How do you get the most out of social media without letting things get lost in the shuffle? Being an educator on social media can be both inspiring and overwhelming. There are so many great ideas and resources out there to use that it can be hard to keep up with it all. It can […]. Ed Tech curation edtech educational technology productivity MORE
Today’s students face a technology-infused, innovation-filled world in their future. We’re already looking at the possibility of widespread smart houses, autonomous cars and artificial intelligence that can talk to us and work on our behalf. MORE
Podcasts are learning on the go: in the car, while working out or as you garden. Here are some great ones for educators. Icons via TheNounProject.com) Podcasts are my lifeblood for generating new ideas, processing the ideas I already have and entertainment. MORE
At the same time, being a math teacher puts me in a tough place with the parents and guardians of my students. After all, they’re used to seeing homework sent home with their kids. They grew up with textbook problems when they were kids. MORE
The end of the semester can be full of challenges. But it also creates unique opportunities, too. Here are some ways to seize them. Photo by Eric Rothermel via Unsplash.com)When the semester winds down, it brings its own unique list of challenges. Special programs cut into class time. MORE
231 The first day of school is met with excitement as students reconnect with old friends, share about their summer and look ahead to another year. As teachers, we work hard to make that first day a positive experience for our students. And we want to keep that excitement and engagement going as we head into […]. DitchBook Twitter chat back to school back to school activities back to school ideas creativity first day of school student engagement teaching MORE
So … can I come along with you on your commute to school? Or a grocery run? Maybe while you’re working out or gardening? If you let me, I promise I’ll give you some ideas you can use in your classroom. This is what podcasts feel like to me. MORE
Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’re chained to your desk grading papers. It’s getting monotonous, but you feel like you need to do it because it’s important. You hand those papers back to the students, and where do they end up? Yep, the trash. Even if you make them keep that homework in a […]. Teaching effective feedback in the classroom how to make auto-graded quizzes providing digital feedback save time feedback to students MORE
Let students put what you're studying in MOTION. Animation is easy with stop motion Google Slides. Icons via The Noun Project with NounPro account.)For For years (centuries. really, millennia), students have had access to paper. MORE
All student have a voice. Some students share their voice often, some rarely, and some almost never. We want to hear from ALL of our students. But what does encouraging student voice really mean? How do we creatively incorporate ways for students to showcase themselves in our lessons? MORE
Record a video of your screen. Split the screen of your web browser. Block ads. Keep digital sticky notes. Even make your phone ring to end a conversation that’s gone on too long. Google Chrome extensions turn your Chrome web browser into a veritable Swiss Army knife of versatile options. MORE
Almost daily teachers are bombarded with shiny new apps designed for education. It can be enough to make our heads spin. We WANT to use technology that is meaningful and manageable for ourselves and our students. MORE
Learning how to read and annotate text is an important skill all our students need to truly understand stories, articles, and *GULP* textbooks. This is a skill that can be learned over time. The hard reality of the situation, though, is most college level texts are now distributed in PDF or other digital formats for […]. Ed Tech annotating pdfs in class annotating student documents marking up student documents student PDF activities MORE
Kahoot is a favorite among students and teachers alike. It’s a fun way to jazz up assessments with gameshow style quizzes. But what if we took our Kahoot beyond the walls of our classroom? What if we used Skype or Google Hangouts to connect multiple classes and all played together at the same time? Steve […]. DTT podcast #DitchPod creative teaching edtech kahoot skype student engagement MORE
We use tech tools like Kahoot! in the classroom all the time. When we pair them with brain science strategies, they can be even more powerful. Sketch by Matt Miller)Sure, you might think. I use Kahoot! and G Suite and others in the classroom all the time. MORE
The standard lecture has plenty of detractors, and rightfully so. Done poorly, it can be an uninspired stream of facts, delivered in sit-and-get style that get forgotten quickly. However, we can turn the standard lecture — and its tool of choice, the presentation slide! — on its head. MORE
HyperDocs are are NOT just a doc with links. They are purposefully designed digital lessons and can transform your class. The creators of HyperDocs — Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton and Sarah Landis — describe them as a transformative, interactive Google Doc replacing the worksheet method of delivering instruction, the ultimate change agent in the blended learning […]. MORE
If you haven’t heard of Flipgrid yet then you will soon be seeing it everywhere. I had my first experience with Flipgrid (flipgrid.com) on March 2nd in a #Ditchbook chat. MORE
Using homework assignments to give feedback is pokey. Inefficient. Think about the length of the feedback loop for traditional homework assignments: Teacher assigns homework to students. Students take it home (maybe) and work on it (maybe). Students turn it in the next day. MORE
I’m a huge fan of free. I believe in what my teacher friend Mike Soskil says: a teacher’s favorite price is FREE. For years in the classroom, I scoured the Internet for the best free digital tools and web apps. MORE
We have a golden window of time at the beginning of any class. For these first five or ten minutes of class (OK, probably more the five than the ten), we have our students’ most attention. It’s the most focused they’ll likely be for us all day. If we squander that time, the rest of […]. Ed Tech bell ringers edtech educational technology flipgrid formative padlet prior knowledge screencastify MORE
The best thing about Twitter is the community of educators who share freely with others. Aaron Hogan, the author of Shattering the Perfect Teacher Myth, wrote that “Twitter is not going to change your life, but the educators you meet there will.” MORE
When the end of the school year is in sight, it’s a time of excitement coupled with the importance of finishing the year STRONG. The end of the year is a time unlike any other. State tests are behind us. Many students are working on big projects or papers. It can be a great time […]. MORE
A teacher sent me a link to a video recently. I think it was probably from Teachers Pay Teachers, and she asked, “How do you make something like this in G Suite?” ” The video showed a document with three columns and a bunch of words at the bottom. MORE
We have had students turn in documents, slide presentations and spreadsheets digitally for a long time. We’re comfortable with them. They’re easy to open and (fairly) quick to grade … depending on what’s in them, of course! MORE
Could you use some practical new ideas for teaching that you can use tomorrow? Want to find ways to save time for what matters most? You’ve come to the right place. I have put together 101 of my best practical ideas to “Ditch That Textbook” in a free 19-page ebook! MORE
Low-prep doesn’t have to mean less learning. Technology allows us to be more efficient and effective in the classroom in many ways. When we focus on sound teaching and learning, we can do high-quality learning in less time — AND take less time to prepare for it! MORE
Lots of schools and classrooms are making innovation a priority and changing how day-to-day school is done. Don Wettrick’s students take it to a whole new level. Don teaches “Innovation Class,” where students take on a project that connects with their passions. MORE
Free professional development. Great presenters. Interesting, idea-packed presentations. All on your time, whenever and wherever you want. Sound good? Let me sweeten the pot a little. Free professional development credits AND, in some cases, PDF notes you can download. All in time for back-to-school inspiration. Three of these FREE “digital summits” are happening in the […]. MORE
Part of the reason social media has taken off so much are the connections. Seeing other people’s reaction to what you’ve shared. Learning from others. We can get the same attraction when we do collaborative learning in the classroom. Google Slides makes this possible. MORE
Teaching digital citizenship in a meaningful way can be daunting. These picture books illustrate important concepts beautifully. This post is written by Eleni Kyritsis, a Year 3 teacher and Leader of Digital Learning and Innovation from Melbourne, Australia. She was named the 2017 ACCE Australian Educator of the Year. Find her on Twitter (@misskyritsis) and […]. MORE
I had a pile of assessments to mark (grade). I knew was going to take the best part of four hours to get done. I seemed to be writing the same comments as feedback: “Use a quotation to support your argument.” ” “Include a religious view as an alternative.” (I MORE
Quizlet Live can make studying come alive for students -- and collaboratively! Try some of these new twists on it in your classroom. This post is written by Patrick McMillan, a fifth through eighth grade Latin teacher and tech coach from St. Gregory the Great School in Williamsville, New York. Find him on Twitter at […]. Ed Tech fun ways to play quizlet live new ways to play quizlet live quizlet live alternatives MORE
I have been enjoying creating, sharing, and using HyperDocs in my classroom for the past three years now after learning about them during the very first night of the inaugural #DitchBook book study Twitter chat. Ever since then, I have been a diehard shouting “HYPERDOCS!” MORE
Summer … the time when all teachers spend carefree days sitting by the pool and drinking fruity drinks, right? Many teachers I know (especially the best ones!) spend at least part of their summers honing their craft. It’s a time to do things we were too busy to do during the school year, and […]. Teaching summer reading for teachers top books for educators top education books top teacher books MORE
203 Consuming vs creating, sounds like it’s one or the other. But don’t our students need to do both? Sometimes our students are consuming information and sometimes they are applying what they have learned by creating something. Its all about balance and knowing the why behind your lesson. MORE
After co-authoring Ditch That Homework, I’ve participated in LOTS of meaningful discussions about the subject. And they haven’t all been about “homework is evil and we should ban it all the way across the board.” MORE
281 Ditch That Textbook
SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
Today’s students face a technology-infused, innovation-filled world in their future. We’re already looking at the possibility of widespread smart houses, autonomous cars and artificial intelligence that can talk to us and work on our behalf.
Ditch That Textbook
NOVEMBER 10, 2017
I had a pile of assessments to mark (grade). I knew was going to take the best part of four hours to get done. I seemed to be writing the same comments as feedback: “Use a quotation to support your argument.” ” “Include a religious view as an alternative.” (I
Ditch That Textbook
AUGUST 30, 2017
We have a golden window of time at the beginning of any class. For these first five or ten minutes of class (OK, probably more the five than the ten), we have our students’ most attention. It’s the most focused they’ll likely be for us all day. If we squander that time, the rest of […]. Ed Tech bell ringers edtech educational technology flipgrid formative padlet prior knowledge screencastify
Ditch That Textbook
FEBRUARY 21, 2018
Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’re chained to your desk grading papers. It’s getting monotonous, but you feel like you need to do it because it’s important. You hand those papers back to the students, and where do they end up? Yep, the trash. Even if you make them keep that homework in a […]. Teaching effective feedback in the classroom how to make auto-graded quizzes providing digital feedback save time feedback to students
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If your school is like most, inventory and/or asset management plays a critical role in daily operations.
Ditch That Textbook
FEBRUARY 23, 2017
Using homework assignments to give feedback is pokey. Inefficient. Think about the length of the feedback loop for traditional homework assignments: Teacher assigns homework to students. Students take it home (maybe) and work on it (maybe). Students turn it in the next day.
Ditch That Textbook
JANUARY 12, 2018
Record a video of your screen. Split the screen of your web browser. Block ads. Keep digital sticky notes. Even make your phone ring to end a conversation that’s gone on too long. Google Chrome extensions turn your Chrome web browser into a veritable Swiss Army knife of versatile options.
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 20, 2018
When I do presentations and workshops with teachers all over the United States and beyond, hands go up all over the room when I ask if they’re familiar with Kahoot! It launched in August 2013 and has taken off like a rocket. In May 2017, it had 50 million monthly active users.
Ditch That Textbook
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Podcasts are learning on the go: in the car, while working out or as you garden. Here are some great ones for educators. Icons via TheNounProject.com) Podcasts are my lifeblood for generating new ideas, processing the ideas I already have and entertainment.
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 26, 2018
Let’s see if you sound like many people I’ve talked to about sketchnotes (and the former version of myself): “I’d love to be able to do that. I’d love for my students to be able to do it. But I can’t draw! I’m not an artist.”
Ditch That Textbook
APRIL 4, 2018
It was a simple activity. One that I thought my students would have no trouble completing. In my Spanish 3 class, I had asked them to find some facts about an artist from the Hispanic world and write a paragraph about that person. One paragraph. In Spanish. No big deal, right?
Ditch That Textbook
NOVEMBER 14, 2017
After co-authoring Ditch That Homework, I’ve participated in LOTS of meaningful discussions about the subject. And they haven’t all been about “homework is evil and we should ban it all the way across the board.”
Ditch That Textbook
APRIL 23, 2018
Part of the reason social media has taken off so much are the connections. Seeing other people’s reaction to what you’ve shared. Learning from others. We can get the same attraction when we do collaborative learning in the classroom. Google Slides makes this possible.
Ditch That Textbook
MAY 4, 2018
The best thing about Twitter is the community of educators who share freely with others. Aaron Hogan, the author of Shattering the Perfect Teacher Myth, wrote that “Twitter is not going to change your life, but the educators you meet there will.”
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 7, 2018
The standard lecture has plenty of detractors, and rightfully so. Done poorly, it can be an uninspired stream of facts, delivered in sit-and-get style that get forgotten quickly. However, we can turn the standard lecture — and its tool of choice, the presentation slide! — on its head.
Ditch That Textbook
DECEMBER 13, 2017
We use tech tools like Kahoot! in the classroom all the time. When we pair them with brain science strategies, they can be even more powerful. Sketch by Matt Miller)Sure, you might think. I use Kahoot! and G Suite and others in the classroom all the time.
Ditch That Textbook
JUNE 14, 2018
I have been enjoying creating, sharing, and using HyperDocs in my classroom for the past three years now after learning about them during the very first night of the inaugural #DitchBook book study Twitter chat. Ever since then, I have been a diehard shouting “HYPERDOCS!”
Ditch That Textbook
APRIL 13, 2018
All student have a voice. Some students share their voice often, some rarely, and some almost never. We want to hear from ALL of our students. But what does encouraging student voice really mean? How do we creatively incorporate ways for students to showcase themselves in our lessons?
Ditch That Textbook
MAY 2, 2018
Summer … the time when all teachers spend carefree days sitting by the pool and drinking fruity drinks, right? Many teachers I know (especially the best ones!) spend at least part of their summers honing their craft. It’s a time to do things we were too busy to do during the school year, and […]. Teaching summer reading for teachers top books for educators top education books top teacher books
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 22, 2018
Teaching digital citizenship in a meaningful way can be daunting. These picture books illustrate important concepts beautifully. This post is written by Eleni Kyritsis, a Year 3 teacher and Leader of Digital Learning and Innovation from Melbourne, Australia. She was named the 2017 ACCE Australian Educator of the Year. Find her on Twitter (@misskyritsis) and […].
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 23, 2018
Almost daily teachers are bombarded with shiny new apps designed for education. It can be enough to make our heads spin. We WANT to use technology that is meaningful and manageable for ourselves and our students.
Ditch That Textbook
JULY 6, 2018
Free professional development. Great presenters. Interesting, idea-packed presentations. All on your time, whenever and wherever you want. Sound good? Let me sweeten the pot a little. Free professional development credits AND, in some cases, PDF notes you can download. All in time for back-to-school inspiration. Three of these FREE “digital summits” are happening in the […].
Ditch That Textbook
FEBRUARY 14, 2018
Let students put what you're studying in MOTION. Animation is easy with stop motion Google Slides. Icons via The Noun Project with NounPro account.)For For years (centuries. really, millennia), students have had access to paper.
Ditch That Textbook
JUNE 15, 2018
HyperDocs are are NOT just a doc with links. They are purposefully designed digital lessons and can transform your class. The creators of HyperDocs — Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton and Sarah Landis — describe them as a transformative, interactive Google Doc replacing the worksheet method of delivering instruction, the ultimate change agent in the blended learning […].
Ditch That Textbook
SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
We have had students turn in documents, slide presentations and spreadsheets digitally for a long time. We’re comfortable with them. They’re easy to open and (fairly) quick to grade … depending on what’s in them, of course!
Ditch That Textbook
APRIL 26, 2018
Quizlet Live can make studying come alive for students -- and collaboratively! Try some of these new twists on it in your classroom. This post is written by Patrick McMillan, a fifth through eighth grade Latin teacher and tech coach from St. Gregory the Great School in Williamsville, New York. Find him on Twitter at […]. Ed Tech fun ways to play quizlet live new ways to play quizlet live quizlet live alternatives
Ditch That Textbook
NOVEMBER 1, 2017
A teacher sent me a link to a video recently. I think it was probably from Teachers Pay Teachers, and she asked, “How do you make something like this in G Suite?” ” The video showed a document with three columns and a bunch of words at the bottom.
Ditch That Textbook
AUGUST 24, 2017
At the same time, being a math teacher puts me in a tough place with the parents and guardians of my students. After all, they’re used to seeing homework sent home with their kids. They grew up with textbook problems when they were kids.
Ditch That Textbook
AUGUST 14, 2018
Kahoot is a favorite among students and teachers alike. It’s a fun way to jazz up assessments with gameshow style quizzes. But what if we took our Kahoot beyond the walls of our classroom? What if we used Skype or Google Hangouts to connect multiple classes and all played together at the same time? Steve […]. DTT podcast #DitchPod creative teaching edtech kahoot skype student engagement
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 28, 2018
Could you use some practical new ideas for teaching that you can use tomorrow? Want to find ways to save time for what matters most? You’ve come to the right place. I have put together 101 of my best practical ideas to “Ditch That Textbook” in a free 19-page ebook!
Ditch That Textbook
JUNE 2, 2017
If you haven’t heard of Flipgrid yet then you will soon be seeing it everywhere. I had my first experience with Flipgrid (flipgrid.com) on March 2nd in a #Ditchbook chat.
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 21, 2018
I’m a huge fan of free. I believe in what my teacher friend Mike Soskil says: a teacher’s favorite price is FREE. For years in the classroom, I scoured the Internet for the best free digital tools and web apps.
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 8, 2018
Learning how to read and annotate text is an important skill all our students need to truly understand stories, articles, and *GULP* textbooks. This is a skill that can be learned over time. The hard reality of the situation, though, is most college level texts are now distributed in PDF or other digital formats for […]. Ed Tech annotating pdfs in class annotating student documents marking up student documents student PDF activities
Ditch That Textbook
FEBRUARY 27, 2017
Lots of schools and classrooms are making innovation a priority and changing how day-to-day school is done. Don Wettrick’s students take it to a whole new level. Don teaches “Innovation Class,” where students take on a project that connects with their passions.
Ditch That Textbook
MARCH 6, 2018
So … can I come along with you on your commute to school? Or a grocery run? Maybe while you’re working out or gardening? If you let me, I promise I’ll give you some ideas you can use in your classroom. This is what podcasts feel like to me.
Ditch That Textbook
AUGUST 10, 2018
The first day of school is met with excitement as students reconnect with old friends, share about their summer and look ahead to another year. As teachers, we work hard to make that first day a positive experience for our students. And we want to keep that excitement and engagement going as we head into […]. DitchBook Twitter chat back to school back to school activities back to school ideas creativity first day of school student engagement teaching
Ditch That Textbook
JUNE 8, 2018
Consuming vs creating, sounds like it’s one or the other. But don’t our students need to do both? Sometimes our students are consuming information and sometimes they are applying what they have learned by creating something. Its all about balance and knowing the why behind your lesson.
Ditch That Textbook
AUGUST 13, 2018
How do you get the most out of social media without letting things get lost in the shuffle? Being an educator on social media can be both inspiring and overwhelming. There are so many great ideas and resources out there to use that it can be hard to keep up with it all. It can […]. Ed Tech curation edtech educational technology productivity
Ditch That Textbook
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
The end of the semester can be full of challenges. But it also creates unique opportunities, too. Here are some ways to seize them. Photo by Eric Rothermel via Unsplash.com)When the semester winds down, it brings its own unique list of challenges. Special programs cut into class time.
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