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When the Tech Gets in the Way
The Power of the Pivot As educators, we are often eager to introduce the latest tools to our classrooms, hoping to spark engagement and deepen understanding. However, as I always say, “we must lead with learning and never with tech.” If a tool is not advancing the learning process or if it starts to get…
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Streamlining Coaching Workflows with NotebookLM and Google Calendar
Instructional coaches often find themselves juggling a massive amount of data, from professional development schedules to individual teacher meeting notes. When you are supporting upwards of 20 different school sites, the logistical challenge of staying organized can easily overshadow the actual coaching work. It is important to note that this same workflow can work effectively…
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Bringing Lessons to Life with the New Gemini Audio Feature in Google Classroom
Google Classroom continues to evolve by providing tools that bridge the gap between static content and interactive learning. A recent update introduces a feature within the Gemini tab that allows teachers to transform written content into dynamic audio lessons. These lessons are designed to sound like a natural conversation between a teacher and a student,…
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The Final Boss: Finding the Grit to Master Critical Thinking
Walking into an arcade as a youth, I often had a pocket full of quarters and a singular mission: defeat M. Bison in Street Fighter II. He was the ultimate final boss, a character so difficult that he seemed to anticipate every move I made. There were moments of genuine frustration where the modern terms…
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Quick Scheduling Magic: Using Gemini and Google Calendar
Administrators, support staff, and instructional coaches often juggle many different schedules and calendars. The process of manually transferring dates and events from a document or handwritten note into a digital or shared school calendar can be tedious and time-consuming. Fortunately, technology offers a simple and fast solution to this common bottleneck. You can leverage Gemini’s…
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Quickly Create Slides and Infographics with Gemini and NotebookLM
In the demanding world of education, time is a precious commodity. Creating engaging visual aids, like infographics and slide decks, often eats up valuable planning time. Fortunately, tools like Gemini and NotebookLM now offer fast, practical solutions to help you generate these materials quickly, giving you a strong foundation to build upon. Infographics in a…
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Making Thinking Visible: High-Impact Math Strategies with EdTech
Educators constantly seek practical, powerful ways to reach every learner. I recently co-taught math lesson that focused on adding fractions with unlike denominators. This lesson provides a model for achieving this through thoughtful tech integration. By leveraging a tool called Snorkl, a 5th-grade classroom moved beyond simple right or wrong answers, turning a standard math…
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Tech That Helps Deepen Understanding: Beyond the Worksheet with Snorkl
The goal of technology integration in the classroom is not simply to replace old tools but to deepen student learning and engagement. When it comes to ELA grammar skills, like proper comma usage, teachers often rely on traditional worksheets. But what if a tool could take those practice questions and elevate them from a simple…
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Quick Video Creation: Engaging Students Without Being a Tech Guru
Integrating new technology into your teaching practice can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when you are balancing countless other responsibilities. However, simple tools are emerging that can instantly elevate student engagement without requiring you to become a technology expert overnight. I want to share a fantastic example of practical EdTech integration that yielded immediate, positive results…
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Student Success with Snorkl in Middle School Math
Integrating new technology into your classroom should always aim to amplify student learning and agency. In middle school math, the tool Snorkl is proving to be a highly effective way to do just that, creating engaging practice opportunities and fostering deeper student understanding across different grade levels. In an eighth-grade math class, students recently used…
Tech Coach Juarez
You cannot spell teach without tech.
