Technology and Learning

 Good morning everyone!  I hope you have been battling through and hanging in there with teaching the way it is now!  REMEMBER - YOU MATTER - and the impact you are having is still as strong as ever!  KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND:)!! I am not sure if you have seen the website Wheel of Names , but if you haven't CHECK IT OUT:)!!  My fellow bookstagrammer and I use it all the time for random name picks, giveaways, etc.. BUT recently,  one of our Kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Willers, asked if I would created "spinners" for her of their sight words.  BRILLIANT:)!!! Basically,  I made two spinners with eight words on each one; one spinner has the words lower case, the other spinner has the first word capitalized.  I did this for each list that they have (currently I have made 10 of the 30).  The kids can then use these for practicing their sight words:)!! It's SO easy to use!  You just type in, or copy and paste, the list of words that you want and then the spinner is

 Currently, we are still in person in Barnesville.  However, we are limiting the number of people that actually come into the building.  So with conferences this fall, we decided to go with virtual conferences through Zoom, and used  Sign Up Genius  to schedule them.  This is a SUPER easy way for teachers (I actually created all of them) to create a "sign up" with time slots, and then parents can choose which time they want to have a virtual conference.   We created a shared Google Doc that we posted on our school website and Facebook pages so parents could find each individual teacher's sign up.  They simple clicked the link and then picked the slot that worked for them. Every teacher then posted his/her individual Zoom information in Schoology for parents to access when it was their time for a virtual conference.  I have had THREE parents reach out to me on "how to " do this, so I feel like this might be a success;)! We had thought about using Google Hangout,

 WE MADE IT A MONTH:)!!!!  NOW, I know I am being a little "up beat," but we are through ONE MONTH of this tough, tough situation!  Things have been HARD!  Things have been FRUSTRATING!  Things have been STRESSFUL!  BUT - YOU HAVE MADE IT ONE MONTH!!!  Taking ONE day at at time, CONTROLLING what you can, and DOING YOUR BEST - that is all we can do:)!!!  I AM PROUD OF YOU!!! With that said, here are things that are happening here, how out life looks right now in Barnesville, MN, and what we have in place for the year: *Currently we are IN PERSON at both the elementary level!  The state of Minnesota has five plans in place according to cases per 10,000 population.  Technically, we should be distance because of the numbers in Clay County, but we are not Moorhead, which shares a border with Fargo, so they are allowing us to stay in person for now!  FINGERS CROSSED!  We have had a few cases, and students and staff quarantining  because of this, but it's manageable for now! *St

 I am sure every educator right now is experiencing the same things; stress, anxiety and unknown circumstances day to day.  We are right there with you!  Currently we have 30ish students out for quarantine, and six staff members.  Everyone is having to step us and assume roles that are not normal for us.  For example, I am subbing in a social studies classroom while resuming the duties that I have as a technology coordinator.  Although I am stressed out, I do not feel the "wrath" that teachers are feeling.  Our teachers here are having to do the following: 1. Teach BOTH virtually and online students as they didn't hire distance learning teachers at the high school like they did at the elementary, so at least that stress is OFF the backs of the elementary teachers. 2. Teachers are spending double the time planning for upcoming days - they are having to make videos for upload, are video taping their lessons if students are "gone," and having to plan for subs that

 YES - along with educators across the country we have jumped in with full force and are using the saying, "Just Keep Swimming" to stay afloat.  We have had SUCH technical difficulty, we have been unable to load Schoology, upload videos, work smoothly through a Zoom session, YOU. NAME. IT!  BUT, we are keeping ourselves moving, shaking and trouble shooting daily and DOING OUR BEST - JUST LIKE YOU!!!!  Things are TENSE, things are TOUGH, we have kids in school in grades K-8 because of a building project that is behind schedule, NOT because of COVID, and kids in grades 9-12 at home distance learning and NEEDING connections - and we are MAKING IT! JUST LIKE YOU!!!! SO we trudge on - full force with both feet in NOT knowing when we will feel the bottom. We want to see our kids that aren't here, we want to be able to be in person, which we hope we will be in a week, we want COVID to go away - BUT until that happens, we will keep on keeping on!  We will keep leaning on one anot

Google does is AGAIN - and there are NO surprises from me!  I have been NOTHING but impressed with them FROM. THE. START.  Here they are once again, compiling all info, best resources, etc.. for teachers in a time when it's needed!  Go to the Teach from Home page and see what I am talking about.  If you are USED to Google, there probably isn't a TON that you are going to learn as you probably know most of this, BUT if you are NEW to Google, GO CHECK IT OUT NOT!!! I just can't even - the support, help, and love that we are showing to others is ENDLESS and NEEDS TO KEEP GOING!  We are in this for the LONG HAUL!  Minnesota is supposed to close today, per Governor Walz at 2:00pm!  I am sure we will still be doing distance learning, but we don't know all the details, so I will be tuning in at 2:00pm!! TAKE CARE everyone - STAY SAFE - KNOW you are doing the BEST you can with the BEST things you have - remember this - and be GENTLE with your souls and show

As we continue to venture into this unknown world on teaching through distance learning because of COVID 19, we are constantly trying to find ways to keep kids safe, as well as find things that will work for us in the virtual classroom.  Mrs. Grabow, a kindergarten teacher, shared the two links below for changing YouTube links into "safe" links: 1. Safe YouTube: This website allows you to paste the URL of your YouTube video and creates a link that removes advertisements and comments that students don't need to see. 2. ViewPure : This is another website that will remove inappropriate comments, advertisement, additional video suggestions, etc.. and make it safer for your students. I have a few videos to share also that some of our teachers have made that you might find beneficial, so I will be posting those tomorrow! Have a great rest of your Wednesday - stay safe - YOU GOT THIS!!! Take care y'all, Mrs. I:)

Here is a PLETHORA of resources that I have been compiling as we are dealing with teaching during COVID-19.  Use what you can - search and seek - I am going to just COPY AND PASTE - so the links might not be active:) Video/Podcast Options: Zoom!: This program allows you to video conference with up to 100 people.  HOWEVER, I feel this one is NOT the best for large groups, BUT, would be awesome to do with one on one or small group work, or recording videos to upload to Schoology.  Create an account and download this to your Macbook here, https://zoom.us/ and the students will have the app. Zoom How To: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-fnwZGctrFlE-Ho8Y5C_v8Hit7KdSnvW Explain Everything App : You can teach just about anything you would want, especially math, with this app.  This app allows you to import pictures, files, etc.. and then voice over it, even drawing if needed, to create a video.  Simply upload to YouTube, share the link and done!! Screen Capture with Quick

I have been meeting with teacher NON STOP regarding everything iPads, websites, links, etc.. SO I created two videos on how to do Anchor podcasting and Zoom.  I will also be adding Zoom from the iPad and other things as needed! How to do Anchor for podcasting   How to do Zoom for meeting  KEEP UP THE AMAZING WORK - I KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORKING HARD!!! Prayers to you, Mrs. I:)

Amidst the chaos, we are finding some calm!  Today I spent all day thus far training staff on the Explain Everything app.  THIS BEAUTY allows you to create videos that explain whatever concept you are teaching.  You can put in videos, photos, audio, connect it to your Google Drive, etc.. and then record, save and upload.  IT IS AWESOME!  The three that we will do tomorrow are screen recording, using the Quicktime screen record option on the Macbook, Zoom! which is a video conferencing website/app perfect for small group or one on one instruction, and the Anchor website.  I JUST posted this onto the Teaching During COVID-19 Facebook page, and it's SUPER simple: Here is what we have talked to our staff about here in MN and I will CONTINUE TO ENFORCE THIS!!! This is NOT eLearning. You CAN NOT give kids packets and packets of work each day - THINK as a teacher what is MOST IMPORTANT for your kids to learn and focus on that!! These kids are babysitting and without parents, at

We have JUST finished our reviewing our science curriculum as this was up in our seven year cycle.  I wanted to share some of the science sites that I either came across, or others shared with me that we are going to be using and I really like them, too:)! 1. CK12 - This one is NOT new to use - BUT I FORGOT ABOUT IT!!!  Their have open source and FREE, yes FREE, materials for use, adaptation and change.  There is SO much great information here not just on Science - give it a shot. 2. Rozzy - Science is infused in the real world with Rozzy.  There are lesson plans, videos, magazine, writing extensions, you name it.  AND at only $99/year per teacher, this one is a gem.  Again, not only for Science, but STEAM and Social Studies as well.  3. Generation Genius - I would definitely say that this website is geared for K-4, anything after that, even though it says 6-8 on there, I would stay away from the videos for sure.  However, at $795 a year for a school, it's one that is worth

I LOVE THIS!!!  Yesterday was an eLearning day for us, so our students were at "home" for the school day because of the weather, but since we're a 1:1 district, we can still "hold" school via our iPads, online resources, and packets and information sent home prior to make the day successful.  While at home yesterday, a parent was working with a 6th grade student on the periodic table of elements and came across THIS website - IT IS A GEM!!!!  It shows how we would regularly interact with each of the elements in "real life," helping students better understand what each one it:)! THIS. IS. BRILLIANT!!!  Great job and THANK YOU, Stacey, for sharing this one! Happy Thursday all, Mrs. I:)

Do you have students that are nonstop readers??   Or are you yourself a lover of all things books?Anna, an English teacher here, and myself started a book club in Barnesville.  We have around 15-20 kids that come and they LOVE TO READ!  They aren't the only ones, so here are some websites that we use, have used, LOVE to use, regarding good books, ratings of books, book lists, etc.. 1.  GoodReads - THIS. IS. A. GEM!!!  I love absolutely everything about GoodReads!!  Once you create an account, you simply put in books you've read, books you want to read, and books you currently are reading.  You can rate and write reviews from past books, and follow friends and other individuals to see what they are reading and how they rated particular books.  They also have a ton of lists is this is your thing - Best books of 2019, Best Thriller books, etc... I LOVE IT!!!  2. BookBub - I LOVE BookBub.  You have to create an account and answer questions about your "type" of rea