A group of dedicated educators gather each week to discuss best practices & designing the school of the future. @yankee_todd is a third year principal of the middle school in San Antonio. #neisdpln is an amazing hour each Monday night at 7:30 central time.
A1: Amanda Galvin, Asst. Director of Inst Tech, the entire #NEISDiTech team (I need that much help), and glazed donuts from Bulverde Donuts neat Tex Hill MS #NEISDPLN
@seesaw my communication with parents, digital portfolios, and quick station activities. Other web based tools in slowly getting to know and figure out what I like. #NEISDpln
A1: oh that is one tough question! I use so many different sites, apps, programs and platforms in my classroom! It’s so hard to choose... If I had to pick 2-3 I guess our class runs on @ClassDojo, @GoogleForEdu & @GoNoodle#NEISDPLN
@seesaw my communication with parents, digital portfolios, and quick station activities. Other web based tools in slowly getting to know and figure out what I like. #NEISDpln
G suite makes lesson planning so easy, and I am using Forms to schedule conference. Seesaw, Love having a digital portfolio of kids work. My class really could not run without SMART apps as well!!#neisdpln
One has to be YouTube...my go-to “search engine” Google Suite. Use it both at school and at home. Flipgrid another fun one. Shameless plug: @EdTechBites and I are teaching online Flipgrid class. Register on eduphoria, NEISD! :-) #NEISDpln
Oh, me too! I do everything on Google. I have been using Google Forms for Ps to schedule conference times w/me for the last 3 years. It's so nice! #NEISDPLN
A2: streamline by being more innovative and take more risks in their learning. Trying new things to keep them engaged. Writing a grant last year and having a class set makes me be more outside my box. Love the challenge. #neisdpln
A2: Google Classroom. How did I EVER LIVE WITHOUT IT? A digital space where teachers can provide individualized and instant feedback is so important. #neisdpln 1/2
A2: Quizizz and Plickers helped me gather immediate data to drive instruction and the kids had so much fun! Also grading with Google apps cut my grading time by 75%, freeing me up to be more present. Also flipped instruction 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #neisdpln
A2) I use Google Slides to present things to my class all the time. Even a quick image to spark their thinking; I take pics of books & insert the pages1 at a time into Google Slides to enlarge the text & use it as shared reading by projecting it. #NEISDPLN
A2: Google Classroom helps keep my technology streamlined. I assign so many different projects with subject tags and kids work at their preference. #neisdpln#the4Cs
A2: it’s hard to focus on one spot. Tech increases productivity in almost all things. For me- anything collaborative in nature. I’m a believer in more heads are better than 1, so tools like Google that allow collaboration is what I gravitate towards #NEISDPLN
A2: contd. literally half of my stuff in Google Classroom comes from @LearnMooreStuff If you don’t follow or check her blog, you’re missing out. #RockTheLab#neisdpln
A2: I have my whole morning meeting (ie: attendance, lunch count) Centers, and how I have my kids partners all using SMART notebook. Couldn’t live without it. #neisdpln
Yes! & it's perfect b/c a lot of the books I have that are perfect for shared reading r not enlarged books. Getting them into Slides eliminates that problem. I can literally turn any book into a shared reading format. #NEISDPLN
A2: I agree w/ @LearnMooreStuff Google Classroom is pretty awesome! I think the litmus test is does tech add to learning, or is it there to be...well...tech (think #samr) #neisdpln
A2: So many tools that can auto-grade and help streamline feedback for formative assessment. Also, anything that can help save time and do more with the flipped concept (video tools) and stations for secondary. #NEISDPLN
A3: so far anytime they record themselves explaining anything I’ve taught them provides lots of insight into how I’m doing, reflection into their own learning is so vital. . #neisdpln
A3: My lessons became much more successful when I began flipping my classroom. We had so much more time in class to dig deep, collaborate, and stop misconceptions in their tracks #neisdpln
A3: so far anytime they record themselves explaining anything I’ve taught them provides lots of insight into how I’m doing, reflection into their own learning is so vital. . #neisdpln
A3: The most successful has been using the lessons in Seesaw. I love that it will read the directions for the students, and with PK that’s essential! It has helped them become more independent and explain their learning better. #neisdpln
A3: videoconferencing game show...when we connected with another class to review for STAAR. Ss had the ability to talk about questions w/ Ss outside their 4 walls and got a different perspective #NEISDPLN
A3: I used video tools (screencasting) to help save time in stations and during review. Providing video tutorials, and even directions for certain activities, provided more time for me to ask probing questions w students. #gamechanger#NEISDPLN
A3) My lessons that incorporate tech r really to make the content more accessible. Ex: projecting books, pictures, online stories, etc. My Ss r second-language learners, the visuals really make a difference, & tech makes that easier for me. #NEISDPLN
A3: One of my fav lessons included tech that had a “wow factor” to engage and keep students’ attention, but included a real world application. “Clients” were relying on them, and it was a game changer. #neisdpln
A3: 1day we were learning how to alphabetize words & I had a thought “I wish we could throw away the letters as we go along” I took 1 look at my #SMARTboard & had and Idea to create a #SMARTnotebook for ABC order using the 🗑. It helped my kids so much #NEISDPLN@SMART_Tech
A4- The upper grades on our campus are using iMove to make trailers for books. I think it’s opened the kids eyes more to what can be done on the internet besides watch someone else play a video game on YouTube. #neisdpln
A4: We spend time looking (planning) for ways to bring critical thinking skills into the fold. Getting feedback in creative ways using instructional strategies and the time saving tools that allow Ss to demonstrate that creative feedback. #NEISDPLN
Get away from kill and drill apps and virtual worksheets. Just bc it used in the computer does not make it “technology.” Use more creation tools and connect to the real world. Use the SAMR model to guide your tech integration #NEISDPLN
Get away from kill and drill apps and virtual worksheets. Just bc it used in the computer does not make it “technology.” Use more creation tools and connect to the real world. Use the SAMR model to guide your tech integration #NEISDPLN
I think there’s a lot of fear when students use tech in the classroom - so much opportunity for things to go wrong, so teachers limit what they can do. It’s going to be a big mindset shift. #neisdpln
A5: creation apps! If they aren’t creating a product or using critical thinking skills, it doesn’t go on the device! Technology isn’t a babysitter in the classroom. #neisdpln
#neisdpln A4: creation apps! If they aren’t creating a product or using critical thinking skills, it doesn’t go on the device! Technology isn’t a babysitter in the classroom. #neisdpln
A4) My Ss r 5 & 6 yrs old. As such, much of their use of tech is to help them access & consume. In the tech lab they do produce, but I feel at their young age they need the authentic experience first. #NEISDPLN
A5 To be honest, I do not know enough about TTESS to answer but would assume that tech allows lessons to be student centered and that’s always a win.#neisdpln
Yes! but it has so be something they are comfortable and familiar with - a seamless part of their day, not just brought out for the "observation" #neisdpln
A5: Going beyond proficient isn't an easy process without the effective use of technology integration. So many creative ways to save time and streamline instruction. There is a reason the state has moved away from Standard V in favor of tech integration w/in TTESS #NEISDPLN
A5: technology integration should not be excluded from the shift from teacher-centered to student-centered classroom, which is what T-TESS is trying to focus on #neisdpln
A5: I used @seesaw as a wrap-up/ quick student student eval for my T-TESS observation and my students loved showing my admin what they learned using their faveorite app! Plus it went pretty well for me.... #winkwink#neisdpln
Q5: not being afraid to try something new. My principal observed my 3rd graders creating paired number tables using Google Sheets for the 1st time during my TTESS observation. #neisdpln
Very good point. I would look for ways to incorporate BYOD - supplement devices for the Ss that don't have a phone. Possibly break up a cart of Chromebooks or iPads into smaller segments to share the love. #NEISDPLN
A6: truthfully? Student paced nearpod lessons. When I was in the classroom we only had access to the free accounts. Student paced would have been a definite game changer. #neisdpln
A6: I'm going to piggy back on this one. I would have loved the ability to incorporate student paced lessons. Nearpod can be a game changer when getting creative with your planning. So many possibilities. #NEISDPLN
A6: truthfully? Student paced nearpod lessons. When I was in the classroom we only had access to the free accounts. Student paced would have been a definite game changer. #neisdpln
I had this issue as a classroom teacher and found ways my Ss could collaborate. When there’s a will, there’s a way. Teachers are resourceful! #neisdpln
A6: I’ve wanted to do google classroom as a flipped classroom model, because I want parents more involved with what the kids are doing in the classroom. But, I haven’t because I’m having trouble figuring out what content to put on, and ease of access for the kids.#neisdpln
