Teaching Smarter Newsletter

Teaching Smarter Newsletter- October 2024
Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter! In each issue, we will dive into practical tips and tricks that will help you work smarter, not harder in the classroom. From must-know tech skills to time-saving strategies, we’ve got you covered with tools and ideas to streamline your teaching and enhance your students’ learning experience. Let’s make this school year your most efficient and effective one yet!
In This Issue
In this issue, we’ll help you kick off the school year on the right foot with tips and strategies and focus on effective classroom management strategies.
Edutopia.org is an educational resource platform created by the George Lucas Educational Foundation. It provides educators with research-based strategies, tools, and best practices to improve teaching and learning. The platform covers topics such as classroom management, student engagement, project-based learning, and educational technology, with a focus on practical approaches to enhance education in K-12 schools.
Edutopia Sessions: Classroom Management for New Teachers
In this video panel discussion, a relatively new teacher and a veteran teacher answer questions about how to keep a class on track for learning. You can video the recording of the event here Resources & Q&A from the Session
New Teacher Starter Pack
Edutopia pulled together articles and videos in which educators—both veteran and new—share what they wish they knew on day one about classroom design, assessment, working with parents, and more.
https://www.edutopia.org/package/edutopia-resources-new-teachers?utm_source=notification_banner
Classroom Management: 7 Tips for Better Classroom Management
This video, shot in the first few days of my Tyler Hester's classroom in 2010, and the seven tips below will show how he tries to put these ideas into practice.
Strategies to Avoid Burnout!
Teacher burnout is real, and it can happen at any time of the year. Balancing school responsibilities and personal life can leave you feeling exhausted and inadequate. This is a side of our profession that teacher preparation programs don’t always fully address, leaving many new educators feeling emotionally, mentally, and physically depleted.
60-Second Strategies for Educators
Our popular series of short videos that break down effective classroom practices for every grade level in literally one minute—all in one place. How’s that for a quick win?
Harness the Power of Brain Breaks
When working with students there often comes a time when focus starts to drift, energy wanes, or engagement falters and classroom management becomes harder.
What do you do in those moments?
Enter the brain break. It’s a simple and powerful tool that can reset the energy, improve focus, and bring the group back into alignment.
Brain Break Resources:
8 Closing Activities to Wrap up a Lesson
Classroom Screen
ClassroomScreen.com is a user-friendly online tool that helps teachers enhance classroom management by creating customizable display screens. It features timers, QR codes, text, and images, allowing educators to present information effectively and keep students engaged.
To learn more, watch this full tutorial by TEACHERFYI on YouTube
Flippity.net- Random Group Generator
Flippity.net is a fantastic tool that turns Google Sheets into interactive games and activities. Today we want to highlight the Random Group Generator, a simple yet powerful tool to enhance collaboration in your classroom. Effortlessly create diverse student groups for projects, discussions, or activities, ensuring a mix of skills and perspectives. Say goodbye to the hassle of manual grouping and let the generator do the work for you. Try it out and watch teamwork flourish!
Magic School
The most robust AI platform for education
AI made specifically for educators
70+ AI tools to help you lesson plan, differentiate, write assessments, write IEPs, communicate clearly, and more.
Robust training resources: Built-in training with “show an exemplar” in every tool and multiple certification courses, training options, video walkthroughs, and more.
Resources:
Video Walkthrough with the founder
Alternative site: School.ai
One Step Tutorial on Importing Grades from Google Classroom to Aeries
Importing grades from Google Classroom to Aeries? Piece of cake! Just a few clicks and your assignments and grades sync up, saving you tons of time. No more manual entries or headaches—everything flows seamlessly. Done and dusted!
Diffit for Teachers
Diffit helps teachers by quickly generating differentiated instructional materials tailored to various student abilities. It creates customized reading passages, assessments, and activities at different difficulty levels, saving educators time while meeting diverse student needs.
They are offering FREE Access for hew teachers...no strings attached.
Edpuzzle.com
Edpuzzle is an innovative platform that transforms traditional video lessons into interactive learning experiences. Educators can easily embed questions, quizzes, and comments directly into videos, allowing for real-time assessments of student comprehension. Teachers can track progress and engagement, ensuring that students are not only watching but also understanding the material.
CA Educators Together- Lesson Design Opportunities 24/25
Interested in helping to build California's own high-quality open educational resources by teachers and for teachers?
Our Lesson Design Professional Learning opportunities all provide the following:
Approximately 12-hours of interactive professional learning (in-person or asynchronous)
- Support to adapt 3 of your existing lessons
- Get paid $1000+ for your initial unit of 3+ lessons (once vetted for high quality)
- Earn 2 California State University Bakersfield Continuing Education Units for $150 (these 2 units consider the 12 hours of Professional Learning as well as the time required for you to complete writing &/or adapting your 3 High-Quality Lessons)
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We are Here to Support you!
With so many apps and tools available, we’re here to help you find the best resources. If you're looking for something specific or need help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!