10. The Dog Can’t Eat Their Homework!

If you are using G Suite for Education, especially Google Classroom, Google Drive and Google Calendar, there are no more excuses! There is no reason for a student to say they didn’t know when it was due. That was something my middle schoolers loved to say. Or, they would claim it got lost in their locker, backpack, or it was a home. Guess what, when it’s digital and stored in the cloud, it doesn’t get lost! Here are over 250 tips and ideas for using Google Classroom.

9. The Copier Was Broken, But You Didn’t Notice!

I remember the days of getting to school extra early to be the first in line for the copier. Back then, going paperless wasn’t even a remote option, and I sometimes had as many as 175 students. Oh! And how disappointing it would be to arrive early to make copies, and the darn thing would break down. (Anyone else feeling me on this?) Well, those days are long gone when you go paperless with Google tools. I realize completely paperless may still be difficult, but it’s so sweet to no longer rely on a copier. Learn more about G Suite for Education here.

8. Your Class Traveled the Globe without Fundraising or Permission Slips

Staring at pictures in a textbook just doesn’t compare with seeing something in real life. But rarely do we get to travel the globe with our students. Now we can bring the world to them in 360-degree virtual reality. With Google Expeditions, we can take our students just about anywhere and engage them in ways we never thought possible. Learn more about Google Expeditions and Google Cardboard here.

7. You No Longer Have Red Ink Stains on Your Hands

It seems that just a few years ago, red pens were a staple in any teacher’s supply closet. We’d spend our time grading and end up with red ink all over our hands. It was the mark of a teacher. Or maybe you were a fan of the visa-v markers and marking up transparencies on the overhead projector. Either way, going Google can magically deliver teachers from the red ink. Not only can students turn in their work digitally using Google Classroom, but we can also use features like comments and suggested edits to mark up their work. Say goodbye to your red pens! Check out this post: How to Easily Assess Writing in Google Docs.

6. You Forgot Why You Needed a Thumb Drive

I am still surprised at how many teachers (and administrators) carry around a portable drive, thumb drive, jump drive, whatever you prefer to call it. Why? I haven’t used one in years! With the ability to store EVERYTHING in my Google Drive, and use the UNLIMITED storage space Google gives schools, we no longer need to worry about saving files to hard drives. Add in the ability to work offline using Google Drive Offline, and the need to store files on a hard drive becomes more of an exception than a rule. Check out this post: 5 Google Drive Tips that Everyone Should Know.

5. You No Longer Take Stacks of Papers Home to Grade

I remember the endless stacks of papers I used to take home to grade every week. I had a special “teacher bag,” just for grading. Those days are gone! With a digital and paperless classroom, I can assess student work throughout the entire process, not just the end. I can assess work from my phone, tablet, Chromebook, or laptop. And with Google Classroom, feedback and grading is a breeze. Check out this post: Digital Differentiation with Google Classroom.

4. Your Students Forgot What a Worksheet Looks Like

No more dreaded worksheets! With G Suite, your learning experiences can become more interactive and help you create a dynamic classroom. Going digital means that we can do more than have students answer the same old questions on a worksheet, even one with cute fonts and a chevron background–we can create more student learning activities so that our students forget what a worksheet actually looks like. Check out this post: Move from a Static Classroom to a Dynamic Classroom.

3. Anytime, Anywhere LEARNING!

In case you haven’t noticed, a big shift has happened in learning with G Suite for Education. Learning can happen anywhere, on just about any device, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Add in the ability to work in Google Drive offline, and we can even work in areas and homes without an Internet connection. This means that the learning doesn’t have to stop when the bell rings! Check out all of my Google Drive resources and posts.

2. Collaboration

Whenever I am asked about why I am so passionate about G Suite for Education, the number one reason I always give is collaboration. No other tool has even come close to offering the ability to share and collaborate seamlessly in real-time like G Suite. Educators know that collaboration is one of the most important twenty-first Century skills, and Google tools have given us an easy way to make collaboration inside and outside of the classroom a reality. Check out these ideas: Collaborative Magnetic Poetry.

1. It’s Time to Shake Up Learning!

By now you might suspect that I work for Google, but I promise you that I do not. Nor do they pay me anything to blog about their tools. My bottom line is never about Google, it’s about the LEARNING! Google tools have helped me transform my teaching, learning, and productivity, and I am a firm believer in sharing ways that shake up the traditional classroom. Google happens to offer us countless ways to Shake Up Learning and transform our classrooms. How will you Shake Up Learning?