Back to School 101 with US Cellular {sponsored}

This post is part of my partnership with the US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

 

Well, we’ve officially had one full week of school, and truth be told it hasn’t been horrible.

 

Sure on the first day we were frazzled, disorganized and running late, but seriously that’s us everyday. The only difference was I took photos of it all, and I cried at drop off. I’m such a sap.

First Day 2nd GradeNow that we are in the midst of our first week and luckily there’s no homework – yet. However, I know it’s only a matter of time.

 

We’ve been taking advantage of some learning games on our iPad, iPhone5S and Galaxy 5S to help us transition back into the Back to School groove.

 

According to a recent survey by U.S. Cellular we aren’t alone, 74 percent of households with children under the age of 18 have at least one tablet. Tablets and smartphones are becoming a simple tool to ensure students keep making the grade.

 

Tablets are also being used in the classroom; learning apps, eBooks, online educational videos and internet access can all enhance the learning experience.

 

With reliable mobile access to the internet on a robust network such as a 4G LTE network/high-speed network through U.S. Cellular, teachers and students can effectively harness the full capability of this technology.

 

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Students, teachers and parents can optimize their connected learning experience with the help of the following apps recommended by U.S. Cellular:

 

Skype (Android) / Facetime (iOS): These free Internet video calling services allow teachers and students to collaborate wherever they are.  Teachers can bring guest speakers into class to discuss their expertise, thereby demonstrating how school subjects are relevant to real life.  Students can take virtual field trips anywhere in the world.  No permission slip required.

 

Teacher’s Assistant Pro: Featured in USA Today as one of the best teacher apps, Teacher’s Assistant Pro ($3.99 download) allows teachers to keep track of student actions, behaviors and achievements in the classroom. Using an iPhone or iPad, teachers can record student infractions and accolades, create a detailed written description of the event, and communicate with parents, reducing time consuming paperwork.

 

Notability: This powerful note-taker app is free and allows iOS and Android users to complete worksheets, sketch ideas, keep a journal, integrate photos and record a lecture, and keep it all in one place.  Use the search feature to quickly locate notes by title or content.  Share with others using iCloud or Google Drive.

 

DropBox: This cloud-based file sharing and storage free app lets users circulate files from different locations over different networks.  Turn in and return assignments, provide up-to-date syllabi from different locations quickly, and post grades securely and easily.

 

These apps will make hitting the books easy peasy for everyone.

 

US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade

 

U.S. Cellular is donating $1 million to fund teacher classroom projects through its Calling All Teachers program. Last year, the company contributed $500,000 towards educational materials for improved classroom experiences. U.S. Cellular is working with DonorsChoose.org for a fourth time and encourages teachers to post their projects on the site for potential funding. DonorsChoose.org is a charity website that helps teachers identify funds from corporate and individual donations for classroom projects.

 

Through U.S. Cellular’s ongoing commitment to the community and education, the company has contributed more than $7 million through this and other philanthropic programming. Starting today K-12 public school teachers can register online at DonorsChoose.org and affiliate as a U.S. Cellular teacher. Then beginning August 11, they can post their classroom projects for funding consideration. Through DonorsChoose.org U.S. Cellular has funded more than 4,500 classroom projects to date, which included technology tools, art equipment and science experiments. All projects must be submitted by September 21 to be eligible for this year’s funding. Selected projects will be in announced in October.

 

Disclosure: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.

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