AACPS OIT Byte

By Kerri Lambert, Teacher Specialist They can’t log in. It takes too much time. They don’t do the assignment; they just play around on the Chromebooks. They need to write and draw and cut and paste! They spend enough time on screens. These are just a few of the reasons we hear on a regular basis as to why teachers don’t incorporate technology into their instruction, especially at the elementary school level. We get it; it can be a frustrating experience that teachers don’t want to deal with, especially during a time when there are so many other stressors and things on teachers' plates. However, technology is a tool that brings much to the table in terms of student choice, accessibility, and engagement that it’s well worth incorporating into your lessons. And did I mention that even at the youngest grades, Common Core standards explicitly include technology ? It’s all about balancing traditional activities with technology, and making sure the activities that are being done are worth...

By: Koralina McKenna, Teacher Specialist - Office of Instructional Technology When I started teaching in 2016, I made it a point to ask students for their preferred name; I took notes on pronunciation and tried my best to get it right as soon as possible. But, it wasn't until 2020 that I added "preferred pronouns" to my first day survey. I created a way to keep track of my students preferred names and pronouns and made sure they were easily accessible for any sub or visitor in my classroom. These simple practices can affirm students' identity and help build a culturally responsive classroom. However, I quickly learned that I needed to do more to support my students and technology could make that seemingly daunting task a little easier.  In my early years, I often overlooked the Read&Write tool; mostly I found the purple puzzle piece to be an annoyance - until I came to appreciate how it could open up the digital world for all my students. During a reading heavy l...

by Tracey Brown, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist Have you ever tried to access a website on your AACPS laptop to find that it is blocked and then wondered, "why would anyone block this website?" Or maybe you have tried to share one with students only to have a similar frustrating result and thought? If the answer is yes, this blog post will help you understand how our filter system works and why so many sites that don't seem the least bit nefarious are blocked for staff, students, and sometimes both. How we filter web content AACPS uses a network filtering system that works on categories. When website creators publish their site, they select applicable categories. The category system relies on them to accurately categorize their sites, which most of them do since a website publisher usually wants their intended audience to easily find and utilize their site and possibly purchase their products. How the categories work Website categories include things like ...

By: Koralina McKenna, Teacher Specialist - Office of Instructional Technology The Teaching & Learning Instructional Observation/Evaluation Rubric has 34 criteria in which teachers are rated. Some of the observation stems are straight forward like "Class is neat and organized; arranged for student interactions and reflects current student learning". A teacher should receive a rating of "Effective" if the classroom is organized in a way that promotes student-to-student dialogue (think: groups), the teacher has relevant bulletin boards and student work displayed and the teachers' area is neat. If you can demonstrate that students can independently access materials and make up work; then you jump to "Highly Effective".  Move further down the rubric and you will find stems that are more complex and require the teacher to think thoughtfully and creatively about how they will demonstrate effectiveness. Observations can be stressful no matter what grade yo...

  Digital Relaxing Stations  By: Samantha Wilkinson-OIT Chill Island. Calm Zone. Rest Stop. Cool Down Station. Peace Place. Reflection Room. Comfy Corner… Whatever you call your area, I think we can agree that it is a necessary spot in the classroom. Even more so these days, as we are still working on helping kids develop appropriate social responses to handle the stresses and overstimulation that happens during the school day.  For many learners, having a few minutes to be alone, or escape, can make a world of difference in classroom performance and de-escalation. For other students, just knowing that a safe place exists is a comfort. This special place in the classroom sends the message that the teacher cares about the students’ mental wellbeing, and understands that everyone needs some personal time, even in the midst of a busy school day. It promotes mindfulness and addresses the needs of the whole-child. It provides a refuge in a world that can seem overwhelming. Whe...

  🎨 Integrating Arts Through Technology  🎭 By: Samantha Wilkinson-OIT While in college I was told it was a good idea to declare a minor. This would “give me an edge on the competition” while interviewing for teaching jobs, they said. I browsed the catalog and one stood out: Creative Arts. When I found out this involved taking courses in Theater, Dance, Visual Arts, and Music, I hesitated. I don’t consider myself to be particularly talented in any one of these areas. But honestly those classes sounded like a lot of fun. I told myself that college is for new experiences, and signed up.  At the time, I thought these classes would be an outlet from my more difficult courses. I loved that I could be creative and how there wasn’t always a “right” answer. We spent time storytelling and getting to know classmates through various modes of expression. I ended up loving those classes, and never felt burdened to attend. However, I didn’t see the intersection between what I was lea...

By Kerri Lambert, Teacher Specialist, Office of Instructional Technology When : Spring of 2003 Where : The Jones Elementary computer lab Who : Me, a new teacher with only a couple of months under my belt, my then 4th grade teammate Mary, and Debbie Ray, our Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist ELA Tech Connections circa 2006 The rumors were flying; next year, Open Court was in, and computer labs were out. (For those of you not as old as me, Open Court was a reading program that was implemented in AACPS for many years). Worried, Mary contacted OIT for help. What could we do? Time in the lab was valuable and the students loved it. Both of us used that hour every week for extending our reading lessons with story writing, character mapping, and more. Armed with a single copy of the first unit manual for 4th grade (Risks and Consequences), and Debbie’s extensive knowledge of AACPS software, the three of us created what became the very first elementary Tech Connections activity- a sho...