Despite being a reformed ICT Co-ordinator, I’m not the kind of person who uses technology because I can... because it’s available... or because it is ‘the future’. I’m the kind of person who uses technology if it makes my life easier.
With Google Docs...
My daily timetable is easier... My planning is easier... It’s easier to get parents involved... My admin work is easier... and that gives me more time to reflect, prepare and actually teach!
1. DAILY TIMETABLE
My timetable is on Google Docs. It used to be in my diary, it used to be printed on my desk. It was ideal for making notes on, jotting down ideas for the next lesson or perhaps notes on children’s attainment. My heavy diary made a few trips home with me, but ended up being left at school... my ‘hard copy’ occasionally got lost, and certainly never made it home with me.
Google Docs puts my timetable on my classroom computer (minimised during the day), it’s on my phone, it’s on my tablet, it’s waiting for me on my laptop at home, it’s also there when I need it in a planning meeting, or when I have non-contact time. I can save it, I can share it, I can jot down any ideas I have... and I haven’t lost it.
2. PLANNING
When the IB launched the Google Docs version of the ‘Bubble’ PYP planner I was sold. All the team can work on the planner at the same time. We can all reflect at the same time. We can all ‘tidy up’ sections at the same time. We can see what each other is doing. We can discuss and question points by making electronic ‘notes’ in the margin. We all take ownership of the planner and should you have a colleague who, like me, is Mr Persnickety when it comes to alignment, font and aesthetics... they can scoot around easily!
Accidentally delete it? Want to see what it looked like last year? Easy! Just check the document history...
But the best part? There aren’t multiple copies of a slightly-different planner hanging around on different drives and different computers. Its always there... always up to date... anywhere I have an internet connection.
3. GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED
Parental support plays a key part in developing a successful classroom and particularly with younger children - parents love to be involved! By adapting my weekly planner/timetable I was able to offer parents an online “sign up to help in class sheet”.
Some teachers shudder at the thought of parent helpers - but there’s always something for a willing pair of hands to do in my classroom... and seeing their child in the classroom environment is often just what a parent needs! With Google Docs, I can offer ‘slots’ of the day, see when parents have signed up and never have to write notes to parents letting them know when they can come in. Saves me time. And the paint pallets get washed properly.
4. SHARING DOCUMENTS
We share lots of documents with children and parents... From a fortnightly ‘Home Learning’ grid, to spelling practice sheers and newsletters.
These used to be created by one - maybe two members of the team using Microsoft Word. Then converted to PDF format and uploaded onto the school’s VLE for parents to access. With Google Docs I can get the team to collaborate to write newsletters, home learning grids, letters and spelling practice sheets. A quick copy/paste of the link into our school’s VLE enables parents to access (but not edit) the Google Docs version.
Less work. Less time!
5. ‘CROWDSOURCING’
For each unit of inquiry, we have ‘key vocabulary’. As an international school, we have many mother-tongue languages represented and through posting our ‘key vocabulary’ online parents (and even domestic helpers) can help us to translate vocabulary into common and not so common languages!
So, How are you using Google Docs to make you a better teacher, and more importantly, how is it making your life easier?
With Google Docs...
My daily timetable is easier... My planning is easier... It’s easier to get parents involved... My admin work is easier... and that gives me more time to reflect, prepare and actually teach!
1. DAILY TIMETABLE
My timetable is on Google Docs. It used to be in my diary, it used to be printed on my desk. It was ideal for making notes on, jotting down ideas for the next lesson or perhaps notes on children’s attainment. My heavy diary made a few trips home with me, but ended up being left at school... my ‘hard copy’ occasionally got lost, and certainly never made it home with me.
Google Docs puts my timetable on my classroom computer (minimised during the day), it’s on my phone, it’s on my tablet, it’s waiting for me on my laptop at home, it’s also there when I need it in a planning meeting, or when I have non-contact time. I can save it, I can share it, I can jot down any ideas I have... and I haven’t lost it.
2. PLANNING
When the IB launched the Google Docs version of the ‘Bubble’ PYP planner I was sold. All the team can work on the planner at the same time. We can all reflect at the same time. We can all ‘tidy up’ sections at the same time. We can see what each other is doing. We can discuss and question points by making electronic ‘notes’ in the margin. We all take ownership of the planner and should you have a colleague who, like me, is Mr Persnickety when it comes to alignment, font and aesthetics... they can scoot around easily!
Accidentally delete it? Want to see what it looked like last year? Easy! Just check the document history...
But the best part? There aren’t multiple copies of a slightly-different planner hanging around on different drives and different computers. Its always there... always up to date... anywhere I have an internet connection.
3. GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED
Parental support plays a key part in developing a successful classroom and particularly with younger children - parents love to be involved! By adapting my weekly planner/timetable I was able to offer parents an online “sign up to help in class sheet”.
Some teachers shudder at the thought of parent helpers - but there’s always something for a willing pair of hands to do in my classroom... and seeing their child in the classroom environment is often just what a parent needs! With Google Docs, I can offer ‘slots’ of the day, see when parents have signed up and never have to write notes to parents letting them know when they can come in. Saves me time. And the paint pallets get washed properly.
4. SHARING DOCUMENTS
We share lots of documents with children and parents... From a fortnightly ‘Home Learning’ grid, to spelling practice sheers and newsletters.
These used to be created by one - maybe two members of the team using Microsoft Word. Then converted to PDF format and uploaded onto the school’s VLE for parents to access. With Google Docs I can get the team to collaborate to write newsletters, home learning grids, letters and spelling practice sheets. A quick copy/paste of the link into our school’s VLE enables parents to access (but not edit) the Google Docs version.
Less work. Less time!
5. ‘CROWDSOURCING’
For each unit of inquiry, we have ‘key vocabulary’. As an international school, we have many mother-tongue languages represented and through posting our ‘key vocabulary’ online parents (and even domestic helpers) can help us to translate vocabulary into common and not so common languages!
So, How are you using Google Docs to make you a better teacher, and more importantly, how is it making your life easier?
