End of the Year Anxieties...Everybody Has Them!

They start creeping in just before Spring Break but you are so busy with PARCC testing, parent teacher conferences, and planning those last field trips that you push them to the side. When you FINALLY get your Spring Break you enjoy it. You REALLY,  REALLY enjoy it. You needed this! You have busted your butt day in and day out, working 80+ hours a week to meet the needs of your students. Even if you don't go anywhere, you are just so happy that for one week you get to drink water whenever you want and go to the bathroom when you need to.  But then it happens...that Sunday comes. You know the one I am talking about: The Sunday right AFTER Spring Break! Suddenly they hit you hard. "The End of the Year Anxieties" have crept in and cannot be pushed away. You know what I am talking about. These are the thoughts that keep you up at night from that Sunday after Spring Break until the very last day of the school year. You wonder if you did everything you could for your students. You ponder over how you taught reading and math. You question if you have prepared them for the next year. Even worse, you wonder what your colleague will think when they see that Maddie cannot tell him or her the plot of the story she just read or when Mikey cannot tell him or her what an "interval" is. To top it all off, you have all of the end of year testing to see if students have met the standards for the year. There is no denying that the pressure is on... but I have a few reminders/tips for you at this time of the year that may help you get through the last few months of the school year.

1. YOU need an outlet for yourself after work. Pick a vice and use it to help you relive some of that stress. For me it is a good workout. For you it may be a glass of your favorite wine. 
2. LOOK back at Fall data. As teachers we want ALL of our students to succeed and be ready for that next grade level. But, the truth is, that many kids started so far behind and they may just not make it to grade level readiness. Looking back at Fall data and comparing it to where students are now will show you the LEAPS and BOUNDS these kiddos have made. They may not be where you wanted them to be at this point, but they have grown and improved over time!
3. LOOK at how independent the students are now. This is because of all of YOUR hard work! YOU set the expectations and practiced routines and got them to this place. 
4. LOOK at how students hug you and want to tell you their personal stories. They ONLY do this because YOU have created relationships with them and they trust you. 
5. LOOK at how your students are talking about their math and reading strategies and how they can persevere through problems they encounter. This is only possible because YOU set the tone for your classroom and encouraged and modeled this with them. 
6. LOOK at how your students can get on a Chromebook and create and share projects with one another, you, and their parents. They can only do this because YOU taught them how to, and by the way... they LOVE YOU for it!

There is so much to see if you open your eyes to the growth and changes that have occurred right before your eyes this year. Sometimes, it just takes a little reflection to see your impact. YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE to your students; EVERY SINGLE DAY. 

Using Google Slides On Your Phone Is Easier Than You Think!

Have you ever given a presentation to a group of adults or students and thought... "It would be awesome if I could upload these pictures I'm taking right into the Google Slide Presentation without having to email the picture to myself?" There is a super easy answer, and best of all it is FREE! 

If you don't use Google Apps For Education (GAFE), I have to ask... why not? They are so simple that even my second graders could create there own slideshows and collaborate together on a project all at the same time.  I could provide instant feedback to students when they wrote which was a huge bonus and time saver. Over the next few blog posts, I will be sharing some tips and tricks that I have learned and used to help streamline the GAFE tools, but for today, I will just walk you through using Google Slides. I have an iPhone, but it should look similar on any device you use.

First step is to go to to your App Store and search for Google Slides. Download the application. 

Next, Open the Google Slides app. 

If you already have used Google Slides, you can open up any of your presentations at this point. If you haven't you can create a new presentation by clicking on the plus sign. 

This is where it gets fun! You can add a slide anywhere in your presentation. This works well when you want to share student or adult work at the end of the lesson or PD session. To add a new slide and pictures follow these steps. 

1. Click on that picture in the bottom right and choose your format. 

2. Click the plus sign on the top right.

3. Click on image.

4. Choose from photos if you have a photo saved or choose from camera if you want to take a photo right then to insert.

Your photos will then be added to the slide! You can change their size, rearrange them, or make a collage. I listed all of the steps for the beginner, but it only takes a few minutes. 

Here are some other benefits of having Google Slides on your phone as an application:

• You can read and see all Google Slides that are shared with you as long as you have your phone with you!
• Students can share Google Slides with you and you can provide feedback using your phone or device. 
• You can work from anywhere without having to have your laptop!
• Teachers or students can see what other groups did either during your presentation or after if it has been shared with them. 
• You can save these or use them as evidence for your evaluation. 
• It is super easy!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask or comment below!