Navigating the Switch to Online Learning



As schools across the country close this week, teachers are having to adjust their curriculum, planning, and learning expectations - sometimes with very little notice (or technology experience).
Whether you are a tech expert or a newbie, here are some tips and resources to help you out.

 TIP #1:  PHONE A FRIEND (or stranger)
There are dozens of Facebook groups, Wakelet boards, and Twitter hashtags dedicated to supporting teachers doing remote learning.  Join a group, post a question, and you will get ideas, lessons, and support from dozens of other educators.

Tip #2:  Use the Software your School offers
What does your school already use?  Canvas/Schoology/Google Classroom?
Nearpod?  Listenwise?  Socrative?  Use this time to get more familiar with them and harness their power to share more immersive lessons with your students.   
Many resources are being offered for free right now and others (like Nearpod) are hosting multiple daily live Webinars to provide additional support for teachers.    You can access Nearpod's webinars here.

Tip #3 DON'T PANIC.
Go with what you know.   Do what you can.     Worst case, ask them to go old school and take pictures, keep a journal, and go outside. 

More Resources:

Education Companies offering free subscriptions during the shutdown----->  HERE


Technology Resources for the Math Class



When using technology in a math class, the key is to be strategic.  Not every resource is an adequate or equal substitute for  doing work with paper and pencil.
Here are some sites and resources that you can use to help incorporate technology effectively in the classroom

Desmos  - an online graphing calculator.  
for students:   online 4 function and scientific calculators
for teachers:   create your own classroom activities - chart, graph, create art, and more.
Use Learn Desmos to build skills and learn more about the software


National Library of Virtual Manipulatives : online manipulatives for Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Numbers & Operations, and  Data Analysis & Probability.
search by subject or grade level

Using Technology in a 1:1 Classroom



Incorporating technology into your classroom can be a challenge.   Technology, in and of itself, doesn't make students better learners.  It's not magic.  It's a tool, like the pens, pencils, and papers that our students have been outfitted with for ages.   Like any tool we use in our classroom, it is how we use the tech we are given that will have an impact on our students  
Here are some Resources to help you best utilize the technology provided in your classroom, by subject matter.
Math Resources


Top 10 Necessary Supplies


If you are going to hit the store and spend your hard earned muggle cash, here are 10 things that you are definintely worth spending your money on. 

Creating a Sub Plan with Nearpod



Every teacher gets sick - it's a way of life.  Unless you're a magical unicorn or have discovered a potion that will keep you from catching one of the million different strains of common cold the students bring into the classroom, chances are you will get sick at least once during your teaching career, and you never know when that day come.  Because of that, it never hurts to keep an emergency sub plan on hand.  In fact, many schools require that you have one. 

If you have a Nearpod account you can QUICKLY and EASILY  create a sub plan that can be sent to your main office and shared with your substitute teacher if you have to be out for any reason.


Step 1:   Log into Nearpod  (this is the easiest step, but it doesn't get any harder from here on out!)

Step 2:  In the TOP RIGHT CORNER, Click "Sub PLAN".....so far, so good, right? 
Now , you should be on the page where all the sub magic happens.   If you clicked on the right thing, you should be looking at your Sub Plan dashboard





Step 3:   Add a new Sub Plan.  This should be your Emergency Sub Plan.  Obviously, if you know you're going to be out one day, you can make a lesson specific plan, but for an emergency plan it's best to choose something generic that students can do regardless of where they are in their learning.  



Give your sub plan a name.   Once you've named it, it will be time to add lessons

Step 4:   Add Lessons
  Click "add Lessons"   - you'll be able to search not only your own library of lessons but the entire Nearpod for lessons to add.  You can add as many lessons as needed to create the perfect sub plan. 
Once you have added your Nearpod lessons, you will need to add details:  notes or information for the sub and how many periods will be utilizing the nearpod (an individual code will be generated for each class).
   


Step 5:  Get Ready to Send your Plan to the Sub/School
Next to the Lesson you want to send to the office or substitute click this button:

When you do, you will be prompted to enter all the following information....it'll basically be like you're writing a letter to your sub.  You need to fill out the day you're planning on being absent (I put the first day of school if it's my emergency plan), an email address (send it to your main office if it's your emergency plan, or wherever your plans go), and then all the things you'd normally tell your sub.....who the good kids are, where to find your seating charts, what your policies are, etc.  
* I usually keep all of these in a word doc and just copy and paste as needed!*




When you've sent it off, the recipent will get an email and you'll get a copy as well - it'll tell them what to do, give them the codes, and you can rest at home secure in the knowledge that your kids are able to get their work done with a minimum of fuss
.....as long as a sub can open a chromebook cart or all your kids have their devices!




Just a Wizard Girl Living in a Muggle World



There is a lot of Technology in the world.  Some of it can be used for good.  Much of it can be used for evil.  and, luckily for teachers, a great deal of it can be used for education.    

Let's start looking at all the ways we can use the magic of technology to take our classrooms from the traditional paper and pencil, brick and mortar learning of old and transform them into new and amazing adventures.  

Old School Teachers:

Teachers Trying to grasp this new Tech the Admin keep adding to their rooms: