The EduGals Podcast

We are talking all about how to leverage tech tools to build community in your (hopefully) face-to-face classroom. We'll link different tools to our four whys of community building: collaboration, communication, social-emotional learning, and safe & inclusive environments.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/60**

Reasons for Building Community:

• Communication
  • Screencastify - overviews, instructional videos, presentations, email responses, feedback
  • Mote - use in slides, docs, gmail etc. for audio only
  • Google Chat - individual or group chats, informal, easier for students than email (low risk)
  • Google Meet - extra help sessions outside of class, drop in
  • LMS - announcement tools, discussion boards
• Collaboration
  • Google Jamboard (digital whiteboards) - small groups, breakout rooms, brainstorming, getting to know you activities, word walls, research, games
  • Flipgrid - screen share behind your picture now!
  • Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets - graphic organizer to get them started, collecting data as a class, crowdsourcing problem solving with Screencastify
• Social-Emotional Learning and Safe & Inclusive Environments
  • Use a variety of tools, modes of communication
  • Google Forms - gather info about your students, check ins, class song playlist, languages
  • Involve your students in your classroom layout, whether it is physical or virtual (LMS) - custom banners, layout, unit vs week
  • Check Ins - Google Form, Google Slides, etc. to see how students are doing
  • Headspace
  • Online games - Jamboard, Kahoot, Quizizz, Google Arts & Culture Puzzle Party - you can have students create these to save time!

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In part 2 of this 2 part series, we are going over our EdTech Toolkit from A to Z. We'll cover apps starting with N to Z this week. We've got lots of great ideas and uses for these tools as you are thinking about the new school year!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/59**

Our top EdTech Apps:

• N - Nearpod
• O - OBS Studio
• P - Pear Deck & Padlet 
  • Canva Templates for Pear Deck
• Q - Quizizz
  • E008 - Using Game Apps For Student Engagement
• R - Read&Write
  • E039 - Enhancing Learning With Google Read&Write
• S - Screencastify
  • Amplifying Student Learning With Screencastify - E034
  • Remote Learning With Screencastify - E002
  • Honourable Mentions: Sheets, Streamyard, Spark, Scratch
• T - Twitter
  • Rachel @dr_r_johnson
  • Katie @KatieAttwell
  • EduGals @EduGals
• U - YouTube
  • Rachel's Chemistry Channel and Personal Channel (Brightspace)
  • EduGals YouTube Channel
• V - Vocaroo
  • NEW: Vocaroo Tutorial from EduGals
• W - Wakelet
  • Riding The Wakelet Wave - E036
• X - Explain Everything
  • Certifications
• Y - Yo Teach!
• Z - Zoom

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In part 1 of this 2 part series, we are going over our EdTech Toolkit from A to Z. We'll cover apps starting with A to M this week followed by N to Z next week. We've got lots of great ideas and uses for these tools as you are thinking about the new school year!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/58**
Our top EdTech Apps:

• A - Arts & Culture
  • E040 - Exploring the World of Google Arts & Culture
  • Jigsaw Puzzle Party
• B - Bitmoji
  • Creating Bitmoji Stickers for feedback - Blog Post
• C - Canva
  • YouTube Playlist
  • https://www.canva.com/colors/ 
  • E032 - Designing Classroom Resources With Canva
• D - Drawings 
  • E049 - A Creative Approach To Technology With Tony Vincent
  • Shapegrams
• E - EdPuzzle
  • E029 - Creating Engaging Lessons with EdPuzzle
  • EdPuzzle new features coming soon
  • Certifications
• F - Flipgrid
• G - Google Workspace
  • Google Teacher Center
• H - Headspace for Educators
• I - IXL - Math and ELA
• J - Jamboard
  • E022, E042
  • Custom Background and Canva blog posts
• K - Kahoot
• L - Loom - free for educators
• M - Mote
  • Mote Certified Educator

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are talking all about teacher burnout and how to find your motivation when you are still exhausted from the last school year. We were inspired by a tweet by Pernille Ripp, and will talk about how we can reset for the new school year. We will talk about our experiences, and will share some ideas and strategies.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/57**

• Link to Tweet from Pernille Ripp
• Organization with planners or within your home, life, etc. (gain a sense of control)
  • Happy Planner
  • Slides Mania - Digital Planner templates
  • Also check out Canva for planning templates
  • Google Calendar is also a great option for planning
  • A little bit of productive procrastination goes a long way
• Get outdoors! Camping, going to a park etc.
• Define your limits & boundaries for the upcoming school year
  • Plan using Parkinson's Law
• Innovation in the classroom - using student interests with skills-based courses, self-paced, mastery-based PD
• Setting personal goals for yourself in school, life:
  • Podcasting & Writing
  • Yousician  - Gamified music learning
  • Exercise - Kickboxing, strength training, push up challenge
• Reading - education, personal, etc.
  • Reading List - Check out E054 for some great recommendations!
  • Kobo is great for digital reading
• Final thoughts: You do you - do what you need to decompress and find your mojo to get ready for the new school year

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are exploring ways to set up your Learning Management System (LMS) effectively and efficiently to optimize course organization and learning for your students. We'll go over tips, strategies, and ideas for setting up your LMS, whether it is Brightspace, Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom, or something else.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/56**

• Use your LMS, even if you are fully face-to-face
• Layout and Homepage:
  • This is your doorway into your virtual classroom
  • Easy navigation - minimize the links to the essentials
  • Link all of your other tools within the content area
  • Include contact info on homepage
  • Announcements 
  • Brightspace Part 1 and Brightspace Part 2 episodes
• Organization:
  • Embed third party tools (EdPuzzle, Google Slides, YouTube videos, etc) into your content area
  • Link in Google Docs when it makes sense
  • Use consistent naming & numbering systems (reduces cognitive load)
  • Folders - units, weeks, whatever works best for you
  • Use your announcements to lay out weekly expectations
  • Include student voice in planning and organization
  • Include visuals and make it look pretty - design is important (consistent fonts, icons, emojis, etc to reduce cognitive load and increase engagement)
  • It's okay to set up your LMS to meet your needs, just make sure you create an intro video to help your students navigate it - Screencastify is great!
  • Canva is a great tool for design - Canvas Banner, Canvas Button, Google Classroom Header (also a Style Your LMS category available)
• Inclusion Ideas:
  • Include important cultural celebrations 
  • Add your personality - Bitmoji or GIPHY is great and integrated into Canva
  • Have students design your classroom banners - include languages represented in your classroom too
  • Design With Canva YouTube channel
• A Scary Suggestion:
  • A little bit of basic coding (HTML and CSS) goes a long way!
  • Code Academy (look under Web Development)
  • This helps with interactive elements in your LMS - buttons, flipcards, etc.
• Final Advice:
  • Use student-friendly language to increase accessibility

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are exploring the ways that you can leverage technology to support the English language learners in your classroom. We'll cover tech tools such as Google Read&Write and Mote, as well as some general tips and strategies for designing an inclusive and safe learning environment for your students.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/55**

Common Acronyms:

• ELL - English Language Learner
• ESL - English as a Second Language
• EAL - English as an Additional Language
• STEP - STeps to English Proficiency
• OLB - Observable Language Behaviours
• OLLB - Observable Language and Literacy Behaviours

Overall Tips and Strategies:

• Use first languages (these are a strength and asset for learning)
• Integrate culture where possible and use lived experiences when designing resources
• Understand the difference between conversational and academic language
• Just because speaking is strong, it doesn’t mean reading/writing are the same - survival 
• Don't make assumptions! Not all multilingual learners can read/write in their first language or have that specific knowledge in their first language
• Learn how to pronounce student names properly (use tech tools to support your learning)
• Use images and student-friendly definitions to reduce cognitive load
• Differentiation is needed! Check out the Modern Classrooms Project framework
• Scaffolding using sentence stems and frames

Resources Mentioned:

• Ontario STEP Framework
• OLB and OLLB Continua
• Modern Classrooms Project
• E051 with Jake Miller

Recommended Tech Tools:

• Google Read&Write by TextHelp (Dictionaries, Translations, Voice-to-Text, Highlighters)
• Google Translate (Extension or Website)
• Word Reference (virtual dual-language dictionary - multilingual - though not all languages are represented)
• Translate using formulae in Google Sheets (see Jake Miller's Translate in Sheets EduGIF for more details)
• Mot

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are sharing our summer reading list for teachers. We'll go over what we are currently reading, recommendations for reading, as well as what we want to read ourselves this summer.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/54**

Currently Reading:

• Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy - Gholdy Muhammad
• Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) - Edited by Susan D. Blum
  • Free Ungrading Workshop - Jesse Stommel

Recommendations:

• Unlocking English Learners' Potential: Strategies for Making Content Accessible - Diane Staehr Fenner & Sydney Snyder
• Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning - Pooja Agarwal & Patrice Bain
• When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers, 6-12 - Kylene Beers
• Flip Your Classroom: Reaching Every Student in Every Class Every Day - Jonathan Bergmann & Aaron Sams
  • Modern Classrooms Project

Rachel's Summer Reading:

• The Impact Cycle - Jim Knight
• Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain - Zaretta Hammond
• Fair Isn’t Always Equal - Rick Wormeli
• The Power of Making Thinking Visible - Ron Ritchhart & Mark Church
  • Harvard's Project Zero and the Thinking Routines Toolbox
• The Design Thinking Playbook - Michael Lewrick, Patrick Link, & Larry Leifer

Katie's Summer Reading:

• This Place: 150 Years Retold - Multiple Authors/Contributors
  • Podcast by CBC
• Culturally Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners - Sydney Snyder & Diane Staehr Fenner
• Come On In: 15 Stories about Immigration and Finding Home - Adi Alsaid
• 21 Things You May Now Know About The Indian Act - Bob Joseph
  • Indigenous Canada Course on Coursera (by University of Alberta)

Other Recommendations - see our detailed show notes at edugals.com/54

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

This has certainly been a tough year in education, so this week, we wanted to talk about learning opportunities for the summer to help get you rejuvenated, excited, and prepared for the upcoming school year. We'll share learning around Google certifications, Modern Classrooms Project, other EdTech certifications, and so much more!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/53**

• We're taking a break for a few weeks - next episode will be released on July 6th
• Google Certified Educator, Level 1 and Level 2
  • Google Teacher Center
  • Global GEG Bootcamp
  • Level 1 Task Cards and Level 2 Task Cards from Google
  • Done level 1 and 2? Go for Google Certified Trainer or Google Certified Coach
  • Consequences for Katie? Add them to our flipgrid!
• Modern Classrooms Project:
  • Free Course
  • Summer Institute
  • Virtual Mentorship
• Other EdTech Certifications:
  • Screencastify Courses
  • Book Creator Certified Author
  • Book Creator Ambassador Program
  • Adobe Creative Educator
  • Adobe Education Exchange
    • Adobe Spark
    • Adobe Fresco
  • Shapegrams
  • Conferences - check on Twitter
    • ISTELive 21 Conference

Our final advice: Don't overdo it! Focus your learning on one or two major things and balance that with plenty of rest.

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are exploring how to prepare ourselves for the Google Certified Educator Level 2 Exam. Both of us need to complete our recertification this month so we're reflecting about our past experiences with this exam as well as our strategy for preparation.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at edugals.com/52**

Key Information:

• Cost of the exam: $25 USD
• Time: 180 minutes
• Certification is valid for 3 years
• Suggested time to spend on the curriculum: approx. 15 hours
• 11 units total in the curriculum
• Exam is comprised of two sections: A multiple choice, matching, etc section and a task based section
• The majority of the exam is focused on the tasks/scenarios... don't spend too much time on the first section!
• Recertification exams are scenario-based only
• Don't stress... you've got this!
• Don't over analyze the questions - it's not as complicated as you think

Strategies:

• Start with the unit reviews in the curriculum to test your current knowledge
• Try out the tasks in the task cards linked below to test your skills
• Google Sheets + YouTube = Pivot Tables :)
• Focus on the tools that you are unfamiliar with - Maps, Earth, Blogger, Groups, Add-ons, Books, Scholar, etc.

Resources:

• Google Teacher Center
• Google Certified Educator Level 1 Exam Episode
• Google's Advanced Curriculum Training for Level 2
• Mockaroo Random Data Generator
• Level 2 Task Cards 
• Google Workspace Skills Checklist
• Fundamentals and Advanced Course Outlines
• Eric Curts Level 2 Checklist 
• Global GEG Bootcamp is coming!
• Google Arts & Culture Episode
• Teaching Resources in Google Arts & Culture
• EduGals YouTube Channel - Subscribe!

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are joined by a special guest, Jake Miller, the host of the Educational DuctTape Podcast. We'll discuss his experiences as a tech coach as well as an educator back in the classroom during this crazy school year. We've got lots of great tips and ideas for building community and relationships with your students as well as some great advice to how to choose EdTech tools to meet your classroom learning goals and needs.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at edugals.com/51**

Connect with Jake Miller:

• Twitter @JakeMillerTech (also on all the major socials)
• Website jakemiller.net
• The Educational DuctTape Podcast

"EdTech is best when it is used as a tool to solve a problem or meet a goal"

Resources:

• Jake's new book - Educational DuctTape is coming out soon!
• The Suite Talk Episode with Jake Miller (with Kim Mattina)
• Jim Knight - Instructional Coaching Book

Recommended Tools:

• Pear Deck or Nearpod (MVP)
  • Allows you to see student engagement
  • Add in community building activities/check ins (complete the squiggle, weekend highlights, draw a turtle named Stacy)
• ClassFlow or Classkick
• Whiteboard.fi or Whiteboard.chat
• PhET Simulations
• Gizmos by ExploreLearning
• EdPuzzle
• eMindWeb - Virtual Dissections
• Labster
• Google Jamboard (include digital citizenship learning here!)

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show