Recommended Book - Control Alt Achieve: Rebooting Your Classroom with Creative Google Projects

Control Alt Achieve: Rebooting Your Classroom with Creative Google Projects by Eric Curts

Eric Curts has been one of my favorite innovative educators for years. His blog Control Alt Achieve is one of my favorites. I've also been lucky enough to attend several presentations and keynotes by Eric. I am incredibly excited to share his new book with everyone. Eric's book will inspire new and experienced teachers to explore new ways to support creative activities with students.

Screencastify Updates To Support Remote Learning

There are many great screen recording tools for teachers and students, but the Screencastify Chrome Extension has long been one of my favorites. I love the ease of use, the ability to make animated gifs, and the connections to Google Drive.

I also love that Screencastify is always looking for new ways to support teachers and students. There are many innovative EdTech companies that I've gotten to know over the years and Screencastify is one of the best. 2020 has been no exception and today I wanted to share a few of the more recent Screencastify updates.

Google Read Along - Reading Practice App for Young Readers

I had a chance today to explore the new Google Read Along App on my Chromebook and I think it is something that will engage young readers in reading practice at home. Right now the App only works on Android-enabled Chromebooks and Android devices, but I hope it will be available for iOS in the future.

Here are some of the features that I really liked.

• It is free with no in-app purchases or ads.
• It is available in nine languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hindi
• The in-app reading buddy that listens to the reader, offers assistance when they struggle and rewards them with stars and badges as they successfully complete passages.
• Students can also tap the reading buddy to get help pronouncing a word or sentence.
• Parents can create profiles for multiple readers.
• The app can recommend difficulty levels for stories and games based on the reading performance of the student.
• It works online or offline, but you do need to be online to download new stories. 
• Google is looking for feedback, so I think the App will continue to improve.  They have even created a place for anyone to send feedback at readalong@google.com.

I've read a few reviews and this app definitely has room to grow, but at first glance it definitely looks like something worth exploring.  Happy Reading!

Recommended Book - Tech Like a PIRATE Matt Miller

Tech Like a PIRATE: Using Classroom Technology to Create an Experience and Make Learning Memorable by Matt Miller

Matt Miller has done it again. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for new ways to use technology to enhance student engagement.

Updated Guide to Sharing Files in Google Drive

Google started rolling out some updates to sharing files in Google Drive. This includes Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, and just about everything else but forms. The main changes include the interface and renaming some of the sharing options. If you haven't started to see the new sharing options you probably will soon. These changes are specific to drive and don't impact the drive sharing settings in Google Classroom. 

Thank You Educators!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the teachers and educational leaders who are doing so much to support all learners. I am thanking you all as both a parent and an educator. Parents, students, and teaching friends need to do this more often than once a year. #TeacherAppreciation

I don't have anything spectacular to give away today, but I promise that I will continue to do my best to share my appreciation by creating and sharing resources to support all teachers and learners. 

As a small bonus today, here are a few videos and resources for Teacher Appreciation Week. 

• The Best Teacher Appreciation Giveaways and Deals for 2020 (We Are Teachers) 
• Teacher Appreciation Week: What Teachers Would Like to Have During Distance Learning (Mindshift)
• #TeacherAppreciationWeek Hashtag on Twitter (Great Daily Giveaways) 
• 50 of the Best Quotes About Teaching (teachthought)
• A Teacher Appreciation Week for the Ages (Edutopia - YouTube)
• Teacher Appreciation Week: They wanted respect. It only took a coronavirus pandemic and worldwide economic collapse (Newsweek)
• Erducator Strong....it’s what we are! (Gerry Brooks - YouTube)
• Teacher Appreciation Day 2020 (Pearl Jam - YouTube)

I count my blessings every day that I am lucky enough to be a teacher and lifelong learner. I also want to thank my school, my district PLN, and all of my teaching friends for all everyone does to help me learn and grow daily.

Please feel free to share additional appreciation resources or thanks you's to a special teacher in the comments below.

I hope everyone is well and is finding moments of joy when and where you can. 

Explore the World with Google Arts & Culture

Google just released a new collection of lessons to engage students in virtual field trips that explore the mind of an artist, the history of a palace, the mystery of space, and more. Students will engage in exploring topics, collaborating, and practicing essential skills.