TL;DR: How podcasting can benefit student engagement AND meet content standards. Basic tips for starting a podcast with your students. Why Podcast with Students According to George Washington University, “Students who said they aren’t that motivated at the beginning of class score higher on tests when they listen to podcasts featuring content.” Besides being a fun and engaging way for … Read More
Next Level Hyperdocs with Google Sites
TL;DR: A quick overview of Hyperdocs. Video explanation of an integration between Google sites and Hyperdocs. One of the best ways I’ve found to help students access content is by collecting and storing resources and activities in one central location. Many of us do this through systems like Microsoft Teams or Google Classroom. We mainly link resources through the assignments. … Read More
Allow Cell Phones?!
TL;DR: The value we place on cell phones. Three steps toward allowing cell phones in your classroom… responsibly. I got my first cell phone in 1996 when I was in college. It looked like a brick– huge! You could only call programmed numbers from it, and I think I only had 3 numbers I could actually dial. After that, I … Read More
Gamification: Show Me The Evidence!
TL;DR: The difference between playing games and gamification. Elements of gamification… that are also best practices of pedagogy. Research & evidence that supports using gamification for student success. As a teacher of a fully-gamified class, I often hear phrases such as, “That’s really cool, but how do you know the system is working?” Most of the time this involves a … Read More
Teaching and Learning Online during COVID-19
TL;DR: Resources for students (and teachers!) learning online. Using the Grid Method online during distance learning. Resources for teaching online. The lights were out, the halls were empty, and disinfectant stung my nose as I walked through the empty elementary school I call home. I know this situation is precarious and surreal to some. I also know that the amazing … Read More