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The SCOOP for School Leaders all in one place!

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7 Habits® 4.0 Training

The world's premier personal- and professional-development solution for educators.

7 Habits training is the cornerstone of Leader in Me implementation and establishes the fundamental paradigms and behaviors that are critical to improving school culture. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®: Signature Edition 4.0 is a two-day work-session experience that introduces timeless principles of effectiveness in a practical framework for all staff members. Before students can truly learn and apply the 7 Habits, staff members must sincerely live and model them.

Participants of the work-session learn how to:

Focus and act on what can be controlled and influenced, instead of what cannot.

Define clear measures of success for both life and work and create a plan to achieve them.

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Leader In Me

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7 Habits training is the cornerstone of Leader in Me implementation and establishes the fundamental paradigms and behaviors that are critical to improving school culture. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®: Signature Edition 4.0 is a two-day work-session experience that introduces timeless principles of effectiveness in a practical framework for all staff members.

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Schools that want to renew themselves often dive right into developing an action plan for school improvement, observed Kathleen Fitzpatrick, executive director for the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE). These schools would be better advised, she said, if they laid some necessary groundwork first.

Fitzpatrick outlined a six-part framework for school improvement planning based on research into high-performing schools. Developing an action plan comes late in the process, she noted, not at the beginning.

The first step is to develop a school profile, establishing a baseline. "We need to know where we started," Fitzpatrick pointed out. Schools should be sure to collect and analyze data in at least four categories: student performance, student and community characteristics, school characteristics, and stakeholder perspectives. To gain better insights, schools should disaggregate student performance data (by gender and race, for example) and look at changes in community characteristics over time, Fitzpatrick suggested.

In the second step of the process, educators define the school's beliefs and mission. They must answer the questions, What do we believe about teaching and learning? and What is the primary purpose of our school? Schools sometimes define a mission merely "as an exercise," Fitzpatrick said, but to be useful, the beliefs and mission must be "vibrant" and serve as "a decision screen."

The third step in the process is to define desired results for student learning. Educators at the school must determine with precision what they expect students to know and be able to do as a result of their learning. Also, the educators must set priorities for improving student learning.

Step four is to determine how the school's instructional practices and organizational conditions help or hinder achievement of the mission and the desired results for student learning. In this phase, educators move from reflecting on student work to reflecting on their own work: their curriculum, instructional strategies, assessment practices, professional development, and so on.

Only after this point in the process should the school begin step five: developing its action plan, Fitzpatrick said. When deciding on action steps, educators should identify research-based strategies for improvement. (The action steps should be "grounded in what we know as a profession," Fitzpatrick emphasized.) The educators must also set a time line, identify resources, assign responsibilities for implementing the plan, and develop ways to evaluate the plan's effectiveness.

Step six is to implement the plan and document results. Educators at the school must decide what measures they will use to assess the effectiveness of the plan in terms of growth in student learning. These six steps are recursive rather than rigidly sequential, Fitzpatrick noted. Together, they create a cycle of continuous improvement. If educators move through this process "in a thoughtful way," she said, "they can bring about enduring change" in their schools.

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Schools that want to renew themselves often dive right into developing an action plan for school improvement, observed Kathleen Fitzpatrick, executive director for the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE). These schools would be better advised, she said, if they laid some necessary groundwork

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

The benefits of movement in the classroom aren't limited to younger students. Pairing new words and concepts with gestures or dance moves locks in understanding-and active brain breaks prime students to learn even more.

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A free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education.

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Can meetings be inspiring and engaging, a time for solving meaningful problems? Absolutely.

Valero Doval / Ikon Images

Ask most teachers about faculty meetings and they'll describe black holes of boring announcements, fruitless debate, and overwhelming agendas, ending in a deeply dissatisfying lack of meaningful conclusions or decisions. But what if these meetings and all the others-department, grade-level, professional learning community, and even special education and 504 meetings-were focused on learning together, building community, and solving meaningful problems? What if meetings could actually inspire and engage?

What if we actually looked forward to them as a key piece of our professional self-care?

One thing you should be aware of, though: You may have staff who are very attached to elements of your current meetings that don't seem like a big deal to you-including the location-so you'll need to create buy-in for change by explicitly sharing why you're asking for these changes.

5 Ways to Improve Meetings

1. Pick the Right Space: Be it a classroom, a conference room, the library, or the cafeteria, we have to work within the space we have. Being mindful of the choices we make-adult-size chairs, please!-can go a long way toward making sure the staff are comfortable at a meeting.

It should go without saying that the meeting room should be clean and easily accessible to everyone. In addition, be intentional in the way furniture is arranged so that everyone can see everyone else without twisting around in their chairs.

Finally, consider providing food and drinks, even if it's just simple snacks-eating together builds goodwill and community.

2. Be Clear About Your Purpose: Figure out what you want to achieve in the meeting-don't just have a meeting because you always have one on Thursday afternoons. What do you need to do? Solve a problem? Make a decision? Discuss a new idea? Share pedagogical successes or challenges? Know your purpose and plan the meeting accordingly.

Once you have a clear purpose, you can more easily choose the right process, protocol, or structure for the meeting. And don't be afraid to look outside the educational community for those tools-NOAA, for example, has an excellent handbook on collaborative decision-making. Once you know what you're trying to achieve, build an agenda focused on that purpose and only that purpose.

Keep the agenda brief-only one or two topics or questions per 30 minutes of meeting time-and share it in advance. Even better, build it in advance using a collaborative digital process. And be sure that all agenda items require the presence of everyone in the room. If only a subset of people are impacted by an item on the agenda, hold a separate meeting on that item with just that group.

If you're using meetings to read announcements, stop. Anything that can be shared by email should be. Consider flipping your meetings if you have announcements to get out: Tools like G Suite, Smore, and Flipgrid can help you share information and raise questions that the staff need to address together. Hand out a hard copy of all announcements at the end of the meeting, not the beginning, because questions and discussion will derail your agenda-and if you can anticipate questions or discussion, that "announcement" is actually an agenda item.

If one of your goals is to solve a problem, consider setting up a committee, team, or task force instead of using faculty meeting time. A small group can research, discuss, and create a proposal much more efficiently than the whole team, and they can report to the larger group either in a meeting or via email or Flipgrid for feedback as needed.

3. Establish Fair, Productive Processes: Just as good classrooms are built on reliable systems and structures, a positive meeting should utilize protocols and processes that ensure all voices are heard, that no single voice dominates, and that discussion stays focused and productive. Get clear about what you expect from one another using a norm-setting process, and then use those expectations as a tool to reflect and grow your communication and collaboration skills together.

Think about which voices dominate and which are silenced, and use processes that build equity and inclusivity. I personally like some protocols from the School Reform Initiative for their effective, elegant approach to making sure all perspectives and voices are included. For example, if the goal of the meeting is to discuss a new idea, the Final Word Protocol can guide small-group conversations within the larger meeting that are more comfortable for quieter faculty members. Need to have a conversation about how to improve a system or plan? Try SRI's Tuning Protocol.

Provide a paper or digital " parking lot " to put on hold any off-topic or emergent questions that would eat up time without being resolved-Padlet is a great tool for this, but a shared Google Doc or even chart paper and sticky notes will work. Save the questions for a later meeting or for resolution by a smaller group, or respond to them on your own via email or handout.

4. Be Present: If there's ever a time to be fully present and aware, this is it. The time you spend with your team is sacred-as is the time your team spends on their other tasks-so start on time no matter what else is going on in your professional or personal life.

Be with the people you're with. Leave your phone in your office, and encourage your faculty to do the same. We know that just putting phones away doesn't keep students from getting distracted, and you can apply that idea to your time with your colleagues. You'll all need your collective mental energy if you're going to be fully present and responsive. Try to set aside your hoped-for outcomes and pay attention to what's being said. You all might be surprised by what you notice.

5. Have Courage: The status quo has a powerful gravitational pull, and change-even well-intentioned and seemingly small-scale-calls for courage. As a leader, choosing to be intentional about how you use your meetings, to limit your time to only the important issues, and to insist that everyone engage respectfully and fully requires courage.

Beyond the changes discussed here, you can also ask for recommendations. Start by asking staff if they're satisfied with the use of the time and what, if anything, they want to preserve or change about the existing meeting structures and processes.

If you build from what they identify as successes and shortcomings, you'll get better results. Facilitating-rather than leading-requires a shift in the way we think about staff meetings. If done well, it raises the level of discourse, builds professional culture and community, and models the pedagogical philosophies we want to see in classrooms. How would your meetings be different if you made the shift?

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Can meetings be inspiring and engaging, a time for solving meaningful problems? Absolutely. Valero Doval / Ikon Images Ask most teachers about faculty meetings and they'll describe black holes of boring announcements, fruitless debate, and overwhelming agendas, ending in a deeply dissatisfying lack of meaningful conclusions or decisions.

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If managed well, these teams can help teachers innovate in the classroom and improve student outcomes.

Bob Daemmrich / Alamy Stock Photo

Many teachers work to guide students to take academic risks that will help them learn. Can schools apply that idea to teacher learning as well?

The answer may be found in the collaboration achieved in professional learning communities (PLCs). PLCs-which harness "an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve"-are a common and proven practice to promote teacher collaboration that increases student achievement.

However, it is possible to fall into collaborative work that stifles innovation. This can happen, for example, if PLCs focus too heavily on common assessments and a common understanding of what students are learning, leading to common everything-students getting the same lesson plan in each class. I've heard administrators use the term "common experience" when setting expectations for teaching and learning. That strikes me as going too far.

Although this is grounded in wanting to ensure student success through consistency, it can stifle innovation, and one of the purposes of a PLC is to try out new strategies. The PLC is designed for teacher learning, and thus the team must balance risk taking and teacher autonomy with shared expectations for student learning. It's important that teachers in a team have that clear understanding of purpose so that everyone feels safe to take risks.

A learning team constantly engages in a cycle of learning: analyzing data, setting goals, and learning individually and collaboratively, as well as implementing and adjusting practices to meet the needs of all learners. This process allows teachers to try new teaching practices and discover what's working and what isn't.

Determining Common Learning and Assessments

In PLCs, the fundamental questions teachers explore are: "What do we want students to learn?" and "How will we know if they have learned it?" These questions are foundational to any PLC, as they require teachers to come to a common understanding of the learning as well as common assessments that check for understanding.

PLC make this happen by prioritizing standards using specific criteria and then unpacking those standards, analyzing the nouns and verbs in the standards to understand which skills and concepts students will need to learn in order to be successful. Teachers identify what is hard to teach and what is hard to learn in the standards so that they can anticipate interventions and extensions.

It's important to note that parts of this process call for tight alignment between teachers and don't allow for the creativity and autonomy teachers may be used to. In order to achieve success for students, we do need some common practices. However, by agreeing as a team on what should be tightly aligned, we can set the stage for teacher autonomy and exploration of the art of teaching and instructional practice.

Making Space for Innovation

A PLC is constantly trying out new strategies to improve student learning, so individuals within the team must be given space to innovate. This is where the PLC should be only loosely aligned.

Teachers can never know what teaching works best for their students unless they are given the freedom to try out new strategies. PLCs can make this happen by having teachers collect evidence from common assessments and using data protocols to determine which strategies were most effective.

Ensuring That Teams Work Effectively

Sam Kaner coined the term Groan Zone to describe the space between a problem being posed and a solution being reached, and he described the divergent and convergent thinking that occurs there. Sometimes teachers in a PLC are afraid to engage in conflict or explore different ideas, worrying that even productive conflict signals that one is "not a team player." Conversely, teachers may feel pressured to get work done and feel they don't have time to spend in conflict.

But productive conflict can allow us to build better ideas and stronger teams, and PLCs should embrace productive conflict and create a space for it in order to innovate. PLCs can make this happen with clear norms as well as protocols to ensure that all voices are heard and that it is safe to engage in this conflict. It's also helpful to make sure the projected outcome of a meeting is clear: Are we "generating ideas" or "making a decision"? This clarity can make space for open conversation.

PLCs need strong facilitators in order to engage in conversations that promote learning, risk taking, and innovation. However, the facilitators or leaders of those teams may be torn between advocating for ideas and managing the complex process of moving the team forward. This can lead to situations where team members have a facilitator who is strongly advocating for an idea rather than allowing for all voices to be heard, and team members may not feel safe to speak up or take risks. If facilitators need to advocate, they should select someone else to facilitate, in order to continue to balance advocacy for new ideas against team consensus and integration.

I recommend clear decision-making process like the Gradients of Agreement structure, which allows for decision making that honors the Groan Zone and divergent thinking while still moving toward convergent thinking and consensus decision-making.

PLCs are the lifeblood of innovation and risk taking in school. When structured well, they can be teams that constantly learn together and work to discover what is best for students.

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If managed well, these teams can help teachers innovate in the classroom and improve student outcomes.

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A proven path to educational equity and excellence

The PLC at Work ® process is increasingly recognized as the most powerful strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement.

When a school or district functions as a PLC, educators within the organization embrace high levels of learning for all students as both the reason the organization exists and the fundamental responsibility of those who work within it.

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Ready to build a thriving PLC where teams are empowered to drive continuous improvement? Take the first step by downloading our free white paper, The Three Cornerstones of Coaching PLC Teams

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PLC at Work®: Become a Thriving Professional Learning Community

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Create and sustain a professional learning community where key practices and strategies are embedded in the culture of your school or district. With help from our PLC at Work™ experts, you will create a comprehensive learning infrastructure to address priorities and build collective capacity for continuous improvement.

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From laundry art to 'name that tune,' arts enrichment teachers are finding creative ways to transition to remote teaching.

Eva Foreman / Alamy Stock Photo

When art teacher Janis Henderson-Hunsucker learned that her school in Danbury, North Carolina, would close because of the coronavirus, she quickly crafted a survey to find out what art supplies her students had at home. It turned out, not many.

Anxious to keep the learning going, she mailed boxes of basic art supplies like markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue, and scissors to her students, many of whom live in the hills and hollers of Appalachia where internet access is limited. She included the foreshortening drawings that students had started in class with instructions on how to finish them.

She's not alone. Across the country, teachers of drama, music, visual arts, and dance are making difficult decisions on the fly.

The arts are essential, but enrichment classes often involve physical materials, group activities, or even audiences-requirements that aren't easily met in digital environments. Additionally, teachers typically serve multiple grades and classes that require differentiated lesson plans.

We reached out to arts enrichment teachers around the country to gather their recommendations on teaching during the pandemic. They shared the new, creative ways they're encouraging students to create and perform even when school buildings are closed.

Can the Arts Go Digital?

Christine Doherty, an elementary art teacher in Franklin, Massachusetts, said she had always shied away from using technology but realized she would have to embrace it to connect to all 540 of her students at two different schools during school closures.

Doherty created a YouTube channel where she reads books to her students or leads them through easy art activities such as drawing and coloring.

She quickly found that online platforms allow students to continue sharing and talking about their artwork, just as they would in school. During her live video instruction time, students can type an H, for hand, into the chat box to indicate they want to share their work and place it up to the screen for other students to see. "A huge piece of art is not just the creating process, but also the sharing process," she said.

Other arts enrichment teachers say not to become overly reliant on digital tools, however, as not all students-or even teachers-have access at home or may be sharing a device with siblings. Elementary and middle school art teacher Hollie Reilly, who lives in a rural area in Iowa, said she has to drive to her school's parking lot and use the Wi-Fi from her car to post assignments for class.

Reilly doesn't see the lack of access as a limitation in her work, though, and is finding ways to bridge both digital and hands-on activities. The digital tools have helped her to create more structured schedules and lesson plans, she admitted, and she plans to continue using them when she returns to the classroom. "The way I've been approaching [digital tools] kind of mirrors my own philosophy. I don't get into much of the online, technology-driven stuff anyway," she said.

A Question of Materials

Instead of focusing on skill-based assignments, some teachers say they've looked for ways to encourage students' creativity and engagement using basic household materials-many students have no access to the typical art supplies.

Reilly's students made toilet paper roll art, for example, and clay from pantry supplies. She is also creating lessons to guide students in repurposing egg cartons and meat trays for Styrofoam printmaking, and turning plastic food packaging into brilliant suncatchers. Doherty, meanwhile, asked students to create a found-object color wheel where they gather-and photograph-items of different hues so that they develop an understanding of the relationships between colors. Other art teachers have tasked students with creating art from trash, food, and laundry.

Because students often need a creative outlet, some teachers are even doing activities themed around the pandemic.

Josie Wozniak, a theater teacher at Hillside Middle School in Simi Valley, California, said her students were set to perform The Little Mermaid before school closed, so now they are creating lyrics for those songs about their quarantine experience. At Charles L. Spragg Elementary School in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, students made creative artistic projections about their teachers' appearances when they return to school.

Acknowledging Limitations

In the first couple of weeks, middle school music teacher Brian Campbell said he stepped back from assigning much work to his music students, knowing that their academic courses with end-of-grade exams would consume much of their attention. He contacts his students once a week because he knows there are a lot of demands on their time, especially as they acclimate to a new style of teaching and learning.

High school theater teacher Christina Holland shares his concerns, as many of her students have limited time because they took jobs as essential workers at the few businesses in rural North Carolina, like grocery stores, that have remained open during the pandemic. She said she tries to work within their limitations by making the most of the time they have-and prioritizing overall learning objectives over individual lesson plans.

Others suggest devising a schedule that allows for asynchronous work and gives students the ability to work at their own pace. "What I've been doing is posting assignments a couple times a week on Sunday, and then they're due the following Friday so they can do them at their own pace," said Wozniak.

A Team of One

The teamwork and collaboration in performance-based classes and rehearsals can be difficult to re-create online, teachers say.

"When you play an ensemble part on your own, there are missing pieces," said Campbell, who, like other teachers, has been looking for ways to create individual opportunities in place of group activities.

Instead of using notes and rhythms that his students already know, Campbell is now sending sheet music without titles for his students to learn, record themselves playing, and then guess the name of the song. Students spend one week learning the piece, and then the following week they record their performance. It has gone so well that he's considering incorporating individual recording into his curriculum when in-person school resumes.

In Holland's drama class, on the other hand, students are still planning on performing their show, just in an online form. Her students gather in a Google meet several times a week to rehearse or play improv games. She also assigns non-performance theater lessons such as creating a costume from household materials.

Relatedly, after canceling The Little Mermaid, Wozniak was excited to learn of The Show Must Go Online, a musical designed specifically for distance learning where students record themselves performing individual monologues that, when played in succession, form a complete story line. This helps students still feel connected to group drama activities even when alone.

Lost Connections

Cordia, a high school senior in Durham, North Carolina, worked every Saturday morning during the school year to write and produce a musical that was canceled because of the closures. "It's really hard to process," she said. "It is hard as seniors also, because we were expecting to have this as our final show, and we don't get that anymore."

Amid losses, teachers say they are trying to maintain student excitement for enrichment activities by showing students new materials and resources they can access online or in their homes. Not only can these activities give students a much-needed break from core academic coursework, but also they provide students freedom to work on independent creative projects.

Campbell, for example, connected his students with a website where they can download a range of free sheet music so that students can practice the skills they were learning for the competition on any song they want.

Holland said her drama students are feeling both the loss of the play The Wind in the Willows that they spent weeks preparing for, and the loss of the connections with their drama peers. "Just like sports, [drama] is an outlet for a lot of the students. They don't do as well in other classes as they might in theater," said Holland. "The extracurricular activities like mine keep a lot of kids in school, doing well, and focused on trying."

Because connection is crucial for all students-especially during COVID-19 closures-Holland uses virtual video chats, phone calls, and emails to help her students feel connected. Henderson-Hunsucker also told her students that she's there to support them and is available to talk anytime they want.

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'The Show Must Go Online': Arts Teachers Adapt to At-Home Instruction

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From laundry art to 'name that tune,' arts enrichment teachers are finding creative ways to transition to remote teaching. Eva Foreman / Alamy Stock Photo When art teacher Janis Henderson-Hunsucker learned that her school in Danbury, North Carolina, would close because of the coronavirus, she quickly crafted a survey to find out what art supplies her students had at home.

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The Art Educator Toolkit contains strategies, approaches, lessons, units, and tools that are curated by representatives from every NAEA division and our membership at large to support you in successfully navigating the shifting landscape of teaching and learning (including in-person, hybrid, and distance-learning).

Teaching Tips

Sample Educational Frameworks

Letters Advocating for Visual Arts Education

Distance Learning Resources

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The Art Educator Toolkit contains strategies, approaches, lessons, units, and tools that are curated by representatives from every NAEA division and our membership at large to support you in successfully navigating the shifting landscape of teaching and learning (including in-person, hybrid, and distance-learning).

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Math Manipulatives & Reading Resources - Didax Educational Resources

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For over 40 years, we've specialized in helping educators to address individual learning styles and diverse student needs. Through the use of math manipulatives and resources for language arts, we strive to make teachers more successful.

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Marie Kondo Your Google Drive Planning Doc

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Marie Kondo Your Google Drive Planning Doc

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👓PDF

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2018-19 Organizing Your Google Drive Worksheet (Legal).pdf

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Marie Kondo Your Google Drive the life-changing magic of tidying up your Google Drive EDTECH OUTRO WEEK 2019

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The HyperDocs Toolbox: 14 engaging example activities

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The HyperDocs Toolbox: 14 engaging example activities

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The HyperDocs Toolbox: 20 engaging example activities

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HyperDocs provide an engaging, student-centered framework for classroom lessons. Looking for ideas to fill those HyperDocs up? Check out these example activities.

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What is a HyperDoc? A Quick Look | The Infused Classroom

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What is a Hyperdoc? This is a question a lot of people think they know the answer to, but this post may help open your eyes to the real answer.

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How HyperDocs Can Transform Your Teaching

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How HyperDocs Can Transform Your Teaching

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✍️Blog Post

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Listen to my interview with Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis, authors of The HyperDoc Handbook ( transcript):

In many classrooms, a learning cycle looks something like this: First, we write plans for a series of lessons and a final assessment. We gather materials-handouts, websites, rubrics, video clips. Then we teach the lessons one at a time, to the whole class, at the same pace, distributing materials as needed. Finally, we end with a project, test, or other assessment.

It's a very teacher-directed model, which can limit learning in a number of ways:

Students don't feel much ownership for their own learning. Instead, they depend on the teacher to tell them when and how to learn the material.

Because so much of the teacher's time is spent in direct instruction, there's little opportunity to work one-on-one with students.

Because it's up to the teacher to adjust instruction for students with varied needs and levels of readiness, differentiation becomes one more thing to do.

ENTER THE HYPERDOC

A HyperDoc is a digital document-such as a Google Doc-where all components of a learning cycle have been pulled together into one central hub. Within a single document, students are provided with hyperlinks to all of the resources they need to complete that learning cycle. Here's an example.

In the above HyperDoc, all of the bolded words are linked to outside resources. The right-hand column is set aside for students to take notes and do other kinds of thinking and planning as they work through the lesson.

One of the earliest iterations of the this type of "hub" was the WebQuest, which guided students through a lesson using all online resources. Now that Google tools like Docs and Slides have become so prevalent, teachers are using these tools to create similar lessons, choosing and mixing resources that go well beyond simple web pages. Last year, we looked at something called a playlist, which teacher Tracy Enos used to organize her language arts lessons and differentiate instruction for her students.

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links; if you purchase from Amazon after going through these links, Cult of Pedagogy receives a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Meanwhile, teachers Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis were doing similar work in their own classrooms. They coined the term "HyperDoc" to describe their version of this, and in 2016, they published The HyperDoc Handbook to teach others their method for creating these lessons.

The book explains how HyperDocs work, why they have such an impact on instruction, and their model for how teachers can design HyperDocs for high-quality instruction. In the podcast episode above, I interviewed all three about their work. Here I will blend their expertise with some of my own thoughts about this exciting format.

BENEFITS OF HYPERDOCS

Fewer lectures. Teachers have been told for decades that we need to do less lecturing, to step away from being the sage on the stage and become more of a guide on the side. "I feel so bad for teachers when they hear that," Highfill says, "because they're like, 'Well, what am I supposed to do? I need to get information into their heads.'" A HyperDoc offers a solution by taking care of the direct instruction part of a lesson and offering a lot more as well.

More face-to-face interaction. A good HyperDoc runs itself, allowing students to work through it without needing you to guide them through each step. "Although it seems odd that you're putting a student in front of a device," Landis notes, "really what it's doing is freeing you up to move around and have increased face time with the students."

Flexibility. If one part of your lesson isn't working, you can just change it in the HyperDoc and the change takes effect immediately; no need to re-copy all your materials. Similarly, if each student gets their own copy of a HyperDoc, the elements can be changed on each to meet individual students' needs.

Multimodal opportunities. Because it is digital, a HyperDoc allows us to include all kinds of multimedia. "Living in this digital age, we're able to expose kids to different types of media that allows each child to access the learning or the content or the information in a way that's visually or auditorily appealing to them," Landis says. "I might be visual, and I might first study an image, then watch a video, and then I'm finally ready to tackle that article my teacher really wants me to read."

They don't know that maybe their text ... is at a different reading level," says Hilton. "Or they're able to use Privacy. If students' HyperDocs have been customized for them, no one else needs to know. "Read&Write for Google and just put headphones in, and that's just a little agreement between you and that student."

MODELS FOR BUILDING HYPERDOCS

Because HyperDocs are such adaptable tools, teachers structure them in many different ways, and you should experiment until you find a structure that works for you. Here are some options to consider:

Playlist: This model, explained in this article, follows a step-by-step sequence of activities that consist of learning activities as well as check-ins with the teacher and housekeeping tasks like setting up accounts on websites.

Self-Paced Learning: Explored in this post by math teacher Natalie McCutchen, this system lays out a path of lessons for a whole unit, along with links to review materials, pre-tests, and practice questions. Students decide how much practice they need and determine when to take the assessment for each learning goal. If they grasp the material quickly, they can test and move on.

5E Model: This first stage of this model is to Engage student interest. Next, students Explore the topic, Explain what they have learned, and Extend their learning by applying it in new situations. The last stage Evaluates student learning.

HyperDoc Model: The HyperDoc Handbook authors have developed a model that has some components of the 5Es above, but with some additions and adjustments. This template explains all 7 stages. One important component of this model is the first step, Explore. Highfill explains the value of this stage: "Kids are exploring and coming up with ideas and answers about a concept on their own, and it's engaging them from the beginning, instead of passively listening to a teacher explain something." During this time, while students explore, the teacher is actively gathering information: "I listen to my students," Highfill says, "I'm studying them and hearing to what level are they understanding a concept. I have the ability to pull a small group. I can work with my language learners during that time. The whole time I'm doing formative assessment in the classroom, which will then really be my basis for the next part of the lesson."

Agenda: This model, borrowed from the kind of planning done at a typical Montessori school, provides each student with a planner listing out their assignments for the week. Students decide how they want to use their class time each day, but are expected to complete all goals by the end of the week. Although these are traditionally done on paper, they could easily be converted to a HyperDoc format.

OTHER USES FOR HYPERDOCS

Building an extended lesson or unit is one of the most instructionally robust ways to use HyperDocs, but they can also be used for:

substitute teacher plans

video or podcast playlists

learning centers or stations

student-made HyperDocs

parent resources

departmental-, team-or grade-level HyperDocs to gather and share resources among teachers

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Start with a template.
Rather than build your first HyperDoc from scratch, you might find more success by starting with a pre-made template, like the ones available for free on HyperDocs.co. You could also start with a completely finished HyperDoc that someone else created for their own classroom and modify it for your own use.

Build in participation, collaboration, and multimedia.
One risk inherent in HyperDocs is that they could simply become online worksheets, replicating the kind of work students could just as easily do on paper. Take advantage of this medium by including ways for students to participate actively, collaborate with others, and learn from a variety of media: video, interactive posters like ThingLinks, podcasts, online flashcards, and so on.

Offer choice...
HyperDocs are designed to allow students to work at different speeds and navigate learning in a way that works best for them. So when you can, offer choices: Give students options for the kind and quantity of materials they need to learn the material, how they will practice and apply it, and how they will demonstrate their learning.

...but don't "kitchen sink" it.
If you stuff your HyperDoc with every possible resource on a topic ("everything but the kitchen sink"), you'll overwhelm students. Choose resources thoughtfully.

Give students HyperDocs training.
Even if your students have used HyperDocs in other classes, your design probably has its own unique qualities, so take the time to demonstrate how it should be used. And within the HyperDoc itself, provide clear directions for its use.

So if you create a HyperDoc," says Hilton, "in the header or footer, say Collaborate with other teachers.
You do not need to do this alone! Thousands of teachers are sharing and collaborating on the HyperDocs.co site and using the #hyperdocs hashtag on Twitter. And be sure to give credit to the person who created the original: " Created by, and maybe link to your Twitter handle or your email, for yourself, and then if you make a copy of someone's, we encourage you to give that person credit by saying Inspired by or Remixed HyperDoc originally created by, just because we want an inclusive, appreciative sharing community."

Don't feel like you have to create a HyperDoc for every lesson.
"That's not something that any teacher should feel pressured to do," says Landis, "and it's not really realistic. We don't want teachers doing any one thing all the time, because then it becomes redundant for our kids."

HyperDocs Resources: How to Learn More

Book: The HyperDocs Handbook

Website: HyperDocs.co: The online hub for Landis, Hilton, and Highfill's work on HyperDocs. It contains helpful blog posts and the Teachers Give Teachers system where participants share their own HyperDocs with one another. To browse and borrow other teachers' HyperDocs, all you need to do is register.
Professional Development Social Media

There's more where this came from.
Join our mailing list and get weekly tips, tools, and inspiration-in quick, bite-sized packages-all geared toward making your teaching more effective and fun. You'll get access to our members-only library of free downloads, including 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half the e-booklet that has helped thousands of teachers save time on grading. Come on in!!

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How HyperDocs Can Transform Your Teaching

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HyperDocs make room for more interactive, personalized, and student-directed learning. Let's look at how they work.

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

Virtual field trips template. Collect badges or digital stickers.

This is another special request, this one was requested by Jimena.

A passport template for you and your students to collect stamps when you go to virtual field trips, or to collect badges or digital stickers!

To change title and subtitle on the first slide, double click the text and edit them.

To change colors:

Go to Slide > Edit Theme, click on Colors.

Click on Choose a theme color.

To change passport color, change accent 1.

To change the boarding pass color, change accent 2.

To change font color for the subtitles on slide 2, change accent 3.

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Passport slides template. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme - SlidesMania

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Passport Template. Virtual field trips template. Collect badges or digital stickers on this free Google Slides theme and PowerPoint template.

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👓Google Slides Templates
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jFdtVOLAMrfZ3wPhTVyWDFwjoQYjcsRNDeB68KqldVA/copy

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Airmail Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

Updated version of Edwin free template.

These free slides look like airmail envelopes to send letters and pictures. You can use it for a presentation or a lesson. For example: "Write a letter to your future self".

#Letters #Envelopes #Postal #Trips #Mail #Stamps #Paper #Writing

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Edwin, airmail free presentation theme. Updated Template. - SlidesMania

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Beautiful letter-style template that gives a nice retro vibe. It's perfect for any informal presentation where you can include data, information and pictures.

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Free Template for PowerPoint or Google Slides Presentations Paterson

Paterson free template has a retro style. It mimics and old operating system, featuring windows, folders, cursors and a loading icon.

The best part of this free theme for Google Slides or PowerPoint is that you can change its accent color very easily. Simply go to Slide > Edit Master > Click on any cyan shape > Click on fill color > Click on the little pencil icon next to the word THEME > Click on Choose a theme color > Click on Accent 1 > And change it any color you like.

If you have any doubts, just follow the video below.

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Paterson Free Template for Google Slides or PowerPoint Presentations - SlidesMania

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Paterson free template has a retro style. It mimics and old operating system, featuring windows, folders, cursors and a loading icon. The best part of this free theme for Google Slides or PowerPoint is that you can change its accent color very easily.

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

This is a Classified template; you shouldn't be reading this! Unless you are a SlidesManiac and therefore you are authorized!

This free template for Google Slides or PowerPoint is perfect for school activities such us digital breakouts, a history lesson, to investigate a past event or to solve a "Cold Case". It features and old classified file, 35mm film strips and some old pieces of paper. - On the 19 th slide you'll find some tips on how to get the old photo effect and the rubber stamp texts. -

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Investigation file. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme - SlidesMania

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This is a Classified template; you shouldn't be reading this! Unless you are a SlidesManiac and therefore you are authorized! This free template for Google Slides or PowerPoint is perfect for school activities such us digital breakouts, a history lesson, to investigate a past event or to solve a "Cold Case".

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👓Google Slides Template

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👓Google Slides Template

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Unit 3: Functions Algebra Digital Notebook

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👓Google Slides Template

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Twitter Copy of MWH First Semester Course Book (Teacher Edition)

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👓Google Slides Completed Template

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Digital Notebook (the Scientific Method)

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Digital Notebook (the Scientific Method)

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👓Google Slides Template

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👓Google Slides Template

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🙌Collection of Resources

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This collection was created from teacher responses to this a tweet from @mrsbyarshistory

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🙌Collection of Resources

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♥️ FROM AMAZING PEOPLE ON TWITTER (image: amplifier.org)

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👓Google Slides Templates

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A weekly lesson planner with a web app-like design.

A new weekly planner for educators! Using just one file to compile all your resources (videos, audios, images and text) for each day, makes distance learning a bit easier and gives structure to your students.

This one features a calendar on the first slide that you can update by editing the master. It includes 4 activities per day. You can navigate to them within each day.

If you wish to change its colors, go to Slide > Edit Theme and modify its accent colors.

To update the month calendar, go to Slide > Edit theme and modify the table.

I've added an "Archive" tab, where you can add buttons with links to the previous weeks files. Once the week is complete, make a copy of your planner, name it after the week it corresponds to and add a link to it in the Archive.

If you wish to hide the navigation bar in Google Slides when sharing the link:

Go to share, get the link and replace everything from /edit to the end of the URL with /preview?rm=minimal

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Web app template. Weekly Planner for remote learning. - SlidesMania

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A weekly lesson planner with a web app-like design for Google Slides or PowerPoint. This one features a calendar on the first slide that you can update by editing the master. It includes 4 activities per day. You can navigate to them within each day.

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👓Google Slides Templates

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I must admit that I have been biased by the fact that I am the mom of a nine-year-old. That is why the first planners for online lessons came up with a design for elementary teachers and young kids in mind.

Since I would like to provide designs and solutions for all ages, I made this planner that can be used by high school teachers, university professors and even by older students that are working on their projects.

The design is quite simple, so it may suit almost every subject. Just change the background image on the first slide and adapt the accent colors to match your topic. Remember that in order to change the accent colors, you have to go to Slide > Edit Master, click on Colors and on Choose a theme color. Accents 1 to 5 determine the "Unit" colors and Text and background 1 determines the font color of the titles.

I've premade 5 templates:

Black Template - It can be used for lessons about Law, Literature, History, Philosophy.

Purple Template - Investigation, Research, Science, Medicine, Biology.

Red Template - Investigation, Coronavirus, Medicine, Biology.

Blue Template - Economy, Math, Business Administration, Geometry, Statistics.

Green Template - Nature, Environment, Science, Biology

Again, these are just examples. The image you use as background and the colors you use as accents will define the subject or topic of your planner.

On the first slide, the unit bars are linked to each unit. Each unit has links to each lesson. The home icon will take you to the first slide and the arrow icon will take you to the corresponding unit.

You can change unit numbers for titles, same goes with lesson numbers. Everything is 100% customizable. I've added three blocks below each lesson for you to add links to external resources. Right click on them and select link. You can also change the description of each block.

Navigate and choose the color you like the most - Or just get any copy and customize it as you need.

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Formal Planner for Online Lessons for Google Slides or PowerPoint - SlidesMania

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I must admit that I have been biased by the fact that I am the mom of a nine-year-old. That is why the planners for online lessons came up with a design for elementary teachers and young kids in mind.Since I would like to provide designs and solutions for all ages, I came up with this planner that can be used by high school teachers, university professors and even by older students that are working on their projects.

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👓Google Slides Template

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Free Digital Notebooks for PowerPoint or Google Slides - Landscape or Portrait -

Even though you can use the landscape digital notebook for a presentation, I though of this template for a paperless assignment.

You can choose between landscape or portrait mode. It comes with 3 predesign covers, but you can create your custom cover by editing the master.

These digital composition notebooks include white digital paper with no lines, grid and ruled. I also added some editable highlight shapes.

Remember that you can add your instructions on the master to avoid moving or deleting them by accident:

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Digital Composition Notebooks. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme - SlidesMania

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This digital composition notebook comes with 3 predesign covers, but you can create your custom cover. It includes white digital paper with no lines, grid and ruled.

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👓Google Slides Template

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Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

Sketchbook style, post-its, adhesive tape... the classroom atmosphere made into pixels! This slide is available for PowerPoint and Google Slides.

#Post-its #Sticky Labels #Notebook #Lined Paper #Stickers #School #Kids #Children

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SlidesMania | Fry Template for Google Slides or PowerPoint

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Sketchbook style, post-its, adhesive tape...the classroom atmosphere made into pixels! This slide is available for PowerPoint and Google Slides.

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👓https://ditchthattextbook.com/google-slides-interactive-notebooks-20-activities-to-fill-them/

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

Digital notebooks for distance learning and 1:1 classrooms. Landscape and Portrait versions.

It was a busy week, but I really wanted to work on something, so I created this Digital Notebook with sections.

I've used digital paper for the covers, and I chose the same colors for highlighting the sheets within each section. - I'm not using theme colors this time, because it is mostly made with images.

I recommend, you do not add slides when using this template, but instead duplicate the existing slides/sheets. This way, you don't have to add the links for each section.

To edit the titles of each section, click on Edit > Find and Replace

Find: Science

Replace with: Your Title

If you want to lock your content to prevent your students move or delete anything by mistake, remember to place it on the master.

You can use it as is in Google Slides or PowerPoint or you can duplicate as many pages as you want or need, then save the file as PDF and use it with apps such as GoodNotes, Notability or any PDF reader that supports handwriting with a stylus.

NEW portrait version available!

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Digital Notebook with sections. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme - SlidesMania

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Digital Notebooks with sections. For distance learning and 1:1 classrooms. Landscape and Portrait versions. Free for Google Slides or ppt.

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👓Google Slides Template

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Hyperdoc handbook template with interactive tabs. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme - SlidesMania

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Hyperdoc handbook template with interactive tabs. Free customizable PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. 3 versions available.

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

Digital Notebooks with Introduction + 8 sections. Landscape and Portrait versions.

After I posted the first Digital Notebooks with sections, I received many inquiries about changing their colors, and because those templates were created with digital paper images, changing colors was not an easy thing to do, because of that, I've created these new versions that use Theme Colors! So now, you can just edit the theme and change them!

I've included 4 different paper styles: Blank, Dot Grid, Graph Paper and Ruled.

Do not delete or add slides, duplicate the existing ones so you don't have to add the links again.

If you want to use a different layout (blank, dot grid, graph or ruled), right click on the slide that you have duplicated, click on "Apply Layout" and select the layout that you want.

To edit the titles of each section, click on Edit > Find and Replace

Find: Topic A

Replace with: Your Title

To prevent your students move or delete anything you add by mistake (texts, images, shapes) place the "teacher content" on the master.

You can use it as is in Google Slides or PowerPoint or you can duplicate as many pages as you want or need, then save the file as PDF and use it with apps such as GoodNotes, Notability or any PDF reader that supports handwriting with a stylus.

Digital Notebook with sections Portrait Version

Digital Notebook with sections Landscape Version

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Digital Notebooks with sections. Editable colors version. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme- SlidesMania

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Digital Notebooks with sections editable colors. 4 different paper styles: Blank, Dot Grid, Graph Paper and Ruled. Landscape or Portrait.

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👓 Really this could be for units or vocab or anything.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Vvee7rnPISZo31mJOL47Ac3CJObVvfX0njNV61Kwkh8/copy?fbclid=IwAR3tAyaKG-5zao2DQXiRKOpwhQasGTAezlucdnDPUkW1rgkzo0PKapD_u5U

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👓Google Slides Templates

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Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme.

Creative interactive template for blended learning.

Inspired by the theme created by Mangai, I created this template with File Cabinets.

It has a ton of links hidden in the Master, so it's for you to use in Present Mode. Each drawer opens and closes on click, inside each drawer there are 4 file folders, each file folder opens when you click on its label and once opened, you can click on it to see the file in it.

You can use it as a weekly planner and add 4 activities per day, or you can change the labels on the drawers and use it for different topics for professional development sessions, lessons or even as a choice board (students can choose 1 or 2 folders -activities- from each drawer) or whatever you can think of! The sky is the limit!

To change the labels on the drawers: Go to Edit > Find and Replace! Same goes for the titles (Topics) of each folder. Just keep in mind that the labels are small, and a long title won't look pretty.

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File Cabinets. Free PowerPoint template & Google Slides theme - SlidesMania

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Interactive file cabinets template. A creative template for blended learning. Free for Google Slides and PowerPoint.

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👓Google Slides Templates

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A Weekly Planner for Online Lessons in an operating system's style - for Google Slides or PowerPoint.

A new weekly planner for educators!

I've added multiple links for you and your students to navigate it easily. Also added a Contact slide for you to put your information, so students and parents can reach you. And a Video Conference Hours slide, in case you are using Zoom or Meet, to put the hours there.

Each day folder is linked to the activities for that day. I've included 5 activities slides per day, but you can add as many as you need (you can watch the video on the last slide for a step by step tutorial).

Remember that you can insert audios, videos and images for an all in one file!

The step by step tutorial includes: Navigation, adding lessons or activities, inserting audio and video files, adding images and external resources and how to easily change the colors!

If you don't want to use it as a weekly planner, you can change the titles of each folder and use if for planning the lessons for the whole year!

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A Weekly Planner for Online Lessons in an operating system's style. - SlidesMania

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A new weekly planner for educators! I've added multiple links for you and your students to navigate it easily. Also added a Contact slide for you to put your information, so students and parents can reach you. And a Video Conference Hours slide, in case you are using Zoom or Meet, to put the hours there.

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Animated Bitmoji Banners in Google Classroom

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Animated Bitmoji Banners in Google Classroom

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📺Video

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📺Video

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Quick Tip: Emphasize Text in Google Classroom

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👓 Possibilities

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10 ideas for using emoji in the Classroom (ideas for teachers)

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The use of emoji isn’t just a frivolous fad created by Millenials; they are actually quite useful! Here are 10 ways you can use emoji in the classroom.

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👓 Possibilities
https://twitter.com/HollyClarkEdu/status/1293027970714484737?s=20

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How to Organize Assignments in Google Classroom

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How to Organize Assignments in Google Classroom

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✍️Blog Post

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Wondering how to organize Google Classroom? This post will give you the six most common organizational strategies for the Classwork page and topics.

Many teachers are struggling with finding the best way to organize Google Classroom assignments on the Classwork page.

Deciding what topics to create and how to organize your assignments on this page has been trial and error. What works for one teacher, doesn't work for others.

I decided to put this question to the Shake Up Learning Facebook group and find out what teachers are doing with this new setup.

I did notice some trends, so I thought it would be useful to share these in a blog post.

This post is about the different topics teachers are creating to organize their Classwork page in the way that works for them.

Below are 6 Ways to Organize Assignments in Google Classroom.

Create and Organize Topics in Classwork Page

The heart of the new Classwork page is TOPICS. Topics allow you to group assignments into categories.

By default, new topics are added to the bottom of the classwork page, so this requires moving topics up and down to suit your needs. This seems to be one of the biggest troubles for teachers using the new Classwork page. Rearranging topics and assignments is going to be part of all of these options unless you want students scrolling to the bottom of the page.

We also have the ability to add materials to the Classwork page. This is typically those resources you share with students that are not necessarily associated with one assignment. These are things that students need to reference frequently like the Class Syllabus, Class Rules, Teacher website link, etc.

After working with and talking to hundreds of teachers, I've discovered the five most common ways to organize assignments in Google Classroom.

6 Ways to Organize Assignments in Google Classroom

1. Organize By Units or Modules

To organize by unit of study, teachers create topics for each unit and put all of the assignments for that particular unit under that topic (like the screenshot below). I believe this method was Google's original intention with the redesign.

2. Organize By Week

Many teachers are creating a new topic for each week, either naming them "Week #1," or naming something like, "Week of Sept 10th-14th." I don't even want to think about what this looks like after several weeks of school, but if this works for you-go for it!

3. Organize By Type of Assignment

In this method, teachers organize assignments by the type of work, like "Daily Work," "Projects," "Tests," etc. Keep in mind the organization is for both you and your students. Will students understand the work types? Remember to keep it student-friendly for the age group you teach.

4. Organize By Subject Areas (best for elementary)

Organizing by subject area seems to be the most logical for elementary teachers who teach multiple subjects.

5. Organize By Adding "Today" Topic

This one is usually combined with one of the above methods. I've seen this suggestion from many teachers, including fellow blogger, Alice Keeler. The idea is to create a special topic named, "Today," where you manually move each item that you want students to focus on that day. Then, move the "Today" topic to the top of the page so it is front and center for your students.

6. Organize by Learning Target

Thank you to Layla Gregory for sharing this in the Shake Up Learning Community. As a fan of standards-based grading, this organization makes perfect sense!

Layla assigns numbers and letters to each learning target and includes that in the topic and assignment.

Even if you are not using standards-based grading, this is a great way to help students make the connection between the assignment and the goal of the assignment.

In my post, How to Package Your Digital Assignments, I give you ten things to include in your assignment package, including the learning goal! (See infographic below.)

Tip: Disable Assignment Alerts in Stream

(Thanks to Shannon Oliver for sharing this!)

One feature that seems to drive some teachers crazy is that the assignments are also announced in the "Stream." If this is a thorn in your side, you can disable this feature to avoid confusion.

To disable this feature, go to your class and click on the settings icon near the top-right.

Scroll down to "General."

Next to "Classwork on the stream," click the drop down and select, "Hide notifications."

Tip: Create a Topic for Past Assignments

One trend I'm noticing is that some teachers like to move old assignments out. Unfortunately, you cannot have assignments disappear after they have been completed.

Create a topic called "Past Assignments," or something that makes sense for you and your students to understand. Drag this topic to the bottom of your Classwork page. Once an assignment is complete, or you are no longer accepting work, move it to this topic.

Of course, this means that you may be giving up some of the organization above, so do what works for you.

What Works for You

The bottom-line here is to find what works for you and your students. Every teacher is different. I'm sure that many teachers have already made decisions about how they will organize differently next semester or next year. We will learn together.

I know this is just scratching the surface, but I hope it helps give you new ideas on how to organize your assignments in Google Classroom.

Want even more ideas about how to create and "package" your online assignments? Be sure you check out this infographic and blog post with 10 awesome ideas!

Learn all about the new updates to Google Classroom and take your skills to the next level. This course will give you everything you need to get started using Google Classroom and best practices to help you make the most of this tool.

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Have another awesome way to organize? Please share in the comments below.
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How to Organize Assignments in Google Classroom

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Wondering how to organize Google Classroom? This post will give you the most common organizational strategies for the Classwork page and topics.

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3 easy strategies to organize your Google Classroom

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3 easy strategies to organize your Google Classroom

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✍️Blog Post

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5 easy strategies to organize your Google Classroom

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Is your Google Classroom a mess? An organizational disaster? Use these five strategies to get a handle on it!Let’s be honest. Your Google Classroom is a

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How to Add Animated Gifs to Google Slides

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How to Add Animated Gifs to Google Slides

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📺Video

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How to Add Animated GIF to Google Slides

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📺Video

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How to Make Personalized Digital Feedback Stickers with Your Real Self [FREE STICKER TEMPLATE 👇]

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👓Google Slides Templates

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👓https://sites.google.com/eanesisd.net/hcmsyenca

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👓https://www.instagram.com/p/CDHr9lVDiAy/

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How to Create an Interactive Bitmoji Classroom

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How to Create an Interactive Bitmoji Classroom

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📺Video

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https://twitter.com/MrsParkShine/status/1286365162295844864?s=20

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🙌Collection of Resources
infused.link/bitmoji

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How to Create a Bitmoji Classroom with Canva

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How to Create a Bitmoji Classroom with Canva

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📺Video

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How to Create a Bitmoji Classroom on Canva | Presentation & Animation | 如何在Canva上製作Bitmoji教室

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📺Video

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Make a Bitmoji Scene in Google Slides! (Bitmoji Classroom)

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✍️Blog Post

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If you want to create a Google Meet or Agenda slide like mine (or something similar), you can keep the default page dimensions and move onto Step 2.

If you want to create a Google Classroom header, change the page dimensions to 1,000 x 250 pixels by going to File -> Page Setup in Google Slides or Design -> Page Setup in PowerPoint. Just a warning though: When you upload your banner on Google Classroom, you'll get this frustrating dark overlay on your image. It's an accessibility thing and can't be changed, so just keep that in mind and try to keep everything as bright as possible.

To create a custom Google homepage, you'll want the dimensions somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 in x 8 in.

Next step is to collect the images for your scene.

For mine, I used posters from ECHO-LIT (my favorite poster shop) and a variety of Google Images. All Google Images were found using the "labeled for reuse" filter (more on that in a minute). I also want to note that I reached out to the creator of ECHO-LIT for permission to use her posters in my scene. Please do the same if you decide to include something similar.

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How to Create a Virtual Bitmoji Classroom in Google Slides or PowerPoint - Hello, Teacher Lady

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Learn how to make your own virtual Bitmoji classroom using Google Slides or PowerPoint with these step-by-step directions.

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🙌Collection of Resources

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Want an awesome way to get your students excited? Create a virtual classroom! You can use real photos you already have or photos from the web! You can add links to websites or post your weekly happenings on the "whiteboard!" Create your virtual classroom in Google Slides or PowerPoint.

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There are 2 types of tools on this page. On the left, you'll find games and calendars for families to use to make their home an Active Home. On the right, you'll find resources to help teachers and parents partner together to provide meaningful movement opportunities that progress students toward physical education and social & emotional learning outcomes. Check back often for updates.

Created by: Nick Kline, Aaron Hart, Rich Wiles, Brian Devore, Brandon Herwick, Jim DeLine, Lynn Hefele, Tanner Roos, Will Potter, Ross Chakrain, Michael Utz, Ben Pirillo, Christina Courtney, Shannon Maly, Ashely Sharp Special Contributions: Lori Rose Benson, Deedi Brown, Jennifer Truong, Asia Kehl

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There are 2 types of tools on this page. On the left, you'll find games and calendars for families to use to make their home an Active Home.

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Insert instructional content on any web page

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As of Monday, October 24, content that was on TweenTribune.com will now be available here on our new educational resources page and on our learning pages. While much of the content that you enjoyed will still exist, educators will unfortunately no longer be able to assign content to students. Tween Tribune has been a valued educational brand of Smithsonian magazine, and we appreciate your continued support.

Though the Girl Scouts of the USA initially declared itself a space for all girls, the reality was different for girls of color

Erin Blakemore

Get Smithsonian Educational Resources

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As of Monday, October 24, content that was on TweenTribune.com will now be available here on our new educational resources page and on our learning pages. While much of the content that you enjoyed will still exist, educators will unfortunately no longer be able to assign content to students.

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Gimkit is a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win. Get started for free!

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Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

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Education Powerpoint Templates and Google Slides Themes

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Create engaging presentations with our professional education PowerPoint templates. Easy to customize and free to download.

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Free Education Google Slides themes and PowerPoint templates

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Download and customize our Education Google Slides themes and PowerPoint templates to create captivating presentations ✓ Free ✓ Easy to edit ✓ Professional

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Recent Templates

Looking for how to videos and tutorials?

Are you too a #SlidesManiac?

Shout out to SlidesMania for creating so many unique and fun templates! I especially love the virtual notebooks!

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SlidesMania | Free Google Slides themes and PowerPoint templates.

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The best 100% free Google Slides themes and pptx templates. Your PowerPoint and Google Slides will never be the same. No registration or download limits!

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Turn Multiple Choice Questions into Addicting Review Games and Quizzes using our FREE Game Generator for Teachers

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Our Review Game Creator is more than just games! Flash Cards, Matching, Fill in the Blank plus more!

Using this review quiz generator for teachers to create review games is easy and fun. You simply input your custom questions / answers into our cloud based form and the data is instantly turned into multiple choice question (mcq) review games, tests / quizzes, flashcards, fill in the blank review, matching and much more. Review Game Zone is more than a cloud-based multiple choice game maker, its a quiz game creation site where teachers can create trivia based review games in an arcade style format for their students. Teacher generated study questions are inserted into the school game to help reinforce classroom learning and test preparation for students. It's fun! It's exciting! It's addicting! And it's rewarding for both teacher and student!

Make Your Own Review Game (100% Free Quiz Game Creation Site)

Its easy to create a review game with our game generator, simply input the question and type in answer choices. It really is as simple as that. Once the teacher has input the information into the quiz game maker, the arcade games are automatically created with the teachers questions inserted into game play. Many teachers link to their google classroom games page to give students an interactive way to review classroom topics. Content is customized to fit student needs and teachers can easily track each student's progress and results. For teachers who do not have to create a review game, Review Game Zone has a huge database of review games already created by teachers. Just find the one that is right for your google classroom.

How the Game Generator for TeachersWork

Students are given time to play games by answering questions correctly. Fun games help motivate them to review test questions or other classroom materials. Playing games motivates students to learn common core content or review workbook or textbook content.

Students have over 10 types of review games to choose from (plus a basic multiple-choice test to use for those who may prefer to study without playing a game). Each game is based on a 10 -question set of data which is entered by the teacher. The questions are asked in a random order.

For teachers, Review Game Zone collects the statistical information on student performance while they play games on the site. This allows educators to track the progress and growth of each student. Classroom teachers can access information that lets them know how each student is progressing on any given topic or unit.

Free Access to a Study Game Maker!

The best part about Review Game Zone is that teachers and students have complete access to school games for kids absolutely free. Educators receive a lifetime membership with unlimited game creation possibilities. Sign up for Free!

Research about Importance of School Games

Playing to learn...using games as a tool provides opportunities for deeper learning

Why Use Games to Teach? Learning should be FUN!

Gamification: The Future of Education

What other Teachers are saying about the ReviewGameZone.com:
"Wow! So glad that I found this site. I was very upset when Zondle closed down, but after searching for Zondle alternatives I found your site and this is a great Zondle replacement. I wish I would have known about that before Zondle because it exceeded what they did! Thanks!" ~T.D.

"I wanted to let you know that my kids love this site! I have always used other sites in the past. I was so thrilled to discover teachers were able to make their own games for free. Thank you! My kids actually play at home when they get bored. That is awesome when they could be playing any computer based game." ~ S. O.

"I have been able to log on and make numerous review quizzes for my classes. We are a Classrooms For the Future school and incorporate tons of technology. This is just another way to do it. This type of review allows students to study independently and it frees us up to help with other issues and schoolwork. Thanks for your FREE website." ~ M.R.

"These games are like Jeopardy review games that you make from templates in PowerPoint, the main difference is that it is so much easier. The website makes the games for you without having to code it in PowerPoint and the students still get the Jeopardy like review in the classroom. I love this site and am so glad I found it! Thank you!" ~ P.D.
click here to see additional user feedback

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Review Game Maker | Game Generator for Teachers | Study Game Maker

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A game generator for teachers to create a review game for school to help students study for tests. Use this review game maker to merge questions into addicting game titles which act like trivia arcade games providing quizzes for kids to study. Making school games is easy and free with this study game maker.

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Kialo Edu is an argument mapping and debate platform that provides visual representations of discussions and debates in an interactive tree of pro/con arguments.  As a teacher, you can start a private discussion with any member of your class and provide feedback to students through the comment feature.  Kialo can be used to host classroom debates, assess learning, and share knowledge.

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Kialo Edu is a custom version of Kialo ( kialo.com), the world's largest argument mapping and debate site, specifically designed for classroom use. Its clear, visually compelling format makes it easy to follow the logical structure of a discussion and facilitates thoughtful collaboration. Kialo's mission is to promote well-reasoned discussion online, and to that end, Kialo is free for educators to use.

To put their knowledge into action To sharpen their critical reasoning skills To demonstrate their understanding To engage constructively with each other
Take your classroom discussions online, break down complex subjects for students, and shake it up with new types of assignments.

Try Kialo in Your Classroom

What can you use Kialo for?

Create discussions for your students, where they can put their knowledge into practice, develop their own views on classroom content, and consolidate what they've learned. In a Kialo discussion, every student has a voice - there's no talking over each other, and students have the space to explore arguments at their own pace. Kialo's collaborative platform encourages students to work together to find the best way to express each idea.

Assign students to write a Kialo discussion instead of an essay - or use Kialo discussions to outline larger writing projects. Kialo's argument-tree structure leads students to consider counter-arguments, develop a logical outline of their argument, and visualize how their ideas fit together.

Write a discussion for your students to explore, and set out content in a clear and easy format. Link to additional sources and reading, challenge students to add arguments or question concepts.

How does Kialo work?

With Kialo, discussions and debates are clearly visualized as an interactive tree of pro and con arguments. At the top of every discussion is the thesis, which is supported or challenged by pro and con claims. Each one of these claims can in turn branch into subsequent claims that support or challenge them.

All discussions are private and can only be seen by those you choose to share them with. To start a discussion with your students, simply write a brief description and a thesis (or theses). Share the discussion with your whole class, or divide students into smaller groups.

Each claim has a comment section underneath that allows you to give students feedback, suggest improvements, and ask questions without cluttering the surface of the discussion. Similarly, students can easily collaborate with each other to improve their arguments, examples, and phrasing.

You can set up teams for each of your classes to easily share and organize the content you want your students to see. All content on Kialo-Edu.com is private, accessible only to the people you share it with.

These features are just a small fraction of what you can do with Kialo.
Find the application that works best with your teaching style.

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Kialo Edu - The tool to teach critical thinking and rational debate

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Kialo is a free tool used by educators world-wide to teach critical thinking, facilitate rational classroom debate and explain controversial issues.

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Open Canvas

Create, organize, and move freely on an open canvas. Create seamless presentations without the restrictions of linear slides.

Ready-made asset libraries

Choose from millions of images, stickers, GIFs, and icons from Unsplash and Giphy.

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Presentations and videos with engaging visuals for hybrid teams | Prezi Present

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Welcome to Prezi, the presentation software that uses motion, zoom, and spatial relationships to bring your ideas to life and make you a great presenter.

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wordle Is a website that combines vocabulary for all types of clouds in both Thai and Thai languages

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HOME - wordle Is a website that combines vocabulary for all types of clouds in both Thai and Thai languages

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Wordle is a wizard. "word cloud" from text as typed by the user The prominence of the cloud depends on the words that appear frequently in the original text. which can customize the characters according to the desired style, such as fonts, layout styles and font color Images created through Wordle can be used in...

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Free online word cloud generator and tag cloud creator

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Wordclouds.com is a free online word cloud generator and tag cloud generator, similar to Wordle. Create your own word clouds and tag clouds. Paste text or upload documents and select shape, colors and font to create your own word cloud. Wordclouds.com can also generate clickable word clouds with links (image map). Save or share the resulting image.

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Free Infographic Maker: 11 Million Users Create Stunning Infographics for FRee

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Design professional infographics in minutes with Piktochart’s free infographic maker and top-rated templates trusted by over 11 million users worldwide. Try it now!

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Fast drawing for everyone. AutoDraw pairs machine learning with drawings from talented artists to help you draw stuff fast.

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Visit the PD Pad For Tips & Online Training

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Visit the PD Pad For Tips & Online Training

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All items migrated into website at www.owlsrc.com

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ALL ITEMS MIGRATED TO MAIN SITE www.owlsrc.com Section: Educators, PD

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Study anytime, for free

learn, practice, and discuss the content to prepare for the exams

and AP Subjects review

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Prep Books *Actually* Made for Students

Study for APs, SATs, ACTs, & College Admissions
Start Studying

With Fiveable, studying is

Toss out your heavy prep books

We're digital...

40 prep books right in your device. 200k+ practice questions at your disposal. No more lugging around heavy textbooks (uhh hello environmentally friendly!)

AP Math & Computer Science

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Activate Cram Mode to unlock your full potential.

Streamlined

All the info you need, in easy to understand language. (No more outdated jargon.) Written for humans

Click on key terms for definitions, helpful analogies, and related words

Interactive

Assess your knowledge with Practice Quizzes! 200k+ practice questions available

Seamlessly switch between reading and practice for the chapter you're in

Join our Cram Events (aka live stream review sessions)

Get pro tips and study hacks from students who got the scores you want. We have 5 nights of live streams right before exam day for APs, ACTs, and SATs.

Activate Cram Mode to unlock your full potential.

Aesthetic

Because why be boring, when you can have gradients? And pretty buttons? And Pep?

"We care about your studying experience, from start to finish."
-Pep, our mascot (yes he's literally a pepper)

Take their word, not ours

Why your friends are
using Fiveable to prep

Save time

Whether it's the night before your exam or months before, you want to study faster. Our resources will help you cram better.

Quality

Fiveable is made up of former teachers and students who have taught and taken AP classes. We deliver what you need to know in an easily understandable way.

Reduce stress

We create AP resources to help you feel confident going into your exam. Exams can cause anxiety and stress and we're not a fan of that.

Resources you can trust

Let's be real, students know what's up. Our content is created by students because who better to share their knowledge than current and former AP students?

"I received a 5! Thanks so much for your help, I think your info sessions definitely helped put me over the edge!"
Jay

"I felt confident walking into the test room. I was really aiming for a 3... I can't believe I got a 4. hard work does pay off."
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"If I would have known about Fiveable, I would have been studying with you all year. You all have no idea how much you are appreciated."
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"I am so proud of my AP world score, I could never have done it without you!! Please don't stop doing what you are doing for Fiveable."
Alanna

Students first, always.

We're a bunch of passionate, weird, wonderful, and smart people who want to make education more accessible and equitable. We deeply believe that students need to be at the center of this work, both as consumers and creators. And that the purpose of our work is not to peddle toxic test scores, but rather focus on building up student confidence and collective student power. That's how we make change.

👉🏽 Learn more about Fiveable

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Fiveable: 2024 AP Review - Study Guides, Cheatsheets, Practice Questions

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Fiveable helps students feel confident for big exams with study guides, cheatsheets, practice questions, and live events across 38 APs, SATs, ACTs, and College Admissions.

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Lessons & Activities

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Purplemath
Need help with math?
Start browsing Purplemath's free resources below!
What are Purplemath's lessons like?

Purplemath's algebra lessons are informal in their tone, and are written with the struggling student in mind. Don't worry about overly-professorial or confusing language! The free lessons on this math website emphasize the practicalities rather than the technicalities, demonstrating dependably helpful techniques, warning of likely "trick" test questions, and pointing out common student mistakes.

Content Continues Below

How much do these lessons cost?

Purplemath's lessons cost nothing! These lessons are free, are intended for students (rather than for instructors), and are interlinked to help you find related material. There is a "Search" box on every page to help you find whatever math content you're looking for - without encountering ads masquerading as search results. Whether you're in middle school, high school, college, or university, these free algebra lessons can help you out!

How can I use Purplemath's lessons?

Purplemath's math lessons can be used in many ways:

Read the lesson that relates to what you're about to study in class, so you get to class at least somewhat prepared.

Print out the lesson that relates to what you're about to study in class, and use the margins, white space, or the backs of pages for taking notes in class.

When the homework seems impossible and the textbook and your class notes aren't helping much, come to Purplemath for clarification.

Let Purplemath help you always be prepared!
Go to the lessons!
How should I be formatting my homework?

Neat homework can aid your comprehension and might make your teacher like you better. Purplemath's " Homework Guidelines for Mathematics" will give you a leg up, explaining in clear terms what your math teacher is looking for. The Guidelines link to examples of common errors, and demonstrate techniques that your instructors will love! In addition, students who get in the habit of explaining themselves clearly in their homework gain greater understanding of what they're doing, and therefore tend to do much better on their tests.

English teachers tell their students explicitly how to format their papers: what fonts, what page margins, what style guides, etc. Math teachers, on the other hand, frequently just complain amongst themselves in the faculty lounge about how messy their students' work is. Meanwhile, their students wonder why they've lost points on homework and tests.

Study these Guidelines, print out this " formatting" PDF, and improve your learning, retention, and test scores. Don't leave easy points on the table!
Go to the Guidelines!
How can I measure my study skills?

Many students, from time to time, wonder, "Do I have what it takes to succeed in math?" Much of one's success or failure in algebra can be laid at the feet of one's study habits. Do you have good math study habits? Take this survey and find out.
Go to the study-skills self-survey!
Personalized Help ($): Investigate hiring a qualified tutor in your local area (US only), or try e-mail tutoring from Purplemath's author. But for in-depth, quality, video-supported, at-home help, including self-testing and immediate feedback, try MathHelp.com. MathHelp.com comes highly recommended by homeschoolers, military service members, and other practical people. If you're needing more intensive help, give MathHelp.com a try!

Privacy: You may review Purplemath's cookies policy here and Purplemath's privacy policy here.

URL: https://www.purplemath.com/index.htm

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Struggling with algebra concepts or methods? Help is here!

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Free online lessons, loads of worked examples, clear and practical explainations, and no-nonsense advice. Purplemath is here to help!

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Free Online Courses for Students of all subjects Pre-K-12th grade

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Free Online Courses for Students of all subjects Pre-K-12th grade

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Curated list by Harvard Grad School

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Harvard Graduate School of Education "Virtual School" Lesson Plan Database

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Includes items teachers can use for students who are working online, offline, or on their phones!

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Education: from school closure to recovery

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After the historic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, most schools are back open worldwide but education is still in recovery assessing the damage done and lessons learned. The pandemic affected more than 1.5 billion students and youth with the most vulnerable learners were hit hardest.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Approximately 237,000 children 2-5 years of age had an ADHD diagnosis but only about half received behavioral treatment for their ADHD. This video abstract was posted to the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics website in July 2017.

Children's Mental Disorders: A Journey for Parents and Children

Meet two families and hear about their experiences living with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Tourette Syndrome

Page last reviewed:

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Approximately 237,000 children 2-5 years of age had an ADHD diagnosis but only about half received behavioral treatment for their ADHD. This video abstract was posted to the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics website in July 2017.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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CDC's initiative to support children with ADHD

Parenting a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be tough. Families face daily challenges and reliable information about ADHD can help their children. Focus for the Future is a CDC initiative that connects families with tools and resources to help kids with ADHD thrive. Our team of scientists, mental health specialists, and medical experts are leading the charge to identify, promote, and extend the reach of the best care for kids with ADHD.

CDC is committed to working with partners and the public to support children with ADHD and their families through the Focus for the Future initiative. CDC is

CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) is committed to helping children with ADHD. Through research and by providing information, NCBDDD helps families of these children get the support they need. We study mental and developmental disorders, identify factors that put children at risk for these conditions, and share that research with state and local decision-makers and medical professionals.

Page last reviewed:

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CDC's initiative to support children with ADHD Parenting a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be tough. Families face daily challenges and reliable information about ADHD can help their children. Focus for the Future is a CDC initiative that connects families with tools and resources to help kids with ADHD thrive.

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Apps can be great tools for teens with ADHD. Even if an app isn't specifically designed with ADHD in mind, it may still help your child manage everyday challenges. Check out these nine apps.

Prices and availability may vary but were accurate at the time of publication, on June 21, 2018. Understood does not endorse or receive financial compensation for the sale of any of these products.

Homey Chores and Allowance

Giving chores to kids with ADHD can help boost their self-esteem and organization skills. But keeping track of household tasks and allowance can be tough for kids with attention issues. Homey Chores and Allowance can make the process easier. The app can set daily, weekly or monthly tasks for the whole family. It also syncs across multiple devices, so kids and parents can get on the same page. The app can also track earning goals and link family members' bank accounts. So if your child has a bank account and gets an allowance, you can transfer money directly through the app.

Price: $4.99 per month Available for: iOS, Android

Trouble with managing money is common in kids with ADHD. Rooster Money can help teach them about finances. The app allows parents and kids to track and monitor pocket money and allowance through a practice bank account. You can set up regular allowance payments and check to see how much money your child has. When you give your child paper money, you can subtract it on the app. Kids can use the app to see how much money they've spent and saved. And they can use it to set financial goals, like saving up for a new toy or piece of clothing.

Price: Free (in-app purchases) Available for: iOS, Android

Stop, Breathe, and Think Kids

Mindfulness can be a good tool to help kids manage ADHD symptoms. The Stop, Breathe, and Think app offers 15 free mindfulness activities. More are available for a price. With the app, kids can "check in" with how they are feeling, and then choose an activity based on that feeling. To help create a sense of calm, kids may be instructed to visualize a relaxing scene, breathe deeply, or pay attention to what they're feeling. If you or your teen is interested in mindfulness, be sure to check out other meditation apps.

Price: Free (more activities can be purchased) Available for: iOS

The Sims FreePlay game is an open-ended simulation of young adult living. It can help kids with ADHD practice everyday skills they'll need in "real life." In the app, kids create a "Sim" or a virtual character, with a personality and preferences. The Sim has needs like eating, sleeping, personal hygiene, social interaction and having fun. Kids must direct their Sim to take actions to meet the Sim's needs, as they build and furnish a home, look for jobs and form relationships.

Price: Free (in-app purchases) Available for: iOS, Android

ADHD can impact kids socially, including making it hard to follow a conversation. Conversation Planner can help your child practice. The app teaches kids how to prepare for interactions with other people. It has more than 130 social skills scenarios spread over 18 levels. Four of the levels are free. In each scenario, kids choose a talking partner and two conversation goals-one for themselves and one for the partner. Once kids master one level, the next level is unlocked.

Price: $2.99 for each level Available for: iOS

It's easy for kids with ADHD to get sidetracked by online distractions. ClearLock is a basic app that cuts out these distractions by locking your child's smartphone. Kids can schedule when the app will block their phone, and for how long. This can help kids with ADHD focus on the task at hand without being tempted by screen time. There are similar apps and tools for other platforms, including Freedom (iOS), StayFocusd (Chrome) and Time Out (Mac).

Price: Free Available for: Android

Choiceworks Calendar is a picture-based calendar app that can help kids with executive functioning issues . Kids can put images in a sequence to map out a day, week or month. The app comes with tons of pre-loaded images, but kids can also upload their own. There are options to have the images read aloud if kids prefer. Choiceworks Calendar is meant for older kids, but there's also a version of the app for younger children called Choiceworks.

Price: $4.99 Available for: iOS

Lots of people use Google Calendar, but they might not realize how helpful it can be for kids with ADHD, too. Your child can use it to keep track of appointments, events and tasks. One big benefit is that Google Calendar integrates with other Google applications that kids may already use in school. This includes Gmail, Google Keep and Google Drive.

Price: Free Available for: iOS, Android

Eye to Eye: Empower Different Learners

The Eye to Eye Empower app was created by Understood founding partner Eye to Eye, with the support of Microsoft EDU. In the app, kids can work through different activities called quests. Each quest helps kids better understand their strengths and challenges, and develop strategies for success. One unique feature is that when kids finish the quests, they receive an advocacy plan. The plan can help teens with ADHD self-advocate in school and in life.

Price: Free Available for: iOS

About the Author

About the Author

The Understood Team

is made up of passionate writers, editors, and community moderators. Many of them learn and think differently, or have kids who do.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jamie Martin

is an assistive technology specialist at the New England Assistive Technology Center (NEAT) in Hartford, Connecticut.

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9 Apps to Help Teens With ADHD Manage Everyday Challenges

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Apps can be great tools for teens with ADHD. Even if an app isn't specifically designed with ADHD in mind, it may still help your child manage everyday challenges. Check out these nine apps. Prices and availability may vary but were accurate at the time of publication, on June 21, 2018.

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Cognitive & Intellectual Accessibility Apps

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Cognitive & Intellectual App Accessories for iOS Devices listed on iAccessibility.com powered by Teltex providing Solutions for iOS Communications in Kansas City Missouri

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Covering all possible domains of speech and articulation

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All rights reserved to Smarty Ears, LLC 2009-2017

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Early Childhood
Designed and developed to motivate, encourage and teach children different aspects of language in an engaging manner. Each app focuses on a unique aspect of speech and language while aiming to appeal to children’s natural fascination with technology through fun animations and reward-based gameplay.

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All of our apps are designed and developed to motivate, encourage and teach children different aspects of language in an engaging manner. Each app focuses on a unique aspect of speech and language while aiming to appeal to children's natural fascination with technology through fun animations and reward-based gameplay. Find out more about the wide variety of apps we offer below.

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Our Splingo Apps All of our apps are designed and developed to motivate, encourage and teach children different aspects of language in an engaging manner. Each app focuses on a unique aspect of speech and language while aiming to appeal to children's natural fascination with technology

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Physical disabilities are broad in nature. A student may have a back problem that affects sitting or walking, have a chronic medical condition leading to physical problems, have small amputations such as fingers or toes, or have a disability that necessitates the use of a wheelchair for mobility and/or a personal assistant for care.

Mobility disabilities are wide-ranging, occurring from a variety of causes including but not limited to back problems, chronic health issues, amputations, stature, and other causes. The effects range from affecting length or type of terrain a student can walk, to needing to use crutches or canes, to needing to use a wheel chair. In all cases, the tool to assist ambulation may be situational or permanent.

Some examples of possible accommodations that a student with a physical or mobility disability may require include (but are not limited to):

"Dear Professor" memos verifying the need for accommodations

Priority/early course registration

Relocating a class or lab to a building or classroom that is accessible

Provision of an accessible table and/or seat in the classroom

Accommodated testing for in-class and online exams and quizzes

Note-taking services and/or the use of an audio recorder for class lectures

Allowance of laptops, tablets, or assistive technology in the classroom

Regular advising meetings with an assigned Department for Disability Access and Advising advisor

When interacting with individuals with physical or mobility disabilities, follow these guidelines:

Allow for (occasional) tardiness in case of inclement weather.

Do not offer to hold a cane or crutches unless the individual requests.

When talking with a person who uses a wheelchair, sit down or kneel in order to place yourself at eye level if the conversation is more than a few minutes.

Don't touch or push a person's wheelchair or other equipment without asking for permission or if they need help first. Likewise, don't put your hand on or learn on a wheelchair as this is invading the individual's body space.

People are not confined to wheelchairs. Don't assume that using a wheelchair is a tragedy-it is a means of transportation.

Individuals who use wheelchairs often transfer to automobiles and furniture; don't move a wheelchair away if the user transfers out of the chair.

Some individuals with physical or mobility disabilities use a wheelchair only some of the time; however, this does not mean that they are "faking" a disability. It may be a means to conserve energy, to reduce pain, or to move about more quickly.

Do not speak loudly or slowly to a person who uses a wheelchair unless they need you to do so in order to communicate.

Don't assume that a person needs help.

The following are some considerations to keep in mind when working with students with physical disabilities or disabilities affecting mobility in the classroom:

Acquaint yourself with the location of the nearest accessible restroom and water fountain.

Ensure that there are adequate pathways to your classroom and within your classroom.

Theater type classrooms may present difficulties unless there are flat spaces in the front or rear of the room large enough to accommodate a wheelchair.

Ensure that there is space for a table. Tables are more accessible than standard desks, and should have an under-table clearance of at least 27½ inches. Let D²A² know if a table is needed.

If possible, avoid relegating students with physical or mobility disabilities to a doorway, side aisle, or back of the room

Classes taught in a laboratory setting will usually require some modification of the workstation. Working directly with the student may be the best way to provide modifications to the workstation.

Identify if the student will transfer from wheelchair to desk and ensure that the chair is nearby for transportation in case of an emergency.

For fieldwork or field trips, assess the site for type of terrain and slope, and availability of ramps, accessible rest rooms and parking.

Download a PDF version of this information Download a Microsoft Word version of this information
Additional Resources

Mobility Impairments (DO-IT, University of Washington)

Teaching Students with Physical Disabilities (Accessible Campus, Council of Ontario Universities)

Physical Disability (Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training)

Students who have Mobility or Dexterity Limitations (Allegheny College)

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Teaching Students with Physical and Mobility Disabilities

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Physical disabilities are broad in nature. A student may have a back problem that affects sitting or walking, have a chronic medical condition leading to physical problems, have small amputations such as fingers or toes, or have a disability that necessitates the use of a wheelchair for mobility and/or a personal assistant for care.

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Comparing fractions can be hard for many elementary students. They often have trouble figuring out if one fraction is greater than, less than, or equal to another fraction.

Students with learning differences like dyscalculia may have an especially hard time with this skill. That's because they have difficulty with number sense. They often have trouble understanding quantities and comparing two whole numbers. Some students may also wrongly apply their knowledge of comparing whole numbers to comparing fractions. They might think that 1/4 is larger than 1/2 because the whole number 4 is larger than the whole number 2.

A fraction number line can help all students compare fractions, especially those who learn and think differently. It's just one strategy you can use to provide students with evidence-based math instruction.

Watch: See the Strategy in Action

Download: Use a Printable Resource

Read: Learn How to Use the Strategy

Gather materials. Give each student a copy of the fraction number line download and two colored pencils, crayons, or markers. If you make your own fraction number line, make sure it has a small set of whole numbers (like 0 to 1) and a small set of fractions (like 1/4, 1/2, 3/4) between the whole numbers.

3. Explicitly teach how to use the number line to solve the problem. Model how to use one color of a pencil, marker, or crayon to show the distance that Jacob ran, from 0 to 1/4, on the number line. You can label this distance as "J." Do the same with another color for Amy, from 0 to 1/2, labeling it as "A."

Understand: Why This Strategy Works

Number lines are important visual models in math. They help students understand the abstract concept of numbers, which is particularly helpful for students with learning and thinking differences like dyscalculia.

Research shows that the ability to tell if a fraction is greater than, less than, or equal to another fraction on a number line is the best predictor of success with fractions. A number line can prevent students from applying knowledge of whole numbers to fractions. That's because it shows that the denominator represents the number of equal parts into which a whole object or set has been divided.

Relating the number line to real-life word problems can also keep students' attention and connect new learning to prior knowledge. Those connections can help students better retain new concepts.

Connect: Link School to Home

Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., Powell, S., Seethaler, P., Cirino, P., & Fletcher, J. (2008). Intensive intervention for students with mathematics disabilities: Seven principles of effective practice. Learning Disability Quarterly, 31(2), 79-92.

About the Author

About the Author

Kim Greene, MA

is the managing editor of Understood for Educators. A former elementary teacher and a certified reading specialist, she has a passion for developing resources for teachers and school leaders.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Brendan R. Hodnett, MAT

is a special education teacher in Middletown, New Jersey, and an adjunct professor at Hunter College.

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Fraction Number Line: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

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Comparing fractions can be hard for many elementary students. They often have trouble figuring out if one fraction is greater than, less than, or equal to another fraction. Students with learning differences like dyscalculia may have an especially hard time with this skill. That's because they have difficulty with number sense.

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Educators, parents, and students usually gather in person at school for individualized education program meetings, but digital tools can be used for this work.

The extended closure of schools has caused confusion within the special education community. Not only are educators worried about the ability to provide appropriate services to meet the needs of each student, but they also fear falling out of compliance with the child's individualized education program (IEP). For many, spring also marks a busy time in the academic calendar, as it is when many annual review meetings are completed.

Without access to the school building, the process of holding IEP meetings has become a concern for educators and parents alike. The U.S. Department of Education released a statement encouraging the use of technology to provide services to students, including using digital platforms to hold meetings. As a result, many districts have turned to using Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or other conferencing platforms-with the consent of families-to maintain the IEP timeline.

Conducting Virtual IEP Meetings

1. Use the school's platform: Since many school districts are using cloud-based app platforms like G Suite for Education or Microsoft Education, that video conference platform should be the first choice. Not only do staff members already have access, but these platforms generally offer more in terms of privacy than free video conferencing tools do. Invitations can be sent to parents so they can access the meeting through their camera-embedded device or phone. Some parties may wish to phone in instead if that's possible or to disable the camera function during the meeting and proceed with audio only, to maintain additional privacy.

2. Consider web conference alternatives: Not every family will have access to video conferences. Google Hangouts offers the opportunity to create conference calls using both phone numbers and email addresses. School staff can be invited through their work emails and parents can be called through their preferred number.

3. Synchronize district calendars: Arranging meeting times may be more complicated during this extended school closure. Google Calendar offers the ability to see when staff members are available. Case managers can search for each district team member and see the dates and times when they are already booked for meetings or appointments. This makes it easier to call families and provide options for scheduling IEP meetings. But note: The search feature only works with organization-based accounts, not personal email accounts.

Google Voice is another great tool for calling parents as it provides the educator with a unique number that they can use for communication purposes-they can keep their personal number private. Google Voice is free for national calls and text messages.

4. Have an agenda prepared: Video or phone conferences can be more difficult to navigate than in-person conferences because of the difficulty of knowing when to address specific sections of the IEP. Having a digital agenda can help to make the transition to web conferences run smoothly-a concise list of items can be helpful to all members of the team to know what will be discussed next.

This agenda should be prepared and shared in advance of the meeting to ensure proper input from all team members. Include time to talk about additional supports during remote learning and extended closure for the remainder of the year.

5. Enable the confidentiality feature in emails: The increase in email communication between members of the IEP team brings up the issue of email confidentiality. Gmail and Outlook both have confidentiality modes that can be enabled on outgoing messages. In Gmail, the feature offers protection against unauthorized sharing or forwarding and has the option to set an expiration date for the message. Outlook has similar options, such as disabling forwarding permissions, and also alerts the user that the incoming message contains confidential information.

6. Encourage student participation: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that students should be attending their meetings " whenever appropriate." This practice can continue with virtual meetings by sending invitations to the student's district-provided email. Students can actively participate or simply listen to the discussion. If students are given the ability to share their screen, they can display work they have completed throughout the year, which may lead the team to discover areas of strength or skills where a student feels they need more support.

7. Muting and unmuting: Echoes and feedback are common in large video conferences, which is why the ability to mute or unmute oneself is helpful. This feature is also an easy indicator that someone wants to chime in to the conversation during a moment of collaboration-if members switch themselves from muted to unmuted, it's a signal that they're seeking to add input into the conversation. Putting themselves back on mute signals that they're finished adding their perspective.

8. Don't forget parental input outside of IEP meetings: As educators and administrators are trying to assemble appropriate work for students with disabilities, it is crucial to remember to include families in this process. While families are always considered during IEP meetings, they should be encouraged to be part of the instructional planning, too. It is important to offer chances for family collaboration with district staff to learn more about student needs at home and how to provide appropriate, individualized support for the child.

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8 Tips for Conducting Virtual IEP Meetings

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Educators, parents, and students usually gather in person at school for individualized education program meetings, but digital tools can be used for this work.