How to Use Google Forms to Make Your Teaching Life Easier!

I LOVE using Google in my classroom and over the last few years, I’ve found ways to use Google Forms that really help make my teaching life easier. No matter what, I’m always overwhelmed with piles of papers to grade or to hand out – aren’t we all? Pushing out some activities, assignments, and forms to Google Forms helps me manage that overload. I can easily pull up what I need digitally with a few clicks and it never gets LOST – I always know where to find it!

My class is not 1:1 with computers but we do have 6 desktops in the classroom that my students can use. We also have Computer Lab as a weekly special PLUS I can reserve a lab or a class set of laptops during the school day if I want my whole class to complete a Google Form all at the same time. I usually just use Forms in my classroom and rotate my students to a computer station in groups of 6.

Here are just some of the ways I use Google Forms in my classroom.

1. Assessments

I give my students their weekly spelling test on Google forms. One of my grade-level teammates or I create the form with multiple choice options and students need to choose the correctly spelled word.

I also use short 3-4 question math quizzes for assessments, vocabulary quizzes, and more. Once the form is created, it can be used again, year after year by just making a new copy of your form.

Using the multiple choice option makes grading so EASY and students can get immediate feedback when they submit their form and I can easily access their responses and grades to put into my grade book.

2. Parent Contact Log

I create a form that is just for me to log the parent/guardian contacts I make throughout the year. I create a form that I input the date, student name and parent, type of contact (phone, text, messaging app, email, or in-person) reason for contact, parent response, and is follow up required.

I love keeping a log of parent contacts on Google Forms because I can easily generate a spreadsheet and have documentation of all contacts, reasons, and responses. I create the form and send it to myself and then bookmark the form on my toolbar for easy access. I can open the form and fill it in as I’m on the phone with a parent.

image of an iPad displaying a Parent Contact Log

3. Student Interest and Feedback Surveys

During the first week of school, I use a Google form to collect information about my students’ interests (favorite subject, hobby, sport, etc.), academic strengths/weaknesses, favorite ways to learn, etc. Create a form that collects information that is useful for you to get to know your new students, plan lessons, and create a positive classroom community. You can include multiple choice and short answer options depending on the level of information you would like to collect.
I also like to send out a quarterly survey to collect feedback from my students about how they are enjoying our class (or not), any concerns they have, and if there is anything that I can do to help them be more successful. This is information that I collect informally from my students all the time, but I like to have a formal way to collect and save this information throughout the year.

4. Conference Request Form

I created a Parent Conference Request form that I have uploaded to my class website. Parents can electronically request a conference and I can easily collect the information. During Open House or Back to School nights, I show my students’ families how to access the form to request a conference.
You could also send out the form as a link via email or messaging apps such as Remind or Bloomz.

image of an iPad displaying a Conference Request form

You can create your own but I’ve also put together 3 of my most useful Google Forms on Teachers Pay Teachers. Click on the image below to take a look!