The iPad vs. the laptop

+JMJ

(math "UP" anchor chart)

I am totally psyched to write up a grant for my students and the school! Our district goes to great lengths to raise money for grants given to teachers within our district for classroom use. Talking with other teachers, many have purchased doc cams, Smart Boards, etc. Teachers have a really good chance of getting their grants funded. In fact, I am on a grant writing team to bring down an author for the school! WooHOO!

I plan to write one for my classroom as well.

So I've thought about this since July. I've narrowed down what I need in the classroom. My students use our dinosaur age computers. To top it off, I have 4 monitors hooked up to ONE tower. So everything is slow, nothing works (okay, a different monitor works every day) and the need is great. I cannot utilize these contraptions at ALL.

I have done so much research. I've narrowed down what I want my students doing. I need them typing out their compositions. I need them researching at lightning speed. I want them printing their work. Ipads are great. I love them. I use one in the classroom. I love all the educational apps that are free and so easily accessible. I can lock my students in an app that won't let them out, thus monitoring what they are doing on it.

But I don't want them on apps. I want them using their creativity to create poems, stories, jokes and more. If I buy an ipad, I still have to purchase a keyboard. I still don't have a port to plug in a thumb drive. I don't have easy access to a printer if needed. While Ipads are on my dream list, it  seems like they are not on my NEED list.

I've also gone back and forth on a laptop vs. the whole computer thing. Think of the SPACE! Think of how much faster it will go. I seriously want to go with the traditional computer, but truth be told, I know a laptop will hold enough space for my 5th graders, take up less DESK space and be portable. If they need to work in a group in the corner of the room, they can. If they need to take it with them by the gerbil cage, they can. I just want to make sure I get something that will be used and needed. I love the idea of a laptop on the go. I love that I could use it small group as well. So for this teacher, when the grants open up, I'll be writing for laptops. I've checked out Best Buy and OMYWORD. They are CHEAP! What happened? I don't know, but there are some great deals out there and my job is to get what I need for my students.

Grant Writing 101, here I come.

Oh, and I needed a "Where are We?" sign. If you need it too, feel free to download!