Educator Alexander's Newsletter
APRIL NEWS
♥️💥SOOOO MANY UPCOMING EVENTS💥♥️
ANNOUNCEMENTS
LAST CHANCE EVENT THIS MONTH
********UPCOMING MAY & JUNE EVENTS********
AND HERE'S MORE...
📌 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
April is School Library Month
Get more information here too!
Want to boost your librarian-teacher partnerships?
Also, tell a school librarian how amazing they are!
Talking with Students About Shocking or Disturbing News
Common Sense Education's innovative, award-winning free resources prepare students with lifelong habits and skills, support teachers with tips and training, and engage families and communities with helpful advice and tools.
Check out this article on Talking with Students About Shocking or Disturbing News.
The Kami Library is Here!
How’s this for a game-changer! Kami just launched an online library of free, ready-made teaching templates and activities for a range of subjects and grade levels.
The Kami Library is totally free, no account required and is fully Kami-compatible, so you can download, share, and edit to your heart’s desire.
Watch this short video to get all the juicy ins and outs.
🚀 Wakelet x Google for Edu Trailblazer Challenge!
Teachers, slot it right into your curriculum & have students complete challenges to level up!
Nominate Someone (or Yourself) as ISTE Featured Member
Apply to Apple Learning Coach by April 19
Apple Learning Coach is a free professional learning program that trains instructional coaches, digital learning specialists, and other coaching educators to help teachers get more out of Apple technology. It’s a dynamic mix of self-paced lessons, workshop sessions, and personal creative projects — and participants may be eligible to receive continuing education credits.
Applications are due April 19. APPLY HERE
Flipgrid Live Event April 5 with Ibram X. Kendi
Explore Antiracism and Activism with Ibram X. Kendi
Join us for an honest, accessible conversation where Dr. Kendi will discuss his books and how they can help young readers. All students and educators welcome!
Photo by Stephen Voss
Check out future Flipgrid Live Events!
April is National Poetry Month
Sparking Conversation Around American Poetry
Poetry in America gathers distinguished interpreters from all walks of life to explore and debate 12 unforgettable American poems. Athletes, poets, politicians, musicians, architects, scientists, actors, entrepreneurs, and citizens of all ages join together with host and Harvard professor Elisa New to experience and share the power of poetry.
Sign Up to Test Google Classroom Practice Sets
Google is announcing an upcoming feature in Google Classroom to help students and teachers. Practice sets will give teachers the time and tools to better support their students — from more interactive practice to faster and more personal feedback.
The practice sets beta will be globally available (English only) to the Google Workspace for Education Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education) and Teaching and Learning Upgrade Editions.
If you’re interested in participating in the beta test, sign up at goo.gle/practicesets-beta.
New Mote Ambassador Applications--Can Apply NOW and Every Month
We've recently launched a revised process of application for the pinnacle of moteyness - our Mote Ambassador Program - read on as it'll be good news for all
We're moving to a model of rolling application/review each month! That means that there will be 12 opportunities per year to apply for the program.
The process:
- Visit mote.com/community to review the requirements and access the form
- Get all of your information ready and submit before the last day of the month (11:59pm PT)
- You'll hear within a couple of days if you've been successful or not
- If it's not your time - don't worry - you can reapply next month!
Training to Becoming Microsoft Innovator Educator (MIE) Certified
Join IDEA for an 8-part webinar series to help prepare you for becoming MIE certified. Each webinar has its own registration. We welcome you to join all 8 webinars, but you are not required to attend all to attend one.
May 4 | Session 1: Accessibility and Inclusivity in Microsoft
May 11 | Session 2: Using Minecraft in Education
May 18 | Session 3: Introduction to MIE Expert Cohort and Showcase Schools
May 25 | Session 4: Using Microsoft Teams to Create Equitable Classrooms
June 1 | Session 5: Using Microsoft Teams with Staff
June 8 | Session 6: Why We Keep Choosing Surface
June 15 | Session 7: STEM and Future Ready Skills
June 22 | Session 8: Using Windows in Schools
Did you know? Google Training Series
All sessions start at 10am PT / 1pm ET and run for 30 minutes
- April 12: Support all Learners with Chrome Accessibility Features
- April 19: Getting Started with the Google Admin Console: users, devices, and configuration options
- April 26: Get the Most out of Google Classroom
- May 3: [Security Part 1] Investigation Tool, Security Dashboard, Security Health Deep Dive
- May 10: Better engage students and save time with new Google Meet features
- May 17: [Security Part 2] Access and Data Controls to Keep Users Secure
- May 24: You can do that with Docs, Slides, and Sheets?!
- May 31: Admin console Management Best Practices
TCEA 2023 Call for Presenters Open
Don’t just join thousands of classroom educators, coaches, campus and district leaders, librarians, ed tech enthusiasts, exhibitors, and more in attending TCEA 2023…join and PRESENT!
Submit to present at TCEA 2023 by May 31, and you’ll hear back by August 2022.
Become a Remind Tutor
Become a Remind Tutor to reach students beyond the classroom.
Introducing Remind Tutoring, a new online tutoring service, which pairs math teachers (like you!) with students. As a Remind Tutor, you'll connect with students across the country to help them master concepts and build their confidence in math subjects such as Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus.
This is a great way for you to earn supplemental income on a schedule you create! We'll find students, manage your calendar, and collect payments so you can focus on what you love doing - teaching.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply here: Application.
ISTE Certification Informational Webinars
Do you have some questions about ISTE Certification for Educators that you wish a human would answer? Here’s your solution … plus a couple of special deals from ISTE!
Attend one of the 30-minute info sessions with Certification Director Carmalita Seitz for real talk, and real answers to your certification questions.
Choose from these upcoming dates and times:
- Thursday, April 21, 2022 8:30 AM EDT
- Wednesday, May 18, 2022 3:30 PM EDT
- Tuesday, June 7, 2022 10:00 AM EDT
For more information and to sign up, click here!
TCEA TECH BLOG GOODIES
10 AMAZING FEATURES OF CANVA FOR EDUCATION
TWO STRATEGIES TO HELP MAKE LEARNING STICK
A CURATED COLLECTION OF FREE JAMBOARD TEMPLATES
TRANSFORMING INTERRUPTIONS IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM
GOOGLE ARTS AND CULTURE: A RICH ARRAY OF RESOURCES
VIRTUAL REALITY WITH PANOFORM IS EASY, ENGAGING, AND FUN FOR EVERYONE
FIVE WAYS TO USE QR CODES FOR SECOND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
EIGHT CHROME EXTENSIONS AND SITES YOU MAY NOT KNOW (MARCH 2022)
🎥 Webinars of the Month
✔👀👌😘5 Minute Tips of the Month
😍 FREE Extension of the Month
This extension lets quickly save resources to your Google Drive with the click of one button (extension).
Click on picture below for more information.
💻 📱 Tech Certification of the Month
💫MICROSOFT SUPPORT
Educators Can Get Office 365 for FREE
Flipgrid Blog with Updates
🌈 Google Updates
A Couple More Google Updates
To Stay Updated, Watch ALL Here or EDU in 90: The Latest, March 2022
IT'S FINALLY HERE: Schedule posts for multiple classes in Google Classroom
The Anywhere School reflects the changing shape of ‘school’. Showcasing Google’s commitment to improve teaching and learning, in and out of the classroom, it’s an online experience that connects educators anywhere and everywhere.
This year, participants can explore Google for Education’s progressive learning ecosystem, see how we help collaboration and innovation thrive, and learn about Google’s approach to sustainability, accessibility, and privacy and security. We will also preview the newest Chromebooks for 2022.
💡See Me Here
Click on the pictures below for more information and to register and find more information such as dates, times, room numbers and links to register HERE.
💯 FREEBIES
✏️ Commenting to Educator Alexander
Dr. Desiree Alexander, Educator Alexander Consulting
Dr. Desiree Alexander is an award-winning, multi-degreed educator who has been in the educational field since 2002. She is the Founder CEO of Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC and the Deputy Director for the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana. She consults with members of several schools/businesses and presents at conferences globally.
Dr. Alexander is lifetime certified in Louisiana in Secondary English Education, as a Reading Specialist, as a School Librarian, as an Educational Technology Facilitator, as an Educational Technology Leader and in Educational Leadership 1. She is certified in Texas as a Principal, in English Language Arts and Reading for grades 4-8 and grades 8-12, as a Reading Specialist for grades EC-12, and as a School Librarian. She holds multiple technology certifications, including, but not limited to, IC3 certification, Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, Apple Teacher, and a Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer and Expert.
She holds a Bachelor, a Master + 30, and an Education Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University, a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Educational Leadership with a concentration in Educational Technology Leadership from Nicholls State University. She also holds a Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership from Lamar University.
She is a 2022 & 2021 Texas Computer Education Association Featured Thought Leader, 2020 International Society for Technology in Education Featured Voice, 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference Featured Presenter, 2019 Customer Commitment Award Honoree from Better Business Bureau's Torch Awards for Ethics, a 2019 Shreveport National Pan-Hellenic Council Mover and Shaker, a 2017 Young Professional Initiative 40 Under 40 Awards Honoree, 2017 Center for Digital Education Top 30 Technologists, Transformers & Trailblazers, 2017 PBS Learning Media Digital Innovator for Louisiana, 2016 Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana Member of the Year, 2015 Librarian of the Year for Louisiana Librarian Association, 2015 Campus Teacher of the Year in the Zachary Community School District and 2014 Leader of the Year for Region 2 Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators.
Learn more at www.educatoralexander.com.
Email: educatoralexander@gmail.com
Website: https://www.educatoralexander.com/
Phone: 318-759-7591
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EducatorAlexander
Twitter: @educatoralex