School Spotlight
On September 18, Sheena Kelly, Digital Media Literacies Coordinator, attended the Student Belonging Conference "Corriendo hacia el futuro/Running Toward the Future" hosted by the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Learning Services departments. This unique event provided high school students an opportunity to enhance their sense of belonging by providing a safe space for workshops on expression and empowerment, college access, and academic identity.
On September 18, Sheena Kelly, Digital Media Literacies Coordinator, attended the Student Belonging Conference "Corriendo hacia el futuro/Running Toward the Future" hosted by the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Learning Services departments. This unique event provided high school students an opportunity to enhance their sense of belonging by providing a safe space for workshops on expression and empowerment, college access, and academic identity. Sheena shared resources about digital resources available in the district and gave students books with themes on social identity and navigating their digital worlds.
Students learned about Sora, the digital reading app that empowers readers to discover library resources on the go. Students and staff can access the Sora digital catalog through ClassLink on their computer or mobile device. Check out books, audiobooks, read-alongs, magazines, comics, and unlimited simultaneous use collections for non-stop reading fun.
Calvin McConnell, Kindergarten Teacher at Cottonwood Plains shared some classroom jobs he has created for his students to use technology in his classroom.
I.T.S. has created collaborative professional learning opportunities with our Digital Learning Cohort this year. We would like to highlight Calvin McConnell, a Kindergarten teacher at Cottonwood Plains Elementary. Calvin has empowered his elementary students. Read his story!
Looking for a way to empower your students?
Meet Calvin McConnell, Kindergarten Teacher at Cottonwood Plains Elementary. Calvin shared with K teachers in TSD some classroom jobs he has created for his students to use technology in his classroom.
Encourage Ownership
Students take ownership of their class by controlling a teacher-created slide show. These students have practiced daily routines and take turns controlling videos, timers, slides, and other educational tools.
Students apply their presentation skills by reciting transition expectations from their classroom slide deck. Students even use this opportunity to access offline structures like a whiteboard schedule.
Curate tools for Easy Access
Teachers could also use Classroom Screen to provide a desktop of various classroom management tools. You could keep your classroom transition songs, a timer, a stoplight for noise, or even check boxes.
Nearpod contributes to the culture and climate of our classroom by providing integrated opportunities for student voice and choice. Student work is authentic to their thought process and understanding of the concept. Nearpod makes formative assessment easy, and intuitive, allowing me to target my interventions in a timely and efficient manner.
By using Nearpod in math, the following standards are addressed while increasing student engagement. 1.1: Eliminate disparities in student achievement, growth, graduation, behavioral outcomes, and educational opportunities in student groups 2.1: Ensure learning environments support a positive culture and climate.
"Nearpod has allowed us to structure our math lessons and introduce 21st century readiness to an antiquated but quality curriculum line." By Andrew Shumate, top Nearpod TSD user at the elementary level, 4th grade teacher at Centennial
Big Thompson Elementary has created an innovation space for students and teachers to use technology to increase student voice and have students create using technology. 5th grade students worked with their innovation coach to create a news story to highlight learners in Big T Elementary.
"Our fifth graders have been learning to use a green screen to film and edit videos for our school. 5th grade students self-select news stories that they write and record for this publication. Once finalized, our new stories are released to all our classes, Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. This project covers many of the technology standards for Content Creation and Digital Literacy. Finally, it gives students authentic audience and purpose and provides a meaningful application to Research and Informational Writing Standards." By Leah Witt, Instructional Coach