Well time has gotten the best of me these last few weeks. I have been struggling trying to get through everything in my lessons. We have a really crazy specials schedule this year. We are on a construction calendar because this summer they will be redoing the roof. We will be getting out a month early so this project can be done. This means our school day is longer by 20 minutes a day. We were able to add 4 more minutes to our specials time. We see each class for 49 minutes instead of the usual 45mins. All the classes come to specials at odd times (e.g 9:24-10:13, 10:13-11:02). I have been trying my best to make sure I finish on time, but I haven't been consistent with it. I decided I needed a timer to help me keep track.
After doing a Google search on classroom timers I finally found a winner. I really like the MegaTimer from Kagan. It is large enough to see from across the room and it has large buttons that are clearly marked.
After doing a Google search on classroom timers I finally found a winner. I really like the MegaTimer from Kagan. It is large enough to see from across the room and it has large buttons that are clearly marked.
This timer does a lot of different things. I love the student selector. Whenever I need to pick a student to do a job I can quickly push the student selector and it will pick number. You can program the number of students in the class from 1-99. I put it on 28 because that is the largest class we have right now. I assign all my students a number. I use Easy Grade Pro grade book program and I can easily keep track of everyone's number using Easy Grade Pro. I assign numbers by ABC order using their last names. Students keep the same number all year. If a student moves out, then their number stays unassigned until a new student moves in. My students are good about remembering their number, but if they forget I print out a list that has their number. I use the numbers for everything (e.g. picking students, assigning recorder folders, rhythm folders, bags of manipulates, etc.). The students love to watch the timer select a number.
I use the countdown timer a lot. On my lesson plans I put the time of how long I want to spend on each activity. I set the timer before we begin each activity. I turn the clock so we can't see it counting down. Otherwise some students would sit there the entire time watching it count down and then they want to announce how much time is left or do the final 10 second countdown. The count down clock will beep once when it's at the 80% mark. The beep is not too obnoxious, but it is loud enough to hear. As you can see in the picture above the stop button is nice and big.
There are some other features that I haven't used yet:
1. Team selector: works just like the student selector. You can program how many teams you want to have.
2. Random: This can be used in different ways. You can use it like using dice, spinner, random numbers to create math equations, etc. You can program it to the number you want to use. The max number is 9,999.
3. Stop Watch: works like any standard stop watch
4. Alarm clock: you could set the ending time of the class
I use the countdown timer a lot. On my lesson plans I put the time of how long I want to spend on each activity. I set the timer before we begin each activity. I turn the clock so we can't see it counting down. Otherwise some students would sit there the entire time watching it count down and then they want to announce how much time is left or do the final 10 second countdown. The count down clock will beep once when it's at the 80% mark. The beep is not too obnoxious, but it is loud enough to hear. As you can see in the picture above the stop button is nice and big.
There are some other features that I haven't used yet:
1. Team selector: works just like the student selector. You can program how many teams you want to have.
2. Random: This can be used in different ways. You can use it like using dice, spinner, random numbers to create math equations, etc. You can program it to the number you want to use. The max number is 9,999.
3. Stop Watch: works like any standard stop watch
4. Alarm clock: you could set the ending time of the class
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I really like how all the buttons are clearly marked. They all have preset times or number, but if you want to change the settings you just hold the button for a few seconds until the number blinks on the screen. Then you just use the up and down arrows to change the settings to what you want. It does save your settings.
I purchased mine directly from the company's website:
http://www.kaganonline.com/catalog/JMT/
I also purchased the AC adapter (doesn't come with it). The clock can run on batteries. It takes 6 double A batteries. I don't know how long it last on batteries since I use the AC adapter.
I really love this timer and it really has helped me to stay on track so I can get to everything on the lesson. I am also no longer late getting my classes lined up and ready to leave.
I purchased mine directly from the company's website:
http://www.kaganonline.com/catalog/JMT/
I also purchased the AC adapter (doesn't come with it). The clock can run on batteries. It takes 6 double A batteries. I don't know how long it last on batteries since I use the AC adapter.
I really love this timer and it really has helped me to stay on track so I can get to everything on the lesson. I am also no longer late getting my classes lined up and ready to leave.
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