Videos
In an industry with too many “experts” that have too little experience, EDGEucating puts our decades of experience to work for you. We candidly shepherd our audience into the future of education by sharing resources we use and trust. We also share innovative, proven solutions for real and relatable educational issues.
Watch & Learn
If you’re wondering how to budget for student education in an industry 4.0 setting, watch this video! It’ll teach you everything you need to know to create an effective and sustainable budget for your students this school year. This video will guide you on how to spend your budget effectively and equip your students with the skills they need for the workforce of tomorrow. One key factor to consider is Industry 4.0, which involves integrating advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and IoT into various industries. To prepare your students for this new era, you’ll want to look for educational tools that incorporate these technologies while keeping academics at the forefront. Don’t miss out on this essential guide for industry 4.0 educators! This video will equip you with the knowledge necessary to make your spending as productive and impactful as possible.
AR/VR articles Mentioned in this video:
How to Access AR and VR in Education Today
Products Recommended in this video:
Career in STEM Explorer Platform
EDGEucating offers a wide range of academic-based products that align with the needs of Industry 4.0.
Looking for a fun way to bring Computer Science into your class? In this video, we discuss a no-tech coding game that will help students understand the fundamentals of coding while learning about the United Nation’s SDGs and how they can create positive change within their own community. The Global Goals Game is the prefect project to integrate CS with civics, math, ELA and good old-fashioned hands-on learning for you k-8 students.
In this video, I discuss student engagement. Research has shown that students who are not fully engaged within 8 seconds of beginning an activity will not give their full attention throughout the activity. With these 8 strategies, any teacher can grab their students’ attention and set the stage for a successful lesson. These 8 strategies are based on the 4 main ways that students are driven to learn and engage. Use these strategies to start the day, start the class period, or to start a new activity. Student engagement is the ultimate goal.
As Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) becomes mandatory, school leaders are looking for ways to incorporate SEL schoolwide. In this video, I share ways to address the five domains of SEL according to CASEL. I discuss what a school administrator or lead teacher can do to make SEL part of the climate and culture of the day-to-day operations of their school. These tips are the first steps to implementing an SEL plan without purchasing a curriculum or spending anything from those limited budgets.
Discover the Strawbees Starter and School Kits through the eyes of an educator. Learn what makes this product a great way to introduce or advance your STEAM curriculum. This product works for 1st – 12th grade, due to the Microbit addition of robotics and coding. Strawbees is simple and durable, with exceptional educator support. Their online platform with a complete curriculum of lesson plans that are standards-aligned. Click to see why EDGEucating awarded Strawbess a Gold Star Product!
In this video, I share three things educators should do this summer to make it productive without making it tiresome. All educators need the summers off, but they are anything but a 2-month long vacation. Educators use their summers to do those things that they could not do during the school year. I want to share ways to do that while preparing for next year.
Today’s parental involvement has evolved with the times. Have your approaches changed? In this video, I discuss ways to improve parental involvement at your school. All stakeholders in education can be involved better in the entire education process and it begins with being engaged in the day-to-day events of the students’ school. Administrators must plan for better parental involvement and this video shares tips to make parental involvement systematic and purposeful.
In this video, I discuss three major loose ends that can be troublesome if they are left to deal with at the beginning of the year. Ending the year ready to start the next year should be a goal for all administrators. Also, take advantage of the wonderful minds of those teachers while you can. They will leave at the end of the month. Use their input and ideas now so the school year can start on the right foot.
Courses mentioned in the video:
Administrators-
https://edgeucating.com/courses/leading-organizational-change/
Teachers-
https://edgeucating.com/courses/steam-education-integration/
Product mentioned in the video:
iCloth (large): https://edgeucating.com/store/icloth-wipes-large/
iCloth (small): https://edgeucating.com/store/icloth-cleaning-wipes-small/
This is a webinar that was hosted live on FaceBook and recorded. During this webinar, I share information related to the various types of Gifted and Talented programs that are offered in schools and explain their differences. Additionally, I discuss STEM versus STEAM education. There is loads of parental advice as well as statistics related to the benefits of STEM/STEAM integration in schools. I also offer some of my favorite STEM products. Be sure to check it out!
In this video, I discuss 5 products that would be a great way to spend the last of your school budget. At this point in the school year, most administrators are trying to spend the last of their general budget because if you don’t spend it you lose it. All educators want to spend their money wisely and the suggested products are not very expensive but can fit multiple grade levels and subject areas. Buying these products would be smart purchases for teachers or entire grade levels at the end of the year.
Teachers have been asking for more support from their administrators, but what does that mean? I share some ways that administrators can show support to their teachers today. There are many ways to support teachers that most administrators ignore. In this video I share three things that administrators can do to support their teachers without spending money or changing policies or schedules.
In this video, I discuss how being a role model in the 21st century is different than it was in the past. I share ways that teachers can make sure their image on social media platforms is what they want it to be. Also discussed are tips about privacy that teachers may not have thought about. Social media is a major part of most teachers’ day-to-day lives, but it needs to be representative of their image as a leader of children.
2022 is going to be a BIG year for EdTech! During the pandemic, educators pioneered EdTech tools at an overwhelming pace. Now, 86% of educators say technology should be a core part of education. This video reveals the biggest trends in education technology solutions that will have the greatest impact on teaching and learning in 2022 and what this means for educators.
Administrators can approach tutoring in different ways, but what is most important is to create a tutoring format that is appropriate for the students, teachers, and their specific needs. Tutoring needs are different each year and so should the tutoring format. In this video, I discuss the three main types of tutoring and the different ways the tutors can be scheduled to best meet those needs.
Teachers have gone through so much the past couple of years. Whether teaching via Zoom from a virtual classroom or teaching their students in person, they have had to be flexible, patient, and determined to continue educating in unstable, uncertain times. This year’s gift means more than ever to many educators. The teachers in your life deserve a special thank you every year, but especially this one. So, this holiday season, if you’re looking to treat a teacher in your life who has shown lots of love and perseverance, this list has some thoughtful, unique, and affordable ideas for you.
As the school year reaches midterm, administrators are trying to find ways to acknowledge and celebrate those people in the building who are giving of themselves so much. Most administrators try to buy gifts for their teachers during the holidays, but funds aren’t always available. I share ways to celebrate/acknowledge teachers during this holiday season without breaking the bank.
Your school doors are open ready for the new school year ahead, but are the teachers prepared? To do their job to the best of their ability, teachers need the right supplies and tools for the job. In this video, I cover the top 5 most requested technology devices requested by teachers for the classroom. This is an excellent resource for any teacher or anyone looking to purchase an item for a teacher. This is the main video in a 5 part video series. I have linked all the videos in the series below. In each of the videos, I give the top 5 rated devices for the category and I have linked the specific items.
- Video #1 – Top 5 Document Cameras for Teachers
- Video #2 – Top 5 Laminators for Teachers
- Video#3 – Top 5 Electric Pencil Sharpeners for Teachers
- Video #4 – Top 5 Label Makers for Teachers
The number of teachers leaving the profession recently has been staggering. Quality teachers who are motivated to work with students in the best ways possible have become a hot commodity. To maintain the best school climate possible, we need teachers who love their workplace as much as they love their students. School administrators can begin to follow my five tips now to ensure the most teacher retention possible. It is never too late to make positive changes in your school. Keeping your teachers means that administrators can focus on the students rather than recruiting, hiring, and training new teachers.
In this video, I discuss some tips that experienced educators use to make connections with their students. These cutting-edge strategies will help you develop lessons that are engaging and connected to the real world. Student interest inventories are an old-school strategy that has gained increased relevance as today’s students have changed with the times.
As a teacher, I have used lots of robots. KIBO is an easy and fun way to bring robotics and coding to your young learners and spark their interest in STEAM. In this video I discuss how to use KIBO, the researched behind KIBO, and my thoughts on KIBO in the classroom. Get insight from a real educator on this educational robot. This hands on, screen-free robot kit for kids let 4- to 7-year-olds create, design, decorate and bring their own robot to life! Watch and learn! You might want to check out our KIBO Tech Coach Playbook. For more information and to purchase KIBO CLICK HERE.
An administrator walkthrough can make a huge contribution toward building a positive school climate. In this video, I share 5 tips to make all administrator walkthroughs positive experiences for the teacher, the administrator, and the building in general. Administrators have many opportunities to build a School Climate that is one of trust and support. Quality observations are an integral part of making a school positive for everyone.
In this video, I share ways to elevate the first day back to school, for teachers. By making the first day of school fun, engaging, and purposeful, school administrators can kick off the school year with a bang. Using my suggestions and some planning, your teachers will not dread the required meetings to start off the year. They will be motivated and excited about the year to come.
The 2021-2022 school year has strong potential to look more like a pre-pandemic learning environment. However, many are asking how to bridge the learning gap created during the pandemic. In this video I will give you 3 secrets that will help you do just that. Check out this video in order to prepare lessons that are sure to keep students engaged while helping them to retain more knowledge.
In this video, we share thoughts on the Pro-Bot rechargeable, programmable floor robot. This robot is recommended for everyone ages 3+. It is an easy to use, easy to program robot that has a focus on geometry. This robot can be programed to move throughout a space by using the keypad on the robot itself. For more advanced programing, the robot can be programmed to flash its lights, make many sounds, and draws complex designs. The coding aspect of this robot is simple to execute and the necessary information to get started is in the user manual. The race car attraction and coding practicality make this bot the perfect fit for elementary classrooms! You can find out more about the ProBot here.
Are you looking for FREE classroom manipulatives that work no matter where the students are? Well, look no further! Toy Theater is FREE and web based. It has all your manipulatives and practice tools in one place. It covers a variety of subjects and the tools are AMAZING! In this video we show you the platform and what is available.
In this webinar we discussed ways to communicate with all of the stakeholders of a school while social distancing. At the beginning of this school year we were not allowed to meet with parents in person. We could not have faculty meetings or assemblies. Because of these restrictions, we had to find ways to communicate with all of our stakeholders. There were several ways that we reached out to the teachers, parents, and the students to kick off the school year and to maintain parental involvement. We share these communication ideas and discuss how our stakeholders reacted to them.
In this webinar we discussed the first steps in creating a positive climate and culture in your school. It begins with creating an environment where the teachers feel valued and part of a team. Teamwork is essential and it starts with positive relationships between the administration, the teachers, and the paraprofessionals who work with them. We share several professional development activities that focus on communication and teamwork that are appropriate for faculties of all ages, experience levels, and abilities.
I have very little experience with coding or flying drones, but the CoDrone Mini by Robolink was extremely easy to use. Upon opening the box, I was provided with enough information to operate the CoDrone Mini as an average drone. The directions provided in the provided manual were easy to read and follow. I was extremely nervous when it came to the coding, but by using Blockly, I was able to program the CoDrone Mini to not only fly, but to do a flip and land. Everything was very user friendly and the doubts I had about my coding skills never came in to play. The CoDrone Mini by Robolink is a product that I recommend to anyone who is looking for a simple and quality introduction to coding. STEM and STEAM lessons would benefit from this learning tool that student will be eager to interact with immediately upon its introduction to the lesson. Learn more about CoDrone Mini here.
I was introduced to the Robobloq Coding Express Toy Train Set recently and the more I interact with it, the more I enjoy it. This was a great introduction to coding. It is marketed for toddlers, but for the full educational benefit there would definitely have to be adult guidance. The Coding Express has high quality parts. Its train track is solid wood and the train itself is adorable and a bit retro. Coding is accomplished through the use of color coded stickers that are placed on the track. When the train moves over the sticker, it reads it and completes the necessary action. There are many choices in the sticker selections and the set comes with 4 pages of the stickers. My greatest concern is the fact that the stickers have a limited amount of stickiness. When working with children, the stickers are going to be worn out quickly and replacement stickers aren’t readily available. If I could make one suggestion, it would be to make the middle of the track with a magnetic strip and the stickers magnets. Velcro would also be an alternate to the stickers. The playbooks that were emailed to me are a great asset to the set. They provided inspiration and ideas for the best use of the train and were similar to simple lesson plans. I wish there was a link to the playbooks in the set. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.
Have no fear! “Change has long been the most feared aspect of education. Regardless of its inevitability, each time it’s met with the same disdain and hesitance as the last,” according to Mike Patterson, of CDW-G. In this video we discuss how to conquer those dreaded EdTech fears that prevent many from prevailing in their classrooms. This video will not just transform you as an individual, but it will complete transform your classroom and your relationship with your students. Flipping the script is what it is all about. This is truly the flipped classroom approach, if you are currently fearful of education technology. Changing your approach will change your outcomes for the better.
In this video, I share some tips to help you improve your pre-k child’s vocabulary and communication skills. By preparing your child for kindergarten in this way, you are giving them an advantage over the other students. Kindergarten preparation should start early. Taking the summer to really focus on the different skills that I share in this video will ensure that your child is prepared for the first day of school. By feeling prepared, they will have a smooth transition from preschool to kindergarten. Although preschool may seem the same as kindergarten, they are very different. Follow these tips and your child will be a kindergarten pro on day one.
Pocket Google Chrome extension is the easiest, fastest way to capture articles, videos, and anything else you find on the web. With one click, the content you’ve collected appears across all your devices in a clean, distraction-free space—there to read when you’re ready, whether at home, at work, or on the go. Pocket becomes a personal, quiet corner of the internet where you can spend quality time with the stories that matters to you. In this video you will learn how to use Pocket from beginning to end. As an educator Pocket is great for jumping from device to device. You will learn everything from how to download and install to the functions inside of the app. This app has features, such as font resizing and background formating, that can be utilized to assist special needs students. Find out all you need to know about Pocket in this video.
As the pandemic unfolds we are faced with making changes that were thrust upon us. Administrators are making the adjustments in record time. At this time of year administrators normally are going through the procedure of formally observing and evaluating teachers. They are going into their classrooms and giving teachers valuable feedback. But what are they doing with virtual classrooms? In this video I share the rubric I am using to evaluate their virtual classroom and the things that I am looking for when evaluating my teachers for their formal evaluation. I also discuss the questionnaire that I use for teachers to do a self-evaluation. Schools have been impacted by the pandemic just like the rest of our lives and adjusting to the changes is something educators are doing on a regular basis. Teacher evaluations are no different.
In this video you will learn to use Google Slides like a pro! This Google Slides tutorial for beginners is a complete crash course, taking you by the hand and showing you step by step how to make some amazing Google Slides slideshow presentations. It’s short, to the point, no time wasted, so you can get straight to work! Get your master’s in Google Slides in about 20 minutes! Tell stories that matter. Google Slides makes your ideas shine with a variety of presentation themes, hundreds of fonts, embedded video, animations, and more. Collaboration is an added reason to go with Google Slides. The ability to easily share and simultaneously edit a Google Slides is a huge added bonus. Your presentations can easily be presented and/or shared with collaborators. Whether you’re doing a class presentation, a slideshow for a meeting at the office or speaking in front of 500 people, this tutorial is for you. Go from beginner, seeing Google Slides for the first time, all the way to an advanced master.
In this video, I share a few of the features of my favorite movie editing app, iMovie. I hit the highlights of iMovie. After watching, you will be able to create a movie from your video clips and photos. You will see how to edit the video clips to trim the beginning and the end. Also, you will see how to add text to the photos you choose to add to your movie. With these easy steps you will be able to create a simple movie and hopefully feel confident enough to explore this very user friendly video editing app.
I use this app to edit video clips into movies that I share with all of the stakeholders of my elementary school. Covid-19 has created requirements for social distancing that has greatly limited some of the choices we have in communicating with teachers, parents, and students. My school has chosen to make videos and upload them to YouTube. Then, we are able to share the links as needed. iMovie has made that possible.
In this video I discuss using Google Sheets to track student progress monitoring. Response to Intervention (RtI) relies on the classroom teacher or her assistant to implement the intervention with fidelity and according to the necessary steps. As an administrator, I rely on my teachers to “do it right” and my classroom observations are all that I have to ensure the implementation of the intervention, but tracking student progress was a much bigger issue for me. Something that happened too regularly for comfort was the fact that a teacher would sometimes forget to do a student’s progress monitoring. This could have happened for various reasons, absence, schedule changes, school events, or absent mindedness. When we get updates after 4 to 6 weeks and progress monitoring was not completed according to the schedule, it makes the data analysis almost impossible. Our school district is not one that is lenient when it comes to documentation of the Response to Intervention process. If we do not have documentation of it, then it did not happen. Using Google Sheets has made this an easier process.
Work life balance is what every teacher strives for! But, how do you achieve it? This video is dedicated to teachers and is meant to encourage you to better manage your work life balance. We know that teachers are some of the hardest working people on earth, but because of that, you have a tendency to self-sacrifice way too much! Teachers are stressed. Roughly 73 percent of teachers report they often find work stressful. As a result, they’re more likely to leave work physically and emotionally exhausted and to bring work home. A teacher who fails to strike a balance between work and private life risks becoming burned out. Which leads to eventually leaving the profession. These tips have a helpful dose of reality, proven strategies, and access to resources to help you get your work life balance under control! It is possible to teach and have a personal life! It took me years to learn how. This video will help you reach this balance much faster than I did and add years back to your life portion of your work life balance equation.
Celebrations and parties are being limited every day by COVID-19 guidelines. School Climate and Culture is a concept that must be maintained on a daily basis and keeping that in mind makes positivity a priority. Our students are dealing with so many changes and the thought that Christmas parties might be cancelled was something that I just could not allow. We had to find ways to maintain social distancing, sanitation, and guidelines related to food distribution while still having what we consider a party. In schools, we think about students first, but when it comes to holiday parties we have to consider the faculty and staff, too. So, in this video I share ways to have both student and faculty/staff parties during this pandemic.
In this video, I discuss the importance of personalizing the communication with stakeholders in school. I focus on communication with parents by using face-to-face video chat to ensure that the parents have the ability to make a connection with their child’s teacher. Also, I discuss the use of video for faculty meetings and the need to see the teacher’s faces when discussing important topics to gauge reactions. Finally, I discuss the importance of communicating with students face-to-face and how to have a virtual pep rally.
EdPuzzle is a great tool for turning any video into a fully engaging lesson that incorporates assessments. It can be used to add questions to a video you find on the internet, or to a video you created. Many teachers use EdPuzzle to flip their direct instruction. Learn how to teach remotely or directly with EdPuzzle, a video customization platform that will help transform video lessons into interactive experiences for students. In this video, veteran educator and educational influencer, Alicia Verweij, shows teachers how to sync EdPuzzle with Google Classroom, how to create video assignments with custom edits, and questions.
Stress is extremely debilitating. For an educator to be their most effective self, they must be at the top of their game. While dealing with Covid-19, our teachers have had to deal with so much more than what a regular school year would bring. The stresses that they are under can become overwhelming and can begin to affect job performance. In this video I share 4 ways for administrators to address the stress that their teachers are enduring. These tips cost little to no money, but may be the difference between an angry teacher and a happy teacher.
There are loads of Google Chrome Extensions for teachers in 2020, but how many do you actually use? Insert Learning is one you will find yourself unable to live without. This tutorial shows you a great free online teaching tool that you’ll be sure to add to your toolbox! In this education technology tutorial, I show you how to take a static web page and transform it into an active learning experience. In this tutorial you’ll learn how to use Insert Learning to add highlighted text, sticky notes, questions, and discussion prompts to any web page. The Insert Learning extension is an easy example of how teachers can create engaging lessons to their instruction. All teachers utilize websites all the time. Now you can create more meaningful, engaging, active learning experiences for students using these same websites. This Insert Learning demo showcases one of the most useful Chrome extensions for teachers that we have found! It is a must have and regular go to for every teacher!!
In this video I cover the top 10 STEAM gifts for 2020. I provide 10+ options for gifts with creativity, problem solving, and educational value. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) is all the rage and my passion, so hopefully this will help you decide on a product(s) that are right for that special little someone in your life. I’ve tried to cover a range price points. My own children and my classroom children at school find them incredibly engaging, so everything here should be good value for the end goal. I have made sure to cover items that work for personal gifts or for classroom fun. In addition, the ideas cover ideas for age ranges from preschool through early adult. No matter what you are looking for, we’ve got you covered.
Kami is more than just a PDF and document annotation app. Kami is the #1 downloaded app of 2020. Kami will take any document or slide show and convert it into a pdf that is able to be annotated on, saved in a students google drive, and then submitted back to a teacher. Kami is a go-to when it comes to chromebook use and works extremely well with all learning management systems. With Kami, teachers can make their classrooms more interactive. Kami has collaborative tools and features that are designed to improve the learning environment for students of all levels and abilities. Learn how to use the Kami, the Google Chrome extension, and be up and running in less than 15 minutes.
5 Distance Learning tools that work for any learning environment. Are you starting the year in a Distance Learning environment? I share 5 top tools to get started and reduce stress! These 5 Distance Learning tools work for any learning environment. The beginning of the year is always tricky and with this school year being completely unconventional and even trickier, I wanted to help out by sharing these tools to help! Regardless of the learning environment you will be using these tools will help! I guarantee you will find some new tools in this video. I hope you find these tools helpful.
Parental involvement is always an important part of the education of young people, but right now it is especially important. even though it is greatly important, during a pandemic it is one of the hardest parts of education to maintain in a quality way. In this video I share ways that my teaches and I have attempted to foster parental involvement at our school even though parents are not allowed to visit. I also discuss the app we are using to communicate with parents on a regular basis.
One question that I ask on almost a daily basis is, “How are we going to pay for it all?” In these trying times, funds are scarce in schools. There is so much to do and so little money for those fun things. But it is the fun stuff that makes a school year memorable and keeps the students motivated. I came up with some fundraising ideas that have little or no upfront costs and you can start them today. My focus is on doing several little fundraisers at this time, due to everyone having limited funds. But a little goes a long way. Check out this video for those tried and true ideas.