5 Things I Did Differently To Start My School Year

This is my 15th year as a high school Math Teacher. I have a folder in Google Drive called "Beginning of the Year" that has documents I have used over the years for students to fill out and presentations I have used to introduce myself. I used that folder this year, but I didn't recycle anything in it. This year I used it solely to collect information. This year I...

1) Used a Google Form (@GoogleForEdu) to collect information from the students. Why do I need a binder full of paper that I hate alphabetizing and flipping through as I need information? As the students filled out the form, the data populated the Google Sheet I had created to catch their responses. This also gave me the opportunity to talk to the students about appropriate use of their phones in the classroom.

2) Used Flipgrid (@flipgrid) to introduce myself to my students and to their parents. Within the first 3 days of class, I required (not really but the kids don't know that) the students to record a Flipgrid video in which they introduce themselves, and tell me something about them - what they did this summer, their hobbies/interests, really anything. I was amazed at what I received from them. Most of them were a bit shy, but I was able to learn their name and something about them from a short video (I set a 1 minute 30 second limit). I also set up a second grid for the parents/guardians...

3) Sent a welcome email to all of the parents/guardians of the students in my class on the first day of school. Having the students fill out the Google Form and asking them to provide me with their parents' emails addresses made this extremely easy for me. Even though I included a link to the Flipgrid for parents, I only had one brave dad contribute. Hey, one is better than none!!!

4) Set up a Remind (@remindHQ) for the parents of the students in class. I have been using Remind with the students for years but my work sister, Kristen (@LV_SanFilippo) had told me of her experience with using it with the parents. So I followed her lead and within the welcome, I also sent instructions on how to sign up for Remind, so that we can chat in a less formal and more accessible way. I have already used the service to text the parents and have gotten great feedback from them as well,

5) Expanded my PLN beyond the four walls of my school!!! I think this is the most important one of the five. I have embraced Twitter, when I used to think "It was stupid" (see my post, "I used to think, now I think") I have connected with, chatted with, followed, and been inspired by educators, administrators, CEO's and companies from all over the country (and I think a few outside of the US). Twitter has opened my eyes to a whole new world of educators who have similar outlooks on education, who aren't scared to rock the boat (so to speak) and are so willing to share and collaborate. I recently presented at EdCamp with someone who I connected with on Twitter and had only met one time before. Shout out to Corey! (@CoreyMammolito). Twitter has given me a a new perspective on my craft, and I feel rejuvenated!

If you made the decision to do something differently this year, I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment, or follow me on Twitter and let me know. I am always looking for inspiration and ways to improve.