The Survey Says
Technology has come a long way from Apple IIE computers and dial up modems. Most classrooms today have access to laptops, computers and tablets, allowing teachers to differentiate instruction with classroom apps.
ESGI and ThinkFives asked hundreds of elementary teachers what websites they used most with their students, and we are pleased to share those for your review.
Google Classroom
For teachers and students, Google Classroom is user-friendly and brings the benefits of paperless sharing and digital collaboration. During remote learning this past year, Google Classroom became mission-critical for many.
Teachers like the simple integration among a number of important apps like Docs, Sheets and Presentation, not to mention the many 3rd party apps that integrate with Google Classroom. This includes everything from Khan Academy to PBS.
Google Classroom is not just for remote teaching. In a survey on skills learned this past year which teachers believe will benefit them in the future, Google Classroom came in fifth.
ESGI
Imagine A World Where You Can
- Monitor the progress of your students in real-time and have actionable data to guide your instruction.
- Personalize parent letters and flashcards available in one click.
- Save you 400 hours a year when assessing.
Well, stop imagining and try ESGI. It’s all those things and more. Loved by early childhood educators nation-wide, ESGI is the #1 progress monitoring solution used by schools. Check out our Top 5 Reasons Educators Need ESGI
YouTube
It is estimated that it would take over 94,000 years to watch all the videos on YouTube. YouTube is emerging as a great teacher resource, hosting videos on professional development, teaching strategies and classroom activities.
In addition to videos about cute cats and dogs, YouTube hosts an array of teachers who share practical classroom activities. Check out the ThinkFives list of the Top 5 Teacher YouTubers.
With its ever-increasing playlists, YouTube is a site that teachers need to visit when planning curriculum.
Most of us are familiar with Pinterest, and if you’re a teacher, you know how easy it is to swap pins and ideas with other educators across the globe. Pinterest’s graphic-centric approach makes it easy to search for educational content and find hundreds of boards for inspiration.
For thousands of teachers, Pinterest has become an important venue for professional development as well — a place to find creative lesson plans and teaching strategies.
If you’re interested in more classroom ideas or teaching-related entertainment, make sure to follow ThinkFives’ Pinterest page.
And maybe while you’re searching for your ELA activity, you can also pick up a great recipe too.
Teachers Pay Teachers
Just about every elementary teacher is familiar with the online marketplace: Teachers Pay Teachers. Founded in 2006 by Paul Edelman, a New York City public school teacher, the site features extensive lessons in math, science and English. There are also many types of activities in each: seasons, holidays, art, music, foreign languages and more.
With more than 1.7 million available resources contributed by over 3.5 million global members, the company estimates that one-in-three US teachers have downloaded materials from their site. No wonder why TPT is the #1 site listed by our teachers.
Honorable Mentions
Teachers also praised these websites:
- Kindergarten Smorgasboard https://thekindergartensmorgasboard.com
- Brainpop https://www.brainpop.com/
- Scholastic https://www.scholastic.com/home
What apps do you use most often with your students?
I use ALL of them except BrainPop (sorry Moby, there’s only so much time!). My school subscribes to Mystery Science, and I personally use Class Dojo and Education.com.
Thanks ESGI for all the time you’ve saved me! 💜
Great to hear that ESGI saves you such much time. It was created by a Kindergarten teacher who knew how important progress monitoring was and how easy it could be!