Learn Lead Grow

Documentation has become increasingly important in our schools today. Especially, when it comes to tracking discipline and progress monitoring. A Google Form paired with a QR code provides you with an instantaneous way to log in information as it occurs. Here is a quick tutorial on how you can make this work for you! Check out the my video or read below: Step 1: Create a Google Form Create a Google Form containing the type of information that you would like to collect. Here is a link to a sample Form that I developed. I suggest that you create a checklist (not multiple choice type of question) to quickly check off behaviors that you observed, as well as who you notified. It may also be helpful to contain a paragraph text box to further describe the incident. Helpful Settings Once a Form is published, it can be accessed by someone with a link; however, there are a few precautions that I would suggest that you take if you are a Google Apps for Education user. Go to the S

What does your classroom typically look like during the last five minutes of class? Be honest! It sometimes is a collection of backpacks zipping, talking, and the occasional student who wants to get homework done. The last five minutes of class is critical to the comprehension of our students. Yet, how many of us are guilty of wasting 5 minutes a day? If we waste five minutes a day for a week, we have wasted 25 minutes of instructional time for a week, 2 class periods a month, and 18 class periods a year. How can we better use this time period? I believe the key lies Carol Ann Tomlinson's quote, “Formative assessment is the bridge between today's lesson and tomorrow's.” How can we better bridge the gap between today and tomorrow? Recap : An excellent tool to accomplish this important task is called Recap . Available on the web or as an iOS App, teachers can develop classrooms where students can respond and reflect on what they have learned through short video messages

Did you have a chance to look at Google Forms lately? If not, you may want to check out the new Quizzes feature in Forms! This is a feature many educators have been waiting for and here are some of its key benefits: It is easy-to-use and no Add-ons are required! The Quizzes feature grades work for you automatically! Set the correct answer and point value for each question. Students can see which questions they missed and receive feedback on the correct answers.  Students can receive instantaneous feedback after they have completed the quiz or control when results are released. This is an awesome feature in the fight against cheating! Tutorial : Want a quick tutorial? Check out my 3 minute tutorial:  Conclusion :  Educators understand the importance of providing students with timely feedback because it is an essential component of the learning process. In an instantaneous society, our students expect quick responses. The new Google Forms Quiz feature sa

Video is a powerful teaching and learning tool for our students. As devices becoming increasingly more mobile, there are many Apps available for our students to create powerful multimedia projects. I recently read a survey that suggests that 2/3 of American adults consider themselves to be visual learners. This is why the popularity of social media posts increases when a picture is attached. It is why many of our students find watching and creating images and videos so powerful. Lego Movie Maker: Lego Movie Maker is a free iOS App that makes sharing and telling your story extremely easy. Do you remember the days of claymation? Lego Movie Maker uses the same principles of claymation to combine your iPad and the power of image, as you tell your story frame by frame. Whether you are using Lego figurines or using objects (or people) around your room, this App is extremely easy to use. Students who are avid movie producers and those with very little experience can easily publish

Summer is a great time to recalibrate and begin to thinking about tools to make your life easier. Random Student for Teacher is an excellent iOS App that you may want to consider to integrate into your classroom for next year. Why? The free version of the Random Student for Teacher App will allow you to create 1 class, while the paid version will allow you to create 9. This is a great tool for you with a way to randomly call on students. You may have Popsicle sticks in your classroom, but this App takes things a step further: • Import your student rosters from Google Classroom! This is perfect for Google Apps for Education schools! • Have your device speak the name of the student aloud • Take attendance so absent students are not called • Create random groups I like the fact that you can add your own student photos, but you can also use the photos to quiz yourself on student names. This is an excellent way to quickly learn names!

Who Inspired You to Become an Educator?  It may be a difficult question to answer at the end of the school year, but our answer often provides us the motivation to continue our educational journey from year to year. I have to be honest, there have been times that I have considered leaving education all together. However, remembering my all time favorite teacher in school, helps me stay positive and hopeful.  When I was a senior in high school, I entered Mrs. Jerry Guttman's Accounting I class and had no idea how a single class would change the course of my life.  Mrs. "G" inspired me with her outgoing and positive personality. She had a knack in making even the most mundane topics come to life! Mrs. G was passionate about every aspect of her student's lives and education. It was evident in her daily lessons and interactions. If you were having a bad day, she cared enough to ask. If you were struggling with life, she had the courage to listen and offer advice

What if you had access to thousands of free and engaging digital resources that are aligned to academic standards? What if you had access to tools to make your job easier? What if you had access to tools that provide students with engaging and customized learning experiences? You and your students can with resources from PBS LearningMedia . Here are three reasons why you should be using PBS LearningMedia: Access to over 100,000 videos, images, interactives, and lesson plans for every grade level and subject area. Resources are aligned to national and Common Core academic standards. Tools to make your job easier! PBS LearningMedia provides tools to increase your productivity, such as Lesson Builder, Storyboard and Quiz Maker. Teachers can create customized and self-paced lessons for students to effectively learn content. Students can use the Storyboard to demonstrate their understanding of a concept in their own way. Each resource can help you create customized and effective les