In this blog post and podcast episode, I’m sharing 15 Plug-and-Play Lesson Plans from Google’s Applied Digital Skills program.

These are perfect for Back-to-School or ANY TIME of year!

And Google has improved the integration of these lessons with Google Classroom, so it’s even EASIER now to assign these to students.

Kick off the school year with lessons that help students express themselves, build relationships, and stay organized while learning new technology skills.

Listen to this article.

This episode is sponsored by Everfi.

Want to prepare your students for career and life success, but short on time? Busy teachers use EVERFI’s standards-aligned, research-based digital lessons, recently awarded with the ISTE Seal for high quality curriculum, to teach students to thrive in an ever-changing world. Interactive, game-based lessons designed by experienced educators help you engage students at all grade levels and bring critical real-world skills like financial education, early literacy, character education, health & wellness, and more to your classroom. Thanks to partners, these lessons are FREE for all K-12 schools and students. With back-to-school season gearing up, now is an exciting time to give your students a jumpstart on their future.  Go to everfi.com/shake to learn more, and sign up to get a virtual swag bag full of free goodies to get the school year off to a great start. 

15 Plug-and-Play Lesson Plans from Google

Did you know that Google’s Applied Digital Skills program has readymade, plug-and-play lessons for your classroom?

Today, we are exploring a special collection of lesson plans for the back-to-school season, but this collection has ideas that will inspire you all year long. There are actually 21 lessons in this extensive collection, 15 of which are listed below.

Oh, and did I mention they have improved how these lessons integrate with Google Classroom? Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, y’all!

What is Applied Digital Skills?

Google’s Applied Digital Skills program is a flexible video-based curriculum that prepares students of all ages for the growing number of jobs that require basic digital skills.

This is a growing resource of lessons that walk students through each step of the creation process. You get the entire lesson, AND the step-by-step tech how-to.

And since this is video-based, students can pause the videos and rewatch them as needed.

But the best part is that these lessons are free and ready to use!

As you are getting kids back in the swing of things this school year, you can rely on these lessons to help your students learn how to complete basic technology tasks like using Google Classroom and help them learn how to use Google tools to create!

Learn more about using the Applied Digital Skills program and set up your teacher profile here.

Related: Back to School Lesson Planning Tips

1. Introduce Yourself in Google Slides

STUDENT DESCRIPTION: Create a slide that represents what makes you special or unique using Google Slides.

TIME TO COMPLETE: 45—90 minutes

DIGITAL TOOLS: Google Slides

SKILLS

• Communication
• Digital collaboration
• File sharing
• Internet search
• Presentation formatting
• Slide design

2. Respond to a Question in Google Classroom

STUDENT DESCRIPTION: Students will log into Google Classroom, join a class, and respond to a question from their teacher.

TIME TO COMPLETE: 45—90 minutes

DIGITAL TOOLS: Google Classroom, Gmail

SKILLS

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Digital collaboration
• Effective communication

Related: Google Classroom Advanced Tips (Part 1)

3. Present Your Ideas for Classroom Expectations

STUDENT DESCRIPTION: Create a group presentation to show your ideas for classroom expectations using Google Slides.

5. Design and Share a Digital Badge

STUDENT DESCRIPTION: Recognize a classmate’s words and actions by creating a digital badge in Google Drawings for a scrapbook in Google Slides.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Did you know you can create an event for “focus time” in Google Calendar?

This is a perfect way to protect your time and let others know you are focusing on deep work.

And you can automatically decline meetings during that time!

Protect your time and your sanity!

Watch the video below to learn how.

How to Protect “Focus Time” in Google Calendar

**Related: Create Meeting Notes in Google Calendar (one-click!) 

Access ALL the Google Quick Tips Here!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post How to Protect “Focus Time” in Google Calendar appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

As we wrap up 2022, let’s take a look at the most popular Google tips and new features of the year.

What were the most exciting updates?

Which application brought us the coolest new features?

The answer may surprise you!

Here are the top 10 Google Tips of 2022.

Listen to this article.

This episode is sponsored by Konica-Minolta.

Over 1.4 million violent incidents occur in schools every year. What if technology could bring peace-of-mind for parents, students and educators? Konica Minolta’s intelligent video security solutions allow you to easily sign in guests, track visitors, and monitor your entire campus to keep unwanted visitors out. Visit rethinkschoolsecurity.com to check out their visitor management system, door barriers, and smart security cameras. While you’re there, you can also take a quiz to determine the level of security your school currently has. It’s time to rethink school security.

Top 10 Google Tips of the Year

Each week I share a “Quick Tip of the Week” on the Shake Up Learning Show podcast and on the Shake Up Learning YouTube Channel.

In looking back over the last year, these were the top 10 Google Tips of the year!

10. Appointment Slots in Google Calendar

9. Join Google Meet from Docs, Sheets, or Slides

8. How to Create a Professional-Looking Gmail Signature in Google Docs

Related: 100+ Google Quick Tip Videos for Teachers!

7. Full Page Embed in Google Sites

6. Edit and Arrange Tables in Google Docs

5. How to Change the Default Font in Google Sheets

Related: 7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in Google Docs

4. How to Change the Default Font in Google Slides

3. How to Insert a Drop-down Menu in Google Docs

Related: 15+ Ways to Use Drop-Down Menus in Google Docs

2.  How to Change the Default Font in Google Docs

1. How to Add a Folder to the Chrome Bookmarks Bar

Want more tips like these? Subscribe to the Shake Up Learning YouTube Channel!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Top 10 Google Tips of the Year – SULS0181 appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

In this episode, Kasey is sharing her latest Google Keep tips and time-savers to help educators have a productive school year.

Let’s talk keyboard shortcuts, google calendar connections, labels and organization, checklists, using Canva to create headers, scanning paper documents, annotation, grading and feedback, and more!

BONUS: Get access to Kasey’s FREE Canva headers to use in Google Keep. If you don’t love Google Keep already, you will after this episode!

Listen to this article.

This episode is sponsored by Schoolytics.

This episode of the Shake Up Learning Show is brought to you by Schoolytics. Thousands of teachers use Schoolytics every day to help them take data-driven instruction to the next level and reclaim their time for what matters most: helping students reach their full potential. Google Classroom users can start tracking student progress and spotting performance trends in minutes – for free! Join today at Schoolytics.com.

Google Keep Tips for a Productive School Year

One of the greatest advantages of using the Google platform is that the apps all work together. Google Keep is no exception! 

I like to call Google Keep the Instant Pot of Google (not to be confused with the Swiss Army Knife–Google Slides!)

If you haven’t used Google Keep, go to keep.google.com to get started!

Did you miss e170? Don’t miss Google Productivity Tips to Rock the School Year!

Google Calendar + Keep

It’s possible to use Keep to add a note by clicking the sidebar app while in a Google Calendar event. Adding a note this way links the two items, the event, and the note. This is different from the tip mentioned in last week’s episode about creating full meeting notes. Perhaps it’s necessary to bring or prepare certain items for an event, take note of this using Keep after creating the event in Calendar. 

Try it:

1. Go to a Google Calendar event and click on the pencil (edit event).
   
2. While on the event editing page, open the Google Keep sidebar.
3. Create a new Google Keep note while on the event page and it will be tagged with a link back to Google Calendar (chip).
   

Keyboard Shortcuts

Learning Keyboard shorts will always save time in any workflow. To find a comprehensive listing of all the shortcuts available start inside the Keep platform. Navigate to the settings by clicking the cog wheel in the top right corner. At the bottom of that dropdown list will be keyboard shortcuts. 

Here are just a few of the shortcuts Kasey finds to be super helpful:

• C to start a new note
• L to start a new list note
• E to archive
• Command + [ to indent
• Command + ] to unindent 
• Command A to select all

Google Keep Labels

Labels, similar to the organization inside Gmail, are a great way to keep Google Keep organized. Everyone has their own personal style when establishing an organizational system. There is no right or wrong way to organize, but it’s essential to choose something that works for you. 

Any labels that have been created will appear on the left side. If you have not created any choose Edit labels and start creating your system.

Each of the labels will then display in alphabetical order on that left side menu. If alphabetical order is not conducive to your organization method there is a way to manipulate it. The most obvious way is to add a number. (This strategy is also handy for organizing Google Drive folders.)

Another fun way is to utilize emojis. These will always go to the top of the list, however, there isn’t a way to predict how the emojis will arrange. 

To add a label to a note, go to the three dots on the note > add label.

Labels can also help to filter any notes or allow you to search your notes. If you click a label in the left side menu that will bring up any note with that label. Remember that labels are not folders, it’s possible to apply multiple labels to a single note.

A quick way to include a label is to type a hashtag in your note. When you begin typing with the hashtag each of your labels will appear in a dropdown.

Colorful Notes

Color coding is another organizational feature that can be used inside Keep. Aside from the visually appealing effect color adds, colors can be an additional level for labeling notes.

Color can be added with a customized header or as the background of a note. Just click the palette icon inside your note to change the color.

By adding color to a note it’s now possible to search by color. Even if that color appears within an image that’s part of a note, if you search for red anything with the word or color will filter for you.  

Google Keep + Gmail

While working in the Gmail app it’s possible to access any of the pinned notes from Keep. Be sure to pin the notes that you may need while working in Gmail. Teachers may find that parents often ask the same question. Make a note with a template or generic response that you can move into an email quickly to personalize. 

Consider adding links and information that you are often asked for in emails to a Google Keep note for easy access–like a link to your teacher website, campus website, school calendar, Google Classroom guardian directions, parent portals, etc.

It’s also possible to create a Gmail label to help with searching these items. It may be that pinning the note doesn’t work for your system, but searching from the Keep app on the sidebar menu might. 

Google Keep for Student Feedback

The addition of the comment bank in Google Classroom was a game changer for teachers. However, there may be a time when teachers aren’t using Classroom or they may use a different LMS which doesn’t offer the comment bank. Google Keep can function as your own personal comment bank. 

Create notes to share with students on common mistakes and provide them with opportunities to review the concept. A note can contain links to YouTube videos or an infographic to help students make corrections. 

Related: 4 Ways to Use Google Keep for Feedback and Assessment

Another great idea shared a while back on the Google Teacher Podcast, is to use Keep for creating digital stickers. Bitmojis make for fantastic digital stickers! Save each image within a note then it will be possible to drag that image into Docs or Slides from the sidebar. 

Related: 25+ Ways to Use Google Keep

Google Keep on Mobile

Adding the Keep app to your phone (iOS or Android) and the Chrome extension to your browser can also make life a little more organized.

The mobile app adds an extra voice note feature that the desktop version does not. This means it’s possible to open a new note and talk directly into your phone. The app will actually record your voice, as well as, translate what’s said into a text note. 

Voice Notes (Mobile Only)

• Tap the microphone at the bottom of the screen near, “Take a note…”
• Dictate your note into the app.
• BONUS: Speech is translated into text and added to your note!

Another great advantage to using the mobile app is the option to take a photo with your camera. Consider how this applies to taking images of papers, or perhaps a trail of sticky notes. 

What about a staff meeting or PD agenda? Take a photo of the paper then take any notes (annotate) on the actual image. Of course, any of these teacher tips can be flipped into student tips as well. 

Related: 15 Ways for Students to Use Google Keep

Using the mobile app or a webcam:

• Snap a photo of your paper notes, sticky notes, meeting notes, sketches, etc.
• Students can snap a photo of notes, problem solve, hand draw sketches, etc.
• Any text found in the image is searchable in Google Keep.
• BONUS: Grab image text, and the text is added to the note!

I’m running out of room to fit everything in this post! Be sure to listen to the full podcast episode (embedded above) to get ALL the details!

Don’t forget about grabbing your FREE Canva Header templates below and this fantastic Google Keep Cheat Sheet! 

Google Keep Header Templates

My headers are not anything super fancy or creative, but they are clean and easy!

My Google Keep Header Templates are available in two forms:

1. Download the image files from Google Drive (not editable)
2. Or open this template in Canva and edit it to make them your own! You must have a Canva account (free for educators) and login to access these templates.

Like to get creative? Use the Google Classroom banner templates in Canva to create your own. The dimensions work just great in Keep without taking up a lot of real estate.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Google Keep Tips for a Productive School Year – SULS0171 appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Did you know you can have Google Calendar send your daily schedule to your inbox every morning?

This is a great way to review your schedule for the day!

The email arrives (roughly) around 5 a.m. every morning.

Get ready for the day ahead!

Watch the video below to learn how.

How to Get Your Daily Schedule in Your Inbox

*Related: How to Layer Images in Google Docs

*Related: Table Templates in Google Docs  

*Related: Drop-down Menus in Google Docs 

Access ALL the Google Quick Tips Here!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post How to Get Your Daily Schedule in Your Inbox appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Teachers always need some time-saving tips!

Today, I am sharing valuable productivity tips using Google Tasks, Google Calendar, and even a bonus Google Keep tip!

Are you making the most of all that Google has to offer?

Learn shortcuts, hidden features, and awesome tips to help you save time, get things done, and rock the school year!

Every teacher–every Google user–needs these tips!

Listen to this article.

This episode is sponsored by Schoolytics.

This episode of the Shake Up Learning Show is brought to you by Schoolytics. Thousands of teachers use Schoolytics every day to help them take data-driven instruction to the next level and reclaim their time for what matters most: helping students reach their full potential. Google Classroom users can start tracking student progress and spotting performance trends in minutes – for free! Join today at Schoolytics.com.

Google Productivity Tips to Rock the School Year!

These Google productivity tips are going to save you time, and clicks, help you get organized, prepare for the school day, and help you have a great school year.

Google Keep: Reusable Checklists

Shout out to Pocketful of Primary for this Google Keep tip!

Use Google Keep to create a before and after school checklist to help you remember all the things you need to do!

This list will vary based on your personal preferences and your role in education, but below is an example to get you started.

Use the thumbtack icon on your notes to pin these checklists to the top of the page. You can also click-and-drag to reorder things as you like.

Once you have completed your checklist, you can go to the three dots on the bottom-right of your note and select, “uncheck all items,” to start anew the next day.

Like my custom image headers? Stay tuned to next week’s episode (170). I’m giving you free access to my templates!

Related: 25+ Ways for Teachers and Students to Use Google Keep

Use Google Apps Side by Side

You can use Google products such as Gmail and Calendar in the same window. This helps you increase productivity without switching between tabs.

1. Go to Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Drive, or a file in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
2. At the bottom right, click Show side panel .
3. On the right, choose the product you want to open:
   • Calendar : Check your schedule and add or edit events.
   • Keep : Create a note or list.
   • Tasks : Add to-do items and deadlines.
   • Contacts : Access your contacts.
   • Voice : Make a Google Voice call.
   • Maps : Search Google Maps.

Google Tasks Tips

Repeat Tasks

I have many tasks that repeat daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly. I need this feature to make any to-do list app work for me.

Here’s how to create a repeating task in Google Tasks:

1. Click an existing task or create a new task.
2. To add a date and time, click Date/time.
3. Next to “Date/time,” click Repeat .
4. Under “Repeats every,” select day, week, month, or year.
5. Under “Ends,” select an option to create a recurring task:
   • With no end date, select Never.
   • With a specific end date, select On, then choose a date.
   • That ends after a certain number of occurrences, select After, then select a number of occurrences.
6. Click OK.

Create Lists to Organize Your Tasks into Categories or Project

1. Click the Down arrow next to My Tasks.
2. Click Create a new list.
3. Enter a name.
4. Click Done.

Drag an Email into Tasks to Create a New Task

My inbox can often drive my tasks. I get an email and need to take action.

When you are in Gmail, you can open the Tasks in the sidebar and simply click and drag the email into your task list.

The task will be named by default the subject line of the email but you can revise that, add a due date, and more.

Similarly, you can select multiple emails in Gmail and create several tasks at once by using the tasks icon in your toolbar.

Related: Productivity Tips and Tools for Teachers and Students

Delegate Tasks in Google Chat Spaces

When you work with a team, you may need to delegate certain tasks. This isn’t available in the sidebar (yet), but you can delegate in Google Chat Spaces. (You can only delegate to those who have joined the space.)

Google Calendar Tips

I keep everything in Google Calendar! I need to stay organized and keep track of all of my appointments and presentations.

Create a Task from Google Calendar

What’s great about using Google Tasks and Google Calendar is that they work hand-in-hand. Any tasks that have been assigned a due date will appear on your calendar.

You can easily use the Google Tasks sidebar while you are in Google Calendar, but you can also create a task using Calendar. Just click the drop-down arrow on the create button and you will see the option to create a new task.

Related: How to Create Meeting Notes from Google Calendar in One Click!

Schedule View

There are many different views in Google Calendar that can help you focus on the items you need to see. The schedule view lets you see your events and tasks that are due in a list format.

Click near the top right drop-down menu to select the “schedule” view (or use the keyboard shortcut “A”). Any item with a task icon next to it is a Google Task.

Quickly Create a New Google Calendar Event

Did you know you can type “cal.new” into the address bar and it will auto-magically take you to the event creation page in Google Calendar?

Just like I’ve shared many times over the last few years, you can quickly create docs, sheets, slides, forms, and drawings with the same URL shortcut–.new.

Here’s a video to see it in action!

Related: How to Create a Parent-Teacher Conference Booking Page in Google Calendar

Change the Default Reminder Time for Calendar Events

I have a love/hate relationship with reminders. I need them, but sometimes they annoy me and appear at the wrong time.

You can change the default for the reminder times, add additional reminders, and even change how you are reminded.

1. Go to your Calendar settings (the little gear icon near the top-right), or simply use the keyboard shortcut “S”.
2. Select the calendar you wish to modify. (You may only have one, but could have multiple calendars like I do.)
3. Scroll down to Event Notifications and set your notification preferences.

Display Multiple Time Zones

If you work and collaborate with other educators or schools in other time zones, you need this feature!

To display multiple time zones,

1. Go to Settings (or press “S” on the keyboard)
2. Under General, go to World Clock
3. Check the box and add additional time zones that you need to view

The current time in all of the selected time zone will appear under the mini calendar on your Google Calendar home page.

Related: How to Schedule Zoom Meetings in Google Calendar

Change the Name of Other Calendars to Bring Important Ones to the Top

If you have many calendars that have been shared with you, you may have a long list of other calendars to scroll through to find the one you need. They are listed in alphabetical order, but you can rename to reorder these.

You can actually rename these calendars for yourself.

To rename a calendar,

1. Scroll down to the calendar you want to rename and click on the three dots next to the name.
2. Select “settings”
3. At the top of the page you can name the calendar anything you wish.

Tip! If there are certain calendars you want to see at the top, number them. This is the easiest way to order them exactly as you want.

You could also use emoji, but that isn’t as precise as numbers.

What tips would you add to this list? Please leave a comment below.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Did you know you can auto-magically create meeting notes in Google Docs for a Google Calendar event in one click?

This is a huge time-saver, and a great way to make sure everyone invited has a copy of the agenda for the event.

The Google Doc will be attached for everyone invited (and shared).

Watch the video below to learn how.

How to Create Meeting Notes from Google Calendar in One Click!

*Related: How to Layer Images in Google Docs

*Related: Table Templates in Google Docs  

*Related: Drop-down Menus in Google Docs 

Access ALL the Google Quick Tips Here!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post How to Create Meeting Notes from Google Calendar in One Click! appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

In this episode, Kasey shares her favorite tips and tools to improve parent-teacher communication. Technology can help improve communication and save valuable time. Let’s explore practical tips, digital tools, and strategies to communicate effectively with parents.

Communication with parents can often make or break a student’s school year. Keeping parents informed is always a top priority for educators and usually, it requires several modes of communication. We want to be transparent and timely in sharing information with our parents. These tips and tools will not only help support students and parents but also provide a record for teachers. 

Listen to this article.

Tips and Tools to Improve Parent-Teacher Communication

Virtual Tech Support and Tutorials

There are a few ways that virtual tech support and tutorials can help parents. Of course, in these pandemic times of virtual learning, we are all now accustomed to this situation and the need for support in this area. However, a tutorial might also be helpful for parents who may not be as familiar with the technology. They may need help navigating a classroom website or the online grade book. 

Screencastify is a simple Chrome extension that will save all recordings onto your Google Drive automatically. It’s free and allows you to edit, add text, and much more. 

Loom is very similar to Screecastify, and also offers free and paid versions. Loom adds a more personal touch by including your face video in the corner while you share the tutorial. 

Iorad is another screen recording tool that allows you to record an interactive tutorial. For example, if you want to walk parents through a website with a number of clicks, Iorad allows them to click through that process. 

Consider how these tutorials need to be stored and then accessed by parents. A district or building a YouTube channel may be the best option. Sharing a playlist link or individual video link is super simple. 
Google Drive links can also be embedded on websites or in emails. 

Social Media Communication

Important dates and reminders can often be an expectation for parents to see within their social media feed. It’s likely parents visit those communication tools daily and will see those important announcements and reminders. 

Parents and students enjoy seeing pictures from special events and celebrations that happen during the school day. However, it’s important to consider how student images are being shared. Episode 153 of the Shake Up Learning show provides ten reasons to stop and think before sharing images of children on social media. 

The most common social media platforms that teachers and schools are using to share information with parents include Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and occasionally TikTok. 

For those utilizing social media to communicate it’s worth sharing that Canva offers a number of templates. Using templates can help save time and allow for a cohesive, branded look that will help parents see it as official information. 

Direct Parent Communication

In the instances where schools have participated in remote learning, teachers were away from classroom telephones. As a solution, many turned to a Google Voice phone number for talking directly with parents. This is a phone number that is connected to your Google account and offers voice calls, text messaging, as well as, voicemail. 

Email is by far the most popular form of communication. One of the best ways to leverage this communication tool is through the email signature. There, teachers can add links to other communication tools. 

Text messaging through a personal phone number may not be something teachers want to provide to parents. Remind is a great tool that allows teachers to send messages without being linked to their personal phone numbers. The options to send links, images, or voice clips are all available. This also keeps a record of the communication that took place between the teacher and parent. Messages can also be sent to a group or individuals. 

LMS Progress Reports and Communication

Many of the most popular platforms allow for teachers to automate communication about grades and assignments. Google Classroom allows guardians to input their email addresses and set up notices for assignments. Schoology, Canvas, and Seesaw also provide ways for parents to see student progress and assignments. 

Class Dojo is a tool used mostly in the elementary grades as a behavioral management tool. Teachers have the ability to send personalized messages along with the behavior updates automatically shared with parents. 

Surveys and Feedback

At the start of every school year, it’s a good idea to connect with parents and ask them about their preferred method of communication. Comparing your preferred tools to parent-preferred tools can help you navigate which tutorials might be necessary to start. 

Two tools that can help generate feedback are Google Forms and Jotform. Google Forms is a great way to help you see what’s most popular and collect information that can be saved in a spreadsheet. JotForms are great for taking a PDF information sheet and making it digital. Once parents answer all the questions the form can be printed in its original form and added to a binder. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences and General Updates

Another innovative option that surfaced during the pandemic is the option to have virtual conferences. Whether these meetings are a typical update or a necessary meeting to comply with the special needs of a student, Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams are popular tools. 

Google calendar now allows for a booking page! This can be used to create appointment time slots where parents can choose their time and day based on your provided options. 

When choosing a video conferencing tool consider the needs of the parents. Google Meet can provide captions, as well as, translated captions. Google Docs also provides a translation feature. Perhaps it is necessary to keep a document of notes during the conference, a Google Doc can allow for collaboration and a record of the meeting. 

Flipgrid is often referenced for students, but it could be used for personal video messages being shared with parents. Rather than mailing a positive postcard, Flipgrid could be the place to share something positive that a student did that day. 

Class Resources, Newsletters, and Happenings

Throughout the school year, it may be necessary to share classroom resources with parents. Perhaps students are using an online textbook, web-based reading materials, or specific web-based learning tools, these can all be collected inside of Wakelet. While these may be used by students, it helps when parents understand and know how to help their students access them. 

credit: Wakelet.com

Another way that Wakelet can help is to collect resources specifically for parents. Any video tutorials, links to class websites, or even a virtual newsletter can help keep everything in one place to easily locate.  

When mapping out how you will communicate with parents it’s important to consider the time it takes to complete a single communication tool. Designing and writing a newsletter could be incredibly time-consuming. However, utilizing a template from Canva could help speed up the process. In episodes 132 and 133, Kasey shares more than 30 ways to use the templates that Canva provides for educators. 

Class Blogs are another great way to share information with parents. Providing parents with a singular place that shares all the information, even in the palm of their hand, can be a major time saver for teachers. 

Some of the most common options for creating this type of website include Edublogs, WordPress, Weebly, or Google Sites. While Google Sites is not officially a blog, it is a simple way to create a classroom website with embedded documents, images, and links. 

No matter how you choose to communicate with parents it’s always a great idea to begin with some collaboration. Check with administrators to learn if there are preferred tools. Talk with colleagues and team members to help generate consistency and time-saving habits. It may be possible to share the work in creating general communications. Even students can help! 

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Tips and Tools to Improve Parent-Teacher Communication – SULS0158 appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Google Calendar has an awesome new Appointment Schedule feature that allows you to create a booking page, so parents can sign-up for a time slot for parent teacher conferences!

Use this to book all kinds of appointments!

Share a unique booking page with time slots that other people can book (similar to Calendly)!

Great for parents, coaching meetings, and more!

Watch the tutorial below to learn how to set this up in Google Calendar.

How to Create a Parent-Teacher Conference Booking Page in Google Calendar

*Related: How to Create a Gmail Signature in Google Docs

*Related: Use the “@” Symbol to Access to Shortcuts in Google Docs

Access ALL the Google Quick Tips Here!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Google tools help support teachers and students in many different ways.

As the role of instructional coach and tech coach continues to grow, I thought it would be useful to take a look at some Google tips through the lens of a coach.

In this guest post by Pam Hubler, you will find many useful Google Tips for Instructional Coaches and Tech Coaches.

As an Instructional or Technology Coach, we have a lot to do on a daily basis.  

It’s not more or less than a classroom teacher, it’s just different.

The trouble with a coaching schedule is flexibility. I know… that doesn’t sound like a problem, but it can be.  

This is where productivity and organization are key!

If you don’t plan out your days, weeks, even school year, it can get away from you and then you’re often disappointed with the number of goals you complete.

The purpose of this post is to give coaches some ideas and tools to manage your time and energy.  

*Note: I am fairly new to coaching, so I am not claiming to be an expert by any means!  This strategy has worked well for me so far.

[Tweet “Google Tips for Instructional Coaches and Tech Coaches by @specialtechie #educoach #ETcoaches #gsuiteedu”]

Google Tips for Instructional Coaches and Tech Coaches

Let’s Get Organized!

I like to use Ms. Houser’s organization tip to simplify my work life!

“List It, Map It, Block It”

(created by Kristen Houser from mshouser.com, find her post here)

I’m tying her planning strategy with GSuite tools for the purpose of increasing our productivity.

List It:

Google Keep – One “Daily To-Do”, One “Weekly To-Do”

Create this with checkboxes so you can hide the ones you’ve done or added to your next steps (map it and block it).  

I would probably pin these so they stay at the top of the page.

If you can’t view this list on other devices because of school sharing policies, make sure to add your personal Gmail account so you can edit from either account.  

Remember, if you have items that don’t necessarily need to be done for the day or week, put it on another list.

I’ve mentioned it before, Using an Urgent and Soon list.

That’s four total lists that you can keep using in one place throughout the year.  

When I used real sticky notes, I used a lot more than four!

Fun tip: Use images or GIF’s for your lists to make them stand out!  Here’s Kasey’s post for more details.

Before you move to mapping, look at your list to see if there is anything you can delegate or move to a different list to revisit later.

Map It:

You’ll want to categorize your lists before adding them to a calendar or tracker of some kind. We can still use Google Keep for this. You can actually move each item over if you’d like to put it in a category.

Block It:

Now you’ll look at the to-do’s you just mapped out and find time slots in your schedule for the week.

I created a Google Slides template for the purpose so I could plan ahead without having to move from one document, calendar or app to another.

You can see the tabs at the bottom for each month, so it’s easy to flip from month to month. If you scroll over to the right, you’d see the rest of the month in the same format.

Find the template here including resources share on Episode 65 of the Google Teacher Tribe.

If you look at this and the colors drive you nuts, pick lighter colors to fill the fields or use colored text instead.

I like using colored fields because it’s easy to set aside blocks of time for a specific purpose even if you don’t have them scheduled yet.

For example, I try to spend every Friday in classrooms all day regardless of if specific classrooms are scheduled ahead of time.

Once all that is done, all I have to do is pop up my Daily Tracker first thing in the morning and go to it!

Ease of access tip: “star” your tracker so it’s easy to find in Drive, as well as share it with your personal Gmail accounts for access from any device.

This is nice when you only have your phone with you and you want to check or update your schedule on the go.

Here are some additional ideas from the Shake Up Learning Facebook Group:

Join our group to see the original post and join in on the conversation!

Google Calendar: Appointment Slots

For more information on how to use Calendar appointments with your GSuiteEDU account (not available in personal accounts), check out this Google support page.

I use Calendar Appointment for two main purposes.

1. Computer Lab Sign-ups: I help set up a testing lab for teachers a few times a year by setting up a classroom with Chromebooks so it’s easier to log in since our K-2 teachers aren’t one to one yet.  I set up the time slots and share the calendar on my website and in an email. Then the teachers are able to pick their times without me having to spend hours trying to make up a schedule for them.
2. Coaching /Classroom Support Sign-ups: On days where I have flexibility to go into classrooms, I’ll set up 30 minute blocks so teachers can sign up for times for me to visit their rooms. This could be for many different purposes, so the teacher will type in the description when he/she picks a time. If they need more than one block, they can just pick two back to back slots.

The good thing about appointment slots is that there won’t be any double booking since the time will disappear on the viewers end once it’s “claimed” by someone else.

Karen Hill Collins: I actually make notes in my Google calendar about my teaching/coaching conversations, and I link emails & resources in the notes.

For my evaluation as a coach by my boss, I use a Padlet that is tied to my goals & includes reflections & evidence.
Also, my calendar is shared with my boss.

Google Keep

Melissa Maverden: I use Google Keep for reminders and to-do lists. I also assign myself tasks using Google Doc comments – basically tagging myself in PLC notes so I can follow up and then check off when task is complete. It’s one of my favorite tricks!  https://gsuitetips.com/tips/drive/see-assigned-tasks-in-drive/?fbclid=IwAR0Z46Ng86KgDDA43DxqQRrtOvVHRCauqDmzvV696risOVv5sxm86SfRNdQ

Also, check out the 15 Ways Students Can Use Google Keep by Kasey Bell in this blog post.

Google Forms

Beth Heller: keep track and log my coaching interactions and reflect on the outcome. Calendar to keep track of appointments.  the reflection form has 5 questions. I right the goal of the interaction. I scale it 1-4 how well I met the goal. I list my strengths and my weaknesses for that interaction and actions to take to make the next interaction better.

The log form I log who I met with and the date. I log which role bI had and which state of mind we worked on. I mark which type of interaction it was and summarize what happened.

Karen Collins:

I actually make notes in my Google calendar about my teaching/coaching conversations, and I link emails & resources in the notes.

For my evaluation as a coach by my boss, I use a Padlet that is tied to my goals & includes reflections & evidence.

Also, my calendar is shared with my boss.

Perla Zamora:  I created an index with a list of the main topics such as Administrative Documents & Folders (forms, reports, procedures, yearbook folder, meetings w/parents minutes, etc.), Manuals (grade book and other platforms), Training Material (Google/Apple and other similar free training courses), Pre-selected Web tools, Influencers & PLN, etc.

Each topic has an area inside of the same file. In that area another list that point to the proper file or folder. Example, one item in the index is Training, it takes to that section/bookmark. In that section you will find a Category with the list of words/links to Google Ed level 1, another to Google Ed level 2, etc. Then Apple Educator following the same pattern…

Google Sheets

Eileen Fernandez-Parker: I like using Sheets with dates across the top and names down the side of all those I coach. I put an x under the date I meet with, observe, or collaborate with them. I also keep one Google Doc per person to record all notes, observations, and resources. I’m working in Keep with things that repeat like questions or a Next Steps chart. The chart will copy into Docs, so I am layering and not adding another app to open.

Google Drive/Team Drive

In Google Drive, I created one folder called, “Instructional Coach 18-19,” so I have a starting place for everything.

I have LOTS of sub-folders inside this folder, but at least I have a starting point for when I don’t remember what I called a document.

I also share this folder with my personal Gmail accounts so I start there when creating something work related no matter which device I’m using.  

I start in Google Drive for creating any new resources so I don’t have to remember to move it after I create it.

To keep it at the top, I’ll add a symbol or icon (from CopyPasteCharacter) to the beginning of the title.

Get more ideas from Episode 10 of the Google Teacher Tribe and other Shake Up Learning posts for Google Drive.

Suzie Bowes Wilburn:  I use Calendar and Keep as an individual. As an edtech team (4 of us) we have a Team Drive that we have all GSuite files organized. We also have another team drive we share (view only) with the entire district which contains all our how-to docs and all our previous professional development files. Teacher refer to them often.

Google Docs/Hyperdocs

Perla Zamora:  I created Google Doc with an index with a list of the main topics such as Administrative Documents & Folders (forms, reports, procedures, yearbook folder, meetings w/parents minutes, etc.), Manuals (grade book and other platforms), Training Material (Google/Apple and other similar free training courses), Pre-selected Web tools, Influencers & PLN, etc.

Each topic has an area inside of the same file. In that area another list that points to the proper file or folder. Example, one item in the index is Training, it takes to that section/bookmark. In that section, you will find a Category with the list of words/links to Google Ed level 1, another to Google Ed level 2, etc. Then Apple Educator following the same pattern.

To create an index in Google Doc, check out this Google support post.

Google Tasks

Stephanie Orton:  I have also started using the task feature in Google Calendar and set dates so they show up on my calendar. Like a to-do list.

For more information on how to use Tasks, check out this Google support page.

I hope you’ve found some valuable resources and ideas to help you get organized as an Instructional or Technology Coach! Let’s connect today to share more ideas!

Resources for Instructional/Technology Coaches:

PLC Communication Using Google Apps by Pam Hubler

Life of a Tech Coach with Pam Hubler Google Teacher Tribe Podcast/Blog Episode 65

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/instructional-coach/

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/episode-26/ Interview pt.1

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/episode-27/ Interview pt.2

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/pod/episode-95/ Resilience

https://brightmorningteam.com/tools-publications/books-by-elena-aguilar/

https://brightmorningteam.com/tools-publications/coaching-tools/

https://brightmorningteam.com/tools-publications/coaching-team-tools/

https://www.mshouser.com/

https://www.mshouser.com/category/organization

https://www.mshouser.com/category/productivity

https://www.mshouser.com/?s=coach+list&submit.x=0&submit.y=0 Tips to start of a great year

Trainers and Coaches Unleash Your “Incredibles” Superpowers This Shake Up Learning guest post was written by Debbie Perkins and Brooke Higgins based on their ISTE 2018 session “Trainers and Coaches Suit Up: Unleash Your “Incredibles” Superpowers!”

About Pam Hubler

Pam is an Instructional Coach in Charleston, South Carolina with 22 years in education.  She is passionate about professional development, technology integration, and building a strong culture in schools.

As a Google Certified Trainer, Pam supports teachers by providing frequent professional development on how to integrate GSuite tools into their daily routines.  She also guides discussions during weekly PLC’s to help teachers find dynamic ways to provide instruction and develop engaging activities that incorporate the 4 C’s in authentic ways.

Pam also loves to create resources to share with educators through her website www.spedtechgeek.com, Twitter, as community manager of the Shake Up Learning Facebook Group and other social media platforms. She has presented at FETC, the EdTechTeam Low Country Summit, and EdCamps.

Pam is a lifelong learner who loves to read professional development books, especially books from Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. and listens to Podcasts like the Google Teacher Tribe to keep up with educational technology and pedagogy.  She strives to be PIRATE leader to support educators so we can keep great teachers in the profession.

Follow Pam on Twitter: @specialtechie

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Google Tips for Instructional Coaches and Tech Coaches appeared first on Shake Up Learning.