Can You Help This Schalm Teacher Win an iPad For Her Classroom?

Debbie Smith, a third grade teacher at Schalm Elementary in Clawson, is trying to win an iPad for her classroom - and she needs your help.

Smith is a contestant in the Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union's 2012 Classroom Cash Grant Program, where numerous winners will receive grants, totaling up to $750. If she wins, Smith will use her prize money toward the purchase of a new iPad to further enhance her teaching in the classroom.

Smith currently utilizes a Smart Board when she teaches, which is connected to a computer and a document area.

"As whole class instruction, the iPad would work with the Smart Board to pull up additional apps for students to practice concepts being taught and share their thinking with their peers," said Smith.

With its many educational apps, including science, social studies, language arts and math, Smith envisions the students using the iPad in small group instruction as well as individual students taking extra time to work on the skills they might struggle with. A particular app titled "Show Me" is able to record students explaining aloud the process they use as they work out math problems on the device, which Smith can later listen to and evaluate.

"Students would create videos to explain their thinking process, share stories and give presentations to the whole class using the Smart Board," said Smith. "Recording themselves read helps build fluency and provides a list of words for practice."

Now that you've heard Smith's story, can you help her win?

Vote here today!