Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Get Certified: Google for Education Trainer

Continuing the highlighting of various certifications available for teachers who want to turn their professional development into something personally meaningful and rewarding, this post will highlight what it means to be a Google for Education Certified Trainer. If you really enjoy sharing with others all the amazing things teachers and students can do with the G Suite for Education Tools, then maybe being a Trainer is something you should do! This is a little different from the Levels 1 and 2 certifications. In order to be a Trainer, you need to meet the following requirements:

  • Have Levels 1 and 2 certification
  • Complete the online Trainers course
  • Pass the online Trainer Skills Assessment
  • Film a Trainer Video
  • Submit your application (on a rolling basis)
If that sounds daunting, I'll be honest -- it kind of is. Being a Trainer is kind of weighty. People see that certification associated with your name and they know that means you are a go-to person for learning about G Suite tools. But as daunting as the process is, the rewards are equally as heavy. The thing I enjoy the most about being a Trainer is getting the chance to help teachers learn new ways to make Google tools work for themselves and for their students. It is incredibly rewarding to know I have some knowledge that can be of value to other people. I love when I get to sit down with a teacher and show them new things they can do and then get to see it happen in their classroom.

Maintaining certification is not super difficult -- here's what it entails:
  • Conduct 12 trainings per year
  • Share one resource with the rest of the Trainer community
  • Pass an annual product recertification
  • Maintain your Levels 1 and 2 certifications
None of these requirements are back breaking! Most people are scared at the thought of 12 trainings as they think this means they have to go to big conferences and present to large groups of strangers! The good news is you CAN do that if you want! But the better news is that you don't have to do that! A training can be something as simple as being in a department or grade level team meeting and sharing with them how to have students do peer editing using comments in Google Docs or sharing at a faculty meeting how to create appointment slots using Google Calendar for an upcoming school event or presenting at an institute day all the new features that Google Classroom has to offer.

So, if you love Google and love sharing the efficient and creative ways you and your students can use Google tools, maybe being Trainer is for YOU!

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Get Certified -- Google Level 2

In my last post, I shared the benefits of becoming a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. Doing that is an accomplishment in itself for sure! But what if you're a Google tools super-user and just can't get enough of all things Google? What if you're really wanting to ramp up the way using all the G Suite for Education tools can really enhance your teaching and all the tasks associated with teaching? Then it sounds like you're a candidate for Google Level 2 certification!

Much like Level 1 certification, you can go through Google's online training modules for free. Once finished, you can then register for the Level 2 exam, which costs a little more than the level 1 exam (level 1 cost is $10; level 2 is $25). The level 2 advanced course will build upon the skills you have already shown you have from level 1 as well as add new skills to your repertoire! You will also learn interesting, practical, and innovative ways to use these tools to really enhance your instruction and improve your day to day tasks, saving you time and helping you be more efficient. We do have a few teachers in the district who are Level 2 certified; let me know if you want to talk to one of them to see what they have to say about the certification personally!

Interested in learning more about Level 2 certification? Check out the certification page! You can also check out the skills checklist that is shared on Eric Curts's blog Control Alt Achieve.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Get Certified -- Google Level 1

There was a great deal of interest from teachers across the district about becoming Google Level 1 certified educators, so I thought I'd share some highlights about what the certification is, why it's valuable, and how to do it!

  • Level 1 certification means that you have passed an exam that tested your ability to understand what Google tools are available to you as an educator, that you have sufficient skills in using those tools and their features, and that you understand the practical applications of using those tools in the classroom.
  • It's not easy, but it's worth it!
  • You can prepare on your own using the free modules offered online from Google or you can pursue other ways of preparation for the exam. If you feel confident enough, you can even skip any formal preparation and take the exam anyway! (Eric Curts, at his Control Alt Achieve blog, has a very comprehensive skills checklist you can review to determine where you might have any deficits.)
  • The exam is $10, and must be taken on a machine with a webcam. You also need to have 3 hours of uninterrupted time.
  • Completing the training alone will help you become so much more familiar with all the G Suite for Education tools and will inspire you to find ways to make your teaching more engaging and your workflow more productive. Passing the exam is the cherry on top of the learning, so you can do the training and benefit greatly if you don't want to actually pursue the exam.
  • Certification doesn't last forever, but it does last for 2 years!
I'm including here a slideshow that was used at the February 2018 institute day to share Google Certification information. You can also go directly to their training center to learn more or to start your training! I am hoping to offer 1 or 2 boot camps this school year, too, so be on the lookout for that information!

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Certifications -- Pursuing Excellence

At the start of the school year, I sent out a survey asking if any staff had any of the following certifications:

  • Google Certified Educator Level 1
  • Google Certified Educator Level 2
  • Google for Education Trainer
  • Google Certified Innovator
  • Nearpod Pionear
  • Apple Teacher
  • Peardeck Inspearational Teacher
  • Kahoot! Certified (I didn't ask about this one, but I'm adding it to the list)
I didn't ask just to be nosy. I asked because I wanted to find out where our in-district experts are! These certifications are all related to tools that many of us use fairly regularly in our classrooms with our kids. These tools make learning more engaging and meaningful for our students. It makes sense that if you really have a good grasp for how to use a tool successfully that you should get some snaps for that. That's why these certifications exist!

Teachers often wonder why they should bother to pursue these kinds of certifications. The most obvious answer is growth! You grow as an educator which in turn helps your students grow as learners!


Over the next few weeks, I thought I would highlight all the different certifications mentioned above, especially since so many people expressed interest in so many of them on the survey! Maybe by learning about each one you can find a certification that is right for you and the kids in your class! And if there are a bunch of us who want to pursue certifications, we can work together!

Next week: Google Certified Educator Level 1 certification!

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Quick Google Classroom Info

If you started a new Google Classroom recently, then you are seeing the great new version of it! It is so much easier to navigate, much more intuitive, don't you think? If you are recycling an old Google Classroom from last year, you might have noticed it looks a little different and you're probably not happy about that.
What you see if you are reusing an old Google Classroom.






What you see if you are using the new Google Classroom.






In the new Google Classroom, the Stream tab is the place for you to make announcements; the Classwork tab is where you can post assignments or questions; and the People tab puts all your students and teachers for that classroom in one spot (which is also where you can find the class code, manually add students, and invite other teachers).

In the old Google Classroom, you can still add an announcement, assignment, or question to the Stream, and you can find all your students and teachers for that classroom under the People tab. But you'll have to go into Settings to get a class code for students to join.

My suggestion for anyone who is interested is to archive your old Google Classrooms and start fresh with the new ones. You can still reuse posts from archived classrooms, so you aren't losing everything you've used previously. Plus kids won't get confused if they are part of more than one classroom and there are two different versions being used.

Need help getting started with Google Classroom? Need a refresher? You know who to call :-)

Got a cool Google Classroom tip to share? Post it in the comments section here and I'll come see you so you can pick a Google sticker or an emoji sticker!

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Do You Have #ChannahonPride?

Another year, another bunch of blog posts! I get to combine my two favorite things: education and writing! As I was moving to my new digs at TRS, I realized that it has been a while since I talked about the stickers we still have for teachers here in CSD 17! Maybe you've got loads of them from when we started this a few years ago; maybe you only have a couple. But do you have them all? I invite you to check out the document here to see what stickers we have available for YOU! Maybe you're able to get some of them now that we are in year 2 of being 1:1. Maybe you're new to the district and want to gussy up your Chromebook. If you've worked hard for a sticker, please click here to share the sticker you want and share what you've been doing, too!

Have an idea for another sticker we can offer to teachers? Add it in the comments -- that will get you your choice of a Google or emoji sticker! If we end up using your idea, you'll get ANOTHER Google or emoji sticker!

You're never too old to show off what you learn or what you do. And you're never too old for stickers!

Thursday, May 3, 2018

New Gmail Update

Maybe you heard on the news last week that there was an update to Gmail. This is the first significant update to Gmail since 2011, and it's pretty cool! To get started, all you have to do is click on the Settings cog and select "Try the New Gmail." Choose the Default view and voila! Your inbox will transform in front of your eyes!

Some of the features I personally love include the following:

  • Inline view of message attachments -- this means I don;t have to open an email to get to the attachment; I can directly open the attachment from the list of messages in my inbox.
  • Inline delete -- if there is an email I don't need, I can just move my mouse to the right edge of the message and click on the trash can to delete it.
  • Auto reply -- on some email messages, you may see some auto-reply choices: just click the response you want and then click send!
  • Calendar, Keep, and Tasks on the same page -- so handy to be able to have an email message open and right there in the same tab be able to open my calendar to add an event, Keep to make a note, or Tasks to add to my to-do list!
  • Snooze -- well, I love the IDEA of snoozing an email (essentially marking that email to come back and tug you on the metaphorical sleeve as a reminder to deal with that message); I say I love the idea because it is only available if you use Conversation View for your inbox (which I don't).
Try it out, see what you think! To help you, I found this great overview video put together by another Google for Education Certified Trainer. Watch it to see the new Gmail in action!


Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Cool Tool Alert -- Flipgrid

I've heard a lot recently about this cool online tool called Flipgrid, so I had to check it out. I was not disappointed!

In a nutshell, Flipgrid allows students to create short videos of themselves. The interface is reminiscent of Snapchat because they can create a selfie with fun stickers or drawings. It also references Instagram in the way that students can react and respond to each others' videos. The interface is super easy for students to use -- they can create a video in literally a couple of minutes. You as the teacher have control over the visibility of the video, too. Each grid, topic, and video generates its own flip code -- no one can see the items without that flip code.




Most teachers who have raved about Flipgrid have mentioned its usefulness as a formative assessment tool. This would make a terrific exit ticket or quick check of understanding about a topic discussed in class. It could also be useful as a documentation of re-learning. Let's say a student doesn't fully understand the water cycle on an assessment. Rather than create a whole new assessment, you could meet with the student and ask him to explain the water cycle to you. But this makes some teachers nervous -- they really like to have the documentation or tangible evidence of learning. Enter Flipgrid. You could have a topic on a grid called (something clever!), "Play It Again!" where students can submit their videos explaining what they have now learned, like the water cycle. Those videos do not have to be shared publicly, and you now have the evidence you feel comfortable gathering to show that student's mastery.

Flipgrid could also be a great way to introduce kids to public speaking in a less threatening way. Have them start with a short video that only you see; provide feedback (try to speak a little louder; try to have more eye contact by looking at the camera more). Do another video that gets shared; allow student reactions and feedback.

Why not have a discussion about a character in a novel (Do you think the ending of the novel Fahrenheit 451 is happy or sad? Why?), explain a concept (What were some of the causes of the Revolutionary War?), do a demonstration (the proper way to do a push up), solve a problem (solve for x in the equation 10 - x = 6, explaining what you are doing along the way), do review (assign each student a vocabulary word to make a video about before an assessment), or facilitate discussion (Is climate change real, in your opinion?).

Want to give Flipgrid a try? If so, please share with me what you do -- I'd love to see how you use it in your classroom. Anxious to tackle it on your own? Get in touch; I'll come sit next to you and get you started!

Here are some resources for you:

Flipgrid's resources page

Step by step guide to using Flipgrid

P.S. Flipgrid works on iPads, too, and mobile phones! There's even an app!

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

It's Not Easy Being 1:1

I had a grand plan to do a post this week on the cool tool Flipgrid, but at this late time (9:35 PM Wednesday night after getting home from the charity volleyball game), I got inspired instead to write a post that comes as a response of sorts to Jeremy's email today about blocking websites.

We all anticipated that being in a 1:1 environment, we would be facing kids being off task on their Chromebooks. And we were correct. I know I have talked all year long with teachers who get frustrated with kids being on their Chromebooks when they're not supposed to be, being on websites they aren't supposed to be, or playing games when they should be working (among other off-task behaviors). None of this means the kids are bad or that the access to the technology is bad. This is just an expected consequence of a connected generation having access to a technology device all day. But that isn't much comfort when we are exhausted after a day of racing around the room trying to keep kids focused on the task they should be focused on while online. It sure would be easy if we could just keep the kids off all the unnecessary, time-wasting websites. But as we all read in the email, that isn't going to happen mostly because it can't. There are millions of websites out there that the kids don't need to be on during school hours -- it would be impossible to block them all. Some teachers have inquired about monitoring software, but that has been nixed, too, since that solution can be quite costly. So that leaves us with the task of having to manage a sometimes frustrating situation.


So I'd like to offer some ideas for how to do this. I'm certainly not holding myself up as some sort of classroom management expert, but I did face this problem regularly when I taught computers. So here are some things I did and some things inspired by what I did:

  • If you can't beat 'em, give 'em what they want -- sort of. Kids always wanted to play games, so I added a page to my class website with pre-approved games they were allowed to play when they had down time. Most of them were somehow academically based (word games, math games, trivia, strategy games). They may not be Roblox or Fortnite, but they're an option. Once the kids had games they knew they could play, controlling their access to games became much more manageable.
  • Use proximity. Walk around the room often. Kids who are off task will quickly scramble to close a tab as you approach. They are good at giving themselves away like that :-) If you suspect a kid has been somewhere they don;t belong online, you are completely within your rights to grab the Chromebook and open a new tab, then right click on the tab to select "Reopen Closed Tab" to see what they scrambled to close so fast. Once kids know you will be doing this, they will be less likely to be off task because they're going to get found out.
  • Use really close proximity. If a student is consistently off task, have that student come sit right by you to do his or her work. This is an easy way to keep a close eye on the student.
  • Use direction. If you feel the problem is really rampant, for the task the kids are working on, have them rearrange their desks so all their screens are facing the same direction. Now you can stand behind them so you can see all screens at once.
  • Subtract. There is nothing wrong with having kids put their Chromebooks on a shelf somewhere in the room when they don't need them. They don;t have to remain on kids' desks where they can prove too great a temptation for some students.
  • Make the call. For kids who are frequent flyers, don't hesitate to talk with your building principal for guidance or reach out to parents to help you reinforce the message that the Chomebooks are learning tools, not toys.
Hopefully, some of these ideas will work for you and your students as we head into the last weeks of school, a time where both kids and adults find themselves easily distracted. I'd love for you to share your thoughts on this as well as any strategies you use that you'd be willing to share. I'd love to give away some more Google or Google emoji stickers to 3 more people this week :-)

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Let's See How Far We've Come

When I started this position in the 2013-2014 school year, we each had a laptop in our classrooms and each building had a cart of around a dozen or so iPads to share. That was a daunting year -- apps were being requested and added in a flurry. Principals were breaking their budgets paying for apps. Teachers were having to get creative with ways to schedule the iPads for their classes, and then even more creative how to use the iPads with their kids. I also came around that year and hung up blue papers in different places in all of the buildings that look like the one in this article.

Yes, I was already trying to encourage you to work on finding ways to integrate technology instead of just use it -- with a few iPads you only could get your hands on occasionally! Call me a dreamer :-)

But here we are, five years later, and look how far we've come! Back in 2013-2014, we were all starry-eyed dreamers fantasizing about teaching in a school district that was one-to-one, imagining all the amazing ways we could transform the learning experiences happening in our classrooms. And now that dream is a reality!

But it is worth doing a reality self-check on where we are individually with technology integration versus simply using technology.

How purposeful is tech use in your classroom?
Who uses technology more in your class -- you or your students?
Is technology used by the students to produce things or to learn things?
Is technology used for higher-order thinking tasks or lower-order thinking tasks (here's an idea how to check this -- can the kids Google the answers to the things they need to learn? If so, that's lower order.)?
Do kids use the available technology alone or for collaboration more?

These are just some questions to ponder, based on the concepts shared on the chart referenced in the above link.

(And just for fun, here's the music video for the song that inspired the title of my post this week.)


So, how far have you come? I challenge you to be open and honest. Technology integration doesn't happen overnight, and this is our first year being one-to-one, after all, so no one is expected to be an expert in technology integration!

Care to share? I'd love to have your comments on this post. Where are you at? What are your goals? What strides have you made? Please share -- and as an added incentive, I will hold a raffle for some fun goodies for anyone who actually COMMENTS on the post (not responds via email -- actually COMMENTS below). I just got some cool Google stickers and some Google emoji stickers, too. So my plan is to have one person from each building win their choice of Google sticker or emoji sticker simply by leaving a comment that addresses the topic of this post.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Cool Tool Alert -- with an Asterisk

My post for this week will highlight a tool that many of you might already be familiar with -- Padlet.

Think of Padlet like an interactive bulletin board. You create the board (you can even design it to look the way you want it), set a topic for the board, and then students can post on the board as well as comment and "like" each others' posts. You as the teacher have ultimate control over visibility and commenting and privacy. And to be honest, I am really oversimplifying what Padlet can do. If you want, you can check out a Padlet here. The topic for the board is ideas for using Padlet in the classroom. Feel free to look at the ideas posted there. You can also add your own and "like" the ones you think are good ideas or comment on posts. Just click the plus sign to add your own post!

If you've used Padlet before, then you've likely enjoyed the fact that you've got this great tool to use with your kids, and it is FREE -- something every teacher really, really loves! But here's the asterisk, and you know this if you saw Jeremy's retweet this week -- Padlet is only kind of free now. You are allowed up to 7 boards; once you reach 7, you're maxed out. If you want more, then you have to go to the paid version, which costs in the neighborhood of $100/year. You can delete old Padlets to be able to add a new one, but with the free version, you'll only be able to have a maximum of 7 Padlets. You can export a Padlet as a PDF if you want to keep it for your records before you delete it. In my opinion, a teacher could probably make 7 Padlets work. I think it is a really great tool, but $100 a year is a pretty hefty price tag. I understand why companies have to charge money, but sometimes when they go to a pay model, teachers seek elsewhere to find similar functionality at a cheaper (aka free) price. If they can't, then they tend to work with the limitations of a free account or they abandon the tool altogether. So I am not disparaging Padlet in any way; I am just acknowledging the tough truth that teachers have a hard time paying for some services.

So, what do you think? Is Padlet something you could see yourself using? I'd love to sit down with you and show you exactly how to use it! Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to share ideas for how to actually use Padlet on the Padlet above :-)

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

What Is #PubPD and Why You Should Participate

Perhaps you've heard me talk about #PubPD, or you've seen Tweets from Jeremy or me about #PubPD. Perhaps you've wondered what it is all about. Perhaps you haven't given it a second thought. Regardless, I'm going to share with you a little about it and hopefully inspire you to attend a #PubPD session!

I actually learned about #PubPD from Jeremy. In a nutshell, here is what #PubPD is all about:

  • It takes place once a month, usually on a Thursday near the end of the month.
  • It lasts for one hour (6-7 PM).
  • It takes place at a local pub that has wifi (currently, the local one has been at Nevin's Brewing Company on Rt. 59 in Plainfield).
  • You need a Twitter account and your phone or computer/Chromebook.
  • You join other educators from the area at your local pub to eat, drink, and chat face to face and on Twitter.
  • The Twitter chat is hosted by @MapleSyrupEDU and uses the hashtag #PubPD.
  • An education topic is chosen each month (last month it was classroom devices). Questions are posted about the topic and people respond on Twitter AFTER talking with their fellow pub pals.
If you are wondering why you should attend a #PubPD session, well, here are some ideas:
  • It is professional development that YOU choose for yourself, not something hoisted upon you by the powers that be.
  • You get to combine professional development with food and drink (you can choose to imbibe in an adult beverage or not).
  • You get to make some new friends and educational connections.
  • You get to develop your online professional network -- you will find some great people to follow on Twitter and other people will follow you, too!
  • You get to learn so many new ideas and perspectives on really timely topics in education -- things you can use immediately when you get back to school the next day.
  • You can "lurk" if you're new to Twitter chats or still learning how to participate. (Side note: my first #PubPD, I was pretty much a lurker -- I didn't say much on Twitter, did more retweets than tweets -- it was so far out of my comfort zone to attend this both in person and online!)
  • The people who attend #PubPD are friendly and helpful. They will show you how to participate in a Twitter chat. They will ask you about the questions being posted online. They will see you as a valued expert in the field. All of this will leave you feeling inspired -- I promise!
  • The participants in #PubPD are from the United States, Canada, and aroind the world so you get a really unique perspective on education topics (plus you get to see some Tweets in French -- so cool! Bonus: Charlene Doland often attends the #PubPD at Nevin's and she knows French -- so she can translate the French Tweets for you -- and she is super nice!!!!
  • #PubPD always ends with a raffle for a free ticket to an EdTech Team event anywhere in the world (caveat: you have to pay for your own airfare!) -- and I won a free ticket at my first #PubPD, and I believe that two other Channahon teachers have also won!
I believe the next #PubPD is happening on March 29, which is our spring break. I won't be at Nevin's since I will be on vacation, but if I am able, I am planning to join in via Twitter while sitting on the beach at Shaggy's in Biloxi, MS. Watch Twitter for the announcement and link to RSVP to the next #PubPD!

Hope to see you at a future event!

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Authentic Learning Opportunities

One of the stickers/badges that are available for teachers here in CSD 17 is the "Authentic Learning Author" sticker. In my opinion, this is one of the easiest and most valuable stickers you can slap on your computer!

A common frustration shared by teachers is that assignments don't get completed by students. Students would likely counter with an explanation that their assignment are dumb. When I translate that, I think that means that the kids have a hard time seeing the value in what they are being asked to do. We see the value and importance, but the kids sometimes struggle with that. An easy way to remedy this is to give kids an authentic learning experience. Authentic learning happens when a connection is created between what students learn in school and the real world (here's an interesting overview of authentic learning). Here are some ways to do that. Hopefully they inspire you to come up with ways that fit in your class! (Or reach out to your friendly Instructional Technology Resource Teacher to help develop an idea!)

Reading a Novel or Short Story

  • Have students write letters to the author.
  • Have students write Tweets to the author; Tweet them from your teacher account or from a class account.
  • Organize a Skype session or Google Hangout with the author.
  • Have students create a podcast about the book.
  • Have students create an e-book for younger kids based on the novel/story you read then share it with other classes in the district.
Social Studies
  • Find pen pals (written, email, or video) for your students.
  • Skype or Google Hangouts with classes from other parts of the country or the world.
  • Have students bring in photos or videos from places they have visited that are also being studied in class.
Science
  • Have students create their own science projects, bring in local experts to assist and answer questions, then host an expo for the school and/or the community.
  • Have students take pictures or videos of things they are studying in class (ex. different kinds of trees/plants/rocks/animals).
Physical Education/Art/Music
  • Have students create how-to videos and post them on your YouTube channel (ex. how to do different kinds of push ups, how to use different kinds of paint brushes, how to properly hold a violin and bow).
  • Allow students to create their own expo (art, exercise routine, music, singing) and invite the school or community.
Math
  • Find local opportunities for students to put their math skills into practice (ex. suggestions for how the park district can budget their money to improve local parks/playgrounds).
  • Have students assist with planning a school event (ex. planning the Dream lab expo: how to set up the room incorporates geometry, budgeting money for refreshments or setting a schedule of events involves computation).
  • Have students collect and analyze data from a school event (ex. Family Fun Night at Pioneer Path -- how many people attended? How many were parents/students at Pioneer Path/students at another CSD school? How many people attended each event? Which were the most popular/least attended?). This data can be graphed and then converted/manipulated (What percentage of attendees were kids? Rank order the events from most well attended to least attended. Have students share this data at a school board meeting.)
Authentic learning experiences can be created by you, the teacher, for the kids. Knowing their work is being seen by someone other than their teacher amps up the engagement in the work. Kids are also less likely to blow it off because they know someone is waiting for that information from them. Want to really kick up that authentic learning a notch? Let the kids generate their own ideas (much like happens in the Dream Lab at the junior high) and you act as a facilitator. Scary but rewarding when you see what the kids can do (much like what happened the one year my 8th graders got fired up after reading Fahrenheit 451 and organized a fundraising effort to create a library in a school in Nepal through Room to Read).

Have you created any authentic learning experiences for your kids? Be sure to share them in the comments! Thus is a great way to inspire other teachers (and to let me know that you need the Authentic Learning Author sticker!).

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

#ICE18 Recap

Last week, I attended the ICE Conference, a large, 3 day conference focusing on educational technology and 21st century learning. It's an exhausting 3 days but I always come away with some interesting new things. I'd like to share them with you now, and maybe there might be something I can share with you directly!
  • Blogging: got some great ideas on how to continue with blogging. Obviously, I have this one, but I actually have 2 others I keep as well. I've got some ideas I can share with you if you're interested in starting your own blog professionally, or of you're thinking it might be good to use for parents or your students, or even if you want to start using blogging in your classroom with your students.
  • Ed tech tools: I attended 2 different sessions that highlighted lots of different ed tech tools, including some specifically designed for giving quick and easy feedback. Want to hear about them? Let me know and I'll come show you all the cool things I learned and maybe some of them will work in your class.
  • What's new at Google: I learned some new things about Google Classroom and about using Jamboard -- a cool, interactive, collaborative whiteboard app. We can get together to find ways to use Jamboard in your class.
  • Makerspaces: Want to incorporate aspects of the maker movement into your class? I've got ideas!
  • Get published: I attended a really inspirational session on how to write a book. Have you ever thought of doing that? I'd love to share what I learned. Or maybe we can collaborate on a book together!
  • Digital footprint: I got some interesting new resources for teaching technology safety. Looking to add some lessons in your class? I can show you what I've got! (For example, I saw the video below -- what an eye-opener for what can happen if someone uses location services and social media -- look how easy it is for someone to find you and get information about you -- guaranteed to make you freak out a little!)

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Technology Integration: Only Part of the Equation

In our efforts to develop a 21st century learning environment, we need to look at all the different ways students get the opportunity to learn and demonstrate their learning. Too often, it is assumed that 21st century learning means using technology. The truth is that technology integration is only one part of having a 21st century learning environment. We got to see some evidence of that at last week's institute day. For instance, the Dream Lab class at the junior high incorporates a lot of the hallmarks of 21st century learning. Using BreakoutEDU, WeVideo, green screens, and Google Cardboard/VR also fall in that category. But so does understanding growth mindset and innovation/innovative problem solving. The last two items are not related to technology, and students in Dream Lab do lots of work that isn't required to be technology based. But technology access can make 21st century learning happen.

Things like collaboration, creative expression, inquiry, and hands-on learning are made easier with the availability of technology. That's why trying to integrate technology into learning helps foster those 21st century skills. Things like flipped lessons, digital citizenship lessons, student created media, and virtual field trips are common ways to integrate technology into your class or curriculum that can also transform the learning experience for students.

Here's a nice article that explains what a 21st century classroom looks like, and here's one that expands upon the technology integration part of 21st century learning. These articles are short and really easy to understand, which makes them ideal for helping to look at the learning environment you create for your students.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Follow the Leaders


If you've ever wondered who to follow on Twitter, I thought I'd share some of my favorites. These are people whose Tweets i rarely scroll past. These are the people who have inspired me personally or professionally, who challenge me, who make me grow. Maybe you might like to follow some of them, too. Following great people and resources on Twitter can turn out to be a great source of your own, customized professional development.

Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:


  • Eric Curts (@ericcurts): Eric shares great Google resources. I have used some of them to help me with my Google certifications.
  • Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1): Jerry has an extensive website for literally everything you can think of related to education, and he Tweets links to his resources often.
  • Rick Wormeli (@rickwormeli2): Rick is funny and smart and offers great insights on standards-based grading.
  • Dave Burgess (@burgessdave): The author of Teach Like a Pirate is funny, smart, and has great ideas for inspired teaching!
  • George Couros (@gcouros): Want to learn more about innovation? This is the guy to follow.
  • Josh Stumpenhorst (@stumpteacher): an Illinois Teacher of the Year, Josh offers great insights into education.
  • Eric Sheninger (@E_Sheninger): Eric is an award-winning principal with great insights about education.
  • John Wood (@johnwoodRTR): John is the founder of the non-profit Room to Read, which establishes libraries all over the world for kids to have access to books. He is a champion for literacy.
  • Justin Patchin (@justinpatchin): Justin is a founder of my favorite cyberbullying resource clearinghouse, Cyberbullying Research Center. He is a guru of technology safety.
  • Sameer Hinduja (@hinduja): Working with Justin Patchin, Sameer is also an expert in the field of cyberbullying.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Thorny Issue of Teachers and Social Media

Here's a post that is sure to set tongues wagging -- teachers and social media.

Before I even say anything more, disclaimers:
  • I am a pretty involved social media user.
  • I am not a social media expert.
  • I am not a perfect person -- I am a mere human like everyone else.
  • I am not anyone's boss.
  • I am not anyone's parent (except for Becky).
  • I make lots of mistakes in life.
  • I am very good at learning from my mistakes (it is actually my favorite way to learn).
I may not have my own classroom full of kiddos, and I may not have loads of papers to grade, but I am still a teacher. I am a teacher who uses social media both personally and professionally. I work pretty carefully to keep the two separate -- that's not to say that there isn't cross-over (like this Tweet I put out recently from my work Twitter account of my dog after I drew eyebrows on her -- I laugh at it every time I see it).


Even though I try to keep my personal and professional life separate online, I still try to be conscious of the fact that my personal accounts need to be used thoughtfully.

Before I go any further, let's get this out of the way: it is not fair. I know it's not fair that teachers seem to be held to a higher standard than people in other professions, maybe even an unreasonable standard, but that's the way it is and I don't know how to change it. So I do my best to work with it (keeping in mind bullet point #3 above).

So if you are a teacher who also uses social media, here are some of the most common guidelines we should follow when it comes to our social media accounts, especially the ones we use personally:
  • Use privacy settings. Your personal accounts should be limited to viewing by only your friends and family. This gives you the best level of control over your online appearance. One caveat: even with privacy settings at their tightest, nothing is private. Anything can be screen shotted or printed out and shared.
  • Avoid the risque, controversial, and provocative. Whether it's language, photos, or something else, or if it involves a lack of clothing or offensive language, try to avoid it. Remember bullet point #3 above? Yes, I know I've posted pictures of the drinks I've had at dinner. Yes, I've posted pictures of myself at parties where other people have drinks in their hands. Yes, I have a colorful vocabulary. But I also make sure I don't have pictures taken of me looking like some kind of wild party animal (mostly because I'm really not -- I think I'm just too old and boring). My friends and family are cognizant of the fact that I'm a teacher, so they make sure they are thoughtful about what they share about me on social media, too. I always imagine whatever I am posting online being on a bulletin board in my classroom. If I don't really want it on the bulletin board, I try to avoid having it online.
  • Don't complain about your job, employer, students, parents, or coworkers online. It's one thing to say, "I had a rough day today and I'm exhausted." It's quite another to say, "The little monsters were in rare form today and I am glad to be rid of them until tomorrow." Even if you're not naming names or speaking in generalities, it might land you in hot water.
  • Don't post pictures of your students on your personal social media pages. This is a big line blur. Even if you don't use their names, it just shouldn't be done.
  • Don't "friend" or "follow" students or parents through your personal social media. Again, this can really blur lines. These last two points can be tricky if your students and parents are your friends and neighbors in the community (I live AND work in Channahon, so this something I am face). If you are going to interact with those students and parents because they're your neighbors, just make sure that you're conscious of the fact that they are also students and parents.
Ultimately, this post this week is just to help teachers be aware of where some of the possible pitfalls are when it comes to social media use -- it's certainly not any kind of lecture (see bullet point #3 at the top of this post). Certainly, there are exceptions to all situations. All we need to do is constantly remind ourselves to be thoughtful about our own online behavior and it will be all good.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Your Official Invitation

My post for this week is to officially invite you to this year's Institute on Teaching and Learning, which will take place on Friday, February 16, 2018 at Channahon Junior High School!

Check out the event's official website here!

For now, I'd like to share some highlights with you:

  • We have teachers from all four buildings presenting on a wide variety of topics that are applicable to all ability levels, grade levels, and subject areas. Don't assume a session led by a primary grades teacher will only work for those who teach the itty bitties. Also don't assume a session led by a junior high teacher only works for those who teach those fun middle grades. These sessions have plenty of universal appeal!
  • You have the opportunity to get your brain AND body engaged in learning that day! Our very own Mrs. Verbic will be leading an opening session at 7:45 AM in the gym of YOGA! Not athletic? Never done yoga before? No worries! This will be a nice, easy session designed to wake up your body and mind. Wear those super comfy clothes and BYO yoga mat if you've got one and meet in the gym at 7:45!
  • Keynote speaker Joe Dufore will share his thoughts on teaching and learning with us. Follow him on Twitter!
  • Meet the junior high's first trimester Dream Lab winners. These students created projects that caught the eye of angel investors at the expo in November. These students will be sharing their projects with you in the hallway between sessions. Prepare to be impressed with their innovative work!
  • Don't miss the closing session where we will have our own CSD 17 version of a demo slam! Come learn some cool tricks and tools in a lightning fast presentation and vote for your favorite!
Now I'd like to highlight some of the topics being presented that day. We are adding sessions still, so there may be even more to come!
  • Mindfulness in the classroom -- something useful for all of us, teachers AND students!
  • Highlights from Carol Dweck's book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
  • Coding across the curriculum -- not just for computers class, and not just for tech experts!
  • Using green screen video making in the classroom -- more than just a cool gimmick, for sure
  • Google Forms -- assessment and more!
  • Hyperdocs -- the coolest new way to create engaging material for students!
  • BreakoutEDU in the classroom -- more than just a fun game!
  • Digital primary sources -- way beyond junior social studies, great for ALL grade level and subject areas!
  • Inventive problem solving -- we got an outside speaker for this one and he's kind of my favorite because he's my dad <3
  • Disruptive students -- strategies for positive management.
  • Helping students become socially emotionally prepared -- this goes hand in hand with academic learning!
  • WeVideo -- the nuts and bolts (did you know that all CSD students and teachers have accounts with WeVideo????)
  • Google VR -- strap on those goggles and discover how to use this immersive experience with students across grade levels and subject areas!
  • Google Certification -- what is it, how does it happen, why do it?
There are so many exclamation points in my post this week because I am so excited about this day! For too long, teachers have thought institute days were a drag or they weren't practical, but THIS institute day is customized for OUR teachers and OUR students and OUR school culture because it is OUR leaders providing the learning opportunities that day!

Share in the comments what you are looking forward to the most!

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Cool Tool Alert: Flippity

I have got a cool, FREE, EASY tool that you will LOVE -- either for YOU to use or for your STUDENTS to use! It is called Flippity -- I'm going to share with you information about the Flippity Add-On for Google Sheets (note: you can get the add-on for yourself, but if it is something you want your students to have access to, please get in touch with Jeremy).

People tend to explain Flippity as a flash card maker, but it is so much more than that! With the Flippity Add-On, you can create the following things:

  • Flashcards
  • Memory game
  • Quiz show (like Jeopardy)
  • Random name picker (will even create random groups)
  • Word search
  • Spelling words
  • Badge tracker
  • Crossword
  • Bingo
  • Hangman
  • Progress indicator
  • Mad Libs
  • Mix and match grid
  • Certificate quiz (take a quiz, get a certificate at the end)
Generally speaking, here is how to use the add-on:
  1. Open a new Google Sheets file.
  2. Click add-ons (once you've already gotten the add-on).
  3. Move mouse to Flippity.
  4. Click Pick a Template.
  5. Click through the templates by clicking n the edge of each card.
  6. On each card, you can view a demo or get the template.
  7. Click on Template. The template spreadsheet will open up with the demo information in it as placeholders. There are also directions for how to use the template. Change all the placeholder information with what you want to create, following the instructions (this includes the information for publishing the file -- super easy, just a couple mouse clicks).
  8. Get the link for what you created by clicking on Add-Ons while you are in the spreadsheet template, moving your mouse to Flippity, then clicking on Flippity.net URL (this will give you a web address you can share to use whatever you created).
Because it is published, when you make a change in the spreadsheet, the change will also take place on whatever you created -- super simple to update!

You might think this sounds complicated -- it's not. It is literally fill in the blank easy! You can create all sorts of activities for your students or have them create activities for themselves or their classmates.

Want to give Flippity a try but don't want to tackle it on your own? Get in touch -- I am seriously SO EXCITED to get some teachers using this tool!

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Sharing Your Experience -- Take 2

Not long ago, I sent out a blog post encouraging everyone to consider applying to present at our February Institute day and there were some really terrific responses! But I'm greedy -- I want MORE! So here are a few things to help spur your enthusiasm to share your experience with your colleagues!



  • Re-read my original blog post for inspiration and ideas. What is something cool and engaging you do in your classroom? What is a neat project you've done that can be shared with others to replicate? What is a tool you are really comfortable using and think others would like to know how to use, too? These all make great topics for breakout sessions!
  • Interested in presenting but you're not sure what to do? Here are some ideas that have been brought to us as topics people are interested in learning about:
    • Google Classroom -- Are you an avid Google Classroom user? Have you found ways it has enhanced your classroom or interesting ways to use it (blogging, differentiation, etc.)? Can you share that with our teachers? There are still plenty of people who are still trying to navigate Google Classroom and could use your expertise to guide them!
    • Chrome Extensions -- Do you know what Chrome Extensions are? Do you have some that are really useful for you or your kids? There are teachers who don't know yet about how these extensions can really change the way their classroom works. They could use some help from you!
    • Google Forms for Assessment -- Do you use the assessment features in Google Forms? This is a terrific feature that not as many teachers know about as you'd think! They could use help from someone experienced in using it to help them!
    • Green Screens -- Sure, green screen are fun and cool, but lots of times, teachers just aren't sure about how to incorporate this into their lessons; they just don't know for sure how to make it academic and not just fun. Have you found ways to incorporate green screen video creation into your lessons? If so, I know there are plenty of teachers who would love to hear what you've done so they can try it themselves!
  • Are you one of the Google Certified Educators in the district? If so, I need you! One session will be a panel of Google Certified Educators talking to interested teachers about what Google Certification is, why it's valuable, how to go about getting ready for the exam, etc. Please let me know if you're willing to be part of this panel.
  • Have you been fortunate enough to attend one of the EdTech Team Google Summits? If so, then you know that one of the highlights is always the demo slam! I'd love to see our day end on a high note with a fun demo slam, but for that to happen, we need people to participate! You don;t have to be a presenter for a breakout session to do the demo slam -- all you need to do is be willing to spend 2 - 3 minutes sharing a cool tool with everyone! Here is EdTech Team's guide for how to win a demo slam, and if you're curious to know more about them, ask anyone who's been to one of these Google Summits to tell you about them! Our own Jeremy McBrayer has been part of a demo slam explaining why your email signature sucks!
Inspired? GREAT! Here's the form to fill out to present! I can't wait to hear from you!