iPads In The Classroom

Partners In Learning received a grant from the Salisbury Community Foundation for $2,000 to purchase five Ipads.  These devices are being used in the center’s three and four year pre-kindergarten classrooms.  The new technology will allow us to teach to the children’s world and to have the world at their fingertips.  This will open a world to new possibilities for our children.

Our teachers are so excited!!! 

 The teachers began introducing them to the classroom by developing rules and contracts.  In this photo, one child is signing the contract after the group made the rules about the safe use of the Ipad. 

Technology is a natural part of today’s early childhood experiences.  When technology is balanced with a healthy dose of outdoor play, messy art, and other kinds of interactive, hands-on experiences, technology can be a valuable part of the early childhood experience. Ipads are 21^st Century learning at its best!  Teachers use it in groups as part of a lesson.

 

Technology also supports children develop cognitively, socially/emotionally, and physically.  Research suggests that cognitively, technology supports learning by giving children the opportunity to see or visualize that which is not possible. Technology also provides children the opportunity to manipulate 3-D images allowing them to see in-side and around geometric objects such as cubes. And, an application such as Google earth allows children to see earth, space, stars making the mysterious more accessible.”  Children learning about sharing and working together in small groups.

The Ipads are also a great resource for working with special needs.  It this photo Susan Brady (Rowan County School System Occupational Therapist) is using an Ipad with this child.  The teachers work closely with the therapist to follow up on the sessions provided during therapy.  Teachers underwent training with Susan this week to learn some new techniques.





It's going to be an exciting year with our new technique and I can't wait to watch all of the creative learning opportunities that our teacher's develop.  

Happy New Year, Norma Honeycutt, Director