Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Using Evernote in Education

So yesterday, I mentioned using Evernote to collect and organize your files electronically. I have an Evernote account and I have used it once or twice, but not to the extent that I probably should.

I decided to search for resources to help me better understand Evernote.  My search started with Richard Byrne at www.freetech4teachers.com.  Richard is an Evernote guru!  Actually, Richard is a tech guru and I learn a lot from on a daily basis!

Resources from Free Technology for Teachers:
- How to Use Evernote for Bookmarking and More
- Evernote in Education

My search continued at YouTube.  I found a series of videos from Teaching and Learning Centre on using Evernote.

Although this list is not extensive, it is a great start for learning what is possibly a new resource for you.

Teaching and Learning Centre - YouTube Videos







Do you have a great resource on how to use Evernote in education?  Please share it with us!

Monday, May 27, 2013

reflecting on the school year

For my school district, today was the first day without students in the classroom.  Teachers are busy finalizing grades, completing paperwork, and packing up for the summer.  One thing, one important thing, they should do is take the time to reflect on the school year.

Think about what worked and what didn't work. Really take a good look at the lessons/activities and ask yourself "Will these help meet the CCSS next year".

Many teachers find themselves adding and adding and adding, but never purging their resources. Now is a great time to purge!  Do you really need 10 worksheets on the short a sound?

Look at your "staple" activities and see how you can bump up there rigor or relevance. You may need to change those "staple" activities all together.

Reflect on what topics/concepts you struggled with this year.  Make those your top priority when searching for professional reading resources.  The Internet is a wealth of professional reading resources and ideas for teachers.

The creation of lesson plans should probably not be on the top of your summer list.  The creation of resource files, however, should be.  Take the time to start sorting what you keep from the purge into files that align to the Common Core.  If you want to become more tech savvy, try creating electronic files within Google Drive or Evernote. You can also start searching Pinterest and creating boards for collecting ideas and resources for your classroom.

The end of the school year has come.  We need to take this opportunity to reflect and prepare for the next year.

How do you reflect on the school year?

Saturday, May 25, 2013

four day weekend .. ah

Well, I don't have a four day weekend ..BUT... the last day of school was Friday!!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend and a relaxing summer.  School will be back before you know it!

Friday, May 24, 2013

resources added

I have added a few more resources to the "Resources" page of this blog.  I will try to add more as a complete training materials for this summer.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

"Ain't nobody got time for that!" -- or do they?

In the words of Sweet Brown - "Ain't nobody got time for that!"  Although that YouTube video is hilarious, I hear too many educators using the quote when it comes to professional development.

Professional development is a must in the field of education.  Things change and you have to stay current.  Right now, it is vital for educators to stay current with the introduction of Common Core State Standards and technology integration.

So, if I have to make time .. where can I go?  That is where these resources come in! 

Simple K12 offers professional development on a variety of topics through the use of 30 minute webinars conducted by experts in their field. These webinars can be viewed "live" or on demand.  Teachers can also join the conversation in the forums area.

Teaching Channel offers videos on multiple topics that range in length and depth of knowledge.  If you want to learn more about Common Core, for example, you can watch videos that give you a overview of the Common Core or a video of a teacher teaching a lesson on a specific standard.

Just these two site provide the professional development needed to help stay current in the field of education.  They don't take a lot of time and can be viewed at your own time.  So yes, you do have time for that!

So where do you go for professional development?  Share your professional development resources with me!