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Category: Classroom Management

Google Calendar Appointment Slots

nancy

Tired of managing multiple email requests or transferring student conference times from a Google Doc? You can create appointment slots in Google Calendar and let your students sign up for the time they want to meet with you. The appointments will appear directly on your calendar. How easy is that?

  1. Open Google Calendar in Week view or Day view and click an empty time slot. 
  2. In the event box that pops up, click Appointment slots. 
  3. Add a title and choose a date and time. 
  4. Select how long each appointment will be.
  5. (Optional) If you want to have the appointments on a different calendar, click the calendar name (often your name) to select the one you want.
  6. (Optional) Select More options to set up a repeating event or add a description. Pro tip: Use the description area to ask students to tell you what they want to discuss so you can be prepared.
Appointment slot creation link
Completed appointment block with indication of where to click to choose a different calendar or add more options

When you are finished, click Save. 

Your appointment block shows as a single event on your calendar, with a grid symbol  in the top-left corner.

Appointment slot block on Google Calendar
The grid icon in the upper left corner tells you this is a block of appointment slots.

Now you are ready to let students make appointments.

  1. Click on the appointment block in your calendar. 
  2. Copy and paste the appointment page link and send it to your students. Do not add students directly to the appointment slots on your calendar. This will add them to all appointment slots. Instead, direct them to the appointment page or add them yourself from that page.
  3. Students click on the link and create an appointment that you will see on your calendar and they will see on theirs. They will need to be logged into their Google account to make an appointment.
  4. As appointments are booked, they’ll appear as regular events overlapping the appointment block. They will have the same title as the appointment block title, but with the student’s name in parentheses at the end.
Link to copy for students and example of a filled appointment slot
coffee grounds with one whole bean

Managing Mobile Devices in Your Classroom

nancy 2 Comments

Last month, I was lucky enough to attend a seminar put on by the Bureau of Education and Research on using iPads in the classroom. The speaker, Zachary Walker, shared many valuable ideas and resources to help the attendees make the most of their classroom iPads. He also shared some easy to implement classroom management techniques to make sure that the mobile devices in your room have a positive impact on learning.

One of the reasons we like to use iPads and tablets with our students is because these devices are so engaging, but the engagement factor is a double-edged sword. When we want the kids to stay on task, it’s usually our friend, but when we are ready to have students pay attention to something else, the siren call of a colorful iPad screen can be a problem. Here are some suggestions from Zachary Walker that you can use to manage your classroom and help your students stay on task while they are using mobile devices:

  • Dock Your Device: Have students put their device face down on the far right corner of the desk. This ensures that they are not distracted by whatever is on the screen or playing with them under the desk while you would like them focused elsewhere.
  • Screens Up (or Apples Up): When you say “Screens up,” students should immediately hold up their iPads/tablets with the screen facing you. This allows you to do a quick scan of all the devices to make sure students are on an appropriate app or website.
  • Hands Up: Students should leave their devices face up on the desk and put both hands in the air when you say, “Hands up.” You can continue talking while you walk around the room and scan the devices to make sure everybody is on task.
  • Time the activity: Let the students know before they begin how much time they will have to work on the devices. Use a timer so they can keep track of how long they have. Any timer you can project for them will do. Try typing “2 minute timer” into Google or, for a more entertaining interface, install the free application Howler Timer on your computer.
  • Noise meter: Finally, if you have your own iPad, install the Too Noisy app. Put the iPad where students can see it or project using your Elmo or Apple TV. Let the students know that if the noise level gets too high, the mobile devices will have to be put away, and let peer pressure help keep the volume at the level you have set as acceptable.

Zachary Walker’s website, lastbackpack.com, is an excellent resource for mobile learning ideas and lesson plans. I highly recommend checking it out. If you are on Twitter, you can follow him @lastbackpack.

This entry was cross-posted on the LVUSD Ed Tech Blog.