Showcase: Ronnenberg's Welcome Video - and How to Add it to Your Blog!

Our awesome Phy Ed teacher, Adam Ronnenberg, has started a blog this year.  His blog will be a great resource for parents as well as other teachers. Want to know what's happening in Phy Ed?  Head on over!

Mr. Ronnenberg has posted a video welcoming students to the new school year.  He also gives them a virtual tour of where Phy Ed takes place and introduces his family.

If you have a class blog and you want to post Ronnenberg's video to make sure your parents and students see it, here's how:

Click on the "Share" button located on Adam's video.

Next, click on the "Embed" symbol:

Click to copy the Embed Code:

Picture yourself holding a note in your hand, written in another language (in this case, computer language).  That's what happened when you copied the Embed Code.  Now you are going to take it to your blog.

Go to Blogger.

Start a new post on your blog.

Find and click the "HTML" button.

You have entered the area where computer language is spoken.  Your computer is now whispering "Talk Nerdy to me".  So, do it.  You are going to paste the Embed Code into the white space where you normally write your posts.

Right-click in the white area, and choose "Paste".  The Embed Code should appear.

Click "Compose" to go back to your normal view.

Adam's video will be there, and you can use this button to center it on your page.

Add your own comments, explaining to your readers about the video and why you are posting it.  Students LOVE watching these over and over at home!

Click publish, and this video will be your newest blog entry.

Digitally Connect with Parents This Year!

It's time to prepare for Open House - coming in just a few short days!

Be sure to collect the information you need for a digital connection this year!

You can collect helpful information by putting these three questions on your grade-level form:

Do you have access to a computer at home?

Do you have access to the internet at home?

Email address:

With this info, you will be ready to create an email list for communication with parents, and you will be aware of which parents are able to receive email communication.

Showcase: Mrs. Jost's Welcome Video

Mrs. Jost welcomes her incoming Kindergarteners with a video!  Enjoy the warm welcome she gives.  Imagine how your students would feel watching yours . . . and click here to learn more about making one.

https://vimeo.com/102484772

                        
                                           Welcome Video 2014 from Annie Jost on Vimeo.

Welcome Your Students with a Video!

Want to tell your incoming students more about yourself, or what to expect this year?

Try using a video.  It can be posted on your class blog or website for students to view from home.  Or, you can show it to them at Open House or on the first day of class.

You simply provide your lovely self - I can help you with recording, creating, and posting the video.

Here are some examples of Welcome Videos done by the Kindergarten Team last year:

Mrs. Haglin's video

Mrs. Jost's video

Mrs. Tongen's video

We had many parents say that the kids liked to watch the video over and over.

If you want help getting this started, fill in the form here.

Classroom Blog FAQ

Classroom Blog - FAQ

Is having a blog different than the ClassPage we already have?

Yes.  It looks different.  It is more customized to you and your class.  Rather than deleting and changing what your web site says, you add new posts to it.  This leaves previous posts still visible for parents.  It can also be more interactive.

Can this replace my paper newsletter?

Yes.  

However, be sure to print each blog entry for families that do not have internet access.

Is this connected to Facebook?

No.

How can I ask questions or get started?

Click here to learn more about getting started.

It's summer.  Do I need to do this now?

Only if you want your blog to be up and running when school begins.  If you want to wait until September - that's fine!  You can notify your parents about your new blog whenever it's ready!

Is having a classroom blog required?  Is this something we are supposed to do?

No.  Do this if you want to.  We still have our ClassPages, so everyone already does have digital communication with parents.  

Classroom Blogs!

It's the time of year when teachers lament the fact that Target now has a "Back to School" aisle.  Yes, in many ways it's too soon for that kind of talk.  But most of us really never turn it off.  We are at garage sales noticing the perfect items to enhance learning . . . and we are reading blogs like this one, preparing slowly but surely for that fresh, new start.

What will be a student's first impression of you this year?  We know they race to their mailboxes every day in August until those letters finally arrive.  What if, after the jumping up and down, your students had yet another way to get to know you better?  

I can help you prepare a welcoming classroom blog before the year begins.  

This is a good fit for you if:

You normally send out a newsletter, but would like to replace it with communication that is more personal and interactive.  

(Your blog updates can still be printed and sent home with families that do not have internet access.)

You would enjoy sharing pictures of what goes on in your classroom, with parents.

You want to connect with an online generation of parents and students, many of whom access their online devices several times each day!

Click on any of these blogs to see examples from our very own Kindergarten Team last year:

Mrs. Haglin's Blog

Mrs. Jost's Blog

Mrs. Tongen's Blog

Indicate your questions or interest here:

            

Shamrock Tech is Coming Soon!

Welcome to Shamrock Tech, your one-stop-blog for Maple Lake teachers who want to integrate technology!  More updates coming soon.