Google suite for education is a collection of apps that many schools and districts have begun using more and more. Like anything new, it can be intimidating!
Google suite includes apps like slides, docs, sites, classroom, and survey. These are extremely helpful tools that can make your teaching practice much easier. The time you can save with these apps can be devoted to more one-on-one time with students or more downtime for you.
Even if you’re an advanced Google wizard, there’s always more to learn. Here’s a list of some great video tutorials to help you go from Google-zero to Google-hero!
Google Drive Basics
Google Drive is a place to store all your files. This can include worksheets, forms, pictures, and more. This tutorial will get you started with the basic functions of Google Drive.
Google Classroom Basics
Looking to make your class more online? This tutorial will get you all set up with your own Google classroom.
Google Survey for Teachers
Want to create quizzes that grade themselves? Want to send out IEP trials that score themselves and save with the student name and date of the trial? Of course you do! This tutorial will get you started sending out forms in no time!
Google Site basics
Looking for an online place to house your resources for your students? Try a Google Site! I had one for my classes and loved it! They’re even easier to make now. Give one a go, with this easy tutorial.
Share a copy without harming your original
I often had to share things I created on Google Drive with colleagues. Sometimes, they would become confused and edit the copy that was shared with them. This of course changes it for everyone else shared on it.
Such a nightmare! Don’t despair though, there is a way for you to give them the item and keep yours pristine, force them to make their own copy! It wasn’t until after I stopped teaching that I found this super handy trick:
A word about this trick: the person has to be signed into their Google account for it to work. If they aren’t signed in or don’t have an account it sometimes won’t work.
Go forth and play!
The nice thing about modern technology is it’s pretty hard to ruin anything. You can always go back to an earlier version of whatever you were working on. Google auto-saves, so no worries about losing anything.
Don’t be afraid! Play, try new things, and be ready to laugh, cry and know unbelievable triumph when you master something you didn’t think you could.