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Here's How I'm Using Google Classroom In Chorus

Prior to Chromebook roll out, I decided to give Google Classroom a trial-run. I figured I would experiment, and if it wasn't my jam, then I would just go back to whatever I was doing before. No harm, no foul.

 

But I’m here to say...I kinda love Google Classroom!

This is what my dashboard looks like. I can access all of my classes from here.

So, How Do I Use It?

Bell work

In past years, I displayed bell work questions on my projector at the front of the room. Students referred to the bell work on the screen, and answered on their own devices or paper. I would randomly assess to make sure students completed the work by going around and checking individual screens. Students at the back of the room would sometimes struggle to read the questions at the front of the room.

 

With Google Classroom, I can post bell work questions to each class, provide a section for them to submit their answers. Classroom keeps tabs for me about who turns in what, and I don’t have to police my classes to make sure they are answering questions.

Repertoire

I send students copies of their music through Classroom in pdf format. If someone accidentally deletes their copy, or has their device wiped, etc., all they have to do is go back and get it from their class page.

Weekly Assignments

I’ve been giving weekly project/homework assignments, like this one. I provide directions and a description of what I’m looking for, and students upload their work and submit it directly through the site. I can grade assignments, give individual comments, and send everything back in a neat little package. No more stacks of papers!

Sight Reading

 Pdfs of sight reading examples get uploaded here for easy individual access

Pros

Dude, You Can Grade From Your Phone!

I'm a slacker, and my phone is perpetually at death's door.

I just figured this one out like a week ago...but did you know you can grade assignments from your phone? Totally blew my mind!

Accountability

All submitted assignments receive a date and time stamp. Everything is completely transparent.  We can easily look up these details about assignments, which eliminates many potential sticky situations.

Grading

Grading is much faster, because everything is all in one place. Plus, having the option of doing it on your phone, computer, or tablet makes it easier to look at an assignment here or there as you have time.

Feedback

It's cool to send little comments to students when they submit assignments. I feel like I can give my students more individual feedback than I could give before. Plus, they can leave comments for me if they have questions.

To-Do List

On each assignment, Students are color coded by assignment status. You can tell what assignments have been graded, which ones are missing, and if you still need to return grades to the students.

Cons

Training students to upload files takes awhile

I’ve had to re-teach how to upload photos from the Chromebooks at least four or five times. But, I don’t necessarily think that’s Classroom's fault. I think that it’s just awkward saving photos within the Chromebook itself.

 

“Missing” Assignments

Occasionally, I've noticed this glitch where students have submitted assignments, but it will list that student as “missing.” I simply make sure to click on these to double check, and it’s usually not a big deal.

 

Overall, I haven’t found many cons to using Classroom. It’s really streamlined my daily routine, and I've found it extremely useful in my class! Do you use Google Classroom, or any other similar platform? What are your thoughts?

 

Are you interested in learning more about the functions of Google Classroom? Let me know, and I might write another post about it!

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