Good Chicken Resources

When my district finally decided to go to Google Classroom it was a game-changer. The district I was with at the time already had 1:1 Chromebooks and we had been heavily using GSuite. I would share folders of materials to students through Google Drive, but they would always have  trouble finding them later. Google Classroom made it so much easier to share information with students, and there were a lot of other benefits to it.  So here are my top reasons why I love using Google Classroom.  Organization   - Google Classroom makes it easier for you and your students to stay organized. Students can also find what they need easier because it is in one convenient place and they don't have to search through their drive.  Make-Up/Missing Work - Google Classroom allows you to put ownership back on the students for make-up and missing work. Just direct students to their Google Classroom to find the missing work.  No more extra trips to the copier.  Student...

I recently wrote about my experience preparing for and taking the Google Level 1 Educator Certification test. Today, I am going to do the same for Level 2.  How did I prepare for the test? My preparation for this test was very similar to how I prepared for Level 1. I just took a little bit more time.  I started at the Google Teaching Center , but instead of jumping to the end of lesson quizzes, I read and work through the lessons.  I am glad I did this because I learned about some Google Tools I didn't know about such as Tour Builder and new ways to use Google Products I am familiar with such as creating hyperdocs. I then downloaded proficient checklists for the Level 2 test to see what areas I might need to practice.  I recommend Shake Up Learning's Level 2 Matrix and or this checklist from Eric Curts. I didn't find a YouTube playlist I like near as much as the Brett Petrillo one I recommend for Level 1. Instead, I looked up videos on specific skills I didn't f...

One of the reasons books are so powerful is because they allow us to step into the shoes of characters unlike ourselves, and get a glimpse at experiences we will never have.  That is why we should all seek and read (and encourage our students to read) books with diverse narrators.  Here are 10 books with diverse narrators that I recommend. Note: In an effort to make this list itself diverse, it does not focus solely on racial diversity, but on multiple types of diversity. The Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - This novel in verse tells the story of  Will, a young African-Amerian man, dealing with the murder of his brother during one faithful elevator ride. I read this powerful story in one sitting. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - This semi-autobiographical novel follows the story Spokane teenager Junior. When Junior decides to go to the white high school, he has to figure out how to balance the different cultures of the reservatio...

Last week , I discussed why I decided to become Google Level 1 Certified Educator and how I prepared for the test including some resources I used. This week I will go over the actual testing process itself.  The Testing Process Google is in the midst of changing its online testing proctors, and I took it through ProctorU who are the new proctors.  Because it is a very recent change, I have not seen a lot of people highlighting some of the aspects of the ProctorU system.  Here are some tips I have for you.  It use to be you signed up the day before you wanted to take the test and within 24 hours you had access to the test and had a week to take it. Now you sign up for a date and time. (I prefer it this way.) You do need a working webcam with sound.  They will be watching you ensure testing integrity. You will also have to take a picture of your driver's license before beginning the test. If you have a multi-monitor system set up at your home you need to unplug yo...

Recently, I earned my Google Level 1 Certification and wanted to share the process with you.  To be honest, I never thought I would do this because I thought it would be a much more difficult process than it actually was. But first... Why did I decide to become a Google Certified Educator? There are several reasons why someone might choose to become a Google Certified Educator. For me, there were three reasons. The first reason I decided to pursue my certification wasn't necessarily a good reason...boredom. Seriously, I started this journey because I was bored. Being stuck at home with little stimulation is not good for my mental health. If my brain isn't learning and being challenged then I start to feel blue, so I figured this would be a good way to engage my brain. My second reason is one that I suspect that a lot of people may have and that is that it would look good on my resume. My third reason (which is probably the best one) is I have been thinking about what I want my ...