Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from August 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Looking for great ideas on how to measure learning with engaging student projects? Look no further! This workshop will introduce you to a wide range of projects designed with Sway, a free edtech design tool for students in grades 2-12. This visually dynamic, intuitive tool easily combines text, images, designs, audio, video to spark student creativity. It's shareable, can be collaborative, looks fantastic, and is accessible on any device, making it a perfect addition to your 1:1 initiative toolbox. Learn the basics in minutes and translate your new learning into powerful formative and summative student projects that focus on content rather than bells and whistles. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn basic use of the free Sway tool; 2. Understand what elements must be present to have an authentic, successful show-what-you-know student project; and 3. Plan for the use of Microsoft Sway in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): assessment (147), Formative Assessment (74), professional development (385)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Making a learning environment accessible for everyone is critical to a successful inclusive classroom. Today's classrooms are diverse and include English Language Learners and students with learning challenges, whether they have been identified or not. Teachers need to be able to create and deliver content and communications in a way that is accessible to each student. Fortunately, there are free technologies that do just that. Join us as we explore strategies and two free tools that facilitate an inclusive learning environment. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the importance of accessibility; 2. Learn about a free Microsoft tool that can be used to digitize content into accessible materials; and 3. Discover a tool that helps bridge communication gaps and supports accessible classroom learning. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): Accessibility (11), Microsoft (80), professional development (385)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Knowing if students "caught what was taught" is crucial in instruction. This session introduces the concept of exit tickets and ways you can use them to gauge what your students took away from your lessons. Learn to use the data from these informal formative assessments to adjust your instructional plan to accommodate the needs of your students. Allow students who are ready to move on and give those who need additional instruction the attention they need. Join us to explore the use of exit tickets and determine how they can fit into your instructional plan. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn about three categories of exit tickets; 2. Understand how to use exit ticket data; and 3. Plan for the use of exit tickets in your setting. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): Formative Assessment (74), professional development (385)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Helpful feedback can come from a variety of sources. If you're wondering how to use tech tools to give your students better feedback then this session is for you! Learn effective feedback strategies to drive achievement and nurture your students as they acquire new skills like self-reflection and peer review. Explore tech tools that facilitate teacher and community feedback to help students understand the value of feedback from multiple sources and realize the growth potential of embracing both positive and negative responses. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn components of effective feedback, 2. Explore methods for providing feedback to students; and 3. Plan for the instructional use of feedback mechanisms in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): feedback (12), professional development (385)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from May 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Personalizing instruction doesn't have to be complicated. Using an instructional playlist is a simple way to honor student voice and choice while structuring the work your students do independently. This session will help you create playlists that integrate multiple types of activities while using incremental checkpoints. Of all the tools that you can put in your blended learning toolkit, the playlist is one that you don't want to miss. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the purpose of instructional playlists; 2. Learn how using playlists can support student voice and choice; and 3. Begin planning an instructional playlist. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): blended learning (37), differentiation (84), personalized learning (10), playlists (8)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from October 2020. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Recorded screencasts can support a flipped/blended pedagogical approach, give activity instructions to students, or help parents support students who are struggling with an assignment. Using Screencast-O-Matic, you can quickly create a screencast that enables you to respond to student needs. Learn best practice use of screencasts to support instruction and put screencasts to work in your educational setting tomorrow! As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn how to use Screencast-O-Matic; 2. Share ideas for the use of screencasts; and 3. Plan for the instructional use of screencasts. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): professional development (385), teaching strategies (50), video (266)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from November 2020. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Looking for a way to "jazz things up" in the classroom? Look no further! Use your personalized emoji to capture student attention and facilitate your lesson. Create a Bitmoji classroom scene to share the week's reading materials, take students on a virtual field trip, or create an escape room activity. This is definitely bells and whistles, but who doesn't like to have a little fun? Join us, and you too can participate in the Bitmoji classroom craze. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn how to create a Bitmoji classroom scene; 2. Share ways to use Bitmoji scenes for instruction; and 3. Plan for the instructional use of Bitmoji scenes. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): classroom management (120), professional development (385), remote learning (54)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from November 2020. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Use Microsoft Teams meeting tools to help structure your virtual meetings and increase participant interactivity when teaching remotely. You can share documents, collaborate on whiteboards and facilitate full class, small group and one-on-one meetings to complement instructional activities that students are working on. Join us and learn to make the most of your live lessons and meetings in Microsoft Teams. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn to use Teams meeting tools; 2. Explore ways to increase interactivity during meetings; and 3. Plan for the instructional use of meetings using Microsoft Teams. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): classroom management (120), Microsoft (80), professional development (385), remote learning (54)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2020. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Pulling all of your lesson content into one collection that students can navigate independently is a great instructional strategy. When used to implement flipped/blended learning, Wakelet allows students to be more self-reliant and gives the instructor more time to help students who struggle. Wakelet offers flexibility in how you share content with your students encouraging creativity in both the instructional sequence and in the ways students demonstrate learning. Join us to learn how Wakelet can be used to reshape your classroom. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand how Wakelet can be used to deliver differentiated blended learning lessons; 2. Explore Wakelet's built-in tools that support instruction; and 3. Plan to deliver a lesson using Wakelet. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): Accessibility (11), blended learning (37), classroom management (120), curation (32), flipped learning (9), professional development (385), remote learning (54), teaching strategies (50)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2020. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Creating the learning environment for every student is difficult when faced with remote learning. Without differentiated instruction, students may not thrive. Promote engagement by providing students with a choice of materials that allows them to acquire the required skills. Allow students to demonstrate what they have learned in various ways. Learn strategies for remote differentiation when you join this session. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand Tomlinson's model for differentiated instruction; 2. Explore ways to provide multiple options to access content; and 3. Plan a differentiated content strategy for the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): differentiation (84), professional development (385), remote learning (54)

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from May 2020. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.

Microsoft's Office Online is a completely free, web-based version of Microsoft Office. Designed to facilitate workplace readiness skills including communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity, Office online can be used with students of all ages. We will share promising practices as well as strategies for staying organized, easily sharing files, and using these tools with your students. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the features of Office Online that support the 4Cs; 2. Explore classroom applications for Microsoft Forms and Sway; and 3. Plan for the use of Office Online in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): collaboration (93), communication (129), creativity (86), critical thinking (127), Microsoft (80), professional development (385)