Start The School Year Off Right... 10 More Easy Tech Tools that every Educator Should have started using Yesterday! Pt. 2

Let's face it! The beginning of the school year is a very exciting time, and it is probably the most busiest time. Finding practical, and simple ways to get things done is essential for a busy educator like yourself. Here are a few simple and amazing tools you should try in your classroom this year. I guarantee that it will engage your students, help you get organized, and also save you some time!


Google Classroom

Classroom is available to anyone with Google Apps for Education, a free suite of productivity tools including Gmail, Drive and Docs.

Classroom is designed to help teachers create and collect assignments paperlessly, including time-saving features like the ability to automatically make a copy of a Google Document for each student. It also creates Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help keep everyone organized.

Students can keep track of what’s due on the Assignments page and begin working with just a click. Teachers can quickly see who has or hasn't completed the work, and provide direct, real-time feedback and grades right in Classroom.

Graphite Common Sense Media welcomes you to Graphite, a platform created to make it easier for educators to find the best apps, games, and websites for the classroom.

Class Dojo - An oldie but goodie! I think this one will always make my list.

ClassDojo Features:

 Positive behavior management made simple by providing instant recognition in class

ClassDojo enables you to easily award and record points, achievements and rewards for behavior and performance in class in real-time, with just one click of your smartphone or laptop. Social and emotional learning finally gets brought to life!

Check out the website, and view the Demo. http://www.classdojo.com/tour  (the app is free to download too)

This would be a great tool to begin using this year, or maybe you want to try it out for few weeks of school on a trial basis. Either way, its worth checking out!

Kahoot
A game-based classroom response system. This website allows you to assess students learning in a fun and engaging way. It is very simple to use. What sets this response system apart is, that students are in competition to see not only who gets the answer right, but who answers first. At the completion of each question, it ranks the participants in order of who clicked the answer the fastest. You can add images, videos, or text as questions. Students can use computers, laptops, and mobile devices such as tablets, and cell phones.

To create a game click here https://getkahoot.com/
To play a game click here https://kahoot.it/#/

No need to register students. They sign in to the game page with the Game pin you provide. It takes minutes to setup!

Remind / Remind 101 is not just REMIND
Remind (formerly remind 101) is a safe, free way for teachers to text messages students and keep in touch with parents. Let parents know important information is coming home, or important events. Pre-schedule texts to go out. Create multiple groups, and your phone number is never given out.


Blubbr

Play and create video trivia games
What a fun and engaging way to assess students knowledge. Using video clips you create, or find online you can find out what students know about specific subjects.


This one makes my list again!
Edmodo

Create a unique learning experience for your students through Edmodo. Edmodo helps connect all learners with the people and resources needed to reach their full potential.  There are great PLN's already in place. Edmodo provides Back to School Webinars to help get you started. There interactive webinars are hosted by Edmodo Techxperts and cover everything from getting started to using Edmodo in schools and districts, and more. Browse teh webinars page, and tune into the one that works best for you!


Bringit- Simple Online Sign up Sheets

A free way to organize people and events. Organize parent teacher conferences, or special school events. Customize a blank sign up sheet template. Share with anyone, no log-in needed. Participants will receive an email reminder, and you can print out your sign up sheets.

Tired of those same Powerpoint or Keynote templates?  No more Death by PowerPoint.Try Emaze, an online presentation software. Emaze is the next generation of online presentations, empowering you to create an amazing impression through design and technology.

 This one still makes my list!
Social Bookmarking at its finest. What a great way to organize web resources. What I love about Symbaloo is that the websites are images, not just word links. This is especially cool for young students who can't read the words, but would recognize a symbol or picture. Overall it's just much cooler! Create and share webmixes with anyone.

Keepvid.com

Is Youtube blocked in your district? No worries, use keepvid.com and download and keep any video on Youtube.

Today's Meet.com

While showing a movie have students comment or ask questions

During debate or class discussion have students make comments or ask questions

Another one that still makes my list!

Share videos, photos, documents easily. Connect a DropBox account to your iPad and have images, and video automatically synced between devices. Utilize the website, ios APP, or Desktop APP to manage files where-ever you are.

Don't forget these too...