Helping Students with ADHD/ADD

Helping Students with ADHD/ADD

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Impulse-ControlWhat is ADHD/ADD? It stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder. It affects about 3-5% of children and adults in the United States. Some characteristics of ADHD/ADD include:

  • Inattentiveness, but not hyperactive or impulsive
  • Hyperactive and impulsive, but can concentrate
  • Inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive

You might notice one of your students who may have ADHD/ADD. You can make a difference in your student’s life by helping them. Here are some ways that you can start:

Have seating arrangements.

If you know your student can be distracted when they site near a window or door, move their seat to a different location. It might be helpful to sit your student with ADHD/ADD in front of your desk to help them focus. It is also useful if you arrange your classroom seating in rows instead of sitting around tables or facing one another.

Provide clear and concise instructions.

Give instructions one at a time. If the instructions are complex, break it down into smaller parts. Also, you can have several other students repeat your instructions to give the student with ADHD/ADD the opportunity to hear it. Make sure that the assignment is not too long or too difficult because they might avoid doing it.

Work with parents.

It is best if you partner up with their parents to make sure that their child is ready to learn in the classroom. Ask parents to communication with you regularly about the problems their child experiences in school. Have the parents help their child organize their papers or homework during the evening and help them prepare for school next day.

If you have a student that has ADHD/ADD in your class, let us know how you help them!

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Quick and Easy Ways to Use Technology in Classroom

Quick and Easy Ways to Use Technology in Classroom

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student-with-ipad-technology-in-the-classroom1If you’re one of those teachers who want to challenge yourself this school year, you may want to start using technology in class. Technology can help improve student involvement and a great way to keep them engaged. So we put together some quick and easy way that you can start using technology in class!

Create a class website

One of the benefits of a creating a website is the increased communication between you, students and parents. A class website can be anything from an online bulletin board to a class blog with class materials. If you want to start building your own class website, here is a list of platforms that you may want to try out.

Create a class game using PowerPoint

Many teachers use PowerPoint to create fun review games based on famous game shows, like “Jeopardy!” And “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” It is up to you to be creative. Not only does it get your students excited about reviews, it can help them figure out what they need to study! Here are some templates that you can use for these games: PowerPoint Games and PowerPoint Review Games Template.

Use social media

If you’re more tech-savvy, you can create a class Twitter account or class Instagram account. Many teachers are leveraging these tools to be more involved with their students and their parents. Check out some of the ways you can use Twitter and Instagram.

No matter how you plan to use technology in class, always remember to have fun!

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Help stop bullying (for students)!

Help stop bullying (for students)!

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tumblr_mlxavfpnWL1qcxu82o1_500What is bullying? It is any hurtful behavior that can harm another person. Bullying can take my different forms.  Some common examples of bullying are name-calling, teasing, telling, pushing, spreading rumors, and cyberbullying. It can cause negative physical, school, and mental health issues. So here’s how you can help prevent bullying in school!

  1. Treat everyone with respect.

Do not be mean to other students. Before you say or do something that could hurt someone, stop and think if you should do it. If you feel like being mean to someone, try to play a game, watch TV, or talk to someone to take your mind off it. If you don’t know how to be nice to others, talk to an adult and ask them to help you. Remember that everyone is different. Also, if you think you bullied someone before, apologize.

 

  1. If you are being bullied…

If you are being bullied, here’s what you can do. Look at the bully and tell him/her to stop in a calm, clear voice. Or you can laugh it off because it can catch the bully off guard. Do not fight back. It is best if you walk away and stay safe. If you think you are being bullied, talk to an adult that you trust. They can try to help you stop the bullying.

 

If you see someone being bullied, talk to an adult. It can be a parent, teacher, or another adult you can trust. You need to let them know when bad things are happening so they can help. Remember to be kind to the student being bullied. Show that you care by sitting with them at lunch or on the bust. Try to talk to them during school or hang out with them after school.

You can always stop bullying, find out more here: http://www.flipthescriptnow.org/students

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Top 3 Ways Teachers Can Stop Bullies

Top 3 Ways Teachers Can Stop Bullies

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October is National BullyingBullying Prevention Month. As you know, bullying is a major problem in school. Students who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. It affects everyone: the person being bullied, the bully, and the witnesses. Whether it is the classroom, the cafeteria, library, on the playground, or bathroom, it is up to the teachers to help prevent bullying in school.

Here, Voki have 3 tips that can help you and other school administrators prevent bullying from happening in school.

 

  1. Help your students understand bullying.

Explain to your students what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell them that bullying is unacceptable. Encourage them to speak to a trusted adult if they see someone being bullies or if they are bullied. Give your students tips on how to stand up to bullies and if it doesn’t work, walk away.

 

  1. Create a safe and supportive environment.

You should create a classroom culture of inclusion and respect that welcomes all students. Make sure that your students interact safely. Find out where students can have a higher risk of bullying, such as bathrooms, playgrounds, and cafeteria. This is where there is little or no adult supervision. Establish ground rules in in class so students can help create this positive and respectful environment. Always remember that you are a role model for them so you must follow the rules yourself.

 

  1. Stop Bullying on the spot.

If you spot bullying in school, stop it immediately. Do not ignore it and do think that they can work it out without help. If another teacher is needed, do not hesitate to ask. Talk to the students individually and do not force other students to say what they saw publicly. Model respectful behavior when you intervene because you are their role model.

 

For more information on how to prevent bullying, visit www.stopbullying.gov.

Until next time,

Eva D.
The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

 

Voki Guest Blogger: Kimberly Munoz

Voki Guest Blogger: Kimberly Munoz

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As a Tech Apps teacher, I was always looking for relevant web tools that my students could use in my class and in others. Voki is a great educational technology tool because it teaches technology skills, and engages students in the content the teacher is presenting. If you’ve never used Voki before, it is simply a website that allows you to create a talking avatar! I’ve used Voki in my classroom for the past several years and my students loved it every time!

 

The most popular project I did with my students, using Voki, was the character analysis they were required to do over one person in the book, “The Giver.” It was a cross-curricular project between me and another English teacher. The students had to choose an avatar and edit their features to resemble the character as close as possible. Then, they were suppose to make the avatar explain who their character was in the book and what part they played in the story. Here is the link to their finished products. I love that you can publish their work just like I did here! http://greetingsbyvoki.wikispaces.com/

 

You can embed Voki’s on blogs and webpages. I’ve taught my students to create welcome messages to post on their blogs. It’s a great way to personalize content and show a bit of personality as well, which is why I think students love this tool so much! If you haven’t tried Voki yet, you are missing out!

 

Kimberly Munoz

Instructional Technologist

Franklin ISD

 

15 years teaching experience

@techmunoz

 

Note-taking Tips for Students

Note-taking Tips for Students

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TakingNotesWhat is note-taking? It is the process of writing down important information from a class so you can review and study it later. There are different ways to take notes so find a way that works for you! Understand that note-taking is a long process and a skill that you develop over time.

So we put together some simple tips on how you can take notes!

Organization is important.

Organization is the key. So it is very important to keep your notes separate from other pieces of paper, like homework, hand-outs, or worksheets. You should create a separate section for your notes. Writing your notes on a piece of loose leaf is a good idea, but if you tend to lose your papers, it might be best to write your notes in a notebook. Before you start taking notes, write down the date of the class and the lesson title. This way, you can easily track your notes and figure out what was discussed during each class. Then sort your notes chronologically by date.

Review, review, review.

After taking notes, you should read it and review it regularly. The best time to review is after class or later in the same day. You do not need to study it; just spend 15 to 30 minutes to go over the notes. When reviewing your notes, it is a good idea to highlight or underline important ideas or information and add any information that you might have missed during class. (Also, reviewing you notes prepares you for that pop quiz your teacher might give the next day!)

Ask questions.

Do not be afraid to ask your teacher to repeat any information you missed. If your teacher is going too fast for you, chances are your classmates will also feel the same. If you are shy and do not want to ask during class, talk to your teacher after class.

Remember, everyone has their own way of taking notes. You will have to figure out and find the best way that will work for you!

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

I Need a Study Buddy!

I Need a Study Buddy!

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Find-Study-BuddySometimes studying along is very boring. There are a lot of advantages of having a study buddy. A study buddy can help you find a different study method or a different way to look and analyze the notes. It’s also a great motivation to get each other studying.

Ask your friends.

Sometimes, your friends might be the best study buddies for you. Talk to friends that take the same classes as you. Or you can study with a friend who has already taken the class. This brings us to our next point…

Find the right study buddy.

Finding the right study buddy is important because you do not want someone who loves to play. You should study with someone who can concentrate and does not like to fool around when studying. Do not study with someone who can distract you easily. Also, you need a person who can teach and study with you, not a person who fights and doesn’t know what you are studying at all.

Move around the Room.

If you are sitting in one place, then you might not be able to meet your ideal study buddy. Your study buddy could be sitting anywhere in the classroom. If you can, sit in a different seat every day and talk to everyone in the class.

Having a study buddy can make the studying process easier and also help your get better grades!

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Ways to be a Good Listener in Class (For Students)

Ways to be a Good Listener in Class (For Students)

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????????????????????????????????????????It is important for you to be a good listener so you can understand what you are learning in class. Most of what you learn in class is taught verbally by your teachers. So let Voki give you some tips on what you can do to be a good listener in class.

Be prepared.

Before you arrive to class, make sure that you completed all your readings and homework. Review your notes from the last class. Reviewing your notes can help you figure out what you’re going to learn in your next class. Be prepared with questions for your class, if you have any.

Stay away from distractions.

Do you have a group of friends who always text or pass notes in class? Do you have a friend that always save you a seat for you during class? If you want to be a good listener, you will have to stay away from them. Try sitting close to the front of you class and closer to the blackboard.

Take notes.

While your teacher is teaching, start taking notes. Taking notes will require you to actively listen to what your teacher is talking about. When your teacher say “ The most important point…” or “Remember that…”, it is a signal for you to jot that information down. Learn how to take notes quickly and develop your own abbreviations and notations.

Learning to be a good listener takes time. So you have to be patient and work on it!

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

How to Increase Parent Involvement in School

How to Increase Parent Involvement in School

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2008familyThere’s a study that shows that when parents are involved at school, their children are 30% more successful. But sometimes, parents are not invited to be involve with their child’s learning process. Parent involvement is much more than joining the PTA or attending parent-teacher conferences. Administrators can take steps to help increase parent involvement. Let’s get started!

Ask parent to get involved.

The very first step is to reach out and ask parents to get involved with school activities. Send out invitations to different school activities, like school assemblies or concerts. It’s a great way for parents to understand the school’s culture and have a chance to talk teachers, staff members, and the administration.

Send out e-newsletter.

Sometimes, students may lose school fliers and newsletters. (Or it’ll sitting at the bottom of the book bag.) Creating an e-newsletter is easy and quick. Also, you can deliver it directly to parents’ email. But remember, not all parents have an email so it’s good to have a hard-copy ready for those who need it.

Provide online access to student data.

Parents are very concerned about their child’s attendance and performance in school. So it’s good to providing parents with access to their child’s data and educational information. There are many online tools that schools and administration and use to provide these information. It can help parents track their child’s progress in school and take action if their child needs help in school!

What other ways do you think schools can do to increase parent involvement?

Until next time,

Eva. D

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Ways to Use Instagram in Class

Ways to Use Instagram in Class

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instagram-logoA lot of teachers are using Twitter and Facebook within their classroom and school. And Instagram is revolutionizing the way we share photos online. But only a handful of teachers are using it in class. This is probably because sharing pictures of your students raises a lot of privacy concerns. Therefore, you can create a classroom Instagram account and set it as private. So you, as a teacher, should have full control over who the followers can be. (Hint: It should only be parents, students, or other classes in your school.) Also, a fun hashtag is a good way to keep track of everything.

So here are some fun ways that you can use Instagram in class:

Student of the Week

Showcase a different student in your class each week. Introduce your student-of-the-week with a quick short photo post of hi/her. Then, you can let your student take control of the camera for the week! Let him/her share photos of fun activities happening in class. Of course, you’ll have to set guidelines and make sure that the content is school-appropriate.

Share/showcase students’ work

Throughout the school year, take pictures of your students’ work and post it to Instagram. Parents and family members can follow the account and keep up with their child’s progress. But make sure that the account is private so that online parents, students and the school can follow!

Reading recommendations

Have your students take a picture of their favorite book to post to the class Instagram account. Encourage your students to go through the book list to see what their classmates recommend for the next reading!

Instagram is a great tool for teachers! Let us know how you use Instagram in class!

 

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!