Blog Post 15: Part 2 Using LiveBinders for teaching and learning

There are three ways that I can use Live Binders in the classroom with students and for professional development during a school year.

1.      LiveBinders provides an incredible way to organize all the online sources and ideas for planning a lesson. This online tool creates a place to store all electronic sources including pdf files, websites, newspaper articles, videos, documents, etc. Teachers can create binders where they can share with students and colleagues their binders. As result LiveBinders are useful to foster collaboration across grade levels creating an opportunity for teachers to learn from one another and see how instruction progress across grades in the same subject. This leads to teachers knowing what strategies can be constructive to better prepare students for the next grade, especially for struggling learners. If teachers can openly share their LiveBinders, then teachers can see how similar or different their lesson structure is incorporating to the curriculum standards, TEKS, for students. LiveBinders also provide teachers ways to explore more possibilities on how to teach strategies based on collect resources that teachers are successfully implementing in their classrooms.

2.      Another way to use a LiveBinder for teaching can be creating one for parents to use at home. This binder can be posted on the class blog or website for parents to access anytime. The purpose of this binder is for parents to know what type of learning is occurring in school. They can also know about school and community programs and services for families. This binder can also include the school mission, vision and shared values that parents can reinforce with children. It is important for parents to know about the culture of the school and how teachers are teaching students how to become responsible, successfully learns with exemplary characters. If teachers and parents hold themselves accountable and responsible for modeling consistent shared values and ethics, then students can better behave and achieve outstanding results. 

1.      Digital Binders Lesson Idea

a.      Grade level: Middle School

b.      Subject: Math

c.      What students will do: LiveBinders are awesome for creating a library of resources for students to use. The binders must have at least five tabs where each of these tabs includes tons of information. For example, mobile apps for phones, iPad for student reference to use. Students can have access to the classroom procedures, online netiquette, study guides, final reviews to prepare for upcoming assessments. Teachers can upload rubrics for specific math projects such as student-led mini lesson where all students select a word math problem. They present and teach the class how they are able to solve it in two ways using their math strategies. The math LiveBinders can include  tabs for math formulas, interactive manipulatives, and videos for students to reinforce their learning at home.