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Sunday, May 13, 2012

My Bag Has Been Replaced....with an iPad

I have quite the collection of schoolbags.  Schoolbags from conferences, schoolbags from vendors, school bags I've purchased and - my  absolute favorite - a handmade schoolbag made by a friend's mom.  I've stuffed them with books, data, student work, and piles of paper.  I've carried them here, there, and everywhere.  However, my schoolbag days are nearing an end as my bag has been replaced by an iPad.

My iPad now carries everything I need.  Plans --- got it.  Student work samples --- organized.  Here are a few ways I'm using my iPad to be more efficient.  (You can accomplish much the same thing with a Kindle or smart phone.)  


Snapshot of my planning template.
Keeping Plans:  After creating a template on Google Apps for Ed, I can create my plans for each week and access them during the day on my iPad.  This allows me to view my plans across the day and update them with notes as I work with students.  Having the ability to connect to WiFi has made it much easier to work with this application during the school day.


Snapshot of my reading data/goal sheet.
Reading Data/Goals:  After creating a template for reading data on Google Apps, I can refer to the document throughout the day.  This information is collected most often through Fountas and Pinnell's Benchmark Reading Assessment used by our district.  Being able to view this information quickly during guided reading and individual conferences helps me to stay on track with student needs.  While this information is used to find commonalities across the class, differentiate instruction for individuals, and plan lessons for small groups, it is fine tuned with ongoing observations tracked in Evernote.


Snapshot of recent class notes.
Evernote:  Evernote should probably be number one on this list.  Evernote allows me to keep notes during the day as I work with students.  I am able to keep individual notes, notes from small group instruction, photographs of student work samples, audio files of student comments/thinking, and other quick snippets of our day of learning.  Evernote has so many possibilities and is likely the reason I no longer have to tote a schoolbag home each evening.  (You can find out how I use tagging to help sort information here.)


Music:  My schoolbag is no longer necessary, and the iPad has replaced my CD player as well.  I recently downloaded my music transition CDs to iTunes.  Now I can just play a song from wherever I am located in the classroom.  No longer do I need to keep track of my remote, hope I have the right CD in the player, or walk all the way across the room to begin a transition.


Here a student uses grouping
to count a large group quickly.
Skitch:  The camera is the feature that makes the iPad such an effective tool for supporting learning in the classroom.  No longer are students carrying handfuls of math manipulatives to the carpet to explain their thinking during math workshop.  No longer do I have to have students explain their work on a post-it in the circle; instead I can just snap a picture and use the Elmo to project it for all to see.

I am just discovering the potential of Skitch when used with the camera features of the iPad.  Skitch is the perfect enhancement to this picture taking process as it allows me to bring features of a photo to the attention of students.  For example, we were recently discussing efficient ways to count and work with numbers.  As students began to discover ways to work more efficiently, I could snap a picture and use Skitch to highlight important thinking.

Now when I leave for the day, I no longer drag a big heavy bag home with me;  so if you know anyone who needs a few more schoolbags --- just let me know.


If you have an app you love or great ways to use your iPad in the classroom, please leave a comment.  I still have much to learn.  







29 comments:

  1. OH MY....I'm sure I will have more later as I process all of this. Amazing.

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  2. Congrats on all your learning-I am excited to explore more this summer on how to use my iPad in the classroom. I will start with your resource list. Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Maria,
      I would love to sit down with you and chat about this for a bit. I think you have a better handle on the student side of the iPad. I still have so much to learn!

      Cathy

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    2. Let's get together to chat. :o)

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  3. I love my iPad too and it has completely minimized my load to carry home! I LOVE the Confer app - I definitely recommend it! I posted about it on my blog to explain all the many benefits of it. I also love the UPAD app to mark up pdf's and take notes in margins on the documents.

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    1. Now I understand uPad. I'm so looking forward to giving it a try. Thanks, Melanie.

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  4. This sounds great! Do you find that it's saving you time? So often I try something new but find that it takes me longer than just using my old conference notebook and lesson plan book. - Lisa

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    1. Lisa,
      It is saving me so much time! Once I learned to type a little faster, I have found it to be so easy to use in the classroom. Having everything in one place is a real time saver. I haven't touched my bag in two months. Everything I need is in my hand.

      Cathy

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  5. Thanks for this post! I'm thinking of getting an ipad so you gave me lots to think about:)

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  6. Cathy,
    Thanks for your post on the ipad! I love it...we have our own ipad at home, and so I think being able to use them in the classroom will be just as awesome. I am constantly amazed at all of the things the ipad can allow for with ease! Looking forward to learning more about what you are learning! Thanks for sharing!
    Amy

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  7. Thank you so much for posting all your tech tools for your iPad. I am excited to investigate and learn more this summer as we have our conversations about how to use the iPad even more in our classroom.

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  8. Wow - just wow! I do love the iPad for personal reasons and love to use it with Google Reader. I keep trying to push myself to try it more for school reasons - other than quick and easy photos. You have given me a lot to think about here and I now know what I will be working on this summer. Thanks.

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  9. I love this post. I got an iPad last summer, but really have need to spend time this summer getting familiar with apps like these, so I can get better use of this tool.

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  10. Cathy -- you have taken your learning to all sorts of new heights!! I am so impressed with all the ways you are using technology to help you be a better teacher, and allow your students to have optimum learning opportunities. I see some queso and iPads in our very near future!! :)

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    1. Karen,
      Did someone say queso? I would love to catch up.
      Cathy

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  11. Hi! LOVE my iPad and love being paperless!

    A few things I love...

    Dropbox - everything saved in my Dropbox is available to me anywhere I am from anything I own - iPhone, iPad or computer. I also have a separate account for school that syncs my school computer with a folder on my home computer so that I'm never without something I need. It has also allowed me to stop carrying around a USB drive (and leaving it places). (free!)

    360 Panorama - allows you to take pictures of much larger areas - Loved the wall display but don't want a picture from far away and don't want to take multiple pictures? Take one long one with this app! (99 cents is worth it)

    ShowMe: Students draw on the "white board" on the screen and the app records what they are saying as they are drawing/writing. It can then be played back for you or for the class with their voice as the work is shown. SO many amazing things can be done with it. And kids love it.

    I can't wait to play with it more this summer and hopefully find new ways to use it. I'm looking forward to reading more about how you're using it!

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    1. Jacquelyn,
      Thanks for adding your comment. I really need to take advantage of DropBox more than I do. I lucked into an Apple rep who was an educator. She had me download ShowMe, but I haven't figured out good ways to use it yet. Your comment gave me some new things to think about. (Downloading 360 Panorama now.)

      Thanks!
      Cathy

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  12. Also - do you use an app to view/edit your Google Docs on your iPad?!

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    1. On my iPad I usually just go to Google Docs online. I find working through the mobile version to be sufficient for the updating I do in the classroom. However, I sometimes have to move to the web version to get the full editing capabilities. (I still typically do major updates on a computer.)

      Through Android devices I liked "Docs" for updating Google documents. It was easy to use. However, I downloaded what seemed to be the Apple version, Good Docs: Google Docs Editor, and I haven't been able to get it to work as easily. I'm still playing with it. I downloaded the free version and may end up paying the 2.99 to see if the full version is easier to use. Have you tried it?

      Cathy

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  13. Question: My IPAD is my own, private IPAd with me personal pics, email, facebook, etc. It is also only a wifi not a 3g. If I use it at school on their network, everything on my personal IPAD is synced to their server throughout the day. Any comments on this or way to avoid this?? thanks!

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    1. You might look in "settings" and be able to change the options under the "sync" category.

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    2. Hmmm. You are over my head on that question. Our district has 3 levels of wireless use. I can use it on the public wireless without it taking over my device, but I have limited use. I may have to think more about this in the school year since I plan to use a class Twitter page and will likely have to sign into the staff wireless to be able to use it. I'm going to look into Jessica's suggestion.

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  14. I'm familiar with Google Docs, but need help making a template. Would you be willing to share?

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    1. LeeAnn,
      To answer your question quickly, I use a spreadsheet to create a template. Mine is divided into days and times with consistent pieces being a part of the template. Then each week I make a copy of the original template and fill my plans into the document. If you'd like more information, send me a note on Twitter to @CathyMere or pass along your email. I'll be happy to tell you more.

      Some friends are giving planbook.com a try.

      Hope that helps,
      Cathy

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  15. I recently bought a Coby tablet. It appears to do almost everything an iPad does. My problem: I am not very technologically adept at this point. Does anyone know if these downloads work on all tablets? I, too, wish to do more with technology in the classroom. In the last two years, I have learned to use the whiteboard and various web-based academic content programs, as well as Grade-Cam. Any insight will be appreciated.

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    1. I am guessing a Coby tablet runs on an Android system? If so, you should be able to download many of the same apps in the Google Play Store. I was previously using a Kindle and was able to do most of the things I've shared here on that device. The Kindle also runs on an Android system.

      Let me know if I can help,
      Cathy

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  16. Thank you for the ideas.

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  17. I just found this post on your blog and am truly inspired. I am new to an ipad this year and have embraced using evernote for student portfolios. My progress is slow, but next year, I plan to be much better at it! Do you have any updates to this post about what is still working well and what you have added that you find valuable? Thanks so much for your blog. You are on my top 10 blogs to read each week!

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