Hey educators - Haven't you thought while grading an essay or another kind of written assignment that, "It would just be so much easier if I could tell my student what they are doing wrong." I have discovered this app extension for the Chrome Browser called Mote. It provides quick and easy audio feedback to students. Mote works seamlessly with the Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Classroom apps to save you time and improve engagement with learners. Check out the video showing Mote on YouTube - it's like adding a comment on a Google Doc. It also will work in Google Classroom! Work Smarter, Not Harder!
Nearpod
Nearpod is a student engagement platform. It is free, but it does have a premium version which you have to pay for. As a teacher, I am all about the free. So what makes Nearpod awesome? Teachers are able to cast the lesson to all of their students devices simultaneously. I like this because not every student can have preferential seating in the front of the class and lessons on SMART Boards/Promethean Boards can be hard to see if a student sits closer to the back of the class. You can also monitor your students’ progress throughout the lesson. Teachers can search the Nearpod library for other content created by fellow teachers. If you wish to create your own lesson, you can also import pretty much any kind of file to get started. You can also embed video and links to websites which is also a plus. In the times of Covid-19, you can also create virtual field trips for students. Nearpod works well with a variety of platforms as well. If you choose to subscribe, Nearpod’s Gold Subscription is $12/month.
ClassTag
I discovered ClassTag in July. I am using it this school year in my class. Why am I in love with this website/app?
1. The ease of parent contact! I do not speak Spanish. This is a game changer for me because when the parents sign up for the account, they choose their language preference. Whatever I type in English is automatically converted to the language of their choice. I no longer have to use Google Translate every time I want to send an email! BTW - ClassTag is available on any device!
2. How many emails do you receive daily? I have had parent emails buried because of the amount of email (or I have put it aside and said I will answer this when I have a quiet moment to think!). ClassTag allows for direct messaging via email or text. You can make class announcements, create a calendar of events, and even schedule parent-teacher conferences. Also you can keep parents abreast of supply lists! Everything is contained within the platform. No longer will you have to search through emails or Remind messages!
3. Teachers can earn free stuff for their classrooms! ClassTag has partnerships with “supporting partners”. Teachers earn virtual money for using ClassTag and can then redeem the virtual coins for supplies. Currently ClassTag has these partners: Clorox, Under Armour, National Geographic, Penguin (publishing company), HP, and The Children’s Place
Still have questions? Visit their How It Works Website - https://home.classtag.com/how-it-works/
Google Classroom
Yes, I know Google Classroom has been around for a long time, but I can’t sing it’s praises enough. I had always used Edmodo and Remind. I never used them to teach, I used them to post items students would need from class. When we migrated to online learning, I learned exactly how bad Edmodo and Remind are The platforms crashed constantly. I get it - you now have millions of teachers and students trying to log on to a platform. Guess what, Google Classroom never crashed. I swiftly transitioned to Classroom on the 2nd day of online learning. Where do I begin? It is free. If your school district or school uses the paid version (enterprise version - called G Suite) than teachers have access to even more stuff. Mine doesn’t so I have the plain jane version, but it is still great! The ease of use is superb. You need to sign up or have a gmail account in order to use Google Classroom. I would suggest you set one up just for school, because when students submit work, you receive notifications. You can create a Resource Library - where you can place frequently used items in your classroom. Unlike Edmodo which only allows you to pin one item to the top of the feed. If students need something they just have to go to the library without having to go back through old posts. You can post assignments, grade them online, legit forget dragging home a bag of papers! Need help? I watched this YoutTube tutorial to get started. https://youtu.be/rCNImsWUxZA it is made by the channel called Pocketful of Primary. She has all sorts of other videos about Google Classroom, but I would use this one to get you started! I posted a screen grab from one of my archived classes below.
PlayPosit - Has Turned In To A Game Changer For Me!
PlayPosit is basically an interactive video website. It has been around for a little while, but with the focus on distance learning because of the pandemic, I have fallen in love with this website! Think of embedding your questions from a study guide that pairs with a movie, within the movie itself. You can create all sorts of questions: multiple choices, fill in the blank, free response and even have a class discussion. You can also program a stop in the video to point something out just as you would in class. You can even do this with your own lectures and it supports websites like You Tube! You get 100 Free Bulbs!
