Online Education Tools

 Last spring I started to get quite the education on Google Classroom it was quite the interesting experience to say the least and then there were all the other educational sites that my little Padawans' teachers used.  Sites we went to were:

  • Flipgrid
  • Prodigy (math)
  • Freckle (math)
  • Epic (reading)
  • Mystery Science (please do not confuse this for MST3K)
  • Star Fall 
  • Scholastic
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet Up

I really hated both the Scholastic and Mystery Science sites, and dreaded anytime we had to use them.  Fortunately for me I skipped a lot of the mystery science exercises because they were optional for my Padawan's class. 

The site and videos really did seem to be geared towards use in the class so the way it was being used was certainly not the way it was intended.  If it is used this fall and I am guessing it will be I hope they had time to make revisions so that it is relevant to the single student situation. 

I cannot really remember what I hated with Scholastic I think it was just generally poorly organized.  I know that my older Padawan had to read the little magazines that were PDFs of the handouts that he would have received in school and that wasn't very effective or user friendly.

 I liked both Freckle and Prodigy for Math.

I didn't really see too much with Starfall but my younger Padawan seemed to like it.  When he had assignments using Starfall it was a bit awkward to know which lessons he was supposed to do and how to get the end results to the teacher.  It all worked out ok but it still seemed very much designed to be an in classroom tool more than an individual tool. 

Epic was fantastic because it allowed my older Padawan to be exposed to different types of books like non fiction, poetry etc.  I think this one was the best for covering reading as his teacher was able to create libraries to support the subject she was teaching.  However, it was also a problem because my Padawan loved to read Big Nate and Dog Man rather than what was assigned, or he would go back and read them when he should be doing a different subject.  I had to use a parental blocker tool to block Epic until he needed to complete his reading assignments.

To be fair I also had to do that for YouTube and Scholastic,  distractions were BIG and I had to find a way to manage them as best as possible.

Google Classroom-  I really did not like that I could not hide assignments that were already done. To be fair the icon did turn a different color when turned in but there was too much scrolling needed in my opinion as you try to find things.  

And lets get started on Chrome Music Lab, honestly my kids loved it, I hated it.  I really think the CIA needs to look into as a torture device.

I really am not looking forward to this school year (but I am telling my kids the opposite because they feed off the attitude you give them) my house has become a one room school house as I guide my 3rd and 5th grader through this insanity.  The problems that I anticipate are keeping the kids on task, I don't expect to have to do a lot in terms of teaching I will mostly be acting as a proctor really.

Our district is planning a hybrid year with one week in and one week out.  I really hope that they are sent home with packets of supplies, worksheets etc for their week home.  One huge problem I had with the spring session was that these projects (art, science, and gym come to mind) required that a parent stop what they were doing with their job to try and gather these supplies if they even had them.  I am hoping that since there has been more time to prepare there will be less of that.  

The other thing I would love to see, no art, music or gym, class on the weeks that they are home.  I really do think my Padawan's teachers did a great job and did what they could to make the lessons easy enough that most could accomplish them but it was too much.

As a parent I own my own business and am still working to build it, while I was able to take the time to be the proctor my business suffered as a result.  Mr. Padawan works full time, and yes he would trade off so that he could supervise the little Padawans when I had a commitment to make but he has a FULL TIME JOB and is the bread winner, he was my respite care.

I just don't see how this is possible going forward for parents that work full time.  I feel badly for them and their kids.  I feel badly for my kids.  




 

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