Google Classroom with ELD 2
This week, I got my ELD 2 class set up on Google Classroom. As you know, I started using Classroom with my English 11 classes at the beginning of the semester. Since I usually have to walk my ELD 2 students through everything step-by-step, I wanted to give myself some time to practice Classroom and make sure I had all the kinks worked out before introducing it to them.
I actually introduced Classroom two weeks ago, when my students started typing up research papers. Getting them on Classroom was extremely easy. I just told them to go to classroom.google.com, click on the "+" to join a class, and enter the class code. That was it! At first, they had a little trouble figuring out where to click to open up the assignment and finding the assignment after they started it, but they soon got the hang of it.
Usually on Mondays, I start class by giving the students a new vocabulary list for the week. However, this week, I decided it was time for a review list. Therefore, I started class by handing out blank worksheets, putting the students in groups of 2-3, and having each group come up with 5 words from previous vocabulary lists that they still didn't know very well and that they felt were important. After this, I got them onto Classroom. I had already put a blank vocabulary presentation up onto the website. Since we've been working on Google Drive for most of the year, they were already familiar with the concept that something could be "shared" and edited by multiple people at once, so they did not have any problem opening the presentation and getting to work.
My plan was for students to input their information (the words, parts of speech, definitions, synonyms, and antonyms) into the presentation, and then I was going to have them present the information to the rest of the class. What wound up happening, however, was, as soon as they were done putting in their information, they began reading over the rest of the presentation and filling in the information from the other groups on their worksheets. Then, they asked me for the sample sentences, which I usually provide for them, and told me I should just put them on the website. I did, and they moved straight from getting the information from the presentation to copying down the sample sentences. From there, they moved straight onto finishing the research papers they'd been working on for the last week.
As they worked, I watched them, amazed. When these students are working independently, I usually feel like I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off because they all need help all the time. But on Monday... they just... worked. I had set up Classroom and posted all of the information they needed, and since they knew the routine they needed to follow, they did not need my help.
I actually introduced Classroom two weeks ago, when my students started typing up research papers. Getting them on Classroom was extremely easy. I just told them to go to classroom.google.com, click on the "+" to join a class, and enter the class code. That was it! At first, they had a little trouble figuring out where to click to open up the assignment and finding the assignment after they started it, but they soon got the hang of it.
Usually on Mondays, I start class by giving the students a new vocabulary list for the week. However, this week, I decided it was time for a review list. Therefore, I started class by handing out blank worksheets, putting the students in groups of 2-3, and having each group come up with 5 words from previous vocabulary lists that they still didn't know very well and that they felt were important. After this, I got them onto Classroom. I had already put a blank vocabulary presentation up onto the website. Since we've been working on Google Drive for most of the year, they were already familiar with the concept that something could be "shared" and edited by multiple people at once, so they did not have any problem opening the presentation and getting to work.
My plan was for students to input their information (the words, parts of speech, definitions, synonyms, and antonyms) into the presentation, and then I was going to have them present the information to the rest of the class. What wound up happening, however, was, as soon as they were done putting in their information, they began reading over the rest of the presentation and filling in the information from the other groups on their worksheets. Then, they asked me for the sample sentences, which I usually provide for them, and told me I should just put them on the website. I did, and they moved straight from getting the information from the presentation to copying down the sample sentences. From there, they moved straight onto finishing the research papers they'd been working on for the last week.
As they worked, I watched them, amazed. When these students are working independently, I usually feel like I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off because they all need help all the time. But on Monday... they just... worked. I had set up Classroom and posted all of the information they needed, and since they knew the routine they needed to follow, they did not need my help.
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Ease of use: Oh my goodness, this was so easy! It helps that my ELD 2 class is so small, because I can actually take the time to walk around and help anyone and everyone who needs help. Getting them onto classroom was easy, and they began helping each other once they figured it out.
Would I use this again: Yes. I have officially deleted the Edmodo app from my phone. No more Edmodo. I will only be using Google Classroom from now on. (At least until something better comes along...) Also, I really enjoyed doing the vocabulary this way. I try to include "review lists" every few weeks, and doing it like this worked really, really well.
Downsides: Since some of my students are not very familiar with computers, they are very slow in typing, and they make a lot of mistakes. I cannot even tell you how many times a student has called me over to tell me they can't log in on the Chromebook, and when I looked at their email address, I saw that they had typed it incorrectly. So. Many. Times. Also, as of right now, Google Classroom is only available to GAFE users, so if your school is not part of the GAFE network, you won't be able to set up a site for your classes. This is a major downside, so if you are interested in Classroom, try to encourage your school or district to get on board with GAFE.
Applications: You can use a Google Classroom for an entirely web-based class or for blended learning in pretty much any subject area. (Although, I don't know how an online P.E. class would work...)
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Ease of use: Oh my goodness, this was so easy! It helps that my ELD 2 class is so small, because I can actually take the time to walk around and help anyone and everyone who needs help. Getting them onto classroom was easy, and they began helping each other once they figured it out.
Would I use this again: Yes. I have officially deleted the Edmodo app from my phone. No more Edmodo. I will only be using Google Classroom from now on. (At least until something better comes along...) Also, I really enjoyed doing the vocabulary this way. I try to include "review lists" every few weeks, and doing it like this worked really, really well.
Downsides: Since some of my students are not very familiar with computers, they are very slow in typing, and they make a lot of mistakes. I cannot even tell you how many times a student has called me over to tell me they can't log in on the Chromebook, and when I looked at their email address, I saw that they had typed it incorrectly. So. Many. Times. Also, as of right now, Google Classroom is only available to GAFE users, so if your school is not part of the GAFE network, you won't be able to set up a site for your classes. This is a major downside, so if you are interested in Classroom, try to encourage your school or district to get on board with GAFE.
Applications: You can use a Google Classroom for an entirely web-based class or for blended learning in pretty much any subject area. (Although, I don't know how an online P.E. class would work...)
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The Virtual Question Box
Like many teachers do, I have a student who frequently comes into my classroom at lunch to talk to me. I never know how or why it happens, but every year, a different student seems to adopt me and feels compelled to confide in me things that his/her (usually her) friends don't even know. Usually, these are individuals who are going through (or have been through) more than any person should have to deal with in his/her entire life. My heart often breaks for these students, and I try to help them in any way I can, which usually means I spend a lot of time listening. Occasionally, I give advice, and, at all times, I am honest.
Recently, my current adoptive student told me that she now has a boyfriend. This is very good for her, because she has been hit by one bad thing after another this year. (She was in the hospital; her mother had a stroke; she got kicked out of her house; etc.) When she told me about her boyfriend, she spoke excitedly about him, but she also assured me that they both "wanted to take things slow." This, then, launched her into a whole diatribe about some of the other girls at school, including her twin sister, and their experience. If this conversation had taken place at the beginning of my teaching career, I probably would have been blushing, but, after becoming a mother, I've come to understand that bodies are just bodies, and, more importantly, our bodies are nothing to be embarrassed by or ashamed of. As she was talking, I was reminded of the time, a few years ago, when a group of my female students asked me if we could talk about sex and birth control because their parents refused to tell them anything about either of these subjects.
As I drove home that afternoon, I thought about how so many teenagers have questions about so many things, yet they often have no idea who to ask. Some parents tell their children that they can ask them anything, but most teenagers still do not feel comfortable talking to their parents about sensitive topics like sex, depression, friends, etc. I decided that I had to figure out a way to allow my students to ask me questions they need to talk about because part of being an English teacher is teaching students how to think critically and responsibly... how can they be responsible if they don't even know all the information?
I also remembered that, on the first semester reflection, a student had written that I should have a suggestion box in class. I realized I could create an online version of the suggestion box that would also allow students to ask me questions. I am calling it the "Virtual Question Box."
When I got home, I quickly put together a simple form and posted it onto my class websites. I gave students the option to anonymously submit either a question or a suggestion. If they submitted a question, I let them choose if they would like me to address it to the entire class or if they would like me to answer it individually. (If they want me to answer it individually, they are taken to another screen to tell me their name and when/how they would like me to answer their question.) Here is what it looks like on my end:
Here is what it looks like on their end:
When I told my student who eats lunch with me about it, she said, "That's cool... but I doubt anyone will actually use it." That day, before I had even explained it in class, I already had a student submit a question about how to make up an assignment. This week, I had another student ask a question. It is possible that I nobody else will use it for the rest of the year, but I would be okay with that. The point is that two students have already used it and that it is there if any other students need or want to use it. That's the important part.
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Ease of use: It took me a little while to format the form exactly how I wanted it, but now that it is made, I can use it forever.
Would I use this again: As I said, I am going to keep this up for the rest of the year just in case any other students need or want to use it. The wonderful thing about having a classroom website is that I can just post a link to something like this, and it stays there forever unless I choose to delete it.
Downsides: It is possible that students may ask inappropriate questions about me through this form, but if that happens, I will deal with it at that time. I do think that my students respect me enough to not do that, so I don't think I really have to worry. My second period got all riled up about trying to get everybody to post a suggestion saying that they shouldn't have to write journals anymore, but I haven't had a single person actually post that yet... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't rise up against me.
Applications: This takes the place of a physical question/suggestion box.
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As I drove home that afternoon, I thought about how so many teenagers have questions about so many things, yet they often have no idea who to ask. Some parents tell their children that they can ask them anything, but most teenagers still do not feel comfortable talking to their parents about sensitive topics like sex, depression, friends, etc. I decided that I had to figure out a way to allow my students to ask me questions they need to talk about because part of being an English teacher is teaching students how to think critically and responsibly... how can they be responsible if they don't even know all the information?
I also remembered that, on the first semester reflection, a student had written that I should have a suggestion box in class. I realized I could create an online version of the suggestion box that would also allow students to ask me questions. I am calling it the "Virtual Question Box."
When I got home, I quickly put together a simple form and posted it onto my class websites. I gave students the option to anonymously submit either a question or a suggestion. If they submitted a question, I let them choose if they would like me to address it to the entire class or if they would like me to answer it individually. (If they want me to answer it individually, they are taken to another screen to tell me their name and when/how they would like me to answer their question.) Here is what it looks like on my end:
Here is what it looks like on their end:
When I told my student who eats lunch with me about it, she said, "That's cool... but I doubt anyone will actually use it." That day, before I had even explained it in class, I already had a student submit a question about how to make up an assignment. This week, I had another student ask a question. It is possible that I nobody else will use it for the rest of the year, but I would be okay with that. The point is that two students have already used it and that it is there if any other students need or want to use it. That's the important part.
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Ease of use: It took me a little while to format the form exactly how I wanted it, but now that it is made, I can use it forever.
Would I use this again: As I said, I am going to keep this up for the rest of the year just in case any other students need or want to use it. The wonderful thing about having a classroom website is that I can just post a link to something like this, and it stays there forever unless I choose to delete it.
Downsides: It is possible that students may ask inappropriate questions about me through this form, but if that happens, I will deal with it at that time. I do think that my students respect me enough to not do that, so I don't think I really have to worry. My second period got all riled up about trying to get everybody to post a suggestion saying that they shouldn't have to write journals anymore, but I haven't had a single person actually post that yet... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't rise up against me.
Applications: This takes the place of a physical question/suggestion box.
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