This is the first of a multi-part series on some of the specific features of the LMS JupiterEd. This is a beginning/intermediate level overview of JupiterEd and the features that I think are used the most. This will be most beneficial for those who are just starting out, need a refresher, or are just curious […]
Teaching
When students cheat – and why it’s hard to fix
Folks, we have a cheating problem on our hands. I know it’s naive to think that my students WON’T cheat, but that doesn’t make it any less disappointing. About two weeks ago I was helping one of my students email me an assignment from his iPad. Doing this required him to open his Gmail app […]
Making a case for standards-based grading
I received an email today at 7:09 AM from a parent: Mrs. Lepre, why aren’t you using the traditional grades in your class? What does a “3” mean? It’s easiest for me to look at A B C grades to keep up with how she’s doing. I never agreed with pretending WE ARE ALL DOING […]
Foster student engagement and visible learning with Thinglink
Thinglink is a tool allows you to create interactive images that can be used in a variety of ways. Both students and teachers can create these images, which helps to drive student learning and motivation. It offers a free and paid Premium version, but I’ve been able to do just fine with the free one! […]
Why grammar matters even if your students hate it
Why I switched to English Language Arts In a past life, music was my life. In fact, I was a competitive pianist for all of middle and high school, and entered college at the University of Washington (GO DAWGS!) as a piano performance major. After realizing that sitting alone for 3-4 hours a day practicing my […]
What I learned from blogging with my students
As I’d mentioned before, we’re finally blogging! At the time of this writing, there are 172 student posts on our team blog. I’m so proud of my students for doing this without any fuss or muss, and I’m hoping that after a few more opportunities, they’ll see the value in it. As someone who’s always […]
Gamify Open House, Back-to-School Night, or Parent Night
Another Open House came and went (#13!), but this time with a twist. Since I’m looping with my students (this is my second year with them), I’m also looping with their parents! I couldn’t do the SAME thing I did last year for Back-To-School Night because THAT would be boring. So I decided to mix […]
An open letter to myself as a first year teacher
Dear Kim, Congratulations on making it through college and your credential program! I know that you’re going to be a fabulous teacher and really change the lives of kids in a positive way. Also, high five for landing your first teaching job! As your future self, I want to give you some friendly advice for […]