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Tips for Logging Kindergarten Students onto a Chromebook
The hardest part about using digital resources in the primary grades is getting your kids logged in. You don’t need to be an early childhood expert to quickly figure out that getting to log into Google Classroom is the biggest challenge. If you have spent any time with young children and Chromebooks you know they can maneuver around Google Classroom pretty easily. That is IF they can get logged in. Google Classroom is a powerful tool that teachers have for differentiating instruction and engaging students. However, the first step is the most difficult – getting them on. Spoiler alert – it’s going to take them a minute. I have some tips and strategies to help you help them get onto their Chromebooks. Spoiler alert – it’s going to take them a minute. Just like everything with young children it takes repeated practice. But like everything else, kindergarten students need to know about school the time you put in upfront pays dividend later on. Here’s my first tip. Look at the keyboard. What do you notice about a Chromebook keyboard? It’s all lowercase! Now look at your keyboard – it’s all capitals! If your kids have been using a keyboard at...
read moreWhat is everyone else doing during reading groups???
What is the rest of the class doing during reading groups? When I started teaching I had a pretty good idea how to run a reading group. It was clear to me what my students needed. Whether they were in my low group and just learning to identify and match uppercase and lowercase letter, my middle group starting to blend and read CVC words, or my highest group working on reading for comprehension. Having a reading group wasn’t a problem. The problem for me was figuring out what the rest of my class should be doing while I was running uninterrupted (hopefully) reading groups. This is the unspoken secret of kindergarten. It’s really hard to take a small group of kids for a reading group and hope that the other 18 kids in your class will remain engaged and quiet, and doing something meaningful. Some teachers may be lucky and have an assistant or a parent volunteer, but I’m afraid the vast majority of us are on our own. I’ve seen lots and lots of strategies for managing the whole class during groups. These tips (turning on a light to let kids know not to interrupt, wearing a...
read moreHow do we differentiate instruction?
If you have spent any time in a classroom recently you know that teachers are constantly asked to differentiate. So let’s talk differentiation in the classroom. What exactly does it mean when we say we differentiate our instruction to meet all our learners? I have yet to go to a classroom where all the students learn the same way and are all on the same level. Chances are you teach in a class that has a wide range of learning styles and levels. So we are going to have to meet the needs of every child in front of us every day. No small task. The good news is, you are probably already doing it. When we talk about differentiation what exactly do we mean? Content If one of your students is already reading you want to push them to read more fluently or at a higher level. You may have others who are still struggling to identify letters. When you teach both students you are differentiating the content based on their levels. Using Google Classroom helps teachers easily differentiate because while multiple students are completing word work, they can all be working on vastly different skills. Google has...
read moreFun way to fight the Summer Slide – Tips for Parents
Keep the learning going over the summer! We all love summer! The kids and the teachers are counting the days until we have a little free time to relax and recharge for next year. This summer help your parents by giving them some tips to keep the learning going over the summer. Tip #1 Go outside! Now is the time to get outside and run and jump and climb. Explore the beach, the park, the woods. The kids spend so much time inside during the school year get outside and have some fun instructed time. Tip#2 Say Something! Strive for 5! The back and forth of a conversation builds vocabulary, complex thought, and builds relationships. Having conversations with your kids is the single best thing parents can do. In this world filled with social media encourage your parents to put down the phone and just talk to their kids. Tip #3 Visit Take that drive and visit your friends and family. Take a walk with grandma. Visit libraries, museums, outdoor fairs. Have lots of different experiences with lots of different people and places. Building background knowledge during the summer will help their learning when they go back to school...
read moreTransforming how we teach ELL students in the classroom with technology
Having an ELL student in your class If you teach in the United States the chances are high that you have a student for whom English is not their native language. It’s up to us to determine the best way to support all of our learners. It can feel intimidating when you first find out that an ELL student will be joining your classroom. As a teacher, you want to provide the very best education for every student. Many teachers feel nervous and ill-equipped to address the needs of a student with limited English. Don’t worry. Here is a list of tips to help support ELL students in your class (and the technology that will help). Build Background Knowledge Use visuals and sound Provide extra response time Provide clear directions Assess, and repeat Primary teachers have the skills needed to reach every child Building Background knowledge There is not a topic out there that doesn’t have a youtube video. If you are teaching students about a subject. Do a quick search on youtube and you will find a library of resources on youtube. There are nonfiction read alouds, National Geographic videos, even Reading Rainbow is a fantastic resource fo almost any topic....
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