I have a class of 20 six and seven year old children who are eager to learn. My class is made up of unique little learners. I have high-achievers and gifted and talented students. I also have students with autism, ADHD and learning disabilities. My students come from a wide range of ethnic and economic backgrounds and many are not native English speakers. Although my class is very diverse, we walk into our classroom each morning and become a school family. We spend our days together "growing our brains" and learning new things.
My kids are typical first graders -active, energetic, spongelike; they are ready to learn anything and everything I offer them.
They are always asking questions, making observations and posing "what if" scenarios. They learn from me and from each other. Their faces light up as they make new discoveries or conquer difficult tasks. My students are eager to take on the hard work of first grade.
My Project
Time is one of the most valuable commodities in my first grade classroom. There is never enough time to do everything we need to do. So, it is wonderful whenever I can find something that serves multiple purposes.
iPads can fulfill many different purposes in my classroom - increased engagement, online portfolios and improved communication.
IPads are great for creating high engagement learning opportunities. My students enjoy using iPads for a variety of activities. We use our iPads for stations during math and reading almost every day. My students love to go to different online programs. They get excited to use the QR reader on the iPad. Having more iPads will allow each student to have more time to access technology each day.
My students have also learned how to use an iPad to create an online portfolio. Each student is able to use an app to submit items that document different aspects of learning. Students can submit photographs of their work as well as audio or video recordings. These online portfolios allow my students another level of ownership of their work. They can look over work samples and reflect on their growth.
It is very important to maintain good communication between school and home. I can share with parents the portfolios that my students create. This allows parents to see work that might not be sent home otherwise, for example work on dry erase boards, journal entries, partner activities and daily reading. Parents are able to see areas of growth as well as areas that might need additional practice at home.
Two more iPads in my classroom will add so much more than technology. They will add interest and excitement to our learning.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Radler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
