Badges to promote technology in Elementary schools

What are those?

 They're springing up all over our elementary schools. Some are on doorways, some are on the walls, some are in the data rooms, but wherever they are, they all mean the same thing:

Digital Learning is happening here.

So what are they? Badges. Teachers earn them by demonstrating that their students are learning using various digital tools: Skype, Plickers, Symbaloo, you name it -- the only limitation is the drive and enthusiasm of building staff.

And some have amazing enthusiasm! Look at all the badges Jhonatan Marin had at Howard Hall Elementary School back in February:

 And at Seabrook Elementary, teachers Suzanne Williams and Jamie Royster have filled their first sheet of badges, and started a second!

Now, obviously, this isn't restricted to Social Studies, but Social Studies is a great place to lead in innovation and digital integration: Skyping with students in other places, building Padlets for historical figures, creating oral history blogs, or any of the diverse other options, teaching history with the tools of the future is the best way to engage our students and involve them in thinking critically, creating content and understanding, collaborating with one another and global peers, or communicating across the county and around the world.

What an exciting time to be in the classroom!