An App A Day~ Reflector

Though the program Reflector is not necessarily an APP (so don't go to iTunes to look for it), it is a program that works with everything on your iPad and has changed my teaching! This program is $12.99 per license or you can get a package of licenses and save. It is well worth the money.

Here is the link for the Reflector site with all the info (pricing and help pages): Reflector

Reflector is an AirPlay receiver that allows you to wirelessly display your iPad or iPhone. It is available for MAC or PC. Anything that you do on your phone or iPad can be mirrored onto the screen for any type of activity. Whether it be for behavior tracking while kids are working, video, instructions, demonstration, assessment of student work or showing other ways to do things.

In my classroom it is used everyday in all subjects. That is why I am choosing to share this with you. There are other programs that do similar functions, but this is the one I have found is easiest for me. When using Reflector, you have to know how to use Airplay. Airplay comes on a variety of Apple devices, and is very simple to use (even my kids share with it). As I get my students used to it and they understand the rules of it, it works so well to assess what my students have completed (or not completed) and I can show the entire class one certain thing all at once (ex. how to solve a math problem another way or if everyone is having a similar problem on their iPad, I can show them how to do it through Reflector). When we are reviewing content, I have my students get to Airplay but they don't click to show until I tell them to SHARE. As they get better at the process, we can get through almost an entire class of answers in less than 5 min. That's what I call fast assessment and they love showing. You can also show up to two devices content at one time on one screen, which is great for comparing and contrasting. If you try and do more devices, it will slow the program down and make the images smaller on the screen.

The only concern that I have found, is that you have to have wireless internet connection because it is used through the internet.

Give it a try and see what you think. I have found that it is the easiest way to get students engaged in what is going on (because they want to share in front of everyone) and you can see what a number of  students are doing in a short amount of time.

Day 4: Explain Everything

I don't know about you, but as a mom of a 3 year old you learn to explain things in a number of ways. This same practice that I use with my daughter (and sometimes my husband, when he gives me that look) I use with my students. In a classroom of 28 students, you have so many different kinds of learners at many different level. In an ideal world you would be able to teach to all of them, all at the same time and they would all have that ah-ha moment. BUT...it doesn't work that way. On app that I have fallen in love with to help with explanations and assessments is Explain Everything.

Explain Everything is a paid app ($2.99) in iTunes (sorry, yes...FREE is always better. But I feel it was worth it). Explain Everything is a electronic interactive whiteboard program. Many teachers have asked me why I like this one better that others, especially free ones, but in my opinion the main part is personal preference. There are many other whiteboard apps that are free, but I have found that this app provides the students with more options then others.

I use this app in a number of ways in the classroom. The students use the app on their iPad mini's and I use it on my iPad to demonstrate on the screen, through airplay and a program called Reflector, that I will post about later. Within Explain Everything you have many choices for kids to create, demonstrate and assess. Here is a screen shot of all the buttons and options.

It may seem like a lot to take in for most kids, but you would be surprised how many times after I teach the buttons and how to use the app, I put the power in the students hands and normally shout out " I need help...somebody figure out how to ________. I don't know how to do it" and 5-10 student will stop what they are doing and it is on. They have a challenge on hand. Within 5 min. I have 2-3 students who know how to do and are ready to show the class. This is so powerful. With all the buttons, I have found that the quality of work is better. When you only can choose from 3-5 colors and you can't record your voice to explain, then why do it. I have many students that will not talk in front of the class, but if they can record privately, they will do it. I also have some lovely students that cannot focus when I provide them with a worksheet, but if I make them do it on the ipad...DONE! They become my most focused students and then become the teachers of the group.

Here are some of the things that I have done with this app, just to get your brain going.
-Gave the class a math problem and they write out their answer and use it like a whiteboard
-Spelling word practice
-Math problems: with voice and step process recording
-Life cycle illustration with voice recording of plant life cycle
-Group work
-Grammar (send them things in Showbie and they can bring them into Explain everything to work on them)
-Science kits

Hope you can use Explain Everything to help you in your classroom.