Position: Digital Learning Coach
School: Newton County Schools, USA
Years as an Educator: 12
Fun/Zany/Interesting fact: An self-proclaimed, "Trekkie" who traded sky-scrappers for sweet tea and enjoys soaking up the sun at the beach whenever she can.
Favorite Book Creator Feature: The audio and read-aloud features ensure all students can engage, regardless of reading abilities, and translation options make them even more inclusive for diverse languages.
Memorable moments and visual elements
Two of my favorite projects to do with young students in Book Creator are the One Hundred Club and Would You Rather? Each year, I partner with kindergarten teachers to celebrate students who have reached the milestone of counting to one hundred. In this project, students get the chance to video themselves counting and also write about their favorite number. It’s a fun and meaningful way to recognize their achievement.
These projects not only engage young learners but also build confidence as they take ownership of their creative work.Natasha Blades
The Would You Rather? project is another highlight, where first-grade students dive into opinion writing. They create their own books based on fun choices, like deciding between different superpowers or imagining what it would be like to be a certain animal. The students absolutely love these projects because they get to celebrate their milestones and see their ideas come to life. Being able to act as both authors and illustrators helps them envision even greater possibilities for themselves.
I intentionally focus on these examples with younger students to demonstrate that it’s entirely possible for early learners to use Book Creator effectively. These projects not only engage them but also build confidence as they take ownership of their creative work.
Goals and aspirations for the upcoming year
This year, I'm really focused on helping my new teachers get comfortable with Book Creator and finding fresh ways to inspire my returning teachers to use it in all content areas.
I love making templates for them and showing how to use Book Creator effectively in their classrooms. It's such a powerful tool, and I enjoy modeling best practices to make it easier for everyone.
One of my personal goals is to present on Book Creator at a technology conference. I think it would be great to share what we’ve been doing beyond our district and help other educators see its potential.
Connect with Natasha
We encourage you to connect with Natasha on X (Twitter) to learn more about their innovative practices and gain insights into how you can enhance your teaching with Book Creator.
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Hotler joined Book Creator as the Education Community Manager in February, 2023. He has 15 years of experience in education as a teacher, coach, and consultant in North America and Europe. His mission is to build and empower communities of educators who are passionate about teaching with Book Creator.