We may be uncertain about educational technology — but our students aren’t!
Our students are coming to us having already mastered digital devices. Next time you are in the grocery store or out to dinner notice how many children are using tablets. It’s our job to provide technology that is hands on, engaging, and empowering to children. We need to choose digital resources that enhance our children’s cognitive and social abilities. They’re going to use it – but we can control it.
Technology and Google Classroom is an effective tool to excite students, to engage them, to keep their interest—and it’s a powerful and easy way to differentiate their levels. Learn more with my Getting Started with Google Classroom Guide.
Here’s a quick example. You could use a hundred worksheets — but think of the time you spend during lunch making copies. Not to mention everyone in your class is working on the same skill. I don’t know about you, but in 30 years, I’ve never had a class where everyone is working on the same level. Technology makes it easy to differentiate. Have you tried Boom Cards? They are self-correcting, and Boom tracks your student’s results and shows you where each child had trouble. With Boom Cards it’s all done for you! Freeing up valuable time to work with each student — based on that student’s individual needs. Try a Boom Deck for Free.
In my class, when I say, “The iPad center is open,” I never have to say it twice. I never have to convince my kids to choose that center. I tell you — I see the excitement in their eyes.
Then there are robots. Programmable robots for kindergarten students. Everyone loves robots! Just wait until your students get their hands on a Bee Bot. Bee Bots are cute, they’re brightly colored — they have engaging smiles! Bee Bots are the best way I’ve seen to teach logic and problem-solving skills. Your administrator wants to see critical thinking? Bee Bots are the answer! Watch how I use Bee Bots in my class.
Best of all — no one — not you, not your students — needs to be a tech genius. All they have to do is touch icons and drop and drag pictures. It’s elemental. It’s fantastic! It’s as easy as it is fun!
And this all works with beginning readers, it’s perfect for ELL Students!
Not to mention that educational technology is paperless! No more wasted time at the Xerox — where the well-documented rule is that the less time you have, the more likely the machine will have a paper jam or the person in front of you is printing a packet! No more laminating. No more sorting and storing and carrying mounds of paper to and from school.
I admit I may be a bit over-the-top in my enthusiasm — but all I see are advantages of using Google Classroom, Boom Cards, Bee Bots and all the other educational-technology resources there are.
Technology in the classroom not only provides exciting ways to engage students — it also provides a variety of tools to record and track results and progress. We all know how time-consuming it is to comply with educational standards. The data that has to be collected and analyzed can be staggering. It’s so much easier if you use educational technology.
Thank you very much for your interest. I hope you find the information on these pages useful. Make sure you sign up for my email. I’ll keep you updated on tips and tricks, new resources, and sales. Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions. After all, we’re in this together.
All the best,
