WAP for Teacher Admin: Using Google to Streamline

Many of us use Google all the time in our day-to-day lives: for searching, emailing, and likely even browsing with Chrome. Some already use it for writing documents, sheets, slides, etc. But as a teacher, there are a slew of uses and tips that you can take advantage of. Here are three ways to bring google into your administrative routine and (hopefully) lighten your load a bit:

Google Sheets to Create a Lesson Spreadsheet
Google sheets can be used in multiple ways. The most obvious are tracking homework assignments or tracking grades. However, there is another exciting way that I believe google sheets can be used effectively. As a teacher, you could create a google sheet that is basically a comprehensive database of all the resources you need for a given lesson. As you will see in the screenshot below, I’ve done a tab for each thematic unit. Each sheet has a column for: lesson plan (linking to the google doc), any slides or online presentations, printable materials (such as worksheets), and media (videos, songs, etc). Each cell should have at least one hyperlink to any necessary materials. It is of course up to the individual teacher how they want to organize their grid, but this could be an amazing resource where you can easily capture all the materials you’ll need (aside from physical objects) in one comprehensive space. This is easy to use and easy to edit. Another nice thing about using a google sheet for lesson resources is that any edits you make throughout the year to the lesson plan or printable materials, provided you’ve created them in google docs, will be updated for the next year because your updated document will be the one linked. Additionally, google documents are easy to share, so maybe if you share your overview with a fellow teacher, they will return the favor!

Using Google Forms for Contact Info
Having parents fill out a google form at the beginning of the year is a great idea. It is an easy and quick way to compile all the information you may need for a given student and then be able to access it during the school day, at home, or on-the-go. The first week of school, have parents fill out a google form similar to the one here which I created. I included info that I think would be most essential to have handy right away:

The information will aggregate into a google sheet, which you’ll then have available for easy access!

Using Google Forms for Sign-Ups
Google forms can also be used for class activity sign-ups. Having a 100 days of school party and want parents to contribute cheerios, pennies, etc? Have a class lizard and want parents to bring in crickets each week? Any kind of situation that requires parental involvement or donation can benefit from a google form.

And More...
Aside from those three ways to utilize google for your administrative tasks, there is a slew of other ways, including:
1. Translate notices, emails, letters home to parents.
2. Voice to text - Without a laptop and think of a great lesson plan? If you want to dictate notes you can open google docs and use voice-to-text.
3. Shareable calendar - Create a calendar you can share with your team.

Google seems to be evolving every day and adding new content that will be beneficial to teachers. A quick search brings up many articles of other teachers brainstorming useful ways to incorporate google into your administrative routine. With the incredible pressure on teachers now to do more in less time, why not explore any avenue you can to make your life easier and your day more efficient?