Are you ready to say goodbye to the most abusive relationship you have at your school?
I am talking about that one relationship that always seems to fail you.
That’s right. It’s time to say goodbye to the office copy machine.
Say adios to paper jams, toner cartridges, and error messages, and say hello to more time Pinning delicious recipes or trendy outfits for Fall.
You are going to have so much more time, you’re going to need to update your wardrobe because you will actually have time to exercise everyday.
I know, right?
How?
It’s easy. By going digital.
Today I will share with you 3 reasons why you need to be using digital task cards ASAP!
#1:No more cutting and laminating
Remember how cute your task cards were? Remember those cute little graphics and the bright colors on the borders? Don’t worry, digital task cards are just as cute. In fact, they are even cuter!
Why? Because they aren’t high maintenance.
Digital task cards will last you year after year, minus the cutting and laminating.
Simply pull up the file, assign it in Google Classroom, and PRESTO! You’re done.
Throw on those yoga pants, hit the gym, or sip a margarita for all I care. You have the time now, honey!
#2: No more storage boxes
Last summer, Instragram was littered with pictures of teachers rushing out to their local Michael’s to buy the colorful Recollections photo boxes.
I’m not going to lie, I went and bought two. Actually, I had to order them online because my local stores were out of stock.
Why were teachers scrambling to buy these delightfully bright little boxes?
Task cards.
These boxes are the perfect size to store task cards, and those task cards are then stored in a larger plastic box until they are ready to be used. Boxes within boxes in bright colors: a teacher’s dream.
Well, as much as I love ALL things storage (I really am a fan of containers of all shapes and sizes to store things in), I don’t need to with digital task cards, and this is a good thing.
Google, or BOOM, stores them for me.
No need to ask if it sparks joy. Grab the file, add it to classroom, and done.
Light a candle, grab your newest Book of the Month read, and relax. You’re not reorganizing your classroom to find space for all your task cards, are you? Nope. You is smart, you is special, and you is digital!
#3: Kiss Clean Up and Grading Goodbye!
Hey look, math time is done for the day. Time to clean up.
Where is task card #7? No seriously, where did it go? Who needs a word problem about watermelons in a car? Really. Well, I guess I’ll wait till we find it. Oh look, it magically appeared in the library. Hmm, it’s bent. Did someone chew on this?
Okay, that probably doesn’t happen because our students are angels, but it never fails that something goes missing or comes back a little worse for wear.
Well, not with digital task cards.
Students get their own copy which cannot be altered (and even if they did, they could just get another copy and start again).
When they are done, they can turn them in and clean-up is over.
Grading?
Well, depending on your digital task cards, you might not have to.
Some digital task cards come with self grading (though you may need to help your students be responsible when checking their work, or well, not cheating). I use Google Forms with my task cards so students enter their final answer into the form which then grades it for me. I do have my students use a paper version recording form so that I can analyze their work if mistakes are being made.
Long story short, you don’t need to worry about clean up or grading like you do with traditional task cards. You can open your form at home in your tub as you sip a glass of wine and look at the results, planning your small group instruction the next day, or maybe just enjoy your wine.
Wrap It Up, Chica
Digital task cards are a blessing. They can make your life easier for three simple reasons:
1.) No more copying, cutting, or laminating.
2,) No more storage container solutions and valuable classroom space being taken up.
3.) No more grading or clean-up.
Question is, what are you going to do with your extra time? Drop your plan in the comments below or snap a photo of yourself on Instagram and use #teacherstakingtimeback
IF you teach fifth grade and are ready to start using digital task cards, be sure to check out my ever growing supply of math digital task cards here.
