Have you heard of Seesaw? It is a diverse app that is great to use in the classroom...or really for anyone who works with groups of children. I can see this being a very useful tool for coaches, babysitters, daycare centers, and even adult care facilities. Seesaw has an Ambassador program that teachers can apply to be a part of. I have applied, completed training, and am now an Ambassador for Seesaw! I am so excited to be able to learn more about this app that I have enjoyed using in my classroom this year and to be able to share that knowledge with other teachers. Let me know if you would like to learn more about Seesaw or if you're already using it and have questions I'm glad to help! Click HERE to access a referral link that will give you an additional 30 days (for a total 90 days) FREE trial of Seesaw Plus. You can use this link whether you are setting up a new Seesaw account or you already have one.
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As a preschool special education teacher, I change a lot of diapers. In my classroom we use a disposable liner so we can quickly get the changing table ready for the next child. Like most teachers I am always trying to find a way to make the money I spend for my classroom last as long as it can. Sometimes it means getting a little creative.
When I first began searching for changing table paper I found most of these were very thin rolls that needed to be replaced often. They also are not cheap. One day as I was doing my shopping at Costco, I found a thick roll of white butcher paper. It is about as wide as one of those classic Kindergarten rest mats and a couple rolls of this paper will last the whole school year for me most years. The best part? They are only $14.99 per roll! If you're in need of inexpensive changing table paper, check it out the next time you're in Costco. In my Costco it is located in the same area as the cleaning supplies/laundry detergent. Last week I told you how excited I was to have Reflector 2 installed on my classroom computer. We have had a lot of fun playing iPad apps together as a class using this computer program. I can take the iPad student to student and have them do the activity giving them the help they need as individuals. At the same time, the rest of the class can clearly see what we're working on, so everyone is involved! I found an app called Curious World made by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt that is Curious George themed but has so, so much more. It has a similar set up to Amazon Kindle Fire's Freetime with games, videos, and books. In order to get the most out of it, you will need to have a subscription which is under $10 a month. They do have a free trial period available for you to check it out. We've been having fun with it in our classroom :)
You might find this blog helpful if you are looking for a way for your learners to practice their spelling words in an interactive way using the A+ Spelling test app (iPad).
In the school district I work in, we have ITRTs (Itinerant Technology Resource Teachers). These teachers do not have a homeroom classroom. They travel throughout the county and help teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. They're a HUGE help and a great source of information. I recently got an iPad to start to explore what apps are available to compliment what we do in my classroom. I have found that there are so many awesome apps out there! Last week I was using the iPad to read a story about winter I found in an app. My students were crowding in trying to see as we read it together and I thought, "Man, there's got to be a way to connect this so it will project onto my SmartBoard." I did a google search and sure enough, I found many ways that I could accomplish this. A couple emails back and forth with one of our ITRTs and I found out there is a program our district already uses; Reflector 2--Even better! An ITRT was able to come out yesterday and install this onto the desktop that is connected to our SmartBoard projector and with a couple of easy steps my iPad is mirrored wirelessly onto my computer screen, so when my SmartBoard is turned on, it is also mirrored on the SmartBoard. (Note: In order to use Reflector 2 your computer and your iPad need to be able to use the same wireless network) We have had a LOT of fun with this yesterday afternoon and today. It has been great! It allows me to do whole group activities using the iPad and everyone can easily see what is on the screen. I have students in my classroom who have mobility challenges. It allows them to more easily participate in group activities in the same exact way their peers are participating in the activity. Today we were playing a letter tracing game on the iPad that was projected up on the SmartBoard screen. We took turns tracing the letters on the iPad by passing it around the circle (with adult help...remember, 2-5 year olds here). While students were waiting for their turn to trace they could answer questions about what letter was displayed and what sound each letter makes. As I went around the group with the iPad I had the ability/flexibility to work with each student one on one to trace their letter. I can't wait to explore more ways for me to use this in my classroom! Pictures of the SmartBoard while using Reflector 2 to mirror my iPad to explore interactive images of Antarctica from the Google Expeditions app.
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My Teacher HatI am a teacher in a preschool special education classroom. My classroom serves students ages 2-5 years old. Archives
April 2020
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