How to Teach with Padlet
Padlet is one of the first tools that got me really excited about how I could use technology to enhance my teaching. Although mostly known as a digital bulletin board, in reality it’s so much more. Whether it’s Padlet for quick check-ins, small group discussions, podcasting, or drawing responses to math problems, I pretty much […]
Automate Gmail Responses with Templates
Sending emails is just one of many time intensive tasks that teachers are expected to do outside of their regular work hours. Although it won’t completely do away with the need to send personal emails, you can save a significant amount of time by creating email templates in Gmail to automate your responses. I’d recommend […]
Digital Whiteboards and Activity Templates in Nearpod
In this post I’ll be showing you two new Nearpod updates for early 2021, digital whiteboards and activity templates. As we’ve now come to expect, Nearpod is continuing to add new features to its already robust interactive lesson building platform, and these new updates only build upon what was already a rock-solid case that Nearpod […]
Supercharge Google Education Tools with Hapara
As educators make the shift toward teaching with technology they will need access to programs that help make running their 21st century classrooms more efficient and effective. If you teach at a Google for Education school, Hapara fulfills that need and more, and should be a part of any G-Suite school’s instructional technology plan. Read […]
How to Create a Class List in Google Contacts
This week’s tech tip is to create a class list in Google Contacts for all your student’s emails. Why would you want to do this? Let’s look at a couple of examples and then learn how! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfnljSMwJVw Why Set Up a Class Email List? Let’s say you’re using Google Jamboard, and you want to share […]
How to Set Up E-Portfolios in Google Sites
In this post, I’ll show you how to set up e-portfolios with Google Sites. Electronic, or digital, portfolios can be used for students to reflect on their work and showcase what they’ve done throughout the year. Google Sites is an ideal program for setting up e-portfolios because it’s relatively easy for students to use, and […]
Reduce Time Grading by Giving Real Time Feedback
Today’s tip is to reduce the time you spend grading by giving real time feedback. One of the hardest aspects of being a teacher is the fact that you’re expected to work all day during your scheduled hours, but then often have to spend your free time preparing for the work you do in your […]
Do You Need Google Sites and Google Classroom?
One question I get asked a lot is whether or not you need to have both Google Sites and Google Classroom. The quick answer is that if you use Google Classroom, setting up a class website with Sites is optional. However if you run a class website with Google Sites, you need to use Google […]
Start Classes with Interactive Whole-Group Activities
Interactive whole-group activities help set the tone in your classroom that everyone’s participation matters, and that participation in class is to be expected. There are several useful tools for this. In this post I’ll quickly cover four. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-K1tRlFZUQ&t Google Jamboard You could start a lesson by having all students make a connection to yesterday’s lesson […]
Add Google Jamboard Backgrounds with Canva Edu
Google Jamboard’s most recent upgrade allows you to add your own custom backgrounds, and one of the best places to get pre-made Jamboard backgrounds, or to create your own, is Canva for Education. Google Jamboard is an interactive digital whiteboard that you can use for whole group interactive lessons, small group collaboration, or for individual […]