Mother’s Day in the United States is annually held on the second Sunday of May. This year, that’s May 14th. It celebrates motherhood and it is a time to appreciate mothers and mother figures. Many people give gifts, cards, flowers, candy, a meal in a restaurant or other treats to their mother and mother figures, including grandmothers, great-grandmothers, stepmothers, and foster mothers (click for updates to the list):. Mother’s Day activities Mother’s Day Activities from  Mother’s Day cards Mother in different languages Mother’s Day Quotes Mother’s Day Sayings Mother’s Day Templates fr ..read more

Ask a Tech Teacher occasionally reviews an education website that caught our eye and seemed to have excellent value for readers. Today, it’s SplashLearn. Here’s an easy-to-read bullet list of what we found: Platform:  Android iOS Web Overview: SplashLearn is an innovative online learning platform tailored for PreK through Grade 5 kids. With a global reach engaging over 45 million children and 446k teachers, it ingeniously blends the excitement of gaming with the rigor of academic learning; the platform ensures that each session is not only engaging but also deeply educational. Cost: P ..read more

A lot of teacher-authors read my WordDreams blog. In this monthly column, I share the most popular post from the past month. If you’re a teacher-author, this is a great tip for you: Q: How do you create the copyright symbol in Word? A: It’s easier than you think. Hold down the Alt key and press 0169. Use the keypad with the num lock on–don’t use the number row. I could not get this to work until someone pointed out that you must use the keypad. Duh. This not only works in MS, but lots of other places, ©–like WordPress. Cool, hunh? Update: Thanks to L.W. Dixon Jr, I realized I should ad ..read more

May is Homeschool Awareness Month. To support homeschoolers all over the world, this month’s Subscriber Special is for them:   Every month, subscribers to our newsletter get a free/discounted resource to help their tech teaching. 40% OFF HOMESCHOOL PRODUCTS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS May 7-10, 2024 use code SPWNKEK7 Select your product from this link. Verify via an email to us (admin@structuredlearning.net) that you are a homeschooler (we trust you–just send us a note) and we’ll send you the code. Be sure you’ve already signed up for our newsletter to use this code (see below). –Image credit De ..read more

Tech Teacher Appreciation Week If you wonder what’s so hard about being a teacher, what with technology, computers, AI assistants, look at this list of challenges they faced just last year: Transition to remote learning Technology and connectivity issues for students who might not have equal access to technology or internet at home Social and emotional support for students who regularly received it and now it was gone Balancing work and personal life as teaching remotely blurred those boundaries Professional development to effectively navigate the new teaching norms Different methods of asse ..read more

STEM education–Science, technology, engineering, and math–sounds intimidating, but is actually one of the most satisfying learning experiences students can participate in. Makeblock (an Ask a Tech Teacher sponsor) has some excellent resources for this field. Today, we’ll discuss: How Laser Cutter Brings New Inspiration to the Classroom STEM education is the need of this modern era, which is why teachers look for some interesting ways to teach these subjects and skills. They try to find new activities, games, toys, tools, or anything that can engage students and help them learn without struggl ..read more

Is using AI in your essay writing unethical and a potential reason your teacher may debate your work’s authenticity? Let’s find out the truth through the Ask a Tech Teacher team: Ethics and the Use of AI in Essays AI-driven tools and their use in creative writing, specifically with the purpose of writing essays, have long been a subject of heated debate. The argument against AI-powered tools remains the same: any content produced by artificial intelligence can be viewed as plagiarism. This is the same concern that has been posed about essay writing services and the people who use them. Readin ..read more

Here are the most-read posts for the past month: Tech Tip #90: Don’t Be Afraid of Mulligans Creative Fabrica–the Perfect Solution for Teachers, Creators, and Anyone In a Hurry Most Teens Think AI Won’t Hurt Their Mental Health; Teachers Disagree 9 Online News Resources for Kids Facing Fourth Grade: Tips for Parents Dealing with Academic and Social Challenges 22+ Tips on How to Work Remotely Engaging All Learners: Expanding High School Options for Success 4 Innovative Ways to Enhance Reading Comprehension with AI Tools Here’s a preview of what’s coming up: Ethics and the Use of AI in Essay ..read more

Explore the benefits and drawbacks of AI in essay writing, including its impact on student learning. Unveil the evolving future of writing education with AI through these suggestions from the Ask a Tech Teacher team. AI and Writing Essays: Pros and Cons, How Will Students Learn to Write if an AI Writes It for Them? In the fast-changing digital world, integrating AI into education is both a breakthrough and a problem. AI’s influence in essay writing is growing, highlighting both advantages and significant issues. AI algorithms use massive datasets and natural language processing to produce con ..read more

From the three-paragraph essay to one that lives up to the purpose of essays is a big leap both scholastically and skills-wise. Here are four tips from the Ask a Tech Teacher team to get you started:   How to Improve Essay Writing Skills: Abbie Kay from State of Writing Giving Tips and Strategies for Students Improving essay writing skills is crucial for students aiming to excel academically. Abbie Kay from State of Writing emphasizes that solid writing is about expressing ideas and effectively engaging and persuading your audience. Here, we delve into practical tips and strategies to tr ..read more