Any teachers out there interested in an iWatch and
how it can be used efficiently and effectively in the classroom?
Wearable Technology is coming.
Wearable Technology is coming.
I think you all know I am a huge Apple Fan.
I love iPhones, iPads, and even iPods.
But I am not obsessed with everything Apple.
I will tell you like it is!
{Honestly, I am not a huge fan of iTunes on the computer…
it gets the better of me each and every time.}
I also can’t work a Mac computer efficiently.
I can do the basics.
I can do the basics.
Nothing fancy.
And I am not an early buyer into new products.
I don’t see these items and immediately see their uses.
I am the opposite.
When I “heard” about an iPad I thought it was dumb and wasn’t going to fly.
When I saw it being used I thought it was cool but not useful.
When I discovered what it could do in the classroom,
I fell in love and have never turn back!
The same holds true for the iWatch.
My hubs uses the expensive Garmin watch for running and “stuff.”
I see the point for him.
But why do I need an iWatch?
Would I use an iWatch?
Is an iWatch worth the actual cost?
Then I saw those iWatch commercials.
I liked them.
I was interested.
I actually told the hubs that I had to stop watching them.
He laughed.
I caved.
I finally ordered an iWatch for myself and
I finally ordered an iWatch for myself and
had to endure the wait to get it in stock and delivered.
I was scared every day that it would be a huge waste of money for me.
Then IT came.
The iWatch came!
{Side note: I missed the delivery!
Then I demanded hubs stay home ALL day the next day to get it.
He left to go running and also missed the second delivery.
He literally saw the truck leaving our house at the end of his run and
had to RUN AFTER the FedEx truck and get my watch!}
And here it is…
Hello Love
After the easy set up, I put it on the same day.
It was easy to start up, even for me… the hater of iTunes.
And iTunes wasn’t involved.
It was easy to start up, even for me… the hater of iTunes.
And iTunes wasn’t involved.
And it was pretty cool.
The more I wore it, the more uses I found for the watch.
I started using it over the summer.
By the time I Teach K rolled around I knew I had to share how to use it in the classroom.
And by the time August came, I dove into classroom uses right away.So let’s get started plowing through some of the awesome iWatch uses in the classroom.
{Side Note: Your iWatch works with your iPhone.
It is not a stand alone.
But using this watch allows me to be hands free and safely discounted from my phone,
but with functions that allow me to do my job efficiently and effectively.}
I started using it over the summer.
By the time I Teach K rolled around I knew I had to share how to use it in the classroom.
And by the time August came, I dove into classroom uses right away.So let’s get started plowing through some of the awesome iWatch uses in the classroom.
{Side Note: Your iWatch works with your iPhone.
It is not a stand alone.
But using this watch allows me to be hands free and safely discounted from my phone,
but with functions that allow me to do my job efficiently and effectively.}
I love to use music in my classroom regularly.
We transition from table to table when we hear songs.
I play the clean up song to remind my little ones to get our room back together.
We shake our sand trays when we hear Shake It Off.
We also play the Elvis Sight Word Game when we hear the song All Shook Up.I have all these songs on my phone…
which I can leave it docked across the room and/or hooked up to speakers.
And I can control these songs with my watch, leaving my hands free.
And hands free in K is a blessing
because there is always a shoe to tie,
a pencil to pick up,
a bag to shake,
a child to dance with…
We transition from table to table when we hear songs.
I play the clean up song to remind my little ones to get our room back together.
We shake our sand trays when we hear Shake It Off.
We also play the Elvis Sight Word Game when we hear the song All Shook Up.I have all these songs on my phone…
which I can leave it docked across the room and/or hooked up to speakers.
And I can control these songs with my watch, leaving my hands free.
And hands free in K is a blessing
because there is always a shoe to tie,
a pencil to pick up,
a bag to shake,
a child to dance with…
I put tons of meetings, appointments, and reminders in my phone.
It is just the easiest way to keep my life together.
But I usually can’t keep up.
And I hate running to my phone when I can’t remember
if the SST meeting starts at 8:30 or 8:45…
or what room it is in.Or that you can set an appointment in your calendar to get your out of that meeting
you are stuck in to pick up your students.My calendar items show up on my watch screen
as a reminder of what is coming up in my day.
And I can glance at quickly and be alerted as needed.
It is just the easiest way to keep my life together.
But I usually can’t keep up.
And I hate running to my phone when I can’t remember
if the SST meeting starts at 8:30 or 8:45…
or what room it is in.Or that you can set an appointment in your calendar to get your out of that meeting
you are stuck in to pick up your students.My calendar items show up on my watch screen
as a reminder of what is coming up in my day.
And I can glance at quickly and be alerted as needed.
I get important emails and messages often.
My team mates and I often text each other
as needed when we are not on our computers.
And if it is something we need to know asap.My watch lets me know when I read these messages and
allows me to respond simply as needed.
In easy terms…
I get the info I need quickly and without wasting my time…
and therefore my students time. Examples?
Team Member :Can we change groups in 5 minutes instead of 10?
Me: Yes
TA: Jimmy got sick and I am taking him to the nurse.
Me: Okay
Co-lab Teacher: I am covering for another teacher and will be late getting there.
Me: {thumbs up}
My team mates and I often text each other
as needed when we are not on our computers.
And if it is something we need to know asap.My watch lets me know when I read these messages and
allows me to respond simply as needed.
In easy terms…
I get the info I need quickly and without wasting my time…
and therefore my students time. Examples?
Team Member :Can we change groups in 5 minutes instead of 10?
Me: Yes
TA: Jimmy got sick and I am taking him to the nurse.
Me: Okay
Co-lab Teacher: I am covering for another teacher and will be late getting there.
Me: {thumbs up}
A picture is worth 1000 words!
I can take pics of my class in action for professional documentation with…
you guessed it…
the watch!
On our teacher evals, we have to show evidence of professional standards,
many times in action.
I can position my phone and use the watch to snap photos of learning in action.
This also works great for classroom pics and “us”ies for my class Instagram account.
This means I can be IN the pictures WITH my students! Not only is this COOL.
But powerful!
I love being able to capture learning.
I can take pics of my class in action for professional documentation with…
you guessed it…
the watch!
On our teacher evals, we have to show evidence of professional standards,
many times in action.
I can position my phone and use the watch to snap photos of learning in action.
This also works great for classroom pics and “us”ies for my class Instagram account.
This means I can be IN the pictures WITH my students! Not only is this COOL.
But powerful!
I love being able to capture learning.
Ever have to time a fluency passage or give a timed test?
What about telling your students they have 2 minutes left on a project?
or 30 minutes?
I have these functions all on my watch.
I am finding more and more uses for the watch everyday.
Do I have to have it?
NO
But is it convent to have it?
YES.
Can I use it for personal reasons too?
Oh YEAH!
I love driving and setting a location on Google Maps using my phone.
{My car is older and the GPS is outdated and therefore usually isn’t helpful.}
Yes it gives me the weather and even my steps and calories daily.
I ignore all that since I lack any motivation in the athletic area.
There is a “remote” app that I can add a device to.
Maybe I will try to add an iPad and see what that does…
Some thing you can do, but I just don’t have a need for?
Keynote app allows some keynote connections.
I am not a Mac computer person, but maybe it allows you to change slides?
Mary, such an incredible post! I love everything you are doing with your watch…so cool! Sharing on my FB page now 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Julie
The Techie Teacher
Putting it on my Christmas list for Santa. Thank goodness, Santa (my husband) loves giving tech gifts.
Wow! Which one did you get?
I got the smaller one! I don't remember the specifics. And the white band.
Just got an apple watch for Christmas! I enjoyed reading your post!!
I couldn’t figure out why I really wanted one…now I do 🙂 Thanks for the classroom application (I thought I’d just use it to run…like your husband lol)