@TheMerrillsEDU

Discover 20 creative and engaging ways students can use Adobe Express in the classroom! From animating book characters to designing logos, crafting timelines, and inventing gadgets, this post highlights versatile projects that enhance learning across subjects. Perfect for fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, these ideas bring lessons to life with Adobe Express!

Unlock endless creativity and collaboration in your classroom with these 20 exciting ways to use Padlet! From sharing and collaborating on engaging videos and interactive maps to creating drawings and using Padlet's collaborative whiteboard, watch your students connect and get excited about their learning!

Discover top alternatives to Microsoft Flip for creating engaging video content in education. Explore tools like Adobe Express, Canva, and other innovative platforms that enhance student learning, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. Find the perfect tool for your classroom today!

@TheMerrillsEDU share how the app School AI can be used with students. Learn how School AI works, how to use AI to chat with a historical figure or book character, how to customize your own AI chatbot, and much more!

In this post, we’ll share where to find AI apps in Canva, how students can use the AI in Canva, and how Teachers can use the AI in Canva - all while maintaining an innovative level of creativity!

@TheMerrillsEDU share how teachers can use AI tools to save time, boost engagement, and personalize learning. You’ll learn about ten different tools to use in your classroom immediately and efficiently!

Learn how AI can automatically grade your student’s writing assignments using the FREE app, Class Companion! We’ll walk you through how to sign up, how it works, and what it looks like for students!

Are you nervous that you might lose all of your Jamboard files? We’ve got you covered! Check out this blog post to learn how to import Google’s Jamboard files into Lucidspark. Users who import these files will maintain the ability to edit their files!

We’ve picked ten must see applications that we believe will be handy in 2024! Everything from AI helping teachers and students, to coding and creation. You have to see them to believe them!

@TheMerrillsEDU explain the all-new Jamboard alternative, Lucidspark. Learn how this free for educators tool can enhance collaboration, promote creativity, and provide outlets for multimedia.

Now, generating content for your classroom is even easier thanks to Canva’s new Magic features. Whether you’re trying to find resources for lessons, create engaging activities, promote accessibility, or adding some glitter to your creations - Canva’s Magic tools can help. In this post, we’ll take a dive into each of the features and how they can help you in your classroom.

Figjam is a FREE, cross platform infinite canvas and digital white board that has powerful tools embedded right within the program. Whether your students are brainstorming on their next writing assignment, collaborating on math strategies, or taking a deep dive into a novel - Figjam is the right tool for you! Learn how it all works, grab some templates, and get started today!

@TheMerrillsEDU share 10 end of the year activities for elementary students! this blog post includes actvities from Epic For Kids, Microsoft Flip, Canva, Metademolab, Adobe Express, Wakelet, WeVideo, Do Ink’s Green Screen, Wonderopolis and more! There are also FREE packets! Just print, copy and you’re read to go!

@TheMerrillsEDU share some of the best Canva features to use in the Elementary Classroom! We’ll even provide some student examples for inspiration!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a hot topic in education in recent years. It has the potential to transform the way teachers teach and students learn in the classroom. Here are six AI tools that you can use in your classroom immediately!

@TheMerrillsEDU share 10 Ed Tech ideas that you have to try this coming year! Whether it’s animating drawings into characters, collaborating on docs, or assessing - we’ve got something for you!

Whether we need to tie gaps in student learning, or we need to take things to the next level, there are some great FREE teacher / EDU websites out there. We’ve hand-picked ten of our favorite, that we currently use, and are sharing them with you here!

@TheMerrillsEDU share 10 different education apps that you’re going to want to try in the new year! We’ve got something for Literacy, Math, Social Studies and Science. Check it out!

Danny Steele was quoted as saying, “Classroom Management is not about having the right rules. It’s about having the right relationships.” We completely agree here. If you’re looking for classroom management tips, it’s important to take into consideration that your management should change every year because your students change every year. Deepening the relationships between you and your students can create a rich and thriving interACTIVE environment. To get to this point, we’ve curated 10 classroom management tips. Check them out here!

@TheMerrillsEDU share Christmas ideas and activities for the Elementary Classroom! You’ll find: Something to Make 🎨, Something to Wear 👕, Something to Read 📚, and Something to Share 🙌🏻!

Learn how to use Canva to practice and assess your students sight words! These ideas can be used to assess or as a center!

Learn how Seesaw can help you connect families, encourage creation with your students, and communicate what is happening in the classroom! We’ve included some ⚡️FREEBIES⚡️ and even walk you through how to print your own class shirt using Seesaw creativity!

One of our favorite things about Flipgrid is the fact that anyone can use it. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting school, finishing school, teaching in school, or just using it to be COOL - Flipgrid is for you. The app is constantly changing, and often times gems are hidden right under our nose - or mouse pointer!

In late 2021, Microsoft released Reading Progress - a tool designed to help students become better readers and save educators time. Now, a new update and integration is here: Reading Coach!

Embedding apps is a great way to keep your content organized, but more importantly, it can help keep your students focused when working on tasks. The option to embed from apps is becoming increasingly more popular, and you may even be able to embed some of the apps you’re using right now! Here are 15 different ways we love to embed!

Building strong background knowledge is one of the six interACTIVE pieces we believe all educators should have when revising and refining their personal pedagogy. In today’s classroom, we as teachers use many different strategies to help students build background knowledge including discussions, videos, AR/VR and much more. Learn how Story Boards can help your students make connections to their own reading in a fun and engaging way!

Book Creator has always been one of our favorite go-to apps in the classroom. But now, with the ability to bring you Canva creations into Book Creator, things just way better! In this post, you’ll learn how to use Canva in Book Creator.

Did you know that Canva for Education is 100% free for educators and students? It is! But how does one of today’s best design programs translate into your classroom? Here are our top 10 favorite ways for teachers to use Canva!

Canva for education is 100% free for students and educators. It’s a great place for students to get creative with their thinking. But, if you’re not sure where to start, here are 20 different ways students can use Canva!

Learn how Seesaw can help you connect families, encourage creation with your students, and communicate what is happening in the classroom! We’ve included some ⚡️FREEBIES⚡️ and even walk you through how to print your own class shirt using Seesaw creativity!

One of our favorite things about Flipgrid is the fact that anyone can use it. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting school, finishing school, teaching in school, or just using it to be COOL - Flipgrid is for you. The app is constantly changing, and often times gems are hidden right under our nose - or mouse pointer!

In late 2021, Microsoft released Reading Progress - a tool designed to help students become better readers and save educators time. Now, a new update and integration is here: Reading Coach!

Embedding apps is a great way to keep your content organized, but more importantly, it can help keep your students focused when working on tasks. The option to embed from apps is becoming increasingly more popular, and you may even be able to embed some of the apps you’re using right now! Here are 15 different ways we love to embed!

Building strong background knowledge is one of the six interACTIVE pieces we believe all educators should have when revising and refining their personal pedagogy. In today’s classroom, we as teachers use many different strategies to help students build background knowledge including discussions, videos, AR/VR and much more. Learn how Story Boards can help your students make connections to their own reading in a fun and engaging way!

Book Creator has always been one of our favorite go-to apps in the classroom. But now, with the ability to bring you Canva creations into Book Creator, things just way better! In this post, you’ll learn how to use Canva in Book Creator.

Did you know that Canva for Education is 100% free for educators and students? It is! But how does one of today’s best design programs translate into your classroom? Here are our top 10 favorite ways for teachers to use Canva!

Canva for education is 100% free for students and educators. It’s a great place for students to get creative with their thinking. But, if you’re not sure where to start, here are 20 different ways students can use Canva!

The particular transformation is one that has been on the back burner so to speak for years and it was initially inspired by a photo found on Pinterest. With some intentional planning, this simple photo led to a day full of learning that could easily be integrated into any grade level or subject area.

@TheMerrillsEDU share 20 different activities to celebrate Halloween! Try turning yourself into a ghost that visits your classroom, become a character from the text and much more. We’ve included a list of our top 20 favorite Halloween themed books!

Learn how you can use Microsoft’s Reading Progress to automatically grade Sight Words! If you’re a primary teacher, this is a must see and an absolute time saver!

@TheMerrillsEDU share 20 different activities to celebrate International Dot Day, the day dedicated to the book “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds.

@TheMerrillsEDU share ways on how to use Microsoft tools in a post-pandemic classroom. Learn how students can use dictation, convert word files to powerpoint presentations, how to use Microsoft's collaborative whiteboard and so much more! These quick tips and tricks are delivered in less than 90 seconds!

In this post, @TheMerrillsEDU highlight one of their favorite strategies for nourishing student and family relationships—postcards! Sharing your thoughts and feelings is one of the easiest ways to build a relationship with your students. Sending short, sweet notes of encouragement home for students to find is one easy way to reach out and build a relationship with them.

Book Creator has just announced ⭐️HUGE⭐️ updates to their platform! Learn about what’s new and how to use it here!

@TheMerrillsEDU share the all new Fligrid updates coming in 2021! Learn what’s coming, what’s new and what is changing!

Prime Day is here and that means there are all kinds of goodies for the classroom on sale! Here’s a list of items we’ve compiled so that you don’t have to go looking through everything. We’ll keep this updated throughout the next few days!

Bring the engagement of breakout games into your classroom with this Wakelet, Buncee and Flipgrid idea! This post walks you through the process of setting up the breakout OR simply downloading our Wakelet collection templates for yourself!

Elgato’s Stream Deck is a simple and powerful tool that commits an action once a button is pressed. Quickly play a sound effect, animated GIF and much more! Introducing this into the classroom is can take your engagement through the roof. Learn how it all works in this blog post!

Parker Looks Up is quickly becoming a classroom favorite! Here are some 💥FREE💥 interACTIVE activities to tie into the book and quickly engage your students!

From Desk to Digital is a series of mini blog posts where @TheMerrillsEDU share ways to transform your students education into an interACTIVE experience. Whether substituting a worksheet or trying something new, these activities are easy and can be implemented into your classroom tomorrow! In this post, learn how your students can become characters from your story using the Flipgrid Shorts camera!

Whether you’re are preparing to close out the year or just kick it off, student relationships matter. Check out our free template - just cut and print - to show your appreciation for your students!

NO MORE RUNNING RECORDS! You read that right. Microsoft’s new Reading Progress will take these off your hands, freeing up time that you can dedicate to your students. Learn how it all works, here!

@TheMerrillsEDU share interACTIVE activities for May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day. Check out recommended books, a Star Wars video production app, Seesaw activities, Flipgrid Photo Stickers and resources from @Erintegration!

@TheMerrillsEDU explain how to create your own stickers to use in Flipgrid videos! These can easily be added right from within the Flipgrid Shorts Camera. In this post, you’ll also find links to books that work with the stickers!

The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home are two classroom essentials! @TheMerrillsEDU share interACTIVE activities featuring: Google Jamboard, Novel Effect, Chatterpix Kids, Flipgrid and more!

“Mae Among the Stars” is a beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. It has quickly become a “must read” in many elementary classrooms - including our own! So, here are some ways we are using it!

@TheMerrillsEDU introduce how to use the iOS app LightSpace. LightSpace transforms your surroundings into an Augmented reality digital whiteboard. You can even walk through your own creations! Learn how it all works and pick some lesson ideas here!

From Desk to Digital is a series of mini blog posts where @TheMerrillsEDU share ways to transform your students education into an interACTIVE experience. Whether substituting a worksheet or trying something new, these activities are easy and can be implemented into your classroom tomorrow! In this post, learn how the website Solvemoji.com can engage your learners with fun math fact fluency.

@theMerrillsEDU “unpack” how to use Gimkit’s latest tool: Ink. In this blog post you’ll learn: what Gimkit Ink is, how to launch it for your students and how students can publish their work and share it with their classmates!

Learn how rockstar 7th Grade educator Karie Frauenhoffer makes taking attendance into an interACTIVE experience! Be sure to follow Karie on Twitter at @legitkfrauey for more tips and tricks!

How can you allow multiple students to appear in the same Flipgrid video? @TheMerrillsEDU walk you through how to add a new element of collaboration to your lessons!

Remote learning is challenging, but infusing technology can help make tasks easier. Flipgrid gives both educators and students opportunities to share content in creative and unique ways. In this blog post you’ll learn about some of our favorite ways to use Flipgrid throughout remote learning.

There’s no question that Flipgrid is one of our favorite Ed Tech tools. One of the best parts about Flipgrid is just how well it integrates with other apps. Whether you’re app smashing, embedding, or just simply adding a link, here are 20 apps that work well with Flipgrid.

You’re ready to give Flipgrid a try, but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! In this blog post you’ll learn how to set up Groups / Topics, what a student sees, tips for getting started, and even free recommended lessons.

2020 was a wild year - especially for educators. We experienced the world’s greatest PD event, but which apps / websites proved to be the most resourceful? We’ll walk you through five of the ones that we find ourselves using the most in our own classrooms.

Your students LOVE the game Among Us, but how can we integrate this in an educational way? We’ve got you covered! In this post, you’ll learn how to set up and play Among Us on Flipgrid!

Book Creator is an incredibly valuable tool that may be used whether you are teaching remotely or in-person. But, we understand that everyone is incredibly busy. So, we’ve decided to share three of our favorite ways to use it with you! Download them inside now!

A traditional classroom favorite activity is to place your students into a snow globe. In the past this has been done by capturing a photo of your students, then shrinking down the photo’s size, and possibly even cutting out the background. But, now there’s an easier way - just in time for the virtual learning holiday season.

The weeks after Thanksgiving that lead up to Christmas are always the hardest for teachers. Students are out of the normal routine after the extended fall break and are now excited and eager for Christmas to follow in the weeks to come. It can be hard to keep students focused and get all the planned curriculum and lessons in efficiently.

Sharing your holiday wish list just got a whole lot easier! Create a Wakelet collection and share it out with family and friends! You can even create a “Space” to curate lists shared with you. Check out the post to learn more!

Remote learning has definitely posed some. new challenges for teachers looking to finish the year virtually. One of these is the ability to monitor, differentiate and provide scaffolding for student learners. Wonderopolis is a great resource for teachers looking to provide meaningful content to students to use for learning, while also being sensitive to the various learning situations student have at home.

Wakelet’s new feature “Spaces” is here! Learn how it works and twelve ideas to get you started now!

MicrosoftEDU tools are powerful and robust and can be used in so many ways beyond just typing and presenting. Sway is one of the newer programs added to the Microsoft 365 line up and it may be one of the most powerful.

The interACTIVE class isn’t a place. It isn’t just flexible seating or colorful props, but rather it is the idea of creating learning opportunities for students that are memorable and engaging. So with that attitude in mind, I have set out to come up with a way to keep the learning in my classroom as engaging and interACTIVE as possible. So my newest idea for the fall is the idea of InterACTIVE Student Kits.

Wakelet has placed a great deal of focus on collaboration, and now educators have the ability to control who gets to manage the content being shared. In this blog post, learn how to provide contributor and admin rights!

The Bitmoji craze is taking over the remote learning world as a fun, interactive way for teachers to engage their students when teaching remotely. Now obviously, it is important to note that once your Bitmoji classroom is built, you need to make sure that it is easy for students to navigate, not overwhelming and that the lessons linked to it are structured in solid pedagogy. But for the sake of this post, we are going to just have fun decorating and building a Bitmoji classroom.

Nearpod has just announced what updates users can expect for this coming year - and there is a lot to talk about!

The first few weeks of school are so important when it comes to lying the foundation for the entire school year. This is the time we build community, learn about one another and develop trust. For educators teaching remotely this is a challenge in and of itself due to the fact that the group will not be meeting in person together. How can we build relationship and create interACTIVE learning experiences for our students while distanced and apart?

With all of the new Frames being added we thought of a fun activity you can use for both students in class and those learning remotely— First Day of school photos! Learn how to create custom frames to fit any Flipgrid lesson!

Adding “yourself” to your virtual classroom doesn’t mean you need a green screen. You can do it using this simple “background remover.” In this post, you’ll learn how it all works!

There are many hidden gems within Microsoft EDU, and Microsoft Forms is one of them! Microsoft Forms was released in 2016 and since then, there have been may updates and features released that take it beyond simple question and answering.

Microsoft Teams is constantly providing updates to its platform, but the latest is one that users have been begging for: the ability to upload your own backgrounds. Now, you can create a personalized scene and Teams will virtually place you directly into your image.

The all new Adobe Photoshop Camera app places the magic of Adobe Photoshop right into your devices’ camera. You can take photos or upload them directly into the app, and then select from different “lenses” and filters for your photos. In this blog post, learn exactly what the Photoshop Camera app is and what can you do with it, how to use it, and how to save and share your photos!

For those of you who have been following us for some time now, and if you’re new you’ll now find out, we are not only educators but parents of two young boys. We acknowledge that a few skills may have been lost or at least lessened during remote learning, so this summer we wanted to take an interACTIVE approach to keeping the learning alive.

We had big summer plans…then things changed…Now, you can catch us “virtually” this summer at any of the INCREDIBLE events below! This summer doesn’t have to be a bummer!

With the end of the year quickly approaching, the way we celebrate with our students will definitely look different this year. Sadly, we are not going to be able carry out our end of year celebrations, reflect together and create memory books, or compete as a class during field day or other school wide events. So doing what educators always do when faced with something new, we adapt and change!

Virtual Classrooms are a great way for educators to deliver content to students in a fun and engaging way. Buncee makes creating one easy! You’ll learn how to create and share your virtual classroom to your students!

The thrill of escaping from a level and breaking out of a lesson is appealing to many students and teaching and learning through games is just one of the many ways you can create #interACTIVE learning environments and lessons—especially when teaching digitally through remote learning.

With teachers all over the world ending the school year with remote learning, Nearpod has come through with a helpful update to their already robust platform—teacher view during student pace mode!

I was determined to find a way for us to share this time together even though we are apart and Flipgrid was the perfect platform to do this in. The multiple features and tools within the Flipgrid platform make read aloud possible and still give us a space for discussions during this time of asynchronous learning.

Flipgrid is by far one of our favorite educational apps to use both in the classroom and even more now during this period of remote learning. It has many useful features for teachers to use when creating lessons, one of these being the photo sticker tool.

Transforming the classroom has always been one of our favorite ways to engage students. They walk in intrigued, curious as to what the day of learning would hold for them. This heightened interest would help them persevere through difficult tasks they might otherwise give up on. Plan a week of spy themed activities or turn your students into learning detectives. Dress the part, play some music and infuse this theme into any content you are teaching.

Nearpod and Microsoft Teams have partnered up to provide a complete game changer - especially when it comes to remote learning. Now, you can “go live” with your Nearpod Lessons in Microsoft Teams!

Flipgrid is at it once again, and during this time of remote learning the ability to integrate a Flipgrid Topic directly into a Nearpod presentation is so useful! Now in addition to creating Nearpod lessons filled with collaborative slides, 3D explorations and embedded activities, students can now share their voice on Flipgrid!

With so much unknown right now in education, one thing we can do as educators is focus on meeting the needs of our students the best we can while remote learning. We may have lost the sense of security and safety our physical classrooms gave us, but with the help of Microsoft Teams we can expand those four walls and bring our students into a different type of interACTIVE learning environment.

Part of what makes the Shorts camera so powerful are the features available to students to use when sharing their voice and ideas. Digital inking can take ideas and explanations to a whole new level.

You’ve heard of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego,” but have you heard of “Where on the map is Mr. Merrill?” Buncee is the perfect tool for such a game! Check out how we used it to create a unique #RemoteLearning experience!

Wakelet collections are quickly spreading throughout the world of #EdTech, and educators are sharing incredible ways to utilize this tool in the classroom.

Even though we’re out of our classrooms, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a “Virtual Room Transformation!”

We’re busy. Things have been hectic for us all, and it seems almost impossible to just stop and think for a second. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health throughout a pandemic. It’s easy to keep our kids indoors, but let’s not forget the about their mental health.

Did you know that you can use YouTube LIVE to launch a live stream discussion into Flipgrid? Check out this hack that’s perfect for #RemoteLearning!

As more and more schools look towards the possibility of Remote Learning, we understand that you probably have lots of questions. We’re here for you.

Describing the characters from a text has never been this fun! Check out how to create your own augmented reality character trading cards!

Learning happens when we go beyond ourselves and connect with those around us. The EdSpace platform is geared and designed to be a social learning network for those in the world of education.

Many try to incorporate Genius Hour, 20% time, Passion Projects, or other named activities all dedicated to student inquiry. For those with limited time or resources, try using Flipgrid! Combine the tool designed for student voice with basic inquiry to create a simple step toward student inquiry.

Part of developing an #interACTIVE lesson is finding a way to engage students in their own learning. Sometimes this comes by integrating new apps or programs, but it doesn’t always have to be through something new. Often, using a program students are already familiar with in a new way can be just as effective.

Troubleshooting. It’s something we get asked about quite often. How do we deal with that one student that doesn't want to learn or work?

InterACTIVE teaching is all about being reactive and responsive when it comes to what and how we teach. We also know that engagement comes through games and the act of “time running out.” So combine the two and you essentially get the idea behind “first chapter Friday.”

What if we told you that you could transform your room without moving a single thing? You can and it’s even easier than you think!

Podcasting in Flipgrid? YES! It’s possible! Check out our step-by-step tutorial to help you get started with your very own #interactivePODclass! ✌🏻😉

To better understand a parent's perspective of education, think of someone who wears glasses--maybe even yourself! Your glasses help you see, or maybe you're completely dependent on them to function effectively. What happens when you take your glasses off? You view the word entirely differently.

“The InterACTIVE Class” book is almost here! Learn more about what to expect!

With the holiday season in full swing we always try to balance celebrating with our students and being ever so conscious of specific family traditions and holidays. With the help of the Target Dollar Spot, we have found a fun way to do both!

@TheMerrillsEDU covers Black Friday 2019 - for educators! We’ve found the best deals for YOU!

Learn how to turn yourself into a ghost! 👻🤭

Technology is an awesome resource that we have at our fingertips. It creates accountability, gives accessibility and can foster creativity. But technology isn’t a bandaid that should be used to fix a lesson. It also isn’t something that your lesson should morph around in order to incorporated. As we always say, start with your content and then see if there are ways to foster more voice, involvement and creativity using technology.

Learn how to embed Flipgrid videos directly into your Wakelet collections in just five steps!

Creating an #interACTIVE learning environment is something that we strive to do as educators every day. But not every engaging activity has to be on a computer, involving song and dance or a costume change. Sometimes a simple die can go a long way!

Have you checked out “The Good Egg,” by Jory John and Pete Oswald? This book can be used to promote positive behavior, and adding this classroom management tip can help keep your students on task throughout the year!

Parents. Legal guardians. They are (or should be!) our partners in education but there are so many factors that often complicate this idea. Time. Work. Family dynamics. Regardless, we as teachers should be making an effort to open up the window to our classroom to those who want to see in.

We challenge ourselves to try and find things we could not only use in our classroom, but to find things we could use differently than they were designed and marketed for. We often get questions about what we go for so we thought we would put a post together about some of of favorite finds from IKEA!

Are you as excited for ISTE as we are? Check out some of our favorite sessions, broken down day-by-day for you!

It’s during times like this where I am challenged the most to continue making learning engaging and #interACTIVE. It’s very easy to curate a packet for students to write about end of year memories, but rather I still strive to make memories until our last day.

Maybe one of the main reasons why I love using picture books in the class is because they are responsive—they are a result of people’s reactions to the world around us. Picture books help me pivot. They help me change up what I am doing to connect with and meet the needs of the students I currently have in the classroom.

Mental Math in younger grades can be tough for some students. But, with today’s technology and group collaboration, we can make this area of learning fun!

We as teachers need to make sure we are doing our students a favor by teaching them the right way to use the tools in the most meaningful and effective ways. Throwing tips and tricks at them in an unorganized manner, or failing to fill in the gaps they may have will only lead to more misconceptions and bigger problems for students down the road.

Common standard—needed a new delivery method. One of my favorite ways to engage students is by meeting them where they are at and this year we met to discuss theme….through MEMES. Student created and explained using Microsoft PowerPoint!

We’re honored to announce our new @YouTube series: “Journey to Microsoft” is now LIVE!

One of Flipgrid’s most powerful features is often overlooked. “Ideas” has a similar feel to Instagram or Facebooks’ “Stories.” You can even swipe from left to right!

Students needed to show that they were able to summarize a story and then use that summary to tell the theme. I referred back to that quote—if I were a child, how would I want to show my ability to retell a story? In today’s digital world, retelling and summarizing happens in 30 sec clips, 7 sec vines and numerous other forms of visual media. So when I looked at it through my students’ eyes the answer was crystal clear!

The power and possibilities from Microsoft’s Immersive Reader are endless. So where do you start? How can we get this into the hands of “littles,” who will definitely benefit from it? 

Programs and applications often try to market themselves as THE one to try and we often get steered into the idea that we need to use this one particular program for everything. Or we begin to think that one program is just plain better to use than another. Rather than looking for the “one size fits all” tool, educators will be more successful piecing together various tools into the same lesson.

As as I prepared to leave for FETC, I had to account for all the minutes in all the days (3 to be exact!) and if you’re like me, I hate giving busy work. I value my students’ time and their talents and I don’t want my time away to be wasted. So I turned to Microsoft Teams and OneNote. 

It’s that time of year and we are excited to be able to travel to FETC2019.

Pretty things glitter, sparkle and are appealing to the eyes. They attract us and lead us towards them, but often what happens is that once we get a hold of them we lose sight of what’s surrounding us.