Keep My Kids Connected

My Students

One of my biggest goals as a teacher is to make learning real for my students. Rather than reading from a textbook, my kids are researching, collaborating, problem solving, and applying what they know in a real-world context. Right now, their only limit is access to the Internet.

This year, I have a classroom filled with highly enthusiastic learners.

They are always wanting to learn more, wanting to know what we'll do next, wanting to understand concepts from every angle. They are champion "what if"ers--always asking questions in an effort to take their learning a step further. I teach at a wonderful school with a very active PTA. While our PTA does its best to fund our growing technology needs, we are still limited. My grade level has a laptop cart to share between six teachers, but I would really love a few more devices to store in my room. With technology constantly available, my students can capitalize on the momentum of their curiosity rather than waiting for the next time we can use the laptop cart.

My Project

My students will use these iPad Minis for extension projects and self-directed research. Our county is rolling out Haiku Learning as an online learning platform, which means that a good amount of our instructional resources will be available digitally. I have already taught my students how to access our online classrooms, and they have eagerly embraced the research and problem-solving activities that we have done so far. While four tablets may not sound like a lot, they will really have a big impact on my classroom. I like to do a lot of my teaching in small group rotations, and an iPad Mini station would provide countless activities for each learning team. The tablets would also provide meaningful learning experiences for early finishers, helping me to meet the needs of all of my students.

This project will keep my kids connected to the world around them.

By increasing their access to technology, they will be able to conduct research, investigate complex issues, and collaborate to solve authentic problems. These kids truly love to learn, and with such ready access to online resources, they will be free to pursue their academic interests and passions.