Tech-Driven Creativity

Getting students to keep on task, keeping organized is a hard part of teaching in a middle school. I coach a Robotics team, and I also work with teachers to try to build their capacity for technology skills.  One way I try to help my kids is to teach teachers to create Graphic Organizers. Canva is a free tool that is great for creating all sorts of publications, videos, and even documents and websites. The tool is very flexible and allows you to upload graphics, or borrow from theirs. It has many great features for teachers, including classroom tools for creating alongside of your students. There are great tutorials for teachers, at: https://www.canva.com/designschool/tutorials/canva-for-teachers/ If you are not already using Canva, teachers can sign up for an upgrade through their verification process, and get it for free. Go to Canva.com/education Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers are a way to break down complicated problems into more manageable pieces. The often use colors and

  I have recently had a number of new students arriving at my small school. Most of them speak Spanish, and many of the teachers I work with have limited ability in that language. So... right now there are a number of teachers just trying to figure out how to communicate. TimeKettle My school had purchased TimeKettle translation earbuds.   These use a mobile device, such as an iPad to run translation. There are several earbud models, in varying price ranges. So far, these have been useful. They use an app called TimeKettle iOS or Android to use the device to help with the Translation. There are several modes for translation, but some work well for one on one translation, and others work better when you have multiple students needing translation. I suggest the 'Listen Mode' when you have more than one student, and the Simul mode when you have a longer one on one conversation to do. Microsoft Translator Another method does not need a fancy iPad or earbuds. Microsoft Translato