faculty

__** Faculty Spotlight **__ The purpose of the "Faculty Spotlight" is to highlight the achievements and creativity of Montgomery Academy's faculty and their engaging student centered approach to technology in the classroom. Although each teacher at MA strives to enhance the student experience, special attention is given to those who create engaging lessons that use technology in a positive way that enhancing the curriculum and allows students to collaborate and share their opinions and work.

__** Examples from my previous school in Tampa: **__ __** Cliptomize **__ Christy completed a fantastic project in her Honors Psychology class recently. Studying the 4 personalities of psychology (funny…I thought I had more!) students had to create a book illustrating and explaining the 4 personality theories in psychology using a free web based tool called [|Cliptomize]. They discussed Freud as a class. She divided the kids into 3 groups and asked them to create a mini-textbook on each of the other theories. The link below is to their work. Great work Christy!

If you would like to know about this tool, or others, just let me know! You can find over 100 great engaging tools located on our tech website here!

[|Student Work Link to Cliptomize!]

 __** Virus 3D Project **__ Carmen Ratermen and her class did an amazing job with her Virus 3D Printer project. Students were asked to research, answer specific questions and draw out a particular virus. After the research and initial drawing, student had the chance to go to the new Lasher Family Design Technology Center in Gries and print out their virus's using the Makerbot 3D printers. Technology has many purposes, but the most important is that it allows us the opportunity to create engaging curriculum that guides students to a better understanding of our subjects. Great job Carmen!

 ** Spiderscribe Mind Mapping Project **

I had the pleasure of sitting in our Dr. P's class to watch how they are using Spiderscribe in class. It is an easy and collaborative resource for creating great maps with images, maps and word docs to create an truly interactive map for whatever your class is studying! If you would like to know more click here! Thanks again Andre for opening up your classroom and sharing.

** Fun Socrative Review Session with Dr. P! **

Review session can be fun and interactive way to engage students while covering a lot of material. Dr. P and his class had a great review session using Socrative. This interactive student response program can be used from a phone, tablet or computer. Students and teachers can get real time feedback right on the screen of how they did and how the class as a whole did on any particular question. Very helpful when preparing for a test or exam. If you would like to see more tech tool options check out our resource page located here. Nice work Dr. P!

Kahoot with Mrs. Harb Sometimes a tech tool or program comes along that your class really enjoys. In this case Mrs. Harb's class experienced Kahoot! This interactive game based program helps promote learning while making it fun...think game show fun! Several teachers have used this and all have nothing but good things to report. If you would like to try it but are not sure how, please let me know and I can walk you through the steps. Yes it is simple and easy to do as well as being free. As we head into review mode (especially for you AP teachers), this is a great way to create a fun review session. A potential project to try, have your students create their own Kahoot review session (perhaps in groups) each covering a specific topic and then play it in class.

360 Degree Math with Linda Stright A low tech solution for the most engaging math class! 360 Degree Math is not a new classroom method of teaching math. In fact, its been around for several years. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation even sponsored a documentary called "Teach" which profiled its use in public schools. The bottom line, students who are up and moving are more engaged in the class and retain more information. Linda Stright is doing just that! Check out the short video and links below to learn more! Great work Linda! 360 Degree Math Website Teach Documentary Website media type="youtube" key="7FQlXN9YZAI" width="420" height="315" (360 Degree Math begins at 3:30 in the timeline of the video)

__ Tiki Toki Timelines with Ms. Beitler __ Timelines have been around for a long time, but not like this! Tiki Toki offers 2D and 3D options to make your timelines more interactive and engaging. Ms. Beitler also added another element to this class group project, she had them use Screencast-O-Matic to record students as they narrate through the timeline itself. Couple that with a YouTube channel upload and you have a recipe for a quality tech integration example that enhances the curriculum in her history class! Great work Courtney! If you would like to see more tech tool options check out our resource page located here. media type="youtube" key="25T85OX1--c" width="420" height="315"

__ Moral Dilemmas in Christy Ortega's Ethics Classroom __

Mrs. Ortega's classroom explored several moral/ethical situations in her Ethics class on the first day back! Poll Everywhere gave the platform to create live responses to the questions as well as engage the students in an in-depth conversation about issue we might face each day. The students were amazing in their responses to her questions and more importantly...they had fun! Great work Christy!! If you would like to see more tech tool options check out our resource page located here.