Digital “Getting to Know You” Icebreakers

It’s time to go back to school.

And whether you are face-to face or virtual, making connections with your students is vital.
Here are a few digital  ideas for getting to know your students and/or letting your students get to know you. 

1. BINGO.The great thing about BINGOBaker is that there are thousands of ready-made cards or you can create your own BINGO. You can post images, text, and numbers on the BINGO card. 

There is a $14.99 LIFETIME fee if you want all the extras. I chose to go with the extras, which are very cool! There are also very simple directions on how to set it up and play on the site. (Looking at my old posts I realized I had written about Bingobaker in 2013)
READ MORE…

Originally posted on “Diary of a Public School Teacher”…(Blogger)

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“Cheat Sheets” Saving My Voice and My Sanity!

One year I was being observed and the class I had was trying to sign into Schoology, again. I was frustrated because a. I was being observed and b. This was not the first time they had signed into Schoology. And to be honest if I wasn’t being observed, I might not have been quite as frustrated. But that’s another story…

So, during the post observation my administrator suggested that I create “cheat sheets.” I  said, “I keep telling them how to do it, they should get it.” And then, I went home and created the “cheat sheet”, and I have been doing it ever since. READ MORE..

Loving Classroom Tools That Start Free, and Stay Free! We Appreciate You!

It is common knowledge that teaching is one of the hardest professions. We  make very little money, and yet , we have a high level of “out-of-pocket” expenses.  That’s why I (and probably every teacher I know), love it when someone comes out with a Fun Resource that Entertains and Engages,(FREE) ! Get it?

However, what irks, and disappoints  me the most,  are the companies who provide you with a free tool when they first enter the market.   They reel you in, and you use their products for an entire school year, loving every minute of it.  You get to the “How could I teach without this? point”, and then BAM! They want you to pay!

 

Isn’t there another way? Couldn’t they be a little less expensive? READ MORE

 

“Remember That Time When…?” An End of Year Memory Book!

 

I was on #5thchat Tuesday night chatting with my fellow tweechers about activities we do at the end of the school year. @patriciahewitt shared a wonderful idea.

We’ve also created a “Remember the time when…booklets! Each Ss contributes a page. Some funny, some not so much! #5thchat

— PatricaHewitt (@patricahewitt) June 4, 2014

I thought this was such a wonderful idea and let Patricia know I would be using it the next day.

I decided to use the students’ writing to create Memory books for each student. READ MORE…

Just Follow the Script:Teaching by Textbook!

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I tried.

I really tried.

Maybe there is something wrong with me. READ MORE…

 

photo credit: woodleywonderworks via photopin cc

Beginning of the Year Student and Parent Questionnaires using Google Forms!

 

I got the idea to create student and parent surveys from a teacher on Twitter a few years ago. I used to create them on paper, and then I was introduced to Google forms. Love it! READ MORE…

SmileMakers: They Enjoy Making Teachers Smile!

I was planning on ordering a new mailbox for my classroom this year. As a matter of fact I had ripped out a couple of pages from various teacher catalogs. I had them stockpiled on the desk in my study. I figured I would finally make my choice as we got closer to school. READ MORE…

Increase Student Engagement with Skype in the Classroom!

 

This was a Guest Post written July 2012 on Free Technology for Teachers.

It’s always amazing to me how educators, can grab hold of something that wasn’t developed with us in mind, and make it our own. We have a knack for doing that, and we’ve done it with Skype. With Skype, educators are knocking down classroom walls,allowing our students the chance to hear from experts, and creating global learners. READ MORE…

 

 

Damult Dice!:A Math Game Everyone Will Love!

What is Damult Dice?

During  #5thchat, a  “tweecher” tweeted about Damult Dice.

My immediate reaction was, “What’s Damult Dice?” Amy sent me all the info I needed to play this game and I was hooked. I shared it with my students the next day. I shared it with a few teachers. Yes, I was that excited about this game! READ MORE…

Vocabulary and Spelling City: Lovin’ It One Year Later!

It’s been a year since I began using SpellingCity. I have to say that my students and I really enjoy using it. Not only that, but SpellingCity keeps finding new ways to keep my students engaged with added features, all beneficial to the classroom.

These are the features I loved a year ago, and thankfully, still exist today:READ MORE…