We spoke with May Yang about how she uses TeacherMade daily in her classroom. May converts her existing PDF files into online worksheets using TeacherMade's intuitive system. Students can access the interactive worksheets from Schoology, and the worksheets are automatically scored.

Why is it helpful to have an online worksheet app that integrates with LMS platforms like Canvas, Schoology, and Google Classroom?

As a 10th and 11th grade English teacher, I need to create lessons that allow my students to develop a variety of skills, such as reading, writing, grammar, and research. But for the lessons to be effective, my students need timely feedback. With over 150 students, giving timely feedback was challenging. TeacherMade’s integration with LMS platforms such as Canvas, Schoology, and Google Classroom helps me quickly create lessons, assign them, and provide feedback to students.

How do you use TeacherMade without LMS integration?

During distance learning, I first learned about TeacherMade in a teachers’ Facebook group. I needed a way to convert a PDF into a digital worksheet for my students. To my surprise, I discovered that TeacherMade was more than just a way for students to work on PDF — TeacherMade had auto-grading features that saved me time and sped up my grading. 

At the time, however, TeacherMade was not able to be integrated into an LMS platform. I would create an assignment in TeacherMade and assign it by attaching the assignment link to Schoology. My students only needed their school email to access the assignment. 

After the students were finished with an assignment, I would see their scores in my TeacherMade account and convert the percentage scores into my school’s 1 to 4 grading scale. Then, I would enter the scores into my Schoology gradebook. The process involved several steps, but at the time, TeacherMade was the most efficient product out there. 

How do online worksheets that integrate with Schoology save you time?

But things got even better! TeacherMade is receptive and responsive to teachers’ needs and concerns because, in less than a year of coming across TeacherMade, it became possible to integrate TeacherMade into Canvas, Schoology, and Google Classroom. This integration saves me even more time.

Lesson Planning 

Meaningful lessons are an important part of teaching. If a teacher assigns busy work, students will see right through it! But we all know how time-consuming it is to constantly create new lessons. Even veteran teachers with a file cabinet and digital files full of lesson plans still retweak lessons every year. That is just the nature of teaching. 

TeacherMade makes it quick and simple to make adjustments to any lesson. After I upload a document into TeacherMade, I can use the Color Block to cover up existing directions and then use the Teacher Text feature to write new directions. But that is just the beginning. Using the many other TeacherMade tools, I can completely transform and modify an assignment and create more opportunities for students to showcase their learning.

More Engagement and Resources 

TeacherMade’s tools allow teachers to be as creative as they want in how they would like students to engage with an assignment. Gone are the days of simply reading and writing answers on a worksheet. Teachers can offer a variety of ways for students to complete the work, such as having students write answers, record themselves talking, or search and link external resources that support their answers. 

Teachers can attach videos, images, and audio into the worksheet to further explain or clarify an assignment. This is helpful because some students need visual or audio explanations. The ability to attach supplemental resources into my digital worksheets in TeacherMade saves me time in making and passing out copies for my students. Also, my students can review the supplemental resources, including videos, at their own pace. 

Assigning work 

Once I am finished creating a worksheet in TeacherMade, I can assign the work in Schoology within minutes! My students can easily access the assignment through Schoology. They do not need to use their school email or any other login credentials. Students can seamlessly access, complete, and submit their TeacherMade assignments in Schoology. I can then grade the assignment in Schoology or TeacherMade. 

Auto and Customized Grading 

There is no doubt that TeacherMade’s auto-grading tools are a huge time-saver. With the objective parts of an assignment auto-graded, I can pay more attention to other parts of the assignment, such as reading the written responses or listening to a student’s recording.

My students’ auto scores instantly populate my grade book! And once I have graded the other sections, such as the written response, those scores are automatically calculated with the auto-graded sections for an overall student score. I can also customize the weight of each section of an assignment. Since my school uses a 1 to 4 grading scale, TeacherMade converts my students’ grades from a 100% scale to a 1 to 4 scale in my gradebook. TeacherMade does the math for me!

How are you using digital tools like TeacherMade in your traditional in-person class?

What I thought was a valuable tool during distance learning became essential in my classroom. My students and I find the TeacherMade tools intuitive and easy to navigate. And with the integration of TeacherMade into Schoology, I can create all kinds of lessons that engage and challenge my students yet give them quick feedback and save me time!