Classkick "kick started" my students journey into differentiated lessons, personalized learning, paperless assessment and gives students quicker feedback. Students are engaged. It has transformed the way I teach and how my students learn.

How I Use It

I teach Kindergarten in a 1:1 iPad environment.
I use Classkick in every content area and practically everyday.

One of the most unique and powerful tools Classkick has the ability for me to add audio directions to assignments. The audio directions empowers my young readers, struggling learners and ELL students to work independently. Because they do not have to wait on anyone to explain the directions they spend more time in engaged learning and feel more accomplished. Due to the feature where students can ask for help , i.e. raising a virtual hand as well asking for help from classmates. Children get quick response when they are stuck and they do not disrupt my conferring or small group work.

In our Word Work - rather than cutting pieces of paper and sorting (boring and time consuming for most students). I create a range of "assignments". Students are introduced to patterns in class (small or whole group), then they work at their own pace in Classkick to fill in missing phonemes (gradual release with each page in assignment), build words that match a picture, using a word bank to write a sentence, etc. In my teacher dashboard I add comments and coach and the next day they update. We also use it for assessments, I dictate a word or sentence they write it into a Classkick assignment. I grade and send it right back to them (usually as soon as they get back from lunch, recess or specialists).

I use to Classkick in place of paper for math, reading comprehension and science assessments. Any pdf can be imported easily and used in a Classkick assignment. Grading is quicker, easier and more efficient than in the past. I grade and take a picture of results and place it in their Seesaw Learning Journal before the children get home, they and their parents can view the assessment.

When students are traveling I email the assignment code to the parents and the children do the same work we are doing in class. When I am absent, I can still check their work remotely from my teacher dashboard, and give feedback, grade, etc.

I have recently started to use Classkick to create personalized instruction units of study in a type of Genius Hour, PBL format. The children choose a person, place or thing to study. We meet and map out a plan of study - do they want to work alone, with a group or a partner, what do they want to study, what type of resource do they like to use to conduct research - web, ebooks, paper books, internet, etc. We set goals and timelines and finally discuss how to collect and create evidence of learning that will be presented to others (paper, digital, video, slideshow, ebook, etc.). I create a Classkick assignment with links to websites, ebooks, as well as pdf's. The child uses the assignment to conduct and record their learning. We meet to update and update/tailor their learning plan until the child's project is complete and then we choose another topic. The children can work on their projects at school (during project time or fee choice, as well as at home) independently. Up until Classkick it was too cumbersome to create/manage/give feedback to work that was differentiated or personalized. With Classkick my ability to reach children where they are and in ways that inspire and motivate them to want to learn has totally transformed the what and the way I teach, gives student more voice, choice and ownership of their learning and extends the learning to home and outside of classroom. Classkick is redefining education in my classroom.