Using Nearpod in the Classroom

Nearpod is a FREE, engaging, interactive power point platform. 

What's so awesome about Nearpod? First of all, the teacher's device and students' devices will display the same screen, but each student can submit their own response to a question. Then, the teacher can provide the students with immediate feedback! With Nearpod, the teacher can deliver instruction and move through the slides, or the students can move through lessons on their own. Nearpod allows students to submit comments or answer problems on a collaborative board. It will also notify the teacher if a student leaves the screen or opens a new tab on their screen. 

Features of Nearpod:                           Activities in Nearpod:                

Draw it!                                                Time to Climb                           Compatible with sites such

Open ended questions                        Memory Test                               as Canvas, Schoolology, 

Fill in the Blank                                   Virtual Field Trips                     and Google Classroom!

Multiple Choice                                   3-D Models

Nearpod slides can be transferred from Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint. However, the designs/ templates are limited on Nearpod. Links can be copied and pasted, or, you can embed links to avoid students leaving the Nearpod screen. Progress of each student is shown to the teacher. The photo to the left is an example of data collected from students who took a quiz and how it is presented to the teacher.

What I love about Nearpod:

I love that Nearpod is an EXCELLENT digital formative assessment tool. I also love how the teacher can control the students screen if necessary, but if not, then the students can move through lessons at their own pace. Nearpod makes it easy for teachers to give immediate feedback and progress monitor in order to know which students may need further instruction in certain content areas. 

Whole Brain Teaching

Whole-brain teaching is an effective strategy for engaged learning and classroom management. Research shows that using whole brain teaching in the classroom reduces disruptive behaviors and increases student learning and retention. Whole brain teaching engages the whole brain because students are using the different parts of the brain for moving, speaking, listening, and visualizing. 

Whole brain teaching usually begins with an attention getter, such as “Class! Yes! Classity-class! Yessity-yes!”. When the teacher says class, the students say yes in the same way. Then, the teacher uses different variations of ‘mirror’ to involve the students in instruction. Then, he or she will say, “Teach!”, and the students respond, “Okay!”. For example, if the teacher says, “Mirror with Words!”, the students will mirror the teacher’s words and gestures to their partner. During instruction, the students must listen intently, and they are constantly engaged. I love how a whole brain classroom is loud and fun.

During instruction, the teacher only introduces one new point at a time. The teacher also assesses throughout the lesson. Both of these tips are important in any classroom. The longer the teacher talks, the less the students focus. After the teacher has lost the students’ attention, there is no learning taking place. By introducing one new point at a time and discussing with one another, the students are more likely to retain the new information.

Whole brain teaching also uses effective classroom management, such as learning the classroom rules and using a ‘scoreboard’ system. The classroom rules are not just displayed on the wall in the back corner of the room. The students mirror and teach the rules with their partner until they have been committed to memory. The scoreboard system allows the teacher to recognize good behavior and bad behavior, as well as good and bad techniques during instruction. If the class does something good, the class gets a point. If the class does something wrong, the teacher gets a point. Students are then rewarded at the end of the day/week. There are many different ways to do the scoreboard, so as a teacher it’s important to find what works best for each class.

I love how interactive the whole brain teaching approach is. I can see myself using it in my own classroom. It takes more time to master the rules and procedures, but there are rewards. I look at it like this: you can spend the first few weeks working toward mastering WBT, or you can not do WBT and three weeks into the school year you’re trying to figure out new classroom management strategies and engaging activities. Whole brain teaching for the win!

Virtual Field Trips

Have you ever thought about taking your 2^nd graders to Italy or The Great Barrier Reef in Australia? If you’re from small town Alabama like me, I’m guessing your answer is “No way!” You couldn’t possibly get on a school bus and drive down to the middle of the ocean unless you are Mrs. Frizzle. So, how exactly do you take your students on the trip of a lifetime without leaving the four walls of your classroom. If you said, “virtual field trips”, then you’re ahead of me. 

A virtual field trip is exactly what it sounds like. It offers guided exploration of (almost) anywhere in the world behind the screen of a computer or tablet. There are loads and loads of resources available for students to explore for  f r e e! 

Research shows that assessments yield higher scores from students that take virtual field trips versus a regular field trip. This is because students are more likely to engage in learning and exploring online, than they would walking around chatting to their pals (and ignoring the tour guide). Weighing the pros and cons, students are able to “travel further”, they can explore virtual reality worlds, it is cheap or free, and ultimately- it’s SAFE! However, virtual field trips cannot replace the senses of a real-life field trip (unless you bring in things that they can smell, touch, or taste related to the topic) and internet access may be limited in some places. 

Resources for virtual field trips:

Virtualfieldtrips.org – browse by grade/state/standards

Annefrank.org – explore Anne Frank’s hideaway and read about different items you click on

Describingegypt.com – explore ancient temples, tombs, etc. 

Skype field trips - students can speak directly to tour guides and ask them questions

YouTube- Virtual reality/ 360 degrees videos

ClassFlow – create your own virtual field trip and tailor it to the needs of your own students

Google Cardboard – explore apps that can be used for virtual field trips

Reflection: In my opinion, Virtual Field Trips should be used often. However, virtual should not replace the fun of real field trips. Students should still be able to go to the Pumpkin Patch or the state capitol, but if you’re talking about submarines and ocean life, students need to be able to get an idea of what those things look like in real life without swimming to the bottom of the sea.

EdPuzzle and Blendspace

EdPuzzle is a program that allows teachers to share uninterrupted videos, such as ad-free YouTube videos, with students. One plus side to EdPuzzle is that quizzes can be added so that students can focus on comprehension of the content before proceeding onto the rest of the video. Teachers can also crop videos, add voiceovers, and add audio pauses to the chosen video or clip. Through EdPuzzle, teachers can also assign tasks and due dates to students. Students can view their assignments, and teachers can monitor progress, such as what percentage of the video was watched and how well the students did on the quizzes. Research shows that students simply watching videos is ineffective. Active learning must be incorporated in order for students to retain the information. The following video shows an example of an EdPuzzle assignment:

Blendspace allows teachers to create lessons and deliver a “flipped classroom” approach. Much like Google Classroom, assignments are available for students to work on at their own pace, and they can be accessed at school or at home. On Blendspace, students can chat and ask questions during lessons. Quizzes provide students with immediate feedback to enhance their learning experience. Teachers can directly embed their own links into Blendspace, as well as purchase resources directly on the site. The following picture is a screenshot of sample Blendspace assignments:

Both EdPuzzle and Blendspace are free programs that promote 21^st century learning and the flipped classroom approach. Students are in charge of their own learning, so teachers and students can make the most out of their class time. Students are also held accountable since both programs allow teachers to progress monitor. Both EdPuzzle and Blendspace are compatible with one another, as well as with Google Classroom. Students can access the programs at anytime from their own device. The lessons are only shared between the student and the teacher. Teachers can make their own videos and lessons, and instruction can be differentiated on both programs to tailor to each students individual needs or to the needs of the entire class.

I like how both of these programs offer the flipped classroom approach. After students complete their assignments, whether at home or during small group time, the teacher can lead class discussions, facilitate hands-on activities, or pull students that need further intervention. There is so much that goes into teaching little minds-- time should not be a factor that limits student learning.

Student Led Conferences with Digital Portfolios

   During student led conferences, students are able to share their work with guardians and set their own goals. Student led conferences promote leadership, growth, accountability, and confidence. Students take accountability for their portfolios by choosing work that displays their strengths and weaknesses. While student led conferences enable students to feel confident as they lead the presentation, they also encourage parents to participate. The parent is more likely to engage in conversation about their child’s work, as well as point out things they like about the work and things the student can work on. This leads the student to collaborate with their parent(s) about the goals they need to achieve before the next conference.

       So, how does a student led conference look?

First, the student greets their parents. 

Then, the student displays a portfolio of what they 

can do and what they have learned in class so far. 

The student also identifies the strengths and weaknesses they have noticed himself/herself. 

The student, parent, and teacher then work together 

to set goals for the rest of the school year.

The student, parent, and teacher are all involved 

in the conference.

One important thing teachers must not do 

is be hesitant. Students are often very 

tech-savvy, so teachers can allow them to utilize these skills by creating their own digital portfolio, full of work samples and assessments. Students can use programs, such as FreshGrade, G Suite for Education, SeeSaw, Class Dojo, Three Ring, Evernote, and Book Creator to create his/her digital portfolio. All apps are free! However, Book Creator is $4.99 for the app after the first book, and Evernote varies from $3.99- $7.99/month after 60 mb.

   Upon researching student led conferences, I have developed a new understanding of how they can boost the attitudes of students and encourage them to work on realistic goals. Student led conferences are extremely beneficial to ELL students because there is no language barrier between the student and the parent. The student can translate between the teacher and parent if necessary. The student can also share with the parent his/her goals so the student can receive more accurate help at home.

   In a Pre-K or Kindergarten classroom, it may be more beneficial for the teacher to choose the student work. However, for 1^st grade and up, the students can choose their own work and participate in peer reviews or mock conferences with their classmates.

Social and Emotional Learning

   Social and emotional learning is the process of developing self-awareness and self-control that is vital to success. It helps students develop their own idea of what they are capable of. 

The principles of social and emotional learning are:

·       Create a safe environment.

·       Integrate social and emotional learning into all subjects.

·       Communicate with parents, administration, etc.

·       Instruct- Social and emotional learning must be taught just like math or science.

·       Empower students through positive interactions and feedback.

   Since students tend to draw to and build relationships with peers that they have similarities with, allowing them to participate in social and emotional learning strategies helps them build relationships with other classmates as well. These strategies include:

• All About Me- students can learn about one another to find common likes/dislikes
• Emotion Match- students match emotion cards and discuss what each emotion looks like. They can further this activity by discussing things that make them feel those emotions.
• Cool Down Corner- A designated area in the classroom that students can go to on their own if they need a break. 

• Hot Seat- choose a few students a day to visit the hot seat, while other students tell the student what they like about him or her.
• Morning Meetings- students welcome their peers and build one another up.

   Research has shown that social and emotional learning has many valuable benefits. Social and emotional learning teaches problem-solving skills, teamwork, collaboration, how to disagree respectfully, and coping skills. It also encourages empathy amongst students and increases self-awareness and confidence levels. According to research in one school, 29 percent of students said that their school was supportive. 83 percent proved that social and emotional learning progressed academic gains. 

What’s the best part about social and emotional learning in the classroom? 

  It’s a free way to improve academic performance by making your classroom a safe learning environment. Students begin to feel more confident and encouraged to participate in their own learning. Social and emotional learning can also reduce behavior problems because students learn how to better deal with their emotions.

Where do I start?

Integrating literature into your daily routine is one way to boost social and emotional learning. Some books include:

• Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
• The Pigeon has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems
• Too Shy for Show and Tell by Beth Bracken
• The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
• Don’t Think about Purple Elephants by Susan Whelan

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