Kindergarten Supply List: Crayons, Glue, IPad

My husband came across an AP article online yesterday on Yahoo!news called "IPads take a place next to crayons in kindergarten" by Clarke Canfield.  Evidently 300 kindergartners in Maine will receive IPads next year to help them learn.  Some people are excited about this new technology in the classroom, and some people are not. 


The people for the initiative cite the IPad's ease of use, availability of apps, and the ability to engage children as reasons for giving IPads in the schools.  Those against it, like Dr. Larry Cuban, point out that there's no research that indicates that children that young will benefit from using computers.  However, most people who express dismay over the initiative tend to be more worried about the cost of the devices--especially in a time of such economic uncertainty.


I have to take a middle-line stance on the issue.  I have seen how easy the IPad is to use, and I feel that some reading, phonetics, and reading apps exist that will engage kindergartners and encourage learning.  However, I also believe that money needs to be spent to make sure that teachers know how to use the devices in the classrooms, and that they continue to be supported throughout the school year as issues will inevitably arise about the technology.  And as a teacher who is looking for a job in this crazy economy, I also firmly believe that the hiring of strong, effective teachers should always be a district's first priority--rather than being the first to have a cool gadget in x amount of classrooms.  Perhaps this district in Maine referenced in the article has done that, and now they are focusing on technology.  I don't know.


I do know that having had three kindergartners in my house with different learning styles, they would have all enjoyed "playing" with the IPads in their kindergarten classrooms.  However, they would not wanted to have missed all of the real-life designs they did of rain forests, airplanes, ships, and zoo animals that kept them engaged and excited about learning.  They continue to impress me with the knowledge they gained from that year even today.  Making a paper mache coral reef made an impression on my daughter that I do not think would have been the same had she simply created a "virtual" reef on an IPad.