4 Apps for Math Collaboration

Math is tough.  I’m not talking about solving equations (although that can be tough too), I’m talking about finding digital tools that can be used in the math classroom to help students and teachers accomplish their learning objectives.  And, once you find a tool that you can use in your math class, using it for collaboration is another thing.  

There are four apps that I find useful in math that are not only good digital tools, but can also promote collaboration in math class.

ClassKick:  Classkick is a cool whiteboard app that allows the student to solve math problems using a stylus, in much the same way they would use a piece of paper.  But the unique feature in Classkick lies in its ability for students to collaborate.  If a student is stuck on a problem, they can simply put click on the virtual hand raise and other students can come to their aid (if the teacher has allowed access).  Students can see their classmates work, and virtually lend a hand.

Google Drawings: Students can share a Google Drawing and work on the same set of problems in real-time.  The cool thing about Google Drawings is that it’s essentially a blank piece of paper that students can share when working on a problem.

Explain Everything: A virtual whiteboard where students can share their work with other students.  Students can work together on the problem in real time and solve it together.

Google Slides: Google Slides is a versatile presentation app that can also be used in the math classroom! Students can be presented with an equation to solve on the first sled, then, in subsequent slides, detail the steps in solving the problem.  Students can be assigned different slides representing the different steps in solving the equation.

Eliminate Classroom Distractions With This Tip

It's all about the "e" word.

Technology in the classroom can be a great tool for learning.  It opens up many possibilities for students to expand their learning opportunities. But having technology in the classroom can bring its own set of challenges.  Along with knowing how to use it as an effective teaching tool, tech in the classroom can present the challenge of student distraction.  Put a Chromebook or iPad in a students hand with little engagement, and, unless you follow certain protocols, the students might find other uses for the tech, such as playing games or visiting unauthorized websites. 

Sure, there are various ways to try and combat student distraction.  The teacher could let students listen to music while they work.  They could provide for phone breaks, where the teacher sets aside a designated amount of time during class where students are allowed to check their phones for notifications.  Another might be to have students sign a contract where they’ll adhere to class rules about tech use in class.  The contract is then displayed in class with all the signatures so the teacher can refer to it as needed.  And lastly, the teacher can have students keep a daily to-do list, helping students to stay focused on the tasks that need to be finished.

Some of these might work in your class, but there is one sure-fire way to keep your students engaged...make engaging lessons!  The answer is that simple.  If you make engaging lessons, classroom distractions will be nullified.  I know it’s easy to say “just make an engaging lesson.” But believe me, once the effort is put into a lesson with student engagement in mind, your distraction problem will melt away.  There’s a two-part formula to making your lesson engaging:
First, students need to know why they're doing what they're doing.  Tell them how this lesson is going to build on the next.  Make the lesson relevant and meaningful.  Use real-life examples of how what their learning applies to them and the real world.

Second, fight fire with fire!  Use the appropriate tech tool to keep students from being distracted Deliver an engaging lesson using engaging apps such as Pear Deck or Nearpod.  Nearpod and Pear Deck are built to provide interactive features that keep students involved in your presentation.  You know the old saying, “Idle hands...”.

You can also keep the students involved with Socrative or Kahoot.  I’ve written before about Kahoot’s question template and how students can contribute their own questions to a Kahoot.  Knowing they’ll have an authentic audience for their questions will keep students on task.  Using these interactive apps can also make the lesson fun as well.  Socrative not only has the ability to check for understanding with multiple choice and short answer questions, but the space race game is a fun way to review content.

Seesaw is another app that can keep your students involved in your class.  Use the blog feature in Seesaw to help create an authentic audience for your students.  Knowing that other students, staff, and parents will be looking at their work will make them less likely to allow themselves to be distracted and stay focused.

The reward comes when a student tells you that they look forward to coming to your class.  It means their mind is open to accept new information, ideas and are ready to learn.  Keep the lessons engaging and you won’t have to worry about classroom management during a lesson again.  

6 Essential Steps to Using an App in the Classroom

I was recently observing a 1:1 Chromebook classroom where the students were asked to take notes using Google Keep.  Through my observation, it appeared that students hadn’t used Keep before.  After the teacher described what the icon looked like, students were to find and open it. Once they found Keep, students were to use their stylus (which some did not have) to take class notes.  Needless to say, there was a bit of a learning curve using Keep.  Many students asked why they were using Keep, never mind that many had trouble finding it. Others weren't sure how to use the stylus with the app.  Some students wondered why they couldn't use paper and pencil.  To avoid these questions as well as many others, the following six steps should be considered:

1. Introductions come first.  Let’s take the Google Keep example.  Before having students open up their Chromebooks, the teacher should describe the app.  Include in the description the different capabilities and the purpose of the app.

2. Advise students how to find the app. Instead of having students search their Chromebooks for the app, show them how to find it.  In the class I observed, many students struggled to find the app on their Chromebook, wasting valuable class time.

3. Tell them why it’s being used in class. In the Google Keep scenario, many students asked why they were using it.  Students should know that it’s a tool that will help them get their work done more efficiently.   Sell the app to the students.  Remember, you’re not using tech for the sake of using it.  There’s a reason. Explain it to them.  

4. Demo the app.  Show students exactly how they will be using it in class.  In the Google Keep example, the teacher wanted them to fold their Chromebook so as to resemble a notebook.  The problem was, the Chromebooks were in a case that didn’t allow for the folding over of the Chromebook.  As a result, many students struggled to take notes because they weren’t folding their Chromebooks. Some figured out that they had to take the computer out of the case in order to fold it.  Also, if the app requires any additional accessories, such as a stylus, advise students that they’ll need to be prepared with such.  

5. Practice using the app before actually using it.  In the case of Google Keep, ask students to “play” with the app.  Give them a brief assignment where they use all of the aspects of the app.  Allow them to draw, to write, to import pictures.  That way, they’ll be much more comfortable and confident when using it for authentic class work.

6. Use the app slowly.  Give students time to open the app and are prepared to use it.  Expect students to be slow using it the first time, even though they’ve already been exposed to it.  Be patient.  It won’t take long before using it is second nature.

Granted, all of these steps take class time, but, it will save more time and frustration in the long run.

6 Apps That Should Be On A Teachers Phone-Part 2

As I stated in Part 1, a smartphone is an indispensable teacher tool in the classroom.  After all, a smartphone is essentially a small computer in your pocket.  To help you with your day to day teaching duties, I recommend six apps that I believe can help you manage your workflow.

1. Scanner Pro/Turbo Scan:  There are two here because they are both great scanner apps.  It’s important to have a scanner at the ready for a couple of reasons.  First, if you’ve got that old worksheet you’d like to digitally send to your students, quickly scan it and upload it to your LMS.  Second, you can scan a piece of student work and share it in various apps.  

2. Trello:  I’ve written before about how Trello can be a good teaching planning tool.  Trello is an easy way to plan your classes.  Simply create a board for each class, a list for a chapter or unit, and a card for each assignment.  

3. Twitter: Share on the fly what you’re doing in the classroom.  Snap photos of student work and share them with your school or district.

4. Pinterest: Pinterest is a great resource for finding ideas and getting inspiration for your class.  Look to Pinterest if you’re looking for teaching tips or ideas for new projects.  Looking for teacher blogs to follow.  Look no further than Pinterest to help you find that next blog read. is also a cool place to find teacher blogs.   

5. Dropbox/Dropbox Paper: Dropbox is a fantastic storage receptacle.  Store documents and photos and have them available on the fly through your phone.  Use Dropbox Paper for taking quick notes on your.  Everything is saved in Dropbox.

6. Fantastical 2: Available for iOS only, Fantastical 2 is a great way to write down calendar tasks.  You type your entries in natural language which makes entering calendar events quick and easy.  

10 Reasons Why HyperDocs Are So Great!

I was talking with a colleague recently when the topic of ways to engage students in the classroom came up.  I brought up the use of HyperDocs in the classroom.  My colleague looked at me a bit puzzled and asked, "what makes a HyperDoc so great?"  

Let me share what I told them about what makes HyperDocs so great...

1. A HyperDoc is an interactive opportunity for students to transform their learning into something more.

2. One HyperDoc can address the 4 C's of 21st-century learning, giving students the opportunity for critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

3. They're engaging digital lessons.

4. They can allow for differentiation in that students can be given different versions of a HyperDoc or through the tasks in the hyperdoc itself. 

5. Can be personalized and allow for the use of multiple resources and the inclusion of different media.

6. Allows the teacher to flip the classroom.

7. The teacher can design various design templates for their hyperdoc.

8. Allow teachers to float around the classroom, working with small groups.

9. Through the HyperDoc, students can apply what they've learned in the HyperDoc to real-world issues.

10. Great for the blended learning classroom in that learn not only via face to face teaching but through the use of online media as well.

Unleash Student Creativity With Adobe Spark

With technology, there are more ways than ever for students to demonstrate and share their learning.  Today, students can create everything from their own websites that show off their learning to videos that might explain a concept.  A simple to use, accessible suite of tools that can help students share their learning is Adobe Spark.

Spark works on most devices and runs great in a browser, making it a great tool to use with Chromebooks.  Adobe Spark also has a suite of iOS apps for iPhones and iPads.  Spark Post is available for Android devices as well.

Adobe Spark is incredibly easy to use which makes it very classroom friendly.  There are three components to the Spark suite, Spark Page, Spark Video, and Spark Post.  And each component is free to use!  Each Spark component provides templates to help the user get started.

Spark Page is a web site creator in which students can insert text, images, videos, and links.  Students can use Spark Page to create a reflection blog or create a digital portfolio.  Teachers can use Spark Page to create a class page where they can upload photos and student work.

Spark Video is a video editing tool where students can edit a video by incorporating text, images, and narration to create their own movie.  They can use video to explain a concept such as a math problem.  Students can also use Spark Video to introduce themselves, create a video journal, document a field trip, or create a video book report. 

And lastly, Spark Post is a poster maker/graphic design tool where students can create everything from a poster, a flyer, or anything else they might want to create a graphic for.  They can use Spark Post to create a poster about a story they've read in English class or a graphic that explains the steps in solving an equation in science or math.

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Tech in Class

Tech in your classroom can be a very useful tool.  When implemented correctly, it can allow for differentiation, inclusion, and allow students to express themselves in ways they were never able to before.  When not implemented correctly, it can lead to a loss of class time, frustrated students (as well as teachers), and a lack of learning.

With that said, there are caveats that teachers should be aware of when wanting to use those iPads or Chromebooks in their class. 
From experience as a technology coach, I've identified three mistakes some teachers make in their classroom with technology.  So, when you go to use that tech, avoid the following:

1. Not testing it out. Just because it works at home, doesn't necessarily mean that shiny new app you've learned to use is going to work in your classroom. For example, there may be network issues at your school site that block a particular part of the app that either won't let you sign in or allow students to use the app. Make sure and test the app out at your site. Does it work with your school wi-fi network? If you have a minute or two at the end of class, ask a student to sign in to the app to make sure it can be used.

2. Taking for granted that students know how to navigate the web and the computer/iPad. Just because today's students are growing up in the digital age, doesn't necessarily mean they know everything about how to use a Chromebook or iPad. Jumping to that conclusion could lead to frustration by both the student and the teacher. Before using an app or piece of hardware, do a short primer about how to navigate the web or access an app.

3. Using tech for the sake of using tech. I get it. You're excited about using tech in your class. You've heard of this new app or a way to use the Chromebook in your class and you want to dive in, head first. But wait! Don't wrap your objective around your tech. Wrap your tech around your objective. You need to know where you want to go before choosing the appropriate tool. Avoid putting the Chromebooks first. Once you know the objective, ask yourself how tech can help you get there.

Start a New Semester With These Digital Tools!

With the advent of a new semester, students are apt to be, how shall we say, a bit squirmy.  Trying to harness their attention, no matter what the grade, can be a challenge. 

What better way to start the new year off right with the right tech tools!  The right tools will help keep your students engaged on their first day back from their winter break!
Check out a few tools and how you might use them during the first few days back from a break:

Kahoot:  Kahoot is great to review content!  Perhaps a Kahoot that reviewed the previous semester's information so as to build upon what the student is going to learn this semester.  Or, use Kahoot to find out what students know about upcoming topics by putting together a Kahoot.

Padlet: Invite inquiry with Padlet! Tell the students what they'll be studying this semester and ask them what questions they might have about the topic.  Use Padlet to have students share what they already know about the topic.

Voicethread:  Create a Voicethread using it in much the same fashion as you would a Padlet or Kahoot.  Sometimes, it's just easier for students to speak what's on their minds rather than type it out.  And often, you'll get more out your students if you ask them to record their voice addressing the topic rather than write it.  Ask students what they already know about a topic or ask them what they hope to learn this semester.  Instead of writing a response, students orally share their response.

Nearpod: Find out what your students already know about upcoming topics, what they want to know, or review content from the previous semester.  Nearpod is sure to keep your students engaged through its drawing activities, open-ended questions, and multiple choice questions.  Nearpod also provides its own Nearpod store, where you can browse through a multitude of already made lessons.

EdPuzzle: Create a video of yourself in which you review content from the previous semester, inserting questions for your students to answer as you go.  Then, have students watch the video and answer the questions.  Or, create curiosity by showing a video of upcoming topics, while creating questions asking what topics they're most curious about.

Flipgrid:  If you have the same students this semester as last, ask them to create a Flipgrid where they reflect on their learnings from last semester.  Then, once they've done that, ask them to comment on each other's reflections.  If it's a brand new class, ask them to record their wondering or what they hope to learn this semester.