I love when my students want to improve their work. One way in which they have been doing this is by using Bibme‘s Score your Essay option. In short, you paste in your essay and the program grades it on several points – for FREE! Not only does it score it, but tells you what you can do to make it better.
The results appear quickly:
And even though my essay scored a 5 of 5 in Organization, it still gave me a suggestion. Love that!
And at the end, it gives you a final score. Is it perfect? No, but it is pretty great. And FREE, did I already mention that? Give it a try.
Month: May 2015
Speech Recognition Add-On
Today the Speech teacher asked if there was a way that Google could do an audio recording. I immediately thought of Google Voice. Then she explained that she needs to transcribe what was said. I changed my mind. While Google Voice does transcribe conversations, it requires a Google Voice Number. I’m not sure the teacher is ready for this. I was thinking in terms of what would be easiest for her, now.
Docs Add-Ons ‘Speech Recognition’
I currently have a student using this tool. He finds it difficult to get his thoughts from his head to his fingers. He’s been using this tool with great success. The tool is simple to use. Go to ‘Add-ons’ > ‘Speech Recognition’ > Start. A toolbar will appear on the right side of the screen. Press ‘Start’ and begin speaking. The text will appear in the space. Once you are done speaking, press ‘Stop’ and the text will automatically be inserted in the document.
Just like voice recognition texting, the speaker will have to say, “Period,” in order for periods to be inserted. So in the case of the school’s Speech teacher, she’ll have to go back and insert them herself, but hey that beats transcribing the whole conversation! I also suggested recording it on her phone for reference.
Get The Add-On 
What Motivates Learning?
This week’s #youredustory prompt is:
What motivates learning?
Innate curiosity motivates learning.
I know it sounds simple, but we all have it. In the right setting we are encouraged and our curiosity is fostered. In the wrong setting, our curiosity is squashed and we become resistant.
So What Is The Proper Setting?
One in which we are encouraged to ask questions, probe further, and investigate that which interests us. Some great examples of setting that foster learning are: Genius Hour, 20% Time, Maker Space/Maker Movement, and Project Based Learning. In each of these examples, students are encouraged to take ownership over their learning, investigate, create, question, an expand themselves.
What Happens In A Wrong Setting?
In the wrong setting, students have little to no control over what they are to learn. Learning is mandated with a top-down approach. Pacing guides, mandated (use with fidelity, no supplements allowed) curriculum, over testing, high stakes testing, etc. I think you get the idea. Basically, traditional school.
How To Break Free
Push and challenge the thinking at your school. Start small, and build upon your successes. Begin with Genius Hour. Prove to the powers that be that there IS a different way to teach and learn. MAKE learning fun for your students. Tap into their interests and build on that. Change the culture of your classroom and then the school.
Science Camp
Every year the 5th graders attend Science Camp at a local park, and the teachers each choose a station to teach – over and over and over, 8 times over 2 days. So keeping it fun for you, and the students is important. Okay, really keeping myself entertained was my primary goal. My partner teacher and I taught about solute, solvent, and solutions via bubbles.
Sounds fun right, the kids got to make a bubbles solution and be ‘mad scientists’ experimenting with what made the best bubble solution for them. In the process, the students made ‘bubble wands’ out of pipe cleaners. And in the name of keeping myself entertained, and seeing exactly what I could make kids do, I made them repeat after me – before creating their wands – “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Yeah, nothing to do with science, but totally fun to do. I was impressed that a few students could ‘Name That Movie’.
Then there was some ADHD moment early on when we talked about separating water and salt which led to a tale of Gilligan’s Island. So I went into a whole shpeil about this show just to say that if you boil salt water the result will be salt (as the water evaporates). Yeah, I had a good time. Hope other did as well!
Nowa Techie 