DO Touch

In kindergarten, you find yourself saying "Don't touch that!" a lot. It seems that a 5 year old needs to discover everything through their sense of touch. As a matter of fact, it is not just an astute teacher's observation, it is scientifically researched that, from infancy until about age 8, much of a young child's learning really IS in their touch. When I introduced the iPad to my kindergartners yesterday, I was more reticent about their touching it than they were. It was so new and pretty, I wanted to keep it in its 'virgin' state. Over the weekend as I thought about my kids happily engaged in the LEARNING that could occur using the iPad, I was immediately drawn to the fact that the iPad is SO easy for a young child. There would be no booting up the computers and hoping that there would be no technical glitches in either the software or the hardware. There would be no getting them to the right website or finding the right disc for them to use. But in the moment I actually handed my new iPad over to those little hands, I was hoping they would handle it with care and 'TOUCH' it correctly. And of course they did. Although, it was VERY interesting to watch them. My little digital natives have most certainly spent many hours playing video games, and this demonstrated itself in their instinct to move their thumbs onto the screen to try to 'feel' their way to the buttons. It is a 'touch' that has to be learned, and some thought applying more pressure would give them better results. I know that very quickly they will get the 'feel' of it.

One thing I did in my classroom to ready it for the unveiling of my new technological ally was to find a place where the kids could be comfortable while working with it. I found an old desk in the hall and took the legs off so that it sits about 18 inches off the ground. The kids can sit on the floor or on a short stool. My thinking in the low to the ground desk was that if by chance the iPad slipped out of someones' hands, it wouldn't have too far to fall. (A good teacher always considers all possible scenarios ) It worked beautifully. The hardest part of this process thus far is explaining to the 19 other kids who are watching their lucky friend who is working with the iPad that EVERYONE will have a turn. (eventually). I can't wait for tomorrow!