Digital Tools in the Math Classroom

Last year, I was able to having my math block work on a four center rotation for students.  The biggest difference this year is I do not have a math curriculum to follow, so I am blending a variety of resources to meet the Common Core State Standards and still meet my students' needs and only have three centers with about five more minutes at each one. Here is how I have designed my math block with technology tools to support my students, allow them to explain their thinking or practice skills.

Teacher Center

My students load an Explain Everything file that I have created with the lesson and practice problems they will complete with me at the teacher center.  I can make my file in Google Drive, export as a PDF and then load into Explain Everything.  Once I have changed it to an Explain Everything project I upload to Dropbox and my students easily downloaded from Dropbox to their iPad.  This workflow allows my students to all have the lesson on their personal device along with the projected version and with the Explain Everything tools they can work right in the file.  Students can then save their work to their device to reference later.  Although I haven't attempted this yet, the Explain Everything files can also be uploaded to Youtube for students for future use, or for absent students.  Explain Everything is a tool to grow with as it allow video, pictures, voice recording over slides and other tools I hope to use with my students as we advance in our math work.

Example of a PDF loaded to students via Explain Everything.

Independent Work Center

My students complete independent work from a variety of sources, but mostly use paper and pencil at the Independent Work Center.  I find that students like to write with their finger, but also can get a lot done with paper and pencil.  The work my students do here is mostly review problems of previous lesson's skills.  I am using Everyday Math math boxes, although I am assigning pages out of sequence and only relevant problems to my students learning so far this year.  They are also working in St Math, which is a great conceptual program that is image based and viewed by students as puzzles that can be organized by strand by teachers via the website.  My students get access to problems that are interactive and can see puzzle progress as well as percentage progress.  The program is also helpful for teachers as it shows areas of struggle for students in hurdle, shows time on task for students, and completion level by student.  I am also using Learn Zillion to review skills or reteach skills with students.  Learn Zillion not only has a rich bank of resource videos that are organized well, but they play on students' iPads.  Teachers can favorite lessons or strands, create assignments and due dates for individuals or classes.  They also have guided practice and quizzes if that is of interest,  I build a practice set of problems for the skill for students that is differentiated based on the group's current ability level.  Learn Zillion allows you to have student log in and teachers can assign videos to specific students or all students.  It's a great way to review concepts, allow students to practice and target lessons based on student need.

Problem Solving Center

My final center is a problem solving.  This has a mixture of word problems, math games and video lessons with practice.  I have my students solve real world math word problems via Doceri.  The students use Doceri as a whiteboard to solve the problem, but also talk through their problem solving process.  The standards of mathematical practice are exhibited on many levels when students solve and discuss their thinking.  My students are also using Doceri to record math game scores and practicing target skills.  Everyday Math games are a great tool for students to practice and also allow variety of problems with cards or dice. I also add components to games, for example, my students were practicing making and saying large numbers with the EM game Number Top It, but because they also needed practice with expanded form and written form, I added that as a score sheet component.

Below is an example of a student problem solving!

It's in the Way that You use It: ClassDojo

Eric Clapton's song, "It's in the way that you use it" always makes me think of technology use. Although I am sure it wasn't written with that intent, creative interpretation here, I guess. Yet, when I thought of ClassDojo I only saw the negative ways it was shared in classroom and I viewed it as an excuse to not build relationships, to assign points, openly share the "winners and losers" in the classroom.  Which is not the way I work or want my classroom to work.  But I never allowed myself to imagine it being used in other ways.  My teaching partner, Sherly Chavarria, asked me my opinion in which I shared similar to what you read above.  But she had already started to see the tool in a new and different way.  She agreed that she didn't want to use it as a public board of behavior, but valued other areas of the tool and highlighted some of those to me.

I'll admit I was reluctant, but I trust Sherly's judgement and I gave ClassDojo a second look.  What I found is ClassDojo is a system like any other, it can be used for good or for evil, its in the way that you use it.  Jennie Magiera and I have often shared with others how tools considered evil can be used for good ranging from social media to Jennie's instructional videos.  What it comes down to is people see a tool as one thing, but it can be re-imagined into a variety of tools and uses.  I can now see ways ClassDojo can work for me.

Here are some aspects I am excited about:

• Data: The system shows me by class, by student and offers daily or a variety of over time looks at student positive and negative points.  I can see the value of this with students, parents and administrators in conversation as well as data for Special Education services around behaviors.
• Access: Students and parents can log in and see a private view of student information.
  
• Download reports: Download any of the individual or class reports and now they can be shared easily through email.
• Add and delete indicators: I wanted a way to track "behaviors" but also wanted to personalize the items for transitions in hallways, homework completion and other school specific things like our schools Eagle Coins to recognize students.  All easy to add.  If there were indicators I disagree with or don't want they were just as easy to delete.
• Import feature: I see two classrooms of students, I can easily import all my new indicators across classes, great for teachers wanting the same standard but assigned to multiple class lists of students. 
• Mobile: ClassDojo can now be used on a mobile device and you do not need an internet connection to use it.

As always nothing is perfect! As I start to use it this list my grow, but now there is one feature I would love to see added to the ClassDojo features.

What I would ask to be added:

• Multiple Teacher Access: I share my classroom with Special Education co-teachers, I have student teachers in the past, having access for all teachers to one class would be amazing.

Like any tool, its all in the way that you use it.