Osmo enables the iPad and iPhone to merge the power of physical play with the digital advantages of real-time feedback. Learn more>>
When it comes to classroom management, we’ll take any help we can get. So we thought these classroom management hacks using an iPad and the Osmo system were too cool not to share.
(New to Osmo? They make apps and games for iOS devices to help students learn in fun and engaging ways. Students use physical manipulatives, such as letter tiles and coding blocks, to engage and learn on screen.)
Check out how these three teachers solved some important classroom management issues using a tablet and Osmo.
For Working on Following Instructions
Kimberly Dunlap, Camp Hill School District, K–2 Autism Support, found that many of her students with autism weren’t following directions. This common obstacle often happens in the following situations:
1. There are too many instructions.
Children often need extra time to process what you’re asking them to do and can feel overwhelmed if they’re asked to do too many things at once.
2. The instructions are too hard.
Sometimes children don’t have the right skills to do what they’re asked. We need to make sure they have the skills up front.
3. The instructions aren’t clear.
Children might have trouble cooperating if it isn’t clear what they’re supposed to do. Be sure you are as literal as possible to avoid confusion during the learning process.
How Osmo Can Help
Kimberly uses the Osmo Monster app to help her students practice following directions. It’s so cool! First Mo, the monster, asks the student to draw the objects he needs for his bedroom. Once students draw the objects on a piece of paper next to the Osmo, Mo reaches over and picks up the picture and puts it in his room where he wants it! It’s so satisfying, and the instant gratification leads to a child wanting to follow the next bit of instructions. And just like that, the student is following directions, which you can reference when you want more instructions followed. “Let’s do this like you did with Mo!”
For Establishing Independent Informal Assessment
Micah Brown, tech coach for pre-K–5 in Andover, KS, works to help teachers gather enough informal assessment data from their students so they can make better teaching decisions. She uses Osmo’s many customizable capabilities to make this happen.
How Osmo Can Help
Micah shows teachers how to set up Osmo to record what kids are doing in front of the tablet. Students can record written work and manipulatives, and save it so their teacher can view the work they did on their own.
Another great idea involves using myOsmo. Teachers can upload students’ pictures to an album. Then, kids can write the first letter of the name of the student they see. This is a great way to help kids get to know their classmates, practice letters, and give the teacher good data about who understands letter-sound connections.
For Helping Kids Learn Actively
Sarah Gold is a first grade teacher from Ocala, FL, who uses her Osmo to make her teaching seamless and interactive. She saves PowerPoint presentations as JPEGs to build her own Osmo activities. Gold has created multiple choice questions, math quizzes, and shape-identification practice, among other things. Gold created this helpful PDF to help explain how she does it.
Want to learn more about Osmo and how teachers are using it in their classrooms? Their teacher site has lots more information. Check it out here.
