Web 2.0 Tool: Quizizz

Hello everyone! Today I am going to be talking about a wonderful tool for both teachers and students it is called Quizizz. This is a tool that allows anyone to create, or use already created quizzes. Whether it be in the classroom or outside of the classroom. Click here to see a five-minute tutorial about some of the unique and interesting features from this tool.

I hope you all enjoyed the tutorial now that you have listened and watched, I want to talk about one particular aspect of the tool. This is the tool that I found to be most interesting was the search bar for questions. When coming up with questions for quizzes it can be rather difficult. This tool allows you to search for a certain topic and either pick questions you like, or it can give you ideas of possible questions. To choose a question you will just click on the red cross next to the question and it moves it over for you. To help you find this tool I attached a screenshot below to help you:

As you can see, I believe this tool is a wonderful for any type of classroom for both the teachers and students. Creating quizzes, playing games with quizzes, and using them for homework is a really helpful tool. I highly suggest this tool for all teachers, students no matter the grade or subject! 

Podcasting In Education

In this post I will be talking about podcasting and the benefits that it will provide my students. Not only from a teacher perspective but as well as from a students. First of all we need to know what a podcast is, a podcast is a spoken piece created by someone through a recording program. Through a podcast you are able to talk about anything you would like. Most of the podcasts you can find are free. Since a podcast is online you are able to find and hear the piece no matter where you are. But how is this going to be a good resource and benefit the people involved? Teachers are able to use podcasts in many different ways. Since podcasts can be pulled anywhere teachers would be able to have students listen to be able to help on an assignment. This is especially helpful if language is involved. As well as any teacher can record and send out reminders for parents as well as for their students based on an activity or lesson that they were working on.  As well in turn a student could record to practice language, writing, and communication skills and other students would be able to listen. This is a wonderful tool to help any age of students. Podcasting is a new tool for people. I know for myself I just recently started using these tools, and have found it to be an amazing resource.

This past week I have used two different podcasting tools. They were AudioBoom and iTunes.

AudioBoom- A summary of this site, is that this is a website where you are able to create your own podcast as well as you are able to follow and listen to your own. One unique feature about AudioBoom is you are able to search for a podcast it gives you things that interest you. When setting up my account it went through the different sports that I like, the different topics such as history, paranormal, etc. The second unique feature is that the app and the website are connected. I used the app on my phone but once I had finished recording the podcast showed up on my computer without much trouble.

ITunes- A summary of this site, is something that most people have heard or have on their own. ITunes in summary is a place that contains podcasts, music, videos, etc. One unique fact about iTunes is that you can put your podcasts, videos, etc. online for others to read or listen to. With this you are able to see the most popular listened to pieces. The second unique feature is that before you decide to listen to a podcast you are able to see exactly how long it will take you to get all the way through it.

And I’m really excited to say I used these two cites when creating my first podcast! ITunes was used when looking for a podcast to talk about. I typed Education in the search bar and then clicked the podcast button on the side. ITunes contains lots of different pieces. It only took time to look through the possible podcasts to listen to. The podcast that I picked was Let’s Teach for Mastery—not test scores by Sal Khan. It was episode 4 and made on September 6, 2016. After listen to this podcast I went to AudioBoom on the phone app to create my summary.

This is the podcast that I decided to listen to and write a summary about. This podcast was taken from a TED talk. In summary the podcaster talks about two main pieces the idea of mastery and the idea of mindset. And how it isn't only for test scores. 

Teaching is a huge passion of mine! I am so excited to be able to share this with your child! This year is going to be a year full of fun, learning, and adventures and I can’t wait to see what is in store. I am originally from Mason, Ohio. I recently made the move to wilder Kentucky. I graduated from Northern
Kentucky University where I was able to cheer for four years. Whenever I get free time I love being with my friends and family. I really enjoy crafting on any kind of surface. You will come to find that I want your children to express their creative side! Teaching is my love, and my passion. I attempt to teach with so much love so that my students want to be life long learners.

Why is your child going to be blogging? First I would love for you as parents to feel connected to our classroom, and to the new things your child will be learning through third grade. I always want there to be a connection line open between us. You as well as other students will be able to see how far your children will have come by the end of the school year. I will be writing sample pieces off each assignment that is given. This will allow your student to see what they should look like and be doing. As well for you as parents I will be having a weekly or daily lesson thrown up on my blog. Which means I will show pictures, list activities, as well as a general list of what we were able to achieve and do during that week or day. This is also a chance to connect with other teachers to let learning thrive between classrooms. But the main blog will be for your students. I want to allow your kids to learn how to write in their own voice, read other students pieces and to have them be able to express themselves. They are able to write about what they are interested in, and as a class we will be writing more. Which in turn will affect the quality of their work and will be increasing dramatically. Yes, most of the pieces they will be writing will relate to what we are talking about in all of our subjects. But, we will also have during the week a “Free Mind Write”. Which means the story, passage, and poem is in the hands of the student. This in turn is very helpful for your student. Their reading skills will be improved, as well as their writing skills. Like I mentioned they would be reading a few pieces after they have written a blog. Some are going to require responses, which call for very in tune reading skills (which we will work on throughout the year). Your child will gain so much through the use of blogs this year. Getting use to blogging maybe complicated in the beginning so please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Photo from Flickr user Eden Osabel/ Creative Commons Liscensed 

            Learning should be fun! I will do everything I can to make a child’s experience in school fun. Learning is life long and I want all kids to be eager to learn something new. FunBrain.com is one of my most favorite sites for children. Fun Brain is a site that contains games for math, reading, grammar, listening, speaking, matching, etc. You are able to choose the game as well as the grade. The whole site is a free service and games can be played over and over again if desired. (If you have younger age children) In my classroom will be using some of these games in the classroom to have your student get familiar with them. Having this as an online service means using at home is just as easy. Students are able to practice what we learned outside of the classroom and a fun way as well.