What Tools Can I Use To Engage Students?

There are two tools that I want to use more with my kids this next year, YouTube and Flipgrid. 

YouTube

YouTube is a wonderful tool to use for many, many reasons.  In my school, K-2 teachers don't utilize videos in this way.  So when they come to me in 3rd grade, my kids are not used to having YouTube as one of their tools to learn.  They have experienced it more at home and in that kind of setting.  So when I give them their first video, I sometimes forget that it's a YouTube video and they all raise their hand and say, "Mrs. Marshall, this video is on YouTube, can I watch it?"  One of the ways I want to engage my kids more is having to make sure they're watching something that will interest them.  Kids will watch videos over and over again.  Which is a great thing!  That means it's holding their attention for that long and they are learning the content. I want to make sure they are watching quality videos that they will get something from.  I want to utilize making a playlist for them so they can have that content there whenever they want/need it.

This is kind of a side note...I did Flocabulary with my kids this year.  They liked the videos and the assignments that went with it.  What surprised me the most, was they were going to Flocabluary, getting on a song, and having that play in the background while they were working on other things.  I thought this is a great way to have them engaged in not only the assignment that they were supposed to be working on but also the rap song in the background. That is what we as adults do, but I thought it was clever of them to figure that out.  So I need to make sure they know that is something I'm am fine with them doing!

Flipgrid

I love Flipgrid, kids love Flipgrid, I just need to make it work for me! Kids are so engaged when I assign them something.  I asked this before, how do I get them to respond without it taking 30-40 minutes?  I give them a one minute thirty-second response time and it takes them 30 minutes???  I get they need to take the best selfie, pick the right stickers, and look as cool as possible.  But sheesh!  My goal this year is to make it meaningful!  For me, I get to see what they know and for them, they get to show me what they know. 

I worked in my classroom today and I'm getting excited for the school year to start!   

3 Ways I Want to Improve What I do, Digitally

3 Ways I Want to Improve What I do, Digitally

I've been thinking a lot about what kinds of things I do with tech in my room.  There is a laundry list of apps, website, and tools I use.  I would like to look at three things and see if I can become a better facilitator for my kids.  

1. The first thing is to have content delivered to them in a meaningful way.  Not just the content that I want them to know but how they are going to get it.  It seems a bit confusing as I write it, but essentially I want them to have a digital version of my lesson plans.  Maybe I give it to them in a daily or ongoing HyperDoc.  But it would have what we are doing for the day, CCSS listed so they know what is being expected from them and myself, the purpose of why we do what we do.  I want my 3rd graders to have to know we do this fun thing because we are supposed to be learning this standard.  Then we can have conversations around that. 

2.  At times I will give them this fabulous tool to use.  They will get to play with it and do a fun activity at first to learn the ins and outs of how to use it.  Then I will give them the "real" assignment and I don't feel like they are using the tool with creative abandon like they did in the practice activity.  I feel like kids should have this freedom to learn how it comes naturally and find what bests works for them, but maybe I should focus on what I expect from the assignment.  The question I want to focus myself in answering is, are you giving them the right tool for the assignment?  Something to really think about in the next 6 weeks of vacation.

3.  Because I have many things for the kids to do online, I want to make sure I am using my time wisely.  When I had my 30+ kids last year online doing an assignment, I thought about kicking my feet up and just watching them work.  But I know I can better use my time and help some of my struggling kids.  I keep thinking back when I took a HyperDoc class from Sarah Landis, Kelly Hilton, and Lisa Highfill they kept saying that the HyperDocs were meant for intervention.  A way that kids can work at their own pace while giving teachers time to pull kids who need help.  I want to make sure I am mindful of what I am doing while my kids are on their tech.