PD & Twitter - Wk 02

CN Elementary Teaching Team,

Week 2 (August 27 - August 31, 2018)

Thursday Giggles:     What do you use to fix a broken tomato?
                                     Tomato paste.

FREE/OPTIONAL Professional Development (PD):  Here are the first two dates to mark on your calendar.

DETAILS: This class will cover the basics of getting started in Google Classroom. How do you design one? How do you close comments? Where is the classroom code? How do you get students into your classroom? How do you create an assignment? How do you locate student work when it is done? How do you provide student feedback along the way? How do you grade student work? And, what types of assignments can you add to Google Classroom?

REGISTER HERE

DETAILS: Building a website is easier than you might think. Click. Drag. Adjust. Move. I’ll walk you through the steps to get you started. Or, maybe you have a website started, but you can’t quite figure out a few bits. If that’s you, come on over! Have an old Site? Did you know you can convert it to the new format? Yep! You can. Come and learn how to do that.
REGISTER HERE

Blog.  Just a reminder that all the emails I sent last year can still be found on my blog.  The Search Box appears to be working properly now.  You can use it to search out content, teaching ideas, tech sites, and resources.  Link?  It’s in my signature below.

Password Cards.  Remember how I shared those pre-done, pre-formatted password cards out to you?  Well, here’s a teaching video that shows you how to actually Mail Merge that data. (Sorry to all of you who typed all that information in.  I published 5 other videos recently.  This one fell in the queue late.)  Check out this link (below).  Bookmark it and save it for next year.  Save yourself 45 minutes.

VIDEO LINK HERE.

Chromebooks.  Is your site using Chromebooks?  A few things to note:
1. The login process looks different.  Procedure is the same.  It just looks different.
2. Standard desktop tools will not be there (Word, PowerPoint, Snipping Tool, Paint, etc.).
3. The sign out process looks different (use the bottom-right corner).

Everything online works swimmingly.  Don’t avoid the Chromebooks because they look and feel different.  They’re great tools!

Twitter.  Are you on Twitter?  If you aren’t already on Twitter, I recommend that you set up an account.  It is a #phenomenal place to gather #EdTech tips, tricks, tools, and ideas.  Wanna up your teaching game?  Get on Twitter.  Wanna rock your tech game?  Get on Twitter.  Just 3 minutes each week and you will learn something new.  I promise.  It’s a safe space to collaborate, team, coordinate, gather info, feel supported, and get #inspired.  I’m not pushing this because I want/need more followers.  I say this because I truly believe that Twitter is a #GameChanger.  Get it on your phone.  Three minutes per week.  Follow some teachers and tech geeks.  That’s it.

Image credits: Twitter capture of feed.

Hey Cortana!  If your computer is running Windows 10, you can set up voice command features.  Sometimes I will say, “Hey, Cortana, Open Microsoft Word,” and my computer will do it for me.  Or, you can search the web.  You can locate a file.  Set a timer.  Ask for a funny joke (“Hey, Cortana!  Tell me something funny.”).  You can even add events to your calendar.  Fearful about child intervention?  Cortana can use technology to verify the sound/tone/pattern of your voice.  Just remember to select that box in the settings.  Click on the circle at the bottom left of your screen (if your computer looks like this) to set up voice commands.  Or, use Window + S.  Both strategies will bring up the search box.

Hey Siri!  I have an Apple iPhone 7.  One thing I use frequently is the voice command features.  I will say things like,

1) “Hey Siri send a text message to Elizabeth George.”  Siri will come back and ask what I want to send.  My dictated speech will display on the screen.  Siri will read the text back to me to confirm that it is correct.  I will replay with, “Yes” and it will get sent.
2) “Hey Siri, set a reminder for today at 4:00pm Phone Frank.” Siri will design that reminder for me.
3) “Hey Siri, open the Walmart app.” (or Starbucks, or Wells Fargo Bank, or whatever…)
4) “Hey Siri, open my wallet.”
5) “Hey Siri, open my camera.”
6) “Hey Siri, what is the capital of New Mexico?”
7) “Hey Siri, how do you spell diagnostic?”
7) “Hey Siri, start a timer (or set an alarm).”
8) “Hey Siri, open Voice Memo.”
9) “Hey Siri, add an appointment to my calendar.”
10) “Hey Siri, get driving directions to Disneyland.”
11) “Hey Siri, what is the air quality?”

In each situation Siri will open, start, reply, or confirm what you have requested.  I have found this to be a great tool.  It saves me time and maximizes my speed and efficiency.  I use some of these tools from my Apple Watch as well. 

iReady online. If you are piloting the iReady Math resources this year, please remember that you have access to a host of awesome online tools!  Contact CI&A (Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) if you need username or password for that.  They can point you in the right direction. LOGIN.

Two emails this week. If you need copies of that material, you can find the links here: Student Laptop Protocol and Clever Login from Home.

Sick ‘em!

Kindly,

Welcome Back! - Wk 01

Week 1 (August 20 - August 25, 2018)

Thursday Giggles:        Who yelled, "Coming are the British."?
                                            Paul Reverse.

(Copy and save this image if you want to add it to your email signature.  Resize in Microsoft Word if it’s too big.)

Welcome Back! Welcome back (or hello for the first time) to all my CN Elementary Teaching Team.  We are going to have a phenomenal year!  I will try to send out approximately 30 emails like this during the year.  I will showcase things that are specific to CUSD that our Tech or CIA (Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) teams have asked me to share.  Additionally, I’ll share out anything that’s EdTech in nature.  Last year my methodology was helicopter-like (expansive overview).  This year, I’ll try to get a pinch more in-depth at points.  If you ever miss any of my emails, you can always visit my BLOG (found in my signature) and you can review any of those past emails for that info.

Professional Development Calendar (Instructional Technology). These items are 100% optional.  Dates are pending.  When I get those on the calendar I will keep you in the loop.  Plan on 12 Wednesdays from 2:30 – 3:30.  I’ll start with Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Google Sites.

Ideas.  I try to have 6-weeks of blog material penned out and ready to go.  I’m typically not short on material.  However, if you want material that I’m not posting, shout out and let me know.

Clovis Unified App.  Clovis Unified just rolled out an app for all mobile devices.  I sent an email out about that already.  You can reference those images and use them in parent communication.  VIDEO LINK.

Image capture from iTunes.  Video link above.

Reset Student Passwords. Every year it’s standard that these get reset.  If you have forgotten how to do this, please check out THIS VIDEO or THIS PDF.  Either tool should point you in the right direction.  Did you miss out on the Word Docs I sent out?  Pre-formatted password cards?  Check your email inbox and check those out.  Or, email me again if needed.

Image capture from video.  Video link above.

Stylus. Do you have a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga?  If so, you have a stylus on the side of your computer.  Just pull it out and use as you see fit.  I made a VIDEO.  You can find it on my YouTube channel; it showcases how to use this tool if you are in charge of printing/signing certificates.  This could save you hours of time.  Don’t have a Yoga?  Jealous?  Borrow a friend’s laptop.  Sign in as yourself.  Capture what you need (save to the cloud or email those files to yourself) and trade back.

Air Quality App. Every classroom teacher can benefit from this (AirVisual).  You don’t have to be a coach to need this resource.  With all the mountain fires we have faced recently, we can never tell what our air quality will be like.  This app has been super helpful!  It gives you a reading of what the air quality might be like over the next three days.  And, it’s free!  I think it’s only available on Apple devices at this point.

Image captures from iTunes.

Apple Watch. Did you know you can ask Siri what the air quality is?  Sure can.  Just say, “Siri, what is the air quality?”  And you will get a response.

Departmentalize.  Do you (or do you plan to) departmentalize?  This is where teachers of one grade level share the load by teaching the same lessons to different groups of kids.  At the close of last school year, I had an entire post dedicated to this topic.  Now, one more thing: I showcased how technology can make this easier.  How do you get grades to each other seamlessly?  I designed a grading sheet for you.  Head HERE if you want to check out those videos or those links.

Team, have an amazing year.  Sic ‘em!

Kindly,