPad2, 1:1 student iPad1's, the interactive whiteboard, a rolling cart of Macbooks (shared with 5 other classes) and now a new iMac lab in the library. I LOVE love love the technologies I am blessed with in my district.  I know they make my job easier in as many ways as they complicate it.  I find new ways to use those technologies frequently.  

Some of the more exciting ways to use technology MOST teachers have access to I've found in the unlikeliest of places: Twitter.  I was having a hard time remembering when I discovered the power of Twitter so I looked back on my tweets and my first one was 1/14/11- I gave a shout out to Darla Wood-Walters, a conference speaker I was enjoying that day.  At the same time I was getting involved with Mobile2011 and I think I started my tweeting because of their site... thanks Tony Vincent and Katherine Burdick!  My first posts were clunky- I had no idea what to do!  I played around (what better way to start) on Twitter from January-August and then it happened... I met #kinderchat  

For those unfamiliar with Twitter there are 3 key components: #,@,140.  You have the #hashtag... this is a way to help others find your posts regarding a certain topic or to emphasize sometimes.  For example #kinderchat is a search term you can use to find posts by other Kindergarten teachers on twitter- we even have a weekly meeting (Mon@9ET), a wiki (and THAT'S another blog for another day!), and many collaborative projects.  You can do a search for #kindergarten #teaching #edchat #spedchat #pukealert (ok, K teacher humor!) and pretty much anything you can think of.  Twitter can be entertainment, a waste of time, social networking at it's worst- or you can use it as a tool to reach out and connect with like minded individuals, professionals, around the world.  I don't follow any celebrities- although I am thrilled to follow @tonyvincent (of www.learninginhand.com and www.mobile2012.org) @gailandjoan (The Daily 5 and CAFE authors) and @matt_gomez @bluskyz @happycampergirl @mathmurd @hecternacht (of #kinderchat fame) to name a few.  The @ sign is your way of saying "hey, Sue!" in the Twitter world if you @i_teach_k I will get a notification that you wrote to me.  Thanks, in advance by the way.  It's a way to get specific people in on your conversation.  Otherwise you only broadcast to your followers.  I only follow K teachers, some K/ECE related companies (@sesamestreet @pbsteachers @literacycounts @naeyc) and a handful of others.  I don't want a lot of junk posts in my box... it's too much to wade through.  Lastly, 140 refers to how many characters you have to use in one post.  That includes spaces and punctuation!  Which is why Twitter may be responsible for eliminating the 2 spaces after a period rule, amongst other writing/grammar rules.  [Hi, my name is Sue and I have taught kindergarten for 6 years. I have been married for 10 years and I have three children; 9, 8, and 3. See?]  [140 characters].  It's a blessing and a curse.  You have to be concise.  You only need a moment to grasp the gist of the tweet.  You HAVE to be concise.  You only have 140 characters to make your point. As the queen of run on sentences this has been a challenge for me.

If you have internet and an email address you can tweet.  More importantly, you can follow.  If you choose wisely, you can follow inspiring educators and create the best, free, and convenient Professional Development or Professional Learning Network that you can find.  Start here http://www.cybraryman.com/edhashtags.html for a list of educational hashtags or this page which has A LOT of info about Twitter http://www.cybraryman.com/twitter.html 

I promise to post soon about how Twitter has changed my classroom this year... for the students, my teaching methods, and even my attitude towards teaching K.  Through #kinderchat I have found amazing ways to connect with kindergarteners and their teachers from around the world.  I have an easy, interactive way to communicate with families.  My students have meaningful reasons to read and write DAILY and so much more.  Today I heard the voices of several teachers I've been talking with on Twitter since August for the first time.  It was amazing...  I never would have met these people in WA, or even at a K conference.  Nor would I have found so many ways to integrate technology into the classroom so easily, naturally, MEANINGFULLY and engage and excite my students at the same time.  So, I repeat, yes, for the third time...

I am committed to staying current to meet the needs of my learners. Are you?

How do you stay current?  Get new ideas?  Mentor and share your knowledge?  My answer: @i_teach_k anddigitalkindergarten.blogspot.com

A few answers to comments

First of all, I appreciate questions and comments...  I will try to get to them as soon as I can; sometime my job and family interfere with my bloglife :)

How much time do the kids spend with the iPads...  tough question because it varies from day to day depending on our schedule and my lessons.  Some lessons the iPad fits in perfectly, sometimes we don't need it.  It also varies from kids to kid, some get on it every chance they get, while others choose more traditional materials when given the option.  Typically though they might use them in the morning: about 20 on the dock/books (but they also write/read if they want instead).  During literacy lessons, as a whiteboard, maybe 10 minutes.  Morning choice-time varies in length, about 20 minutes (many kids choose playdough, legos, writing/crafting, etc instead.)  Reading groups from 5-10 minutes, Math as a whiteboard or practicing a skill, 10 minutes but not every day. PM choice about 25 minutes possible but again they may choose other play choices.  About and hour and a half MAYBE, if they get to school at 8 and use it every chance they get, plus structured uses.  I think 45 minutes would be more realistic on normal days. 

Logistics of using the iPads:  Big question, because how much detail do you want? A site I used a lot in the beginning was Tony Vincent's Learning in Hand.  Super good "do's and don'ts for schools."
Currently I have a Datamation Storage Cart; it's good for security, but if you don't worry about them being stolen- which has happened to some schools- it is a very expensive option.  A good storage shelf and a couple of power strips can store and charge your iPads adequately.  I charge them usually on Wednesday and Friday.  I can go a week on light use, but to guarantee they are ready I try to charge on W/F consistently.

Maintenece: Not much is needed except for syncing.  Once you upgrade to ios5 you don't need to sync to computer any more.  Occasionally an app will freeze up or the iPad will act funny; restarting by holding down the power and home buttons at the same time until the apple appears helps solve MOST issues.  My colleague has some glitches on her class iPads but I haven't experienced those same issues. I think they might have been caused by some set up options. 

Having 1:1 iPads has taken some of the "shine" off the iPads- this years group accepts them as status quo- last years group was in awe and since they had to share them for the most part they treated them better than the high school kids.  This years' group is slightly more careless- they are still good with them but sometimes forget how fragile they can be.  Some rules I insist on: you must be sitting or laying doen to play- no walking.  Hold like a library book- hug to your chest with a hand on the bottom and another on the side.  No leaving them on the floor.  Always push the home button and cover when putting them away. 

I turn off the option to delete apps; or you can teach your kids the shaking app with an X is BAD.  They should ALWAYS push the home button if that happens. 

You should be very careful which apps you load and use regularly.  There are some great free and paid apps and there are some abysmal apps- both free and paid.  Apps with adds are not good- the kids click on them accidentally and go to some random internet site.  Some ads are inappropriate for kids too.  Be sure to read descriptions carefully and look at ratings.  Unless it's free and fits a need perfectly I don't download apps with less than a 3 star rating.

Ok, falling asleep now.. I will try to answer more soon

1:1 iPad use in Full Day Kindergarten

Practicing ABC's in reading group.

Background 

This is the first year of 1:1 iPads in my kindergarten classroom.  In October 2010 I received one to use with my class of 26, and by the end of May 2011 I had 11 and my class had dropped down to 22 children.  I absolutely loved that half the class could be working on the iPads completely independently, at various levels, while I worked with the other half of the kids.  The ability level of the children in last years class was more varied than typical.  The iPads were a life saver for me and allowed a greater level of differentiation than I could have done on my own- definitely to the benefit of the children.

I begged and pleaded until I was assured I would most likely have a class set of iPads for the 2011-2012 school year.  Sure enough, I started with 20 iPads for the 20 kids enrolled in my full day kindergarten class.  They are the original iPads, hand me downs from the high school- they upgraded to iPad2's this year.  Beggars can't be choosers though so I tried not to whine too much about the cameras I had hoped to have.

Getting started

So excited to use the iPads!

On the fourth day of school I introduced iPads to my class of 20 kindergartners.  They had seen me syncing the devices in the back of the room and were quite excited to get their hands on them.  I had planned on introducing the iPads in small groups, but changed my mind at the last minute for reasons I can't remember.  I had the children sit in a circle and demonstrated some of the apps briefly and then gave them time to explore the iPads.  Very little support was needed and they were instantly absorbed.  One child already had an iPad at home so he was a good resource to the other students.

At the end of the day several kids started to put their iPad into backpacks- I had to explain that they were for class only- my, how their faces fell.  

Over the next weeks I took time to introduce the apps on the dock- those that I feel are as good as or better than traditional classroom materials and address learning goals more effectively or equally as well.  Currently the dock holds two folders full of math and literacy apps, Sketchio, TeachMeK, Storykit, and Spaceboard K workbook.  I also teach and reinforce the importance of being on task- not playing nondock apps during learning times- and if children don't follow the rules their iPad goes into a timeout and they have alternate supplies during times other kids are using theirs for the day.  

Sometimes I noticed children playing an app that utilized a skill I usually teach later in the year, such as telling time to the hour, or addition and subtraction.  I introduce those topics with a mini lesson and give the whole group time to practice on their iPads. 

A typical day in my room with the iPads

Some children arrive at school up to a half hour before the day officially begins.  In past years I have given children who arrive early the choice to read or write, this year they can also read books on the iPad or use apps on the dock.  Fridays are always a little different- the children pick math manipulatives to use, iPads are not available during Friday mornings.

iPad cart for charging & secure storage

iPads are stored on table until needed.

The children continue to use their dock apps, read books, or write while I take care of morning business, such as checking folders and ordering lunches. Next, I call the children to the carpet.  I have found it easiest for iPads to be left in the center of the tables; it reduces the time it takes to replace them in their slots on the cart and the inevitable line up angst (for readers who don't teach K, this involves several minutes of cutting, whining, pushing, shoving, iPads dropped, etc.).

It also means that when there's a minute here or there that they are waiting on me or their classmates the iPads are in reach and they can work on learning goals instead of twiddling their thumbs, or getting into mischief as only a kindergartner can do.  In the beginning I always reminded them to press the home button before closing their cover- this turns off any active app and eliminates any unwanted noise (except for the iPod music app, which runs in the background).  The kids discovered the music on their own and it took a quick mini lesson to teach them to use the double click of the home button shortcut to locate and turn off (pause) the iPod music app.

TeachMe K models correct responses

Occasionally I ask the students to bring the iPads to the carpet for a learning activity.  I have them use Sketchio to write responses to questions, or practice writing letters, sounds, numbers, etc in lieu of using white boards or scratch paper (again, this saves a lot of instructional time and frustrations) - no passing out of supplies, dried out pens, broken pencils, and running out of space to write.  In a previous post I described how I made conductive pens for student use; typically I have the students use those during writing practice.  Maybe one day writing tools and paper will be obsolete, but until then students need to practice motor memory of correct letter formation holding a writing implement.  

Using my homemade stylus to write.

During the morning I use the iPads off and on depending on what we are doing.  Sometimes the children use the Storykit app to draw and write, other times they use paper journals.  During centers/Daily 5 (I am transitioning methods this year) children may use the iPads as an independent work station- either using dock apps or a few apps I have specified.  

During morning playtime kids can choose from any of the apps on the iPad, or anything in the classroom.  Some kids are more likely to use their ipads than the others- just as there are some who play almost exclusively with legos or such.  Now and then I leave the iPads in the cart all day or during playtime "to charge"- even if they don't need it-don't tell on me please! -to ensure all kids are engaging with others and real world objects.

It's a guitar too, or drums, or xylophone, or...

After lunch and recess, the children go to their reading group spots and do "abc" apps on the dock until the group is assembled.  Sometimes they work on the iPad while I or the aides read with one or two children.  The group that needs to learn alphabet letters/sounds goes through an alphabet app on the Pad- Preschool University has some good ones.  My group uses Word Wizard a lot to do word work activities.  

Drawing circles during math.

After reading groups we practice math skills, sometimes using the iPad as an independent center using some of the awesome math apps available, as a whiteboard for writing numbers, or to practice a specific skill.  This year I did not purchase any workbooks- all practice is done on the iPad or with classroom materials.  In past years I purchased reading, math and handwriting books to practice skills with.  The iPad is far superior to the workbooks- instant, self correcting, gives immediate feedback, kids progress at own levels and can be working at differentiated levels.  A workbook page would have 3-6 questions per page and take about 5-15 minutes to get through. If they didn't understand only the kids I am close to would receive feedback and support, and a lot of time is wasted passing out booklets, writing names, waiting for others to finish, being on the wrong problem, waiting for the teacher to check work, tearing out the page and putting away...  The iPad makes it simple, fun and so quick to practice the same skills, to say nothing of the opportunity for advanced or remedial instruction and instant feedback.  I also love the element of choice it affords my students; they can choose from several apps that work on the same skills, thus increasing engagement.  Just the other day we went on a 3D shape hunt with my iPad2 (how I wish all the kids had them instead of the original with no camera) and my aide had hers as well.  We split into two groups and the children took pictures of cones, cylinders, spheres and cubes as well as 2D shapes all over the school.  Then when we all got back to class the children took turns sharing the pictures they had taken and the name of the shape.

Using iPad2 to find 3D shapes around school.

Using storykit to describe science activity.

Other curriculum areas we use the iPad in are science (as a journal to record our observations) to check the weather, Social Studies- we tweet other kindergarten classrooms and find them on maps and the globe and learn about their lives; comparing similarities and discussing differences and even collaborating on play projects.  Last week we played musical chairs using rules shared by kindergartners in Indonesia, they told us about studying Bahasa, and the kids are amazed by the fact that because they live on the other side of the world, they are at school while we are sleeping.  The kids use the map app to see the area around our school, and find their houses and other places of interest.    

Discussing time zones.

Twitter pals.

The possibilities for incorporating the iPad into the classroom are really endless... they make learning fun, relevant, challenging, supportive, and are ideal for this age group.   Not only are the apps abundant for the early childhood crowd, the intuitive design and touch screen beg for little fingers.  Do I think the iPads should replace paper, blocks, markers,  and playdough?  Of course not, but they do make a terrific replacement for worksheets that keep showing up in ECE classrooms.  They can replace or supplement learning materials in place that are not as effective as they could be.  Using Montessori 100 board in place of 100 board tiles and board, for example.  I can have one app on the iPad that announces the numbers and doesn't allow incorrect placement of tiles; or dozens of the laminated boards and hundreds of the tiles that get lost, and allow children to mistakenly place 21 on 12's spot and children don't make the number/name association unless I am there to help, and I can't be there for 18+ kids at the same time. 
   

Similarly, for making words lessons, I would pass out 6-10 letter tiles to each child (which takes time to organize, pass out, orient letters correctly, they fall on the floor, etc.) Now I use Word Wizard instead, which saves lots of time, doesn't require storage, and will actually give children feedback on whether they spell words correctly. 




I do not think I can overstate how much I LOVE iPads in my classroom.  I think they are powerful and engaging, and yes, fun.  They are also a great way to help each child succeed, no matter their readiness for school in September.  Call me appnoxious or addpicted... it's ok.  I just DARE you to try using iPads with young children and tell me you think they don't belong in their hands.

Symbaloo

Have you used Symbaloo yet?  Tonight was my first time exploring, and so far I like it.  Here are a few mixes created by some #kinderchat Twitter pals  I thought I'd share to get you started.  Similar to a www.tizmos.com page, I am excited to try Symbaloo out for personal and professional uses.  Please share your mixes with me if they are K related. 

Awesome App Alert: Bugs and Buttons

I have been less vocal here on the blog lately; partly because I am busy (full time K, three kids, on Friends of the Library Board, turtle, cat, guinea pig, two dogs and NOW 17 puppies!) and partly because I felt like I had nothing to say.  That last part surprised you right? 

Until the last few days as I have observed my 3 year old playing Bugs and Buttons, a new app by the creators of the Dial Safe app.  Dial Safe Pro was available the other day for free to help promote Bugs and Buttons, so great way to advertise-it worked on me!  I already had Dial Safe Pro, but decided to look into the new app because of the adorable name, and my itunes account had a little more money left on it. 

Now, I LOVE buttons and use them to teach concepts in my class often.  But BUGS?  Yuck.  Still, I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did.  Let me summarize why you should spend the $2.99 I paid.  

1. Graphics are great
2. music is terrific not annoying
3. there are 18 activities
4. when i thought there were only 6 I still loved it
5. my 3 year old loves it
6. patterning games
7. sorting games
8. counting games
9. alphabet games
10. connect the dots
11. memory games
12. mazes
13. it makes me think just maybe bugs aren't as gross as I have always believed
14. has games that work on pincer grasp 
15. some levels appear to adjust  to your child's ability level
16. and so much more... did I mention 18 adorable games (although I am not so sure about the spiders.)  But maybe it will help kids not to be freaked out so much by them in real life.

Age most appropriate for: 3-6 in my opinion.  Some games are so cute older kids might enjoy them too.  Maybe the developer should offer another version aimed towards older kiddos under the same theme with the mini-games.  

My suggestions for improvement:  Make the start page more intuitive.  Explore (the option my daughter prefers) should be first or have an icon that helps non readers find it easier. 
I would love to see the games using letters have a voice announcing the letter name/sound when picked.  For example, in memory games when flipping over j and J the name or sound would be announced.  The same thing for the counting/color games too.

The price is fine for the quality of the app for individual use, but for my classroom it's a little steep.  I do think it is a serious contender for use in the classroom...  I rarely recommend apps that aren't free unless I think they are so great that you shouldn't wait for a free copy.  This is definately one of those "too good to pass up apps".  Certainly it is fun and education and just plain beautifully made... Highly recommened by me if you only have a few iPads in your room or you have a good budget for apps.  Otherwise, if you hear of it dropping in price be sure to download it quickly!

By the way... the reason I had no hesitation to buy the Bugs and Buttons app was because Dial Safe pro version and their free lite version are terrific too.  Last week I watched a kindergartner show the app to her mom during a conference.  She said "look, I can call 911."  So she did and it walked her through all the steps she would go through in a real emergency.  What an amazing app- she was fluently giving her phone number, address, name and age to the "operator".  I have had kids learning their info for years and never had such a realistic way for them to practice.  She was so proud of herself and now her mom and I both know she would know what to do if there was a real emergency.

How can YOU get iPads in your classroom

Several of you dear readers have asked how I got my class set of iPads and how you can get iPads in your classroom.  I wish I had a magic answer, a rich uncle or was an heir to a fortune but I don't and I am not.  My school got grants to cover the first set of iPads for the 9th grade class (Business manager taught 9th at the time and thought they would benefit highschoolers.  I started a campaign to get iPads into K the same day they announced 9th Graders were getting the iPads.  More grants and general budget paid for 10th grade to get iPads and 10 for elementary/library iPads- 6 of which ended up in my classroom due to my begging and teachers who were not ready to use them.  I kept letting my Superintendent and Principal know that I wanted/needed more (aka, begged) and demonstrated frequently why I thought they were awesome for ECE.  The begging paid off and I got 4 more.  I attended an iPad training put on by NCCE that cost $700 but included an iPad2.  Staff Development dollars paid for the class/iPad.  Now I was up to 11- with a class size of 22 by the end of the year and 20 expected for 2011-2012.  I planted the seed of 'wouldn't a 1:1 in K be terrific?' and watered liberally (aka. begging again).  iPad2's were bought for 9th, 10th, 11th grades and their iPads1's trickled down to K, 1st and 2nd.

The benefit of being in a small district is sometimes it's easier to try something new, find grants, and make connections with the $$$ decision makers.  I had a reputation for using technology and a willingness to try new things. 

 So while I don't have grand suggestions for funding your own iPad program, my suggestions are to be able to articulate WHY you NEED the technology.  How will you use it?  How is it better than traditional tools?  Don't just say it's fun...engaging...  Detail how it will help learners meet goals and unique ways to use it.  Can they be a part of a home/school connection program? 

Meg Wilson wrote an article with suggestions on how to get iDevices into your room:
http://edreach.us/2011/11/15/5-opportunities-to-get-ipods-ipads-into-your-classroom/

Good luck!!!  If you can start with one- start there!