OrchestraTeacher.net

Using Tools from Google

Google Drive

With Google Drive (formerly Google Docs), it’s like having an Office suite of software right in your web browser.  My favorite feature are the “forms.”  You can easily set up a form to collect data.

  • Beginning of the year
  • Parent volunteer information
  • Student Surveys

Share and collaborate on document with colleagues, booster organizations, parents & students.

  • Music Libraries
  • Instrument Inventories
  • Collaborative assignments

Google Calendar

Create and share calendars with ease on Google Calendar. With Google Calendar you can:

  • Separate home/work calendars
  • Create different calendars for each of your classes/ensembles
  • Sync with mobile phones and other devices like Android or iOS devices.
  • Allow people to subscribe to your calendar (read-only) for use on their own device
  • Embed your calendar on your website/blog

 

Google Sites

Create simple, yet effective websites with Google Sites.  The site tools allow integration of many of the other Google tools.

A website allows great communication between the teacher and students, parents, community, and administration.  You can post announcements, news, student work, and other important information.  In addition, a website is a great way to sh

A website gives your program an identity and allows for greater student/parent involvement and can also serve as a recruiting and retention tool.

Google Voice

Give out your “number” without giving out your real number.  Perfect for field trips, etc.  Links a Google Voice number to your cell phone or work phone.  Transcribes voicemails and allows caller blocking and special grouping/sorting of your callers with different settings (dial through, send to voicemail, etc.).

YouTube (a Google service)

Just about every student has used YouTube and it is the #1 video hosting site.  Having your own YouTube “channel” allows your audience the ability to subscribe to any new videos you upload.  There are MANY things that you can put on a YouTube channel.

 

A few important items to consider:

Copyright.  Be sure that the footage you upload is yours.  YouTube also scans footage to look for copyrighted material.  If they find it on your channel, you will receive a notice to either allow ads on your page or to take it down, depending on the content.

Privacy.  Look up your district’s policies on internet use and student privacy.  If my district allowed the posting of student work, images, etc., I always made sure to have a written permission form from the parents.

Comments & Ratings.  On YouTube, any visitors that watch your video can post comments and also rate the video (thumbs up or down).  In my situation, I always made sure to DISABLE commenting and rating of my videos.  There are always people out there wanting to take shots at you or your students.  With commenting and rating turned off, the video is posted without additional commentary.

 

 

Use the web to get organized, communicate, inform your audiences, ecruit and retain students and save time and money!