Most teachers hear "edtech" and think expensive platforms with steep learning curves. But some of the best tools out there are free and take 10 minutes to set up.

Here are 5 I use constantly:

1. Canva for Education — Free premium access for teachers. Create worksheets, presentations, infographics. Students can collaborate in real-time.

2. Padlet — A virtual bulletin board. Perfect for brainstorming, exit tickets, or collaborative research. Works on any device.

3. Edpuzzle — Turn any YouTube video into an interactive lesson. Embed questions at specific timestamps and track who actually watched.

4. Kahoot — You probably know this one, but the newer features (word clouds, puzzles) go way beyond basic quizzes.

5. BookCreator — Students create their own digital books. Works great for portfolios, creative writing, or end-of-unit projects.

The key isn't using MORE tech — it's picking 2-3 tools that solve real problems in your classroom and getting really good at them.

I break down exactly how to implement these (and dozens more) inside EduVault, where I share weekly tech walkthroughs, lesson templates, and strategy guides built specifically for K-12 teachers.