The ultimate must-have list for back to school

Two students are learning with an ipad, while their teacher is using Promethean's ActivPanel

The bulletins are hung, the seating chart is complete, and students have started to fill the classroom with chatter about their summer break. For most kids, summertime is filled with constant entertainment from trips to summer camp, ranging from sports to coding, robotics, and art. They have access to TV, movies, and video games. They have constant stimuli and engagement throughout the summer.

So, the big question on teachers’ and administrators’ minds is how do they continue that engagement throughout the school year? How do they harness the power of that engagement, connect to content, and set students on a sound learning path?

Here’s Promethean’s must-have back-to-school activity list that will be sure to keep students engaged and involved for the upcoming school year.

1. Give them the Spotlight

Summer allowed students to be independent and creative, so why not continue it in the classroom. Take your static content and lessons and deliver it on your interactive display using engaging tools. Start with easy-to-use, interactive tools like whiteboard, annotate, or capture and give students the chance to unpack all aspects of a class novel while bringing their imaginations and leadership skills to life. Having one place to go for all your favorite apps, tools, and files, like with the new ActivPanel Elements Series unified menu, makes planning for immersive learning easier and frees up valuable class time for deeper collaboration.

  1. Put the Active in Activities

An easy way to engage students is by incorporating ready-made activities into lessons. Teachers need tools at their fingertips so open up ActivInspire and start using the new built-in Timer app, and activities like flash cards, matching, labeled diagram, and more.

  1. Start an Appy Hour

Pick an hour of the day to incorporate some interactive apps into lessons that will get students out of their seats and up at the interactive display. Here are some apps to help you get started. Add an extra layer of fun on Fridays and bring in some treats and drinks to end a great week.

  1. Show them Sharing is Caring

Summer is all about self-expression for kids, and for some, going back into a classroom with 20+ other students can be overwhelming. So, it’s important to continue to give all students a voice and encourage them to interact with each other. Using a screencast app like Promethean’s Screen Share allows you to give students that opportunity. Break them into small groups, give them a topic to research, and ask them to share their findings and work with the class by displaying it on the interactive display. Most importantly, ensure that each student presents a piece of the project and encourage their peers to provide positive feedback and praise.

  1. Get Geeky

From tech geeks to techno-skeptics, everyone can use a refresher on technology after being away from the classroom for a few months. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for your in-service day or group training, you can access free teaching resources with on-demand learning videos right now. You can even incorporate your students by creating a student tech squad that’s “on-call” to help teachers when in need.