Teacher Feature: When Student Choice Matters

Jennifer Gonzalez (@JennGonzo) is a Grade 7-12 Science teacher and teaches at a small rural school in Grant, Nebraska, Perkins County Schools. She has 3 degrees: Bachelor of Science, University of Nebraska – Lincoln; Bachelor of Science Education – Biology, Western Governors University; and Master of Science Education – Chemistry, Western Governors University. She is the wife of a retired Marine and a mother to 2 sons, and stepmother to 2 daughters.  

You can read more about Jennifer in her website: https://jennifergonzalez83.wixsite.com/mrsgscience

Deck.Toys: How long have you been using Deck.Toys?

Jennifer: Almost for as long as it has been around – 3 years!

Deck.Toys: Could you tell us what has sustained your interest to continue using Deck.Toys throughout these 3 years?

Jennifer: One of the aspects that I love about Deck.Toys is that it allows for student choice. It gives students a feeling of control over their learning and allows them to take ownership of their education. Even though they are all completing the same tasks in the end, they are able to do it at their own pace and their own path. 

Deck.Toys also allows me to present information in a variety of formats. I can have students learn by watching videos, reading articles, completing online interactives and quizzes. With it being delivered in a game-like format, students learn the same information they would with traditional textbook or workbook assignments, but in a way that is more engaging to them.

Deck.Toys: What features do you find particularly useful for teaching your subject?

Jennifer: I use the Lock Slide App often. I use this to make sure students are meeting certain requirements and need to show work or show their understanding before they can move on. I use the Embed feature whenever possible to embed assignments from CK12, Biointeractive, Phet Simulations. 

In Science, we rely heavily on vocabulary so I use Flashcards to first introduce vocabulary and then use different study set games throughout the deck to check for understanding of the vocabulary; for example, Match, Maze and Crossword. Here’s an example of the deck I made on Mutations and Protein: https://deck.toys/a/Qk3Ola88w

Deck.Toys: How have your student responses been using Deck.Toys?

Jennifer: Most students find it engaging and enjoy being able to work on classwork at their own pace. They also enjoy the Power-Ups such as the Gauntlet, although I try to limit these when they become the main focus of the students and they get distracted from their work! But that rarely happens.

Deck.Toys: Thanks for your support all these years and hope we will continue to be part of your teaching journey! 

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