First Edition
Recognizing Innovative Educators!
Each day, Patriot teachers and staff engage students in innovative ways. The goal of the Teacher Technology Spotlight is to highlight some of those educators. Enjoy!
Google Forms
What is it?
- Google Forms is one of the applications that make up the Google Apps for Education suite of tools. Teachers and students can use Google Forms to create surveys and collect data. Teachers can even use Google Forms to create assessments that, using an Add-on called Flubaroo, are actually self-grading.
- Using a Google Form, students now have the ability to sign up to see their counselor online. Each counselor has their own form and those forms are linked to a Counseling Web page. This is a great way to give students the opportunity to request appointments when it is convenient for them. It is also great because it documents when a student requested to see the counselor and our ITC, Terry Lowry, has it set up to notify the counselor whenever they have a new request. Parents can also fill in a request for their student if they have a concern and want to be sure the student is seen.
- They seem to like it because it allows them to request an appointment when it is convenient for them. It also allows them to put more personal information down since they know the counselor will be the only one to see the request.
Edmodo
What is it?
- Edmodo is a FREE learning management system where teachers can post assignments, give assessments, communicate with students & parents, and generally "manage" student learning digitally. (The PWCS code to create an Edmodo account is zvtfsy).
- Ms. Northman uses Edmodo to provide interactive, ELL-friendly, resources for her classes. Her classes engage in online discussions, "flipped" lessons, and complete assignments online.
- "With Edmodo, she sends us reminders about everything so I always have them on my phone. I never forget anything. Even if I tell her I forgot, she knows better."
"Flipping" the Classroom
What is it:
- "Flipping" allows students to watch or learn the content outside of the classroom; freeing up time in the classroom for more engaging and relevant learning tasks.
Featured Educator(s): Jeff Hampson, Social Studies
- Mr. Hampson turns learning "inside out" by creating video tutorials that cover essential content that the students watch for homework. Then, class time is spent applying and practicing what they learned. You can find his "flipped" lessons on his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/historywithhampson.
What the students are saying:
- "He's a really funny guy. He even puts jokes in the videos to help keep us engaged. He makes us smile easily, even when we are learning."
Want to feature a teacher or be featured?
If you would like to be featured, or if you would like to nominate another teacher to be featured, please click here.