Best iPad Apps for Teachers

As an educator and an edtech enthusiast with years of experience both in the classroom and in reviewing educational technology tools, I’ve always been passionate about finding tools that can transform our teaching and learning experiences.

Through my journey, both as a classroom teacher and an avid edtech blogger, I’ve had the opportunity to explore a multitude of apps. Each one offers unique features and capabilities, and I’ve seen firsthand how the right app can make a significant difference in engaging students, enhancing lessons, and streamlining educational processes.

In this post, I’m excited to share with you a carefully curated list of the best iPad apps for teachers. This list is not just a compilation of popular choices, but a reflection of my personal experiences and extensive exploration in the field of educational technology.

From apps that transform your iPad into a powerful instructional tool to those that simplify classroom management and foster student creativity, each app on this list has been selected with the aim of helping you leverage technology to its fullest potential in your teaching journey.

So, whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting to integrate technology into your classroom, I hope this list serves as a valuable resource in discovering the perfect blend of apps to enhance your teaching experience.

Let’s dive into some highly recommended apps that I’ve found to be exceptionally useful for teachers:

Google Classroom: This one is a game-changer for creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. Its integration with other Google services makes it a versatile tool for managing classes.

Seesaw: Brilliant for student engagement! It’s an intuitive student-driven digital portfolio app that allows for creative expression through photos, videos, drawings, and text. A great way for students to showcase their learning.

Kahoot!: An absolute favorite for interactive learning. It turns quizzes and surveys into fun, game-like activities. It’s a fantastic way to review content and check for understanding in a lively manner.

Explain Everything: An interactive whiteboard app that’s perfect for creating instructional videos or presenting lessons. It’s like having a multimedia studio right in your iPad, enabling you to annotate, animate, narrate, and more.

Book Creator: This one is particularly close to my heart. It allows both teachers and students to create their own books. It’s a wonderful way to integrate creativity into lessons, and it works across subjects.

Notability: Ideal for note-taking and PDF annotation. It’s especially useful for organizing your teaching materials and scribbling down ideas on the go.

Flip: A unique video discussion platform. It empowers student voice and fosters a sense of community, allowing for shared video responses on topics or lessons.

Socrative: Great for real-time assessments. It helps gauge student understanding through quizzes, quick question polls, exit tickets, and space races.

Nearpod: This tool lets you create interactive lessons in minutes. It’s amazing for its range of activities like quizzes, open-ended questions, and virtual field trips.

Apple Pages: This is a powerful word processor that goes beyond mere document creation. It’s incredibly versatile for designing engaging worksheets, newsletters, and even books. The collaborative features are a bonus for group projects.

Kindle: An essential app for avid readers and educators. It provides access to a vast library of books, which can be an excellent resource for both personal and classroom use. The ability to highlight and make notes is particularly useful for teachers.

Trello: Fantastic for organization and project management. You can track assignments, plan lessons, and manage to-do lists, making it easier to stay on top of all your tasks.

Padlet: This app offers a virtual wall where students can collaborate, share ideas, and display their work. It’s very versatile and can be used for brainstorming, Q&A, or as a digital bulletin board.

Quizlet: Perfect for creating study sets, flashcards, and games. It’s a great tool for both learning and revision, making it easier for students to grasp and retain information.

Epic!: Dubbed as a ‘Netflix for kid’s books’, it provides access to thousands of high-quality children’s books, videos, and quizzes. It’s an excellent resource for encouraging reading in younger students.

Canva: A graphic design app that’s perfect for creating beautiful classroom materials, from presentations to posters. The user-friendly interface makes it accessible even to those who aren’t design-savvy.

Duolingo: If language learning is on your agenda, Duolingo offers a fun and interactive way to learn new languages. It’s great for both personal development and for integrating into language classes.

Pocket: This app is a ‘read it later’ service that allows you to save articles, videos, and stories from any publication, page, or app. Great for curating reading material for yourself or for classroom discussions.

TED: Offers access to thousands of educational videos from experts on various topics. These can be great conversation starters or supplementary material for a range of subjects.

Slack: Though not traditionally an educational app, Slack can be fantastic for teacher collaboration. It allows for organized communication, file sharing, and keeping everyone on the same page, especially in larger schools or departments.

Remind: A great communication platform that makes it easy to stay connected with students and parents. You can send reminders, assignments, and even conduct simple surveys.

Related: Best Writing Apps for iPad

ClassDojo: This app is wonderful for classroom management. It helps in tracking student behavior and achievements, and its interactive interface is engaging for younger students.

iMovie: A user-friendly video editing tool that’s great for creating class projects or instructional videos. It’s also fun for students to use for their own multimedia assignments.

GarageBand: For music teachers or any educator wanting to incorporate music into their lessons, GarageBand is a comprehensive app to create music or podcasts.

Dragon Anywhere: This is a powerful dictation app. It’s fantastic for teachers who prefer speaking over typing, allowing you to dictate notes, lesson plans, or even feedback on student work.

Evernote: A robust note-taking app that’s excellent for organizing all your teaching materials. You can clip web articles, capture handwritten notes, and attach PDFs or photos.

Green Screen by Do Ink: Allows you and your students to create green screen videos. It’s an engaging way to bring creativity into various subjects and presentations.

Photomath: Particularly useful for math teachers, this app solves math problems using your device’s camera. It’s a great way to check answers and understand step-by-step solutions.

Zoom: Essential for remote teaching and virtual classroom sessions. It’s also useful for hosting virtual parent-teacher conferences or staff meetings.

WeVideo: A fantastic video editing tool that’s cloud-based, making it accessible from anywhere. It’s great for creating and editing videos, perfect for class projects, digital storytelling, or even flipped classroom content.

Microsoft OneNote: An excellent note-taking app that’s also great for organizing lesson plans and student work. Its ability to sync across devices makes it a reliable tool for accessing your notes anytime, anywhere.

Google Keep: This app is a gem for quick note-taking, organizing to-dos, and capturing ideas on the fly. Its simple interface allows you to create color-coded notes and lists, and you can also add images and voice memos.

Final thoughts

The apps I’ve shared in this list, curated from my extensive experience as an educator and edtech blogger, are more than just digital tools; they are gateways to innovative teaching and enriched learning. They represent the synergy between technology and education, each offering unique ways to engage, inspire, and organize.

As you explore these apps, I encourage you to approach them with an open mind and a creative spirit. Experiment with them, adapt them to your teaching style, and observe how they transform your classroom dynamics. The beauty of technology in education lies in its versatility and its ability to be molded to fit our diverse educational landscapes.