Teaching with Technology

Using educational technology to enhance the learning environment and increase student engagement!

Google Sites – Add a link as a page

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Hey, friends! I’m eyeball-deep in EOC review, updating grades, and trying to get the most out of the limited number of days I have left with my students! A student asked earlier today why I don’t have a countdown on my whiteboard — my response? A countdown will encourage us to “shut down” and discourage engagement during the next few weeks. So, nope, we won’t have a countdown! Anywho – back to my post. As I was working on the companion site for my book, Illuminate (which is coming out later this month!!!), I hovered over the “+” icon on the pages menu of Google Sites. The options I saw made me squeal, friends.

When creating a new page in the NEW Google Sites, users can hover over the “+” icon on the pages menu and select “new link” or “new page.” Choosing “new page” will allow you to create a page on your Google Site – no big surprise there. Choosing “new link” will allow you to add a link to any site and have the name of the site (and the link, of course) appear in the navigation menu.

This is super-exciting, friends! I plan to create a Google Site this summer to house all of my American Government HyperDocs, course glossary, and other resources. I was originally bummed when I couldn’t link my HyperDocs that were created using Google Sites in the menu of the course site, BUT NOW I CAN!! Woohoo!!!

This literally just popped up as an option on my personal Google account –> hopefully it’s not just a feature I’ve missed over the years in my haste to quickly add a page – ha!

I hope your week is off to a fabulous start!

Thanks for reading 🙂

 

Collaborative American Government Review Activities

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Hello, all! It’s that time of year again … EOC review time! I, like you, am constantly trying to find new ways to review course content with my students that doesn’t only include taking practice tests – because who really likes doing that?!  As I typically do when I’m brainstorming a new activity, project, game, etc., I sat on my couch with my laptop this past Sunday evening, staring at the wall – appearing to my husband as if I had finally lost my marbles! I was really visualizing how 3 ideas would work with my students. Here are three collaborative American Government review activities to use to review for EOCs or any other time during the year!

Legends of Law 
Landmark cases are so important to the study of American government, but are also quite confusing and can be difficult to remember – especially if you originally learned about the case in September or October and are being tested on it (maybe) in May – that’s a different soapbox for a different day. In “Legends of Law” students work in groups to identify a landmark case based on the Constitutional issue at the center of the case, the outcome of the case, the impact of the decision on American history, etc. Students offer their classmates one “difficult” clue that, if they correctly choose the landmark case being described, they earn 5 points. If they cannot answer the question with the first clue, a second clue (worth 3) is offered. Students can work individually, in small teams, or large groups to complete this activity. As students completed their Economic Theories mini-hyperdoc, I worked with small groups of students to review cases with this game. Super-fun!

Un-“Scatter”gories
Checks and balances and separation of powers are tricky concepts to learn. Each branch of government has specific powers and has responsibilities in other branches as well. Who can do what and to whom do they do it? It’s a lot to take in! Un-“Scatter”gories requires students to match powers/responsibilities of each branch of government with the appropriate branch. Start by cutting out the cards and “scattering” them on a table/desk/the floor – scattering … see what I did there? 😉 Students should study the cards and then place them in the correct category. It’s great to watch students work together to review these concepts!

Cards of Command/ Decks of Dough
This game is super-simple to make and can be played in pairs, teams, or as a whole class. To create Cards of Command, I printed a Quizlet flashcard deck that I had created dealing with various types and systems of government. To create “Decks of Dough,” I printed a Quizlet flashcard deck that I made about economic terms. I cut out the cards and pitched the definitions. Just like Ellen’s “Heads Up” game, students work in pair, small groups, or as a whole class to describe the terms/concepts to a student who is holding the term card on their forehead. The descriptions MUST be given using government terms. For example, if the term is Autocracy, students cannot describe the term by saying, “the first part of this word starts like another word for car.” This is super fun to play and can be created using any Quizlet deck!

We play all of these games during the class period. I divide my students into four groups and give each group one game. I set a time limit – 2 to 3 minutes –  per round and have the groups keep track of their points. (Point values are listed on the Legends of Law game, and I typically assign 4 points per correct response for the other three games) Repeat the rounds as much as you wish during the class period!

I hope you enjoy these collaborative review games!

Thanks for reading 🙂

 

Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning

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Hello, friends! If you’ve followed my blog over the last year (thank you!) you’ve probably figured out some pretty exciting news – I wrote a book! A whole book about how to use technology to illuminate learning! I’m so excited to share it with you – be sure to sign up for the mailing list to be notified when Illuminate is available! I wanted to share with you a quick glimpse into what you can expect from Illuminate and why in the world I wanted to go on the journey of writing a book!

You’re already super-busy … how do you have time to write a book?! 
If I had a dollar for every time I heard this question, I could retire yesterday. Yes, I am super-busy … in addition to being a full-time high school Social Studies teacher, I’m also an adjunct instructor of Educational Technology, a blogger (duh, right?!), a contributor for several educational blogs and, most importantly, Mommy to two fabulous little girls and wife to a pretty amazing husband. So, did I really have time? Not really, but in order to do something we are really compelled to do, we have to make time. So, I made time!

I knew I wanted to share practical tips and tricks for how teachers can use technology to enhance student learning, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to share that in a book in a way that would make sense and actually be user-friendly. I think that teachers can quickly turn off the idea that technology can be used positively in the classroom because sometimes, we market technology as the cure-all, silver bullet that will fix all of your problems. And, if teachers don’t use all the technology all the time, it’s a bad thing. One focus of my book is that it’s NOT about the technology, rather it’s how you USE it to enhance student learning. Pedagogy first; technology second.

My husband and I took our daughters on a vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last summer and because they’re 7 and 5 years old, we have to take turns going into “the big waves” as our daughters call it. While I was floating in the ocean, letting the waves carry me back and forth, it hit me. I’m chalking this up to one of the many “God things” that happen in my life on a daily basis. I decided to set up my book, similar to how I teach my Educational Technology class – not by the technology that is used but how we can use technology to accomplish learning in our classroom. How can we use technology to help our students engage in or explore content? How can we use technology to encourage our students to communicate, collaborate, create, and think critically? How can we use technology to assess our students, and encourage them to reflect upon what they’ve learned? How can technology help us motivate and encourage our students? How can teachers use technology to create meaningful connections with other teachers? I immediately ran back to the beach to share this revelation with my husband and, as he typically responds to my geekiness, he said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I’m happy that you’re excited about it!” I’m telling you, he’s awesome.

What can you expect from Illuminate? 
Expect 10 chapters that are full of ideas for how you can use technology to:

  • Engage in and Explore content
  • Create
  • Communicate
  • Collaborate
  • Think Critically
  • Reflect
  • Assess
  • Motivate
  • Connect
  • Design

I include specific instructions and ideas for using technology to enhance learning. You’ll also find helpful images, QR Codes that lead to additional information, and words of encouragement. I am SO excited to share Illuminate with you!!

Order Illuminate here!

Thank you so much for reading 🙂

ACL Confessions – Learning Practices, Not Knee Injuries

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I wonder if John Hattie’s ears have been burning over the last few months. My district has been diving into his work, focusing on the top four practices that Professor Hattie has recognized, through his HUGE meta-analysis of millions of students across the world. I’ve read articles, bought books, utilized my PLN, followed Professor Hattie on Twitter, and have tried to learn as much as I can about these practices that positively influence student learning. Of the top practices recognized by Professor Hattie (assessment capable learners, spaced vs massed practice, effective feedback, and reciprocal teaching), my particular focus has been on creating assessment capable learners, also known as ACL.

I’ll be really honest with you – this is my 10th year teaching, and I have never heard of the phrase “assessment capable learning/learners.” We’ve all heard of metacognition, self-assessment, using rubrics, etc., but when I heard “ACL” I immediately thought of my knees and the condition of my ACL after nearly a decade of volleyball …

Anyway, since learning about the HUGE effect size of assessment capable learning/metacognition on student learning, I knew I had to dive in and implement this practice in my classroom. We’re also in the process of rewriting curriculum, so revamping my assessments and projects/activities to follow assessment capable learning practices is a no-brainer! Here’s how we’re using this practice in our classroom:

Using Pre-Tests and Self-Assessments
I’ve used pre-assessments throughout my teaching career as a way to understand my students’ prior knowledge of content. These pre-assessments have been both formal and informal in nature, and have included questions similar to what will be addressed in the unit summative assessments. I’ve learned, however, that I need to include two features in my pre-assessments:

  1. “I don’t know” as a response option on pre-assessments
  2. Create learning targets using student-friendly language based on standards

Prior to learning about ACL, I discouraged my students from writing “I don’t know” or the dreaded “idk” on assessments or assignments, and instead encouraged them to try to think of something they knew about the topic. However, on a pre-assessment, answering “I don’t know” is perfectly acceptable, as long as it’s followed by “yet.” As I assigned our recent pre-assessment, I explained this to my students and shared that not knowing about a concept before they learn about it is absolutely and perfectly FINE! It’s totally OK, helpful, respectable, etc., to recognize that you don’t know anything about a concept … as long as you’re not accepting the lack of knowledge or understanding as the end of the road. I told my students that if they really didn’t know the answer (after reading the question and response options) to feel absolutely no shame in choosing “I don’t know,” as long as they followed the phrase in their mind with “yet” because they will learn the concept! “I don’t know” is not definitive – it’s temporary!

I, like many of you, have used rubrics for projects throughout my teaching career. However, looking back on those rubrics after learning about ACL, my rubrics sucked! I was evaluating components of projects on rubrics that I wasn’t teaching and shouldn’t be assessing, based on my standards. I teach Social Studies – while I can help and guide my students on how to use proper grammar, conventions, etc., those aren’t components I should be assessing! I’ve since created new rubrics that are tied to specific learning targets – as they should be! When I created and shared these new rubrics with my students, I made sure to describe the learning target (standard) in student-friendly language, which isn’t something I had done before. What good will it do for my students to know what strand and which component of the Missouri Social Studies standards are being addressed? They need to understand what they will be learning and how they will be assessed, which can be accomplished by creating learning targets using student-friendly language!

As my students create their Apply product for each unit, I take time to explain and discuss the requirements on the rubric with them, making sure they understand what’s expected. They use the rubric to assess their work prior to submitting the product, which allows them to see where they are, where they need to be, and what they need to do to get there. Students highlight “where they are” on specific aspects of their rubric, which allows them to visualize what they need to do to accomplish a goal. That’s the foundation of assessment capable learning – students have a clear understanding of where they are, where they’re going, and what they need to do to get there.

It’s a terrible feeling to be unsure of what’s expected in any aspect of life. Imagine how our students feel!

Check out the requirements for the Apply phase product of my students’ Missouri Constitution and Federalism HyperDoc here, and the rubric for that activity here.

How do you use ACL in your classroom?

Thanks for reading this super-long post 🙂

 

Oh, Padlet. I Still Love You

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Over the past week or so, the Twittersphere has been buzzing with the news of changes to Padlet, a fantastic tool that many teachers, myself included, have used frequently over the past few years. Padlet has offered premium versions for quite some time, but the new update allows users to create three padlets beyond what is already in their account. I was a tad confused as well, so I contacted the great people at Padlet for some clarification.

As you’ve probably noticed by reading my blog (thanks for that!), I LOVE this tool and use it at least weekly, sometimes multiple times a day, in my classroom. I have nearly 300 padlets in my account, so when I initially read the “create three more padlets” upon opening my account, I panicked! However, after hearing from Padlet, I calmed significantly when I learned that none of my existing work would be deleted or changed in any way – MASSIVE sigh of relief – and that the space in my account was being capped at my current number of padlets + 3.

I also learned that Padlet opened previously premium features, such as font and themes, to free accounts. They’ve also recently added a “backchannel” wall option – more on that soon!

If you are new to Padlet, the number of “walls” you will be able to create 3. If you wish to be able to create more, you’ll need to upgrade to one of their premium accounts. Check out their pricing structure here.

Teachers who use Padlet frequently may find the new premium account price ($99/year) too expensive … and Padlet gets that. They are offering a monthly payment option ($8.25/month) and will allow teachers to pause their subscription for 1-2 months/year. Padlet is also exploring a premium option that provides users with the ability to create somewhere between 3 and unlimited padlets, with a price range between free and $99/year. This should be available soon. They’ve also announced a scholarship program for users who need a premium account but don’t have the funds with which to pay for a premium account. Information about this program will be available soon –> check out this article from founder, Nitesh Goel.

If I near the limit in my free account, I can delete old padlets that I’m not using anymore. Padlet likens this to storage on your cell phone – if you’re running low on storage, you either delete apps/files you’re not using, or you purchase increased storage.

So … while I freaked out and began to panic when I initially heard the news about these changes, I understand their decision. Padlet is run by a small group of people and serves a huge (and growing) number of users all over the world. I love Padlet and think it is one of the most amazing tools to encourage students to participate and engage in learning!

How do you use this great tool in your classroom?

Thanks for reading 🙂

Flipped Learning and HyperDocs: Reflections from my Classroom

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Hello, friends! I’m coming to you this evening from my desk in our basement on the evening before I head back to work after our extremely brief, but much needed, Easter break. Next year, my district will be adopting a new calendar that allows us to count hours instead of days, which means we will be at school more minutes but fewer days. This means that my eleventh year of teaching will finally include a “Spring Break” week … I haven’t had that since my college days! Woohoo! As we enter April, I think it’s a great time to reflect upon changes that I’ve made in my classroom, changes that will be made, and how the most important people in the room – my students – are learning.

I was fortunate enough to attend and share at two great conferences in February. I LOVE presenting and learning at great conferences because I get to connect with so many amazing educators that I wouldn’t get to meet otherwise. My session topics ranged from “It’s not about the tech; it’s how you use it!”, to “Flipping the Flip,” to “Creating Engaging Lessons using Nearpod.” In the first two presentations, I talked a lot about my version of the flipped classroom and how we use HyperDocs in Social Studies. Many educators I talked with after my sessions asked if I would feel comfortable with other teachers observing how we do things in my classroom, and my response is always YES! My classroom door is always open!

Later this week, my students will be diving into the Missouri Constitution, then the Judicial Branch, and finally Political Parties, Elections, and Voting. We’re nearing the end! Our unit HyperDocs follow this pattern:

  • Engage – students familiarize themselves with learning targets, view quick videos, play games relating to the topics we’re learning, go on virtual field trips with Google Earth, etc. They’re required to post on a Padlet, a Google Form, or an Answer Garden something that they’ve learned about the topic.
  • Explore – on this step, students create Quizlet flashcards to for unit vocabulary and can use text or digital resources to do so. If students are “looking for something to do” throughout the duration of the unit, they can review their flashcards as well.
  • Explain – here, students complete instructional videos through EDpuzzle. They are required to take notes as they progress through the videos, but I’m not a stickler for how they do so. Some students prefer to take notes digitally, others would rather use a notebook, and others like to sketchnote.
  • Apply – this step requires students to apply their knowledge of concepts learned throughout the unit while creating a product that demonstrates their understanding. Students create infographics, eBooks, screencasts, essays, digital conversations, flipbooks, mindmaps, etc. The main points in this step are that students are required to choose how they will create a representation of the concepts they’ve learned and that they will apply the concepts. This is where students don’t necessarily struggle, but like me less, we’ll say. The “apply” section requires them to explain and apply their knowledge of, for example, the 22nd Amendment’s limits on executive power. It’s not enough that they know what the 22nd Amendment does … I also want them to be able to discuss how this amendment limits presidents, provide examples of what this amendment looks like in action, etc. Basically – I make them think more about the concepts their learning.
  • Review/Reflect – this section includes reflection Padlets (reflection topics include: what did you learn? What should we review? Digital study sessions, etc.), review Kahoots and Quizizz games, review videos, etc. Anything that will help them review the content they’ve learned throughout the unit.
  • Extend – this phase is FUN! Activities in this phase are totally optional, but if students complete them, they can earn bonus XP (I’ll revisit my XP system soon!). Activities in the Extend phase require students to contact elected representatives, create Hashtags through History, create their own Cabinets, etc. It’s awesome!

Students work asynchronously through the HyperDoc. Per their request, we establish specific due dates for completing videos, the apply section, extend activities, etc. While the students are working, I’m answering individual questions, re-explaining concepts to small groups, or providing feedback on student responses via EDpuzzle. When the HyperDoc activities are complete, students work on their unit study guide. The day before the exam, we play a variety of review games and I encourage students to participate in digital study session through Padlet.

That’s it! This is how our Government units are structured!

How do you use HyperDocs in your classroom?

Thanks for reading 🙂

Level Up Your PD through Twitter!

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Welcome to Fourth Quarter! We’re on the downhill slide; the homestretch of the school year, and I don’t know about you but this is the time of year that I feel always goes too fast. I still have so much to accomplish and so little time in which to do so! Toward the end of the week during February and March, I also find myself even more drained than usual. It’s almost like someone has pulled my plug – I know you feel my pain. To keep myself charged up for the remainder of the year, I turn to awesome and inspiring edubooks, great conferences and workshops (I’m looking at you, EdCampSEMO – that I’ll have to miss this year!), and social media. Perusing Pinterest and Facebook can provide great resources and ideas to keep teachers on our game throughout the year, but my favorite social media tool for PD is Twitter!

Hashtags that are #awesome
Last month, I was fortunate enough to attend METC AND MCSS in the same month, literally a week apart. I am so thankful that I work in a building and district where the administration recognizes the importance of conferences and workshops for teachers. My focus word for 2018 is “better” and to become better at my I need to learn and collaborate with other awesome teachers! I started planning this post mentally during one of my sessions at MCSS (Missouri Council for the Social Studies) when I said, “follow me on Twitter @Bethany_Petty and use #illuminateED to tweet your thoughts and questions during our time today.” I scanned the room and saw many puzzled looks. After the session, I checked my phone, which typically includes a few notifications with thoughts or questions about the session, and there were none. Most of the participants were not on Twitter. Holy moly, friends! Jump on Twitter. Twitter itself isn’t going to revolutionize your life or be the silver bullet that will solve all of your problems or answer all of your questions. BUT, Twitter is a great place where educators can share resources, ideas, experiences, and collaborate with colleagues from around the world. Search one of the hashtags below to find resources, conversations, and ideas relating to a variety of topics. It’s fabulous! Check out these hashtags:

Twitter Chats
Think of Twitter chats as a focused conversation among teachers/instructors/professors/authors/bloggers/pre-service teachers/coaches/edtech strategists about a specific topic relevant to their role in education. Most chats are held weekly and are led by moderators who create and share specific questions. Twitter chats use a specific hashtag, like those listed above. For example, #moedchat, and chat and hashtag for Missouri educators (like me!), takes place on Thursday nights at 9:00. Any tweet that includes #moedchat will wind up in the conversation … important Twitter chat decorum: don’t use the hashtag unless you’re part of the chat! Also, there’s no need to ask permission to join a chat – hop right on in! If you’re like me, you can’t block out a time to only participate in a specific chat. I frequently pop in and out of chats and then search through the chat for resources and information later. You can also use a tool like Participate to “participate” in Twitter chats and access archives of past chats. Check out this resource for more information!

Awesome “Tweachers” 
Twitter is full of amazing educators who are just waiting to meet you and learn from you! Definitely check out these inspiring “Tweachers!”

  • Vicki Davis (@CoolCatTeacher)
  • Holly Clark (@HollyClarkEDU)
  • Trevor McKenzie (@trev_mackenzie)
  • Kasey Bell (@shakeuplearning)
  • George Couros (@gcouros)
  • Dave Burgess (@burgessdave)
  • Jennifer Gonzalez (@cultofpedogogy)

How do you use Twitter to level up your learning?

Thanks for reading 🙂

5 Great Chrome Extensions for Students

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Hello, friends! February was the month of conferences, workshops, sick days, snow days, and federal holidays for me, and I feel like I’m playing catch up. I know you feel my pain! This is the 4th year of our 1:1 initiative, and I’ve started to just assume that my students know how to “technology,” if you will. I’ve made an effort, as I’m sure many of you have, to make technology the background player in my classroom. I don’t want it to take the main stage because that’s not why I use technology. I use it to enhance learning, not to become the focus of learning. Classroom technology is like a light bulb – we use it to enhance our lives, but it doesn’t become the focus of our lives –> I geek out more about this in my upcoming book 🙂

 

Even though I want technology tools to become part of the background of my classroom, I realized last week that I do need to take time to share some tips with my students. After asking my students to open a new Google Doc on their Chromebooks, and then immediately launching into an activity, I heard my students panicking because they had to wait for their Drive to open before making a new document. I said, “just use the Quick Create extension.” They looked at me like I was crazy! I said, “wait, you don’t have that installed?” Then, it dawned on me. I’ve been so focused on not making tech the focus that I forgot to show my students how they can make tech tools work for them. Below are 5 of my favorite Chrome extensions for students.

Screencastify
Since implementing the flipped classroom model a few years ago, Screencastify has been one of my must-have tools as a teacher. But, it’s great for our students, too! Screencastify allows students to quickly and easily create a screencast of virtually anything, and quickly upload it to Google Drive or YouTube. Students can use Screencastify to create presentations, demonstrate a process, and so much more!

Google Drive Quick Create
Ah yes, the extension that generated the idea for this post! Google Drive Quick Create allows users to quickly create a doc, presentation, spreadsheet, form, or drawing without opening their Drive. We all know that opening Drive and creating a new file is not a super long process, especially for those of us that grew up using Microsoft Word which still loads slowly when I have to use it. However, this extension is a great tool to show your students. One of my favorite features of this extension? The new file opens in a new tab –> happiness!

URL Shortener
The goo.gl URL shortener is one of my personal favorites. I’ve arranged my extensions in the order of importance of use, and this one is second on the menu. The goo.gl URL shortener not only allows me and my students to create a shortened URL (as its name implies) but also provides a QR Code for any tab that is open. My students use this extension to create their QR Code for their Hashtags through History assignment, as well.

Momentum
My students LOVE the Momentum extension! When you open a tab, the Momentum extension displays a beautiful picture, the time and temperature, and an inspiring quote. Momentum also provides space to enter a goal for the day as well as items on a to-do list and a “favorites” section for frequently visited websites. When installing Momentum, you’ll be asked for your name – I entered my real name, but some of my students entered things like “princess,” “Grandmaster,” “your highness,” etc. Whatever works!

Cite This For Me
A few years ago, I blogged about an amazing citation tool called RefMe, which had a wonderful extension that would allow users to immediately add a website to any bibliography. It was FABULOUS – and then it was bought out, which made me sad. However, when I found out that it was acquired by Cite This For Me, I was excited because Cite This For Me was another great tool. The Cite This For Me extension, just like RefMe before it, provides users with a citation in APA, Harvard, MLA, or Chicago style, and also offers the ability to attach a specific quote from a source. Users can then copy and paste the citation into their bibliography or add it to a bibliography that is saved in their Cite This For Me account.

These are just a handful of the many great Chrome extensions available. Other favorites include the Share to Classroom extension (added to student Chromebooks by our admin) and Bitmoji (which is just super fun!) What are your favorite extensions for students?

Thanks for reading 🙂

Hosting Digital Study Session with Padlet and Remind

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Good morning and happy Friday! My dual credit American History students are taking their first assessment today and many are freaking out. You remember those days, right? The first time you took a test in a class and weren’t quite sure what to expect? I certainly remember the anxiety that came with the first test — basically, all of the tests — so I wanted to create a study tool for my students to ease their fears. Since this idea popped into my head at about 4:30 yesterday afternoon, creating a digital tool was the only option available! Thank goodness for Padlet and Remind! Here’s what I did …

 

Create a Padlet Wall
If you’ve read any of my posts over the past 4 years (thank you!), you know that I absolutely love Padlet. It’s easy to use and share and the kind people at Padlet have added so many fabulous new features! To create a digital study session, simply create a new Padlet wall and TURN ON the commenting feature in the settings. This is extremely important because it allows students to not only post their questions but also comment on their classmates’ posts to offer help. Collaboration among students is so fantastic to behold!

Share the Padlet through Remind
Remind has really been a gamechanger for my classroom. A few years ago, I started using Remind to send out … wait for it … REMINDers to my students about tests, assignments, etc. Now, my students can send me direct messages through Remind and we can have conversations in a documented environment outside the walls of the classroom. My students know that when I’m out of the classroom for any reason, they can send me a message and I’ll respond just as quickly as possible. Remind is AWESOME! To jumpstart the digital study session, I shared the link to the Padlet through Remind. All of my students signed up for Remind, and all of them received the digital study session!

The response from my students was FABULOUS and is most definitely something that I will do again – in all of my classes! I feel like I’m gushing, but the collaboration that I observed was absolutely fantastic.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Teacher Self Care: 3 Ways I De-Stress

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If you’re a teacher, this statement will probably come as no surprise to you: teaching can be stressful. Yes, teaching can be super stressful, not only because of the work that goes into designing lessons and units that help create a meaningful and relevant learning experience for our students. Teaching is, in my humble opinion, one of the most – if not the most – important job on the face of the earth. We are educating, inspiring, and encouraging the future of the world!! No big deal, right? 😉 In short: teachers are awesome!

I, like many of you, have a completely full plate. In addition to teaching high school Social Studies full-time, I’m also an adjunct Educational Technology instructor, blogger (obviously), author (my book will be published in May!), reader, runner, school and church board member, coffee addict, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, and MOST IMPORTANTLY a mommy and a wife. I’m often asked how in the world I do all of this, and my response is always “by the grace of God and coffee – in that order!”

However, I do get stressed and overwhelmed at times. Really, though – who doesn’t? Even if you’re not in our line of work, we all find ourselves treading water instead of floating on our backs sometimes. Today, I felt like sharing the ways that I de-stress …

Blogging/Writing
I started blogging in January of 2014 and, since then my blog has become a form of stress relief. I love discussing ideas, reflecting on classroom experiences, and sharing technology tools that can help enhance the learning experience for my students. I’ve found that blogging about my classroom has also allowed me to find my voice as a teacher, connect with other educators around the world, expand my views on what teaching and learning “should look like,” and hold myself accountable for what happens in my classroom.

Exercise
This form of stress relief probably stems from being an athlete in high school and my freshman year in college, but pushing myself to the point of exhaustion for 30 minutes is a fantastic form of stress relief for me. I LOVE running, and my family knows that if Mommy seems a little stressed, she probably needs to go hang out on her treadmill for a bit 🙂 Right now, I’m in the middle of the 80 Day Obsession program from Beachbody, so I’m not running. However, the 30-50 minutes a day of pushing myself helps me clear my mind and refocus on my thoughts.

Reading
I’ve always been a reader -> the idea that I can open a book and jump into a different world is so relaxing for me. As a youngster, I LOVED reading books like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Boxcar Children, and the Babysitter’s Club. It’s no doubt now that reading is still a wonderful hobby. My reading choices are wide-ranging and include everything from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson adventures, to Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic books, to books that expand my ideas about classroom instruction and practices. If you’re looking for a book to read this summer, check out my book, Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning! It’s available now on Amazon — after you pre-order, email me at bethany.illuminate@gmail.com and I’ll send you a freebie!

Teaching can be a stressful, challenging profession, but it is also extraordinarily rewarding. It’s important that teachers remember to take care of themselves as we progress through the school year and our careers. I’m often reminded of the phrase, “you can’t pour from an empty cup,” which is completely true for life both in and out of my classroom!

What are my plans for this afternoon? Heading to pick up my daughters from school. Then, off to dance class for our youngest, and helping her big sister with homework. Then, home to get supper started, complete an 80 Day Obsession workout while my kiddos play. While waiting for my hubby to get home from work, I’ll probably snuggle my kiddos in the recliner while my oldest reads us a book. Next, it’s time for supper, then baths, then more cuddle time, then off to bed. Hopefully, I’ll be able to squeeze in some reading about developing assessment capable learners.

How do you de-stress and keep yourself refreshed?

Thanks for reading 🙂