New Google Sites: Sometimes Simpler Is Better

I will openly admit that I was not a fan of the "Classic" Google Sites (that's Google-speak for the old version of Google Sites). I know I am supposed to be a techie person, but I just found it clunky to use and felt like I was on a scavenger hunt every time I was looking to edit something. Granted, there were quite a few options for how I wanted my site set up, but the user-UNfriendliness of the site turned me away.

So far, my experience with the new Google Sites released at the end of November, is pretty much the exact opposite. It may have a lot fewer bells and whistles, but that, in my opinion, is made up for in ease of use and practicality for the busy teacher.  I am highlighting 3 of the things I like about the new Google Sites in this blog, but the "Classic"Sites is still going to be around for a while yet if you decide the new version is not for you. Be aware, however, that there is currently not a way to convert between the 2 versions, so you might want to consider starting with something that is not high-stakes.


1. It is EASY to edit!
To get started, you just have to select what you want to do on the navigational menu to the right, or (I found out by accident) by double clicking on the page to bring up a smaller round version of the menu.

You can select to add text, add an image, add a URL link, add an item from your Drive, or upload an item directly to the page. You can even embed items directly to your page with a click or two. Additional pages on your site can be seen by clicking on the Pages tab at the top of the large navigational menu, or you can check out the different themes available by clicking on the Themes tab.

 
Uploading items from your Google Drive is super simple, and while you can still create links to your items the old fashioned way, you can also load a scaleable version right to the page. The options on the page are very drag and drop oriented. You can even drag some items right from your desktop to the page, and rearrange by moving items around where you want them.


















2. It can make you look good!

Even those of us who are design-challenged, can make a site that is relatively clean looking and visually appealing with little effort. While you don't have a lot of font or theme options, this can actually be a good thing. The theme-based design format provided helps you set up a theme and then only allows you to choose fonts and components within that theme. So, for those of you that just don't know when to stop and end up adding 13 different fonts and 6 different backgrounds to the same document, consider yourself reined in. Once you play around with your options a bit, you are bound to find a combination that is aesthetically appealing and still easy to navigate.

Four section options based on theme.

Four text options for each section of text.

I would provide one cautionary bit of advice, however. The ability to put complete documents on your page is definitely a benefit, and while it helps share immediately what you want to communicate, you might not want to do this with every document or your page will get extremely long. You can alleviate the issue by simply creating an old-fashioned link to some of the items or by creating separate linked pages to display different groups of items.

 3. It is EASY to publish and display!

When it comes time to publish, the new Google Sites is just as easy as it is to edit. Actually, it is easier. Just click on the Publish button at the top and you will be walked through your options. Once again, they are pretty simple and streamlined, so it is quick and painless. And BONUS... your new sites are now stored in your Google Drive so they are easy to find when you want to edit them!

Another positive for the new sites is that it is designed to automatically adjust the display for optimal viewing on phones, tablets, and large screen devices. It even allows you to see how your page will display on each of the devices in the preview menu. 

While I wasn't completely sold at first, I have quickly decided that the new Google Sites is a good move. I am definitely a fan of having a lot of options in creating useable technology, but in my opinion, the ease of use and cohesion of options in the new version more than makes up for the minor limitations. 

I have recently helped a couple of teachers use new sites in their classes and they seem to like it, but there's only one way for you to decide if it works for you. Give it a shot and see what you think. As always, don't hesitate to chat with one of the instructional coaches if you have any questions or ideas you want to pursue. We love to help!

Here are just a few example sites to spark some ideas how you can use the new sites: 

Click here to view a simple site with lots of images that was put together to introduce Google Arts and Culture to teachers.

Click here to view a site put together by Tracy and I to provide easy access tech resources to students.

Click here to view a site put together as a portfolio for my master's work. The pages are not populated yet, but the skeleton is there. This format would work really well for teaching portfolios.

Duh! Keep It Simple for Engagement

Anyone in education that tells you student engagement is not a constant battle is delusional.

That may sound a bit harsh, but, come on, we have all been in the trenches long enough to know that students are never the same, and they never respond the same way. What works for one group one year sometimes fails miserably the next year. Not to mention, in each class you may have different reading levels, attention spans, behavioral plans, multi-grade classrooms (high school and elementary), and a whole host of other variables. 

It is not easy (understatement of the year).
It kind of reminds me of this commercial:

So, what do we do about it? I love this question, by the way, because if we are asking it, that means we have moved beyond the complaining and commiserating stage to the problem-solving stage where stuff gets done.

It has been one of my professional goals to focus on engagement this year. I have spent quite a bit of time searching for those "magical" strategies that will solve all our problems, but, surprisingly (sarcasm, in case you could't tell), they don't seem to exist. What I have found, however, is that there are lots of effective options out there. Better yet, most are SIMPLE! In fact, I think that is why we tend to overlook them so much. After all my time spent searching for amazing new strategies and techniques for engagement, I finally came to a DUH! moment in an online class I am taking.

What was this amazing revelation? 
Quit searching for a magic bullet and start implementing some simple, yet effective strategies to start building engagement A BIT AT A TIME instead of expecting miracles. 



I am sure you have seen some of these strategies used at PD sessions or trainings. You know the ones I am talking about. They are the ones I admittedly grumble about when the presenter gives the instruction to get up and discuss your thoughts with a peer, or give an example of how you could use this in your classes. I secretly roll my eyes (at least I hope it's secretly) because I am perfectly content in my seat and don't want to get up. 
But, you know what? It's effective. I DO get up and start discussing the prompt. I DO start thinking about how I can use the idea in my classroom.
I AM ENGAGED. I may not like it at first, but it does get
easier, and it doesn't even seem so annoying anymore because we start to have great discussions, and I start to make connections.  

DUH! That's where we need to start with our students. 

I am totally overthinking this!

You are probably even using some of these strategies already. But, if you are like me, sometimes we just get so wrapped up in getting the lesson moving that we forget to throw in a 3 minute engagement check now and then. I even think posting some of these strategies on a wall in the classroom would be a good idea to remind myself to periodically reign back in those students a bit too comfy in their seats.


Below, I am including some simple, yet effective, engagement strategies that are extremely easy to implement and will help gently nudge our students into higher engagement. Some students may like them immediately. Some may roll their eyes, but, hopefully, they will connect a bit more with the lesson, and it will start to become routine for students to engage the more you use them. I weeded through 43 strategies on these neat Strategy Cards, to compile a list of 
SIMPLE, YET EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES 
that could be easily implemented in almost any class. If you are looking for more, you will definitely want to scan through the other engagement strategies mentioned as well. I love how they not only explain the strategy, but also give examples for differentiation and variation.

Feel free to share some of your favorite simple, yet effective strategies with colleagues in the comment section below!

Measuring Growth

When my son Scott was a toddler, he would grip the windowsill of our farmhouse, stand on tippy toes, and peer out the window to supervise farming activities. Grandpa, who lived in town but worked on the farm, took great pleasure in monitoring Scott’s growth through the window. First, just the top of a tiny head and bright eyes were visible. Before long, the toddler grew and a wide grin revealed itself to the outside world while little hands pressed against the pane. Grandpa and the little overall-clad boy shared a common goal; both were waiting for Scott to reach a size suitable for tagging along and helping with calf chores. The window made measuring progress toward that goal easy.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a window that allowed us to monitor the academic growth of our students? One online tool that may prove valuable is Formative. While there are many online formative assessment tool options, Formative has several advantages. Teachers may integrate images, videos, audio recordings, and even embed learning tools in Formative. Check out an introductory video here.

In addition to multiple choice, true/false, and short answer, responses may include drawings and uploaded images. Students like that they sign up using their Google accounts and appreciate the clean, clear interface of Formative. Quizzes may be taken by simply entering a Quick Code, which is easy for younger students; however, the creation of classes makes saving and exporting results possible. Quizzes may be assigned to selected classes, and Formative will automatically score most types of questions.

Tools within Formative allow teachers to override scores and provide immediate written feedback while watching live results. Student names may be made invisible to project an answer to discuss with a class.

Learn about these features and more on the Formative community page, which includes excellent, short video tutorials.

You just may find that Formative provides a window through which to view students’ academic growth. Contact me or another instructional coach if you would like assistance getting started.

How do you measure students’ progress toward a goal and provide feedback? How do your students track their own growth? Add a comment if you have a tip to share.

Student Data Tracking

I read an article recently that compared formative assessments to a fitness tracker.  I loved this analogy because many of us can relate.  We love the accountability of a fitness tracker and also enjoy checking in to see how we are doing on our fitness goals.  They keep us on track! Formative assessments in the classroom are the same!  They keep both teachers and students accountable and allow us to “check in” and see how we are doing.

Teachers use formative assessments to see students’ progress toward a learning goal.  But, how are students using this data?  Are students aware of their progress?  It comes as no surprise that research shows having students track their own progress toward a learning goal is a highly effective instructional strategy.  Students take ownership of their own learning data and track it.  They are in control of their learning and see where they are at and where they need to be.  

There are several options for teachers to use as students track their data.  Maybe you can try one of these examples?  Maybe you have one of your own?  Regardless of what form you use, the learning is the outcome.  

Student Progress Chart

Student Standard Tracker

Personal Learning Goal

Let’s help students take on the role of becoming their own “learning tracker”!

Using Google Forms for Assessment

The Google for Education team rolled out several new updates and features this summer that could be beneficial in your classroom. Several of the updates were for Google Classroom, but one of my favorites is in the often overlooked Google Forms.

The new and improved Forms allows users to not only easily add pictures and graphics into their forms, but also allows you to create auto-graded quizzes for multiple choice, checkbox, or dropdown questions. You can include all other types of questions, but users still can't assign a score to short answer questions on the form unless using an add on like Flubaroo. Hopefully, this option will be coming soon.

Even if you are giving a formative assessment with 3 questions that could be multiple choice and the 4th a short answer, the auto-grading feature is still a hefty time-saver, leaving you with only 1 question to manually grade. This can then allow you to spend more time using the data to decide where to go next in your instruction. Not to mention, since the answers can feed directly into a Google Sheet, it is now easy to sort students into groups for reteaching or extension based on their answers.

One of the biggest benefits of using Forms for assessments is the ability to gather all of the student answer data on one spreadsheet. You still have the ability to view individual student data and group analytics on the response tab, but the spreadsheet summary is the most gradebook-friendly.

Another benefit of using Forms is the integration with other Google for Education products like Classroom and Drive. If you are a Classroom user, Forms can be added as assignments with 1 click. If you are not a Classroom user, you can still use the traditional link or email method to send out the live form. Either way, all the results come right back to your Drive.

I have put together a couple of screencasts to show the new features as well as walk you through using forms to set up a quiz. The first one is general, while the second one also shows how to integrate with Google Classroom as an assignment.

New Resource: Hidden Worlds of the National Parks

This is blog post is going to be short and sweet, but it's just cool, so I wanted to share!

The US National Park Service turned 100 on August 24. In celebration of this milestone, the Park Service has released a new site, The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks, which takes students on virtual reality trips to 5 of the national parks.

As you click on each of the locations on the site, you are taken to 360 degree interactive videos with a local park ranger providing audio as your guide. You can then click through to several different views at the park as well as some additional video and informative interactions.

This experience will be engaging for pretty much any age level, but for younger elementary students, the teacher might want to navigate through the site as a class since it is easy to click on a link and then lose track of where you started.

Even if you decide not to share with a class, this is just a fun site for students (or even yourself)!

Learning never stops at NFV

The teachers at North Fayette Valley have summers full of professional learning opportunities.  We kicked off the summer with sessions immediately after this school year concluded.  Here is a list of only some of the professional learning sessions we have had ALREADY this summer break.  

June 1 - Mandatory Reporter Training

June 2 - Standards Based Reporting (SBR) PD & Work Sessions

June 6 - Make up day for SBR

June 10 - DLT / Admin Retreat

June 20 - Teacher Leaders Meeting

June 21, 22 Keystone Premier Education  Conference

June 21, 22, 23 Professional Learning Communities at Work

The great part about professional learning during the summer break is that we, as educators, get the rare opportunity to focus on ourselves and our own improvement.  All school year long, we are spending every moment planning, preparing, and instructing for our students’ improvement.  Summer allows us to really absorb OUR own learning and reflect upon the concluding, as well as, upcoming school years.  

Your teacher leaders are busy this summer with many of these opportunities as well as other sessions coming throughout July and August.  Instructional coaches have an additional 10 days added to their contract and Model/Mentor teachers have three.   Extended days include a variety of sessions such as; Standards Based Reporting, The Well Managed Classroom, Model Teacher Training, High Impact Instructional Strategies, Google Summit, and Keystone’s Premier Education Conference.  

These opportunities are valuable and we are thankful to have such dedicated teacher leaders at NFV to embrace them.  As I conclude this post, I would encourage all NFV teachers to:  enjoy your summer, value your learning, reflect on your concluding year, and ignite for the 2016-2017 school year!  

New AEA Online Resource: epointplus

Keystone AEA has a few new options this year for Online Resources that you may want to check out. In this blog, I will do a quick explanation of one of the new options, epointplus.

Epointplus is an online ebook platform that has a variety of books at many different age levels (suggested grade range is 3-12). Most focus on science and social studies topics, but there are other areas represented as well. Here is a link to the list of books currently offered, sorted by grade band.

The best feature of the site is that students in your classes can simultaneously access the same book at the same time! If you are looking for some supplementary literature for a whole-class discussion or activity, this feature would be very useful. Keep in mind, you will need students to have internet access to view the books. There is an epointplus ipad app that does allow books to be downloaded to access offline, but the computer version does not yet.

Epointplus offers multiple search options when you are trying to find a book. You can search by the title, series, keyword, or ISBN number, but you can also search by category and subcategory. You can even narrow your search further by adding filters such as reading level, publication date, number of pages, and a few others.

Once you have selected a book, you can click on the Navigation Tool (3 dots & 3 lines) to see the links to the Contents of the book. You can jump to any chapter or section by clicking on the appropriate link.

If you are having your students use the book as a resource that they will need to cite, epointplus makes it almost too easy for them by providing a Citations tab with MLA and APA citations ready to copy and paste into a works cited.

As you are reading the book, you will see that the default arrangement is as a 2 page spread that will automatically adjust to the size of your window. 

If you prefer a one page spread, however, you can adjust your window smaller, and it will eventually switch to a single page spread.

As you are reading, you will notice at the top right corner, that there are 2 tools. 

One is the Print icon which allows you to print either a page range or the whole book. The other tool is a Search Tool for the text. When you type in a word, it will search the entire book and show a snippet of text where the word is used and the page number where it was used. It is a pretty handy tool!

If you want to take your student text interaction up another level, you can also have them create their own Notebook on epointplus. You have to go back to the main screen and click on Create Notebook at the upper right hand of the page. 

It will walk you through set-up which will create your Notebook. This allows you to favorite books to more easily access them, as well as gives you another tool option, the Annotation Tool, which shows up next to your Print and Search Tools when you are on a book page. You have several options to interact with the text with this tool.

The yellow is obviously and example of the Highlight tool, the pink is a Freehand circling of text, and the red is a Reminder which you can move around so it points at any section of text. It does have a 25 character limit. The black square with a text bubble in it is the Page Note which allows you to take notes about the page and save them to access later.

There are several other sites out there for ebooks, but the ability for students to all view the same text at one time is definitely the upside of this site. The annotation is also a valuable component if you are willing to take the time to have students set up their own Notebook account. There is not really a way built into the site for students to share their text annotation with you unless they would use a screenshot or something similar. It is definitely worth a look, though!

Are you looking for something new to use with vocabulary instruction?  Do you want some new ideas to mix up your classroom routine?  Check out the THis Strategy Swap newsletter.  It is full of useful ideas, immediate take away activities, and links to some great resources.  Some activities are set to make a copy for you as soon as you click on the link.  This way you have your own copy immediately to use or modify for what works best for your classroom.  There are vocabulary games, in class activities, possible intervention or extension options, as well as, some innovative dictionaries that are not your average dictionary.  

THIS Strategy Swap mini sessions will be held monthly.  Stop in to the instructional services office anytime during the day for a demonstration, to ask questions or collaborate with your colleagues.  There might even be treats.  We need your feedback to make this successful, so if you have ideas for future sessions, we’d love to hear from you.

Which Blob Are You?

During our recent AIW Training we were presented with a blob tree image.  If you aren't familiar with a blob tree, you MUST check it out (link below).  It is a wonderful image of a tree with multiple little blob-like characters positioned multiple ways with a high variety of expressions and emotions. All of which can be nicely associated with how a teacher might be feeling with a particular professional learning initiative.  What a great opportunity to discuss with your team as to how ready or comfortable you feel for the change.

http://www.speechmark.net/giant-blob-tree-poster

Are you the one:

• stable on a platform with a smile? 
• helping another one up before you even get started?
• laying on the ground uninterested?
• at the top frowning while waiting for the rest?
• 1/3 of the way up with your back turned?
• happily joined with others further up?
• just barely hanging on, or falling?

I'm sure we can relate with all of them at some point in our journey of professional learning.  At NFV we hope you feel the multiple supports in place for a successful community of learning.  TigerHawk Instructional Services can provide teachers with opportunity for reflection, modeling, practice and support through the request of informal consult or coaching.  We will soon be rolling out procedures for utilizing our model teachers as well!  Proud to be NFV!

Instructional Coaching Cycle

Linked below is the presentation that was shared in each building before the Mini TIC sessions about the instructional coaching cycle.

Instructional Coaching Cycle

If you have any questions about the information that was shared, please ask one of the coaches or Betsy.  

Not ready for the coaching cycle?  Do you have a project, lesson, idea, or thought that you'd like to explore?  Contact one of us.  We are anxious to work with you and your students :)

Mini TIC Sessions

NFV teachers are always on the lookout for new and useful technology tools to help improve student learning. This year, the TigerHawk Instructional Services team arranged for those technology ideas to come directly to the teachers. During early dismissal professional development on the first three days of school, several THis team members gathered at different buildings to present Mini TIC Sessions (based on the Technology Integration Conference that those teachers attended this summer in Dubuque).  Teachers at those centers had several different options for a technology session to attend with the hope of utilizing that tool in their own classes. After receiving a lot of positive feedback from the sessions, it will definitely be an option for future PD as well.

Mini TIC Session List and Links

Welcome

Welcome to NFV's Instructional Services.  This is the new name of our TLC program which will feature 20 leadership positions available to serve all of our teachers.

Our Vision for this program is “Making best practices our common practices” through having highly effective teachers in front of every student every day. When we convene next August the 20 teacher leaders of NFV will be working hard to systematically support quality instruction for all students.