iPad Home School Connection in the Lower Elementary Classroom
By Amber Kowatch and Ashley McDonald
Implementing a 1:1 iPad pilot program in a Kindergarten and Second Grade classroom has certainly had its fair share of successes and challenges. Fortunately the successes have far outweighed any challenges we may have had in our first year, and we have been able to create a true 21st century classroom.
Aſter success in the classroom, we felt it was time to help our students continue their learning by sending their iPads home with them each day. Te beauty of having a 21st century classroom is that learning doesn’t cease when the students leave for the day.
iPads have helped our students stay connected and allowed for their parents to see into our classrooms. Parents have become their child’s partners in learning. Te family unit has been redefined as more and more families are learning together using the iPad. Parents are learning how to help their child be successful in all academic areas. Parents have access to video lessons, teaching guides, and instructional activities to help their child through the learning process.
Students are able to reinforce taught skills in a non-traditional and fun way. Learning becomes an interactive game with self-correcting features and automatic response rather than a disengaged learning process with no feedback. Tis eliminates students learning something incorrectly on their own. Our students are able to access authentic writing samples from their peers on our classroom wikis as well as pictures, videos, spelling and vocabulary words, writing ideas, podcasts and more. Many students have these types of opportunities in the classroom but our students are able to continue these opportunities at home.
In addition to our students’ and their parents’ learning, we have also been able to use the iPad as a communication tool. All of our newsletters, reminders, and special event notes are able to go home on the iPad as a PDF. Tis eliminates excess printing and lost notes. Our parents have felt this is an easy and efficient way to receive information.
Creating a 21st century classroom has been a phenomenal experience for everyone involved. Being able to provide an opportunity for our students to continue their learning at home has been extremely powerful and has changed the way they learn and we teach.
Amber Kowatch, a second grade teacher in Ludington, MI at Franklin Elementary School, can be reached at
akowatch@lasd.net.
Ashley McDonald, a kindergarten teacher in Ludington, MI at Lakeview Elementary School can be reached at
amcdonald@lasd.net.
MACULJOURNAL | Winter 2011-12 Second Grader uses iPad with family | 17
Kindergartner continues learning with Mom
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