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“Get Caught” in Google Classroom 🎣📝

Image result for Google Classroom
*NOTE: One great reason to use Google Classroom….most programs import through Classroom such as Pear Deck, NEWSELA, Quizizz, KAMI, Go Formative, Go Guardian and many, many more!

If I were stuck on an island, with a classroom of students, and I was told I could pick one app for our magically working devices on said island, it would be Google Classroom, hands-down.  If you are new to Classroom, you are in for a treat! It will help to transform your teaching practices.  Even if you use it strictly for an agenda or your objective board, it will be a place students can refer back to all year.  It can serve as a classroom website, housing all of your important documents (and much easier to post them). It can act as a teacher, when you are out, hosting assignments, videos, notes, and activities. You can check in from home, and view any student’s work at any time if it is distributed through Classroom. I’ve actually had students approach me in the hallway and have asked me to help get one of their teachers up on Google Classroom. Students love it, and it makes learning easier for all. It puts all of one’s courses in one single place, teacher or student, where you can access all material. Simply put, it is the best tool, period.

Since it is Google, of course, it is always improving.  There have been improvements even over the summer! One of my favorite new features is the option to largely display the classroom code for students to join – this is great! No longer will you need to write it largely on the board or zoom in on your computer so students can see it. You can simply click the drop down on your code, click Display, and BOOM! Large Display for your students to see! Another quick tip – if you do not like your code, you can click reset until you get a code you like. I recommend codes without zeroes and o’s. An all letter code, like the one below, usually goes off without a hitch.

Another initiative Google for Education worked on over the summer was better training resources for Educators. The education team, with help from Google Certified Trainers, created The new Google Classroom Learning Hub. This hub features tips and tricks from Google Staff and certified trainers. I even made the cut and have a tutorial included (The About Tab).  This is a great resource to check out!

 

Useful Google Classroom Links:

Google Classroom Updates August 2017 – learn the newest improvements for Google Classroom that happened while you were away

Google Classroom Learning – the new hub for training created by Google for EDU

Quick resources I’ve created for your use:

Getting Started with Google Classroom

What you can do with Google Classroom

If you would like assistance creating or maintaining your Google Classroom courses, please reach out! You can book me for an appointment by clicking here (EB staff only).

What’s your favorite feature of Google Classroom? Comment below and share the love!

oFISHally and digitally yours,

Erin Fisher

 

Welcome! 🐠

Welcome everyone to my brand new blog at Edublogs! Thank you to Chris Traynor who came up with FISH online and the mnemonic device (Finding Inspiration, Support, and Happiness) that is used in the title, and Laura McPhee for “fishin on a mission” that is used in the URL of the blog.  I would expect plenty of “click bait” on this blog focusing on technology integration (hahaha, bait, thanks Chris for that one).

I’m hoping you enjoy my weekly(+) posts of tech integration in the classroom! This blog will take the place of my weekly newsletter.  The advantage of blogging, rather than sending out a newsletter, is when you want to search for a particular item, you simply come to this blog and search for it in the search box.  Gone are the days of having to open Techletter after Techletter trying to find that one tip you wanted to remember.  Additionally, posts will be categorized and date stamped, for even easier searching.  I will still feature amazing tech integration by teachers I see both in-person and online, and weekly tips and tricks! I welcome other ideas as well so feel free to comment below!

If you still would still like to access previous Techletters, with amazing tech tips, from 2016-2017, you can do so by clicking here.

I’m looking forward to this blogging adventure ahead!

oFISHally and Digitally yours,

Erin Fisher