We talked with Amanda Mendenhall, a 7th-grade geography teacher, about how she uses TeacherMade daily in the classroom. You can use TeacherMade to convert PDFs to interactive online assignments.

How can students work on PDF worksheets online?

My name is Amanda Mendenhall, and I teach 7th-grade Geography. I have been using the TeacherMade program for the past two years in class daily. I specifically use it for the PDF worksheets that help my students understand the lesson we went over in class that day. Before TeacherMade, I had to use a program my students would struggle to use. I love that my students can complete the assignments on TeacherMade and turn them in from there. They don’t have to download and upload the documents. 

TeacherMade allows me to use the resources the school has already purchased to help to make sure my students understand the information that was taught. Remember having to write the review questions at the end of the lesson when we were in school? That is a thing of the past! 

How do you provide feedback on digital worksheets and online assignments?

I can upload the lesson review questions that are a PDF and create an interactive worksheet for my students. I then know if they are grasping the concept in real-time. I can comment back to my students fairly quickly, too! With TeacherMade, I can embed more information to help the students understand the assignment. I can modify the assignment I give my regular education students for my special education students. (NO ONE knows they got a different assignment.) I don’t have to find resources to help my struggling students because I can use the ones that the company sends with the instructional materials. (What a blessing!!) I can use the maps that the book has to ensure they are accurate maps of the countries we are discussing in class. 

How do you differentiate instruction online?

TeacherMade also gives my students some freedom in their learning. Students can draw on the document, they can write short answers, and so much more. I am so grateful for this because it allows me the freedom to have the students interact differently with an assignment. They can show some of their favorite things by having these options. I sometimes let my students look at the assignment and complete it from their point of view. 

How do you do online map assignments?

I can also assign my students maps, which is a huge deal when you teach geography. I can upload the map and have many options on how the students complete the map correctly. Students can highlight, type an answer, or draw on the map. I love having options for the students to complete the map as they feel as well. My students are very creative in completing the free-choice answers. Students are sometimes allowed to put capitals, countries, flags, etc. on the map depending on what they are working on in class. I get to see the personalities of some of my quiet students by doing this. 

How do you do online formative assessment like quizzes, exit tickets, and bell work?

I also use TeacherMade for quizzes and exit tickets. This is a great way for me to get a quick glance at what is being taught. I get to see if I need to reteach the following day, or we can move on with the concept. I also can get a quick grade by doing this, which, if I did my job correctly, will help my student’s grade. My favorite feature is that I can hold the scores of these assignments until all of the students have taken the quiz or exit ticket, so it eliminates the ability to cheat, which means I don’t have to create a different quiz for each class I teach. I can use the same assignment for all 5 of the classes. 

TeacherMade has made my job so much easier while giving my love to educating children.