Author Archives: teacherstone

About teacherstone

I am an assistant principal of a K-4 elementary school. I have taught grades 2nd-5th and served as an instructioanl technology coach for the district for six years. I am a NBCT, STAR teacher, and DEN teacher. I am also a technology adjunct professor at UAB Birmingham. I am currenlty working on my PhD in Educational Leadership and Instructional Technology Curriculum.

Haiku Deck

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Haiku Deck is a free iPad app for creating slideshow presentations. There are two features of Haiku Deck that stand out. First, Haiku Deck intentionally limits how much text that you can put on each of your slides. Second, Haiku Deck helps you find Creative Commons licensed images for your presentations. When you type a word or words on your slides you can have Haiku Deck search for images for you. The images that Haiku Deck serves up are large enough to completely fill your slide. You can also upload your own images from your iPad or import images from Instagram and Facebook.  Check out http://pinterest.com/haikudeck/education-case-studies/ for examples of how Haiku Deck has been used.

Seven Norms of Collaboration

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 Seven Norms of Collaboration

 These norms build group energy, commitment, and effectiveness.

  • Pausing.  Not all brains work at the same rate or use the same processes.  There are four types of pauses: 1) after a question, 2) after someone speaks, 3) personal reflection time, and 4) the collective pause (structured or spontaneous).  Pausing, then paraphrasing are two steps that set up deeper types of discussion.
  • Paraphrasing.  To help the group be as receptive as possible, avoid using “I” as you paraphrase.  Instead, try using the following openers:

You’re suggesting…  You’re proposing..  So, what you’re wondering is…  So, you are thinking that…

Choose a logical level for your response:  Acknowledge and clarify content and emotion, or structure or bring together a number of statements or issues expressed by the group, or change the level of logic by raising or lowering it.
  • Probing for Specificity.  Human brains form generalizations from diverse pieces of information as a matter of survival.  Therefore, a special effort is needed to gain specificity, a requirement for good group communication and understanding.  Clarify vague pronouns, such as the generalized “they.”  Use specific verbs.  Find out what specific rules are behind words such as “must” and “cannot.”  Avoid using absolute or universal words such as everyone, all, never, and always.
  • Putting Ideas on the Table.  To present ideas in the spirit of group sharing and collaboration, try using one or more of the following openers:
Here is an idea for consideration…  One possible approach…  This is not an advocacy, I’m just thinking out loud…

Also know when to withdraw an idea if it is getting in the way of moving forward.  Make sure, too, that the group works with data, not just impressions.  
  • Paying Attention to Self and Others.  People have differing learning styles, so interact with them by recognizing their language and physical cues.  Listen for whether group members use visual, auditory, or kinesthetic modes of thinking and expression:  I see, I hear, I feel….
  • Presuming Positive Intentions.  Phrase and frame issues and concerns in positive rather than negative language.  
  • Pursuing a Balance Between Advocacy and Inquiry.  Using both cognitive and emotional means, spend equal amounts of time “advocating for one’s own ideas and inquiring into the ideas of others.”

QR Codes Static Vs Dynamic

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QR Codes are everywhere!!!  They were created as a step up from a bar code.  QR stands for QUICK RESPONSE.  It contains data in both vertical and horizontal directions, whereas a bar code has only one direction of data, usually the vertical one. A QR code can also  hold more data/information. It is easily digested by scanning equipment, and because it has potentially twice the amount of data as bar code, it can increase the effectiveness of such scanning.

A basic fundamental of QR codes is that the pattern of modules in the QR code image is a direct graphical representation of the data it contains. That’s just the way QR codes work and is the essence of the algorithm that creates the QR code image.

Static QR Code: The actual destination website URL is placed directly into the QR code and can’t be modified.

Dynamic QR Code: A short URL is placed into the QR code which then transparently re-directs the user to the intended destination website URL, with the short URL redirection destination URL able to be changed after the QR code has been created.
Dynamic QR codes greatly extend the useful life of a single QR code since, once published, where it sends the user to can be changed at will without it having to be replaced with a new QR code image every time the destination changes. A single QR code image can be deployed permanently in-the-wild and then simply re-tasked as and when required – link it to your own website this week, a YouTube video next week, your Facebook page the week after that, etc, etc. Or to different offer or coupon pages on your own website as each new promotional program is released over time.

They’re also handy when you have a temporary “placeholder” URL that will be changed once the final content or URL location is ready to go but the QR code needs to be created ahead of time, if the actual URL of your content changes.  In other words, great for those of us that constantly change things, create new places/sites, and like to explore new ways.

Google Form Templates

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Test and Quizzes

  • Self Correcting Spelling Quiz – This form allows a teacher to enter 20 words and once the quiz is completed, it self corrects and analyzes the data. 
  • Virtual Inbox – A form that collects the web address of students work and organizes it by school and grade.
Administrative Forms 
  • Administrative Observation Walkthrough – This is an teacher observation form that the administrators can use. The iPod Touch provides an easy way for data entry, then they can complete the observation in the spreadsheet once complete.
  • Technology Survey  – This is the survey we give to staff and students at the beginning of the school year.
  • Three Minute Administrative Walk-Through – This is an teacher observation form that the administrators use in my district. The iPod Touch provides an easy way for data entry, then they can complete the observation in the spreadsheet once complete. 
  • Homework Check – This is a detailed form that teachers input student scores and the spreadsheet coordinates the results based on which assignments the teacher was using. 
  • Discipline Form – This forms allow teacher entry of disciplinary actions. Note: We use avatar names when entering information.
Miscellaneous 
  • Story Board – Used by student groups to write and produce a video project.  
  • Booklist Template – Used by teachers to keep track of the names and quantity of books read by students. 
  • Word Find Template – Not a form, but spreadsheet where the user can create a custom word find.
  • Auto-Email Form – This form takes the data entered into it and sends it to the email address asked for by the form
  • Observation Record – This Form and Display Spreadsheet show when teachers are observed so they are not always done the same day or class.

Blubbr – Create Interactive Quizzes Using YouTube Clips

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Blubbr allows you to create interactive quizzes that are based on YouTube clips. The structure of the quizzes has a viewer watch a short clip then answer a multiple choice question about the clip. Viewers know right away if they chose the correct answer or not.

To create a quiz on Blubbr start by entering a topic for your quiz. After entering your topic enter a search for a video about that topic. Blubbr will generate a list of videos that you can select from to use in your quiz. When you find a video that works for you, trim the clip to a length that you like then write out your question and answer choices. Repeat the process for as many video clips as you like.

Math Sites and Apps

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Choosing the right math app is very important.  Checkout some of the apps below…they are just a little more than skill and drill PLUS higher-order thinking.

Native Numbers – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/native-numbers/id570231808?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Bugs and Numbers – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bugs-and-numbers/id577575295?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Elevated Math – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/elevated-math/id435995971?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Numberosity – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/numerosity-play-with-math!/id554637363?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Squeebles Fractions – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/squeebles-fractions/id557576867?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Squeebles Bingo – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/squeebles-maths-bingo/id580882257?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Motion Math HD – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motion-math-hd/id410521340?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Sum Stacker – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sums-stacker/id343251346?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Unknown Square – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unknown-square-math-doodles/id558758079?mt=8

Connect Sums – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/connect-sums-math-doodles/id555216734?mt=8