As my first full year in the wonderful world of gamification comes to a close, it's time to reflect upon what worked, what didn't, and where to go next year. Things that were GREAT! -->> BADGES -- >> Awarding badges to students for earning at least an 80% on the unit assessments was a HUGE hit! I originally gave students badges which represented a specific level they had reached. ... Read More about My Gamification Experience – Mission: American Government
American Government: End of School Year Fun!
Am I the only one who feels as though I grasp for straws during the last few weeks of the school year? My curriculum is complete. End of course exams have been taken. Student (AND TEACHER!) motivation is at an all-time low. Everyone is just ready for the school year to be over. Summer is SO CLOSE that we can feel it - literally - as the weather turns warmer. Instead of resorting to my vast supply ... Read More about American Government: End of School Year Fun!
Google Classroom – Push to Students
I love Google Classroom, and I was originally a huge critic. Google Classroom has created such an easy way to share information with my students. It's simply spectacular. One of my favorite Google Classroom features is the Share to Classroom extension...if you haven't used this with your students, yet I highly recommend it! However, many of my students have encountered an issue. ... Read More about Google Classroom – Push to Students
A Teacher’s Summer: What I REALLY Do
You're a teacher. You have summers off. How many times have we heard this? So many outside the world of education, my loving husband and father included, sincerely believe that teachers truly "have summers off." Oh, friends. When will the rest of the workforce truly realize that we don't have summers off? Maybe, we just need to clarify what time "off" means in the mind of a teacher. As ... Read More about A Teacher’s Summer: What I REALLY Do
Google Classroom Updates: May 2016
Thank you, Google, for such a great update to Classroom! Wow! I've been waiting for this addition for sooo long! In case you haven't noticed this new update, teachers now have the ability to schedule assignments, announcements, and questions/polls! Yippee! Happy Teacher Appreciation Day to GAFE users! When creating a post on Classroom, teachers can now choose to ... Read More about Google Classroom Updates: May 2016