Welcome to #Nt2t! Today’s topic is “Incorporating Technology into all Parts of the Classroom” Questions for today’s chat are here & on the photo cards. #nt2t
Hoping our tech savvy friends can join the convo about #edtech and help our undergrads understand effective use in the classroom. Join #NT2t at 8amCDT on 5/4 to share your ideas. Plz RT! #edchat
A little bit about me: My name is Hannah Mercer and I am from Massachusetts. I am a pre-service teacher studying elementary and special education at Grove City College in Grove City, PA. I am so excited to moderate this chat! #NT2t
Good morning, #NT2t! Hannah here from northern VA, USA. Former 1st grade T, currently at home with baby and co-mod on the chat team. My degree is in El./Spec. Ed., and I hope to add something with #edtech to that in the future!
Welcome Robbie! Where in central PA are you at? I'm from Philly area, went to school north of Pittsburgh, and had to drive across the whole state for 4 years! #nt2t
A little bit about me: My name is Hannah Mercer and I am from Massachusetts. I am a pre-service teacher studying elementary and special education at Grove City College in Grove City, PA. I am so excited to moderate this chat! #NT2t
I’m also a Board member of @ParentCamp, #digcitsummit alum & groupie (so I’m into empowering kids and adults to use tech in the best ways possible), work in education communications and looking for a new job... etc. #nt2t
Good morning, #NT2t! Hannah here from northern VA, USA. Former 1st grade T, currently at home with baby and co-mod on the chat team. My degree is in El./Spec. Ed., and I hope to add something with #edtech to that in the future!
A1 I have been exploring @MicrosoftTeams as a part of the Office 365 suite. It is a cool, centralized place for Ss to chat, see their online notebook, access online material, and get feedback from me. #Nt2t
A1: My fav tech tools for students include anything they can use to create multimedia projects. Multimedia allows for so many forms of expression well suited for kids (and adults). #NT2t
A1: Just one tool? Oh man...I really loved ClassDojo for everything that we did in 1st grade, and GoNoodle was wonderful for both them and me. I hope to use more Seesaw and Flipgrid in the future, based on my own use. #nt2t
So... being outside the teaching career I’d have to say the one we’re on now, to connect me with people like all of you every day and making me a greater part of the education community on behalf of our kids. #nt2t
Our third grader’s teacher is just dipping in to @Seesaw. As a parent I suspect tools like these will become my favorite in the future, if our kids’ teachers choose to use them. #nt2t
A1: Just one tool? Oh man...I really loved ClassDojo for everything that we did in 1st grade, and GoNoodle was wonderful for both them and me. I hope to use more Seesaw and Flipgrid in the future, based on my own use. #nt2t
A1: I love Google Classroom! It helps my students stay organized and provides a simple forum for whole class discussion. More importantly, it keeps ME organized; no more shuffling papers back and forth from home and school. Don't know how I ever managed without it! #NT2T
And it should be up there even within the teaching career! If we can't connect to other educators/parents to expand our learning and be more effective, then what's the point of all the other tools? #nt2t
So with Google Classroom, does your school have to be signed up for it as, like, a suite? Similar to how schools use Office365? Or can you use GC as an individual? #nt2t
A2: As in anything tech, first and foremost you must identify your objectives. If the tech tool fits the objectives, use it. If not, skip it. It will be a disaster if you try to force it. #NT2t
THIS. 👏🏽👏🏽👇🏽 Whether or not it’s Twitter you use to expand your learning, tech doesn’t grow you and your students on its own. #LoveTwitter#EdTechAfterDark#nt2t
And it should be up there even within the teaching career! If we can't connect to other educators/parents to expand our learning and be more effective, then what's the point of all the other tools? #nt2t
A2: Perhaps this is very basic, but most math curriculum (that I've encountered) have online resources that are often interactive and very helpful. Tapping into that can be great! Also, SmartNotebook lessons are always a fan favorite. :) #nt2t
A2: I do like to use tech for math practice. There are so many great "drill" sites that are gamified that kids don't realize they are learning and practicing their skills. #NT2t
Real quick resource share, I've started using @duolingo to learn Portuguese to communicate with extended family. It's a great pseudo-gamification for language learning, and I'm really enjoying it! Only a few suggestions, but overall instructive! #nt2t
A2: Gotta say, the online spirograph site is one of my favs...so much math and art all in one. WARNING: this site is addictive: https://t.co/UCHtk2TuJZ#NT2t
A3: This is what I most struggle with. How can I use tech to teach students to read? We use YouTube for read alouds of books I don't have, and fun songs to learn vowels or parts of speech. Are there any great, easy literacy resources out there? #nt2t
A3 I use a chrome add on called SpeakIt that will read the text on a web screen. Struggling Ss read along while listening. Also when listening to podcasts, we read the transcripts. #Nt2t
Yes, and I recently learned at a tech speed dating event on campus that Microsoft also has an accessibility checker built in to Word and other products. #nt2t
A3 I use a chrome add on called SpeakIt that will read the text on a web screen. Struggling Ss read along while listening. Also when listening to podcasts, we read the transcripts. #Nt2t
I can't remember how little your littles are but my kids did some thing on Starfall when they were preschool/K (at home). Think there's also ABC Mouse. #nt2t
A3: This is what I most struggle with. How can I use tech to teach students to read? We use YouTube for read alouds of books I don't have, and fun songs to learn vowels or parts of speech. Are there any great, easy literacy resources out there? #nt2t
A4: Tech has the potential to be helpful with classroom management, but like any tech it's only as useful as the person who implements it. I very much struggled with classroom management my first year, and it was not magically fixed with any number of tech. #nt2t
A4: Personally I don't think technology should be used for "management" per say. I think class management begins and ends with relationships built on trust between the students and teacher. #NT2t
A3/4 I use math fact apps for review practice, but I also use Book Creator for math and literacy apps. The new Activities feature on Seesaw allows me to create and borrow Activities for math/literacy skills. #nt2t
A4) I think classroom management is best aided by establishing meaningful personal relationships with students. That being said, I have heard from Ts at presentations that find Class Dojo helpful, esp in communicating with parents. #nt2t
A lot of the things that worked were not tech related, or were very basic. Counting down from 5, setting a visual timer, having a point system and 'teams' for some things...classroom management is such a personable thing, it's hard to have a strong tech side. #nt2t
Yes, I really liked ClassDojo for that. Especially since many of my parents didn't speak English, and posts to your class story had an option to translate! I'm sure it wasn't 100%, but it was enough that they could see what we were doing in school! #nt2t
A4 I don’t think tech should be behavior management. I may send a parent a quick message via Seesaw if I need to let them know about something, but tech is a tool in our class. I do have expectations on how to use, if not using safely or correctly then we’ll make a change. #nt2t
Agreed. I think tech is part of classroom management in that it is something else that needs to be managed, and shouldn't really be doing the managing. That's the first step to Skynet taking over! #nt2t
A4 Kiddos in my class are often working in small groups...some with tech, some without. Small group set up helps kiddos stay engaged. A favorite is recording their low tech creations. #nt2t
A5: I think educators need to know right away that you won't be able to use just one tool to communicate with parents. Some like a text, email, SeeSaw, etc, so be prepared to use multiple tools. You must meet them where they are. #NT2t
And just like parent/teacher communication in general, it’s so important that tech tools aren’t associated with the negative. Communicate the positive every day! #ptchat#nt2t
A4 I don’t think tech should be behavior management. I may send a parent a quick message via Seesaw if I need to let them know about something, but tech is a tool in our class. I do have expectations on how to use, if not using safely or correctly then we’ll make a change. #nt2t
A5) I've heard great things about teachers using Remind. My daughter's T this year set one up but it hasn't been used very much. The school and district send out regular emails & district has an app w/ notifications you can set by school(s). #nt2t
A5 Communicating better w/parents is one of my goals for next year. I don't to a good job this year. Thinking about having a S created newsletter that gets sent home periodically. Could be paper or email form. #Nt2t
That is so true, Julie! I wish I had known that at the beginning of the year, it would have saved me so many late afternoon phone calls trying to get parent permission or connect with parents. #nt2t
A5: Am wondering how many schools offer a tech night to teach parents how to use different communication tools? Would be cool to have a "speed-tech" night for them so they can learn a variety and pick their favorite. Could teach about @digcit at same time! #NT2t
Could be a Google Form parents can fill out at open house or paper form that you enter results of into GForms. Then you would have preferred communication method in a spreadsheet and see what tools you need to use. #nt2t
That is so true, Julie! I wish I had known that at the beginning of the year, it would have saved me so many late afternoon phone calls trying to get parent permission or connect with parents. #nt2t
And just like parent/teacher communication in general, it’s so important that tech tools aren’t associated with the negative. Communicate the positive every day! #ptchat#nt2t
A4 I don’t think tech should be behavior management. I may send a parent a quick message via Seesaw if I need to let them know about something, but tech is a tool in our class. I do have expectations on how to use, if not using safely or correctly then we’ll make a change. #nt2t
We used Remind in college a lot, for different things. I really enjoyed it, and I like that it's an app (as opposed to everyone having my number). I don't remember if it had a translate option, but that would just be the icing on the cake for me! #nt2t
A5 for those that use tech, it’s definitely a great way to stay connected to families; however, I have some that don’t have access so our communication may just be phone calls, face to face, or little notes. #nt2t
A5: Parent communication that has translation is now important to me. Some parents don't speak English, and it is very difficult to coordinate one of the few translators in the building for a formal important phone call, much less an informal update/reminder/encouragement! #nt2t
A5 for those that use tech, it’s definitely a great way to stay connected to families; however, I have some that don’t have access so our communication may just be phone calls, face to face, or little notes. #nt2t
I wish you luck on that goal! Funny thing, as a parent who advocates for stronger school/family connections, I don’t take much to newsletters. The “periodically” part gives me pause. Since we’re talking about tech, everyday tech communication for me! But know your parents. #nt2t
A5 Communicating better w/parents is one of my goals for next year. I don't to a good job this year. Thinking about having a S created newsletter that gets sent home periodically. Could be paper or email form. #Nt2t
And the connecting drive behind these different tools are their personalization. Just as you develop relationships with each student, all parents can’t be covered by blanket means of communication. #ptchat#nt2t
A5: I think educators need to know right away that you won't be able to use just one tool to communicate with parents. Some like a text, email, SeeSaw, etc, so be prepared to use multiple tools. You must meet them where they are. #NT2t
Sometimes I would send a note home, and then also shoot the parent a message saying that it was coming so they could check their kid's backpack. Such is the life in 1st grade! #nt2t
Unfortunately I have to run friends! Thank you @hannahmmercer for leading our #NT2t chat this morning. You are an amazing educator! Makes my heart smile to know our next gen of educators are willing to jump in and take the lead!
A5) From the parent angle, I most appreciate direct messages about our child through whatever means you send them. Got a text from our 3rd grader’s teacher last night about a great thing she did in school. And for the first time, a video through Seesaw. Make it personal. #nt2t
And it's SO perfect for my age group with early literacy skills but such a strong desire to show off their work and feel proud. I want to go back RIGHT NOW so I can start using it! #nt2t
Recommended at all levels! Frankly I find notes home impersonal and distancing if there’s no other communication connected to it. And yeah, we don’t always see them. #nt2t
Sometimes I would send a note home, and then also shoot the parent a message saying that it was coming so they could check their kid's backpack. Such is the life in 1st grade! #nt2t
Does your school have a policy about teachers texting parents, as far as you know? My school frowned on it, but I found out later that it's not a hard and fast rule and many teachers do it effectively. Would have been good to know at the beginning! #nt2t
The thing I like about notes home is that the parent can read it in front of the kid (assuming it's a positive note) and they have something to look at to remind the student of a time they excelled! #nt2t
A5: Parent communication that has translation is now important to me. Some parents don't speak English, and it is very difficult to coordinate one of the few translators in the building for a formal important phone call, much less an informal update/reminder/encouragement! #nt2t
I teach high school world history but here is a Padlet of tools I offer to Ss that may help them with annotation, organization, etc. https://t.co/QCBOt6BwUK I also have one with suggested creation tools: https://t.co/z4dcf4x9sU#nt2t
Could be a Google Form parents can fill out at open house or paper form that you enter results of into GForms. Then you would have preferred communication method in a spreadsheet and see what tools you need to use. #nt2t
That is so true, Julie! I wish I had known that at the beginning of the year, it would have saved me so many late afternoon phone calls trying to get parent permission or connect with parents. #nt2t
I teach high school world history but here is a Padlet of tools I offer to Ss that may help them with annotation, organization, etc. https://t.co/QCBOt6BwUK I also have one with suggested creation tools: https://t.co/z4dcf4x9sU#nt2t
A5: Am wondering how many schools offer a tech night to teach parents how to use different communication tools? Would be cool to have a "speed-tech" night for them so they can learn a variety and pick their favorite. Could teach about @digcit at same time! #NT2t
