I am teaching a 1/2 combo this year as well as attending a lot of meetings so it's been a busy 6 weeks. I still love having the iPads in my classroom and enjoy seeing what the students create.
We have been testing out a variety of styluses this year. 75% of the students in my class prefer a stylus to their finger, although this could still be due to the novelty of having one--maybe by June they will have a different answer. Most of them do write and draw more neatly when using a stylus. Unfortunately we have gone through styluses quickly. Pushing too hard and playing with them has caused the rubber tips to fall off most brands we have tried. Although quite a bit pricier than most brands, the Cosmonaut has proven more durable. It is a lot heavier and doesn't have the rubber tip. Instead the stylus is built like a single unit.
We are also using an iPad accessory called GripStand. GripStand fits on the iPad and has a handle that doubles as a stand. It allows the iPad to rotate and stand upright at a variety of angles. The students like it, and the stand provides another means of differentiation--leaning and propping up to suit their needs. It provides a secure way for them to carry it around. I also find it easy to hold as I walk around the room taking anecdotal notes and controlling the computer. The GripStand doesn't have a cover over the iPad screen. This could be a problem if a student dropped the iPad, but most of the time they don't fold the cover over the screen on iPad holders that have a cover.
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