The New Normal
I think that we are entering into a new normal. While I know things are scary there is a lot of opportunity in this new place that we find ourselves in for collaboration and our own learning. Here are some things that we can continue during this time:Meetings:
- CLT Meetings: Please work with your team, Sarah and Brian to continue these meetings. Find a time that works for you all.
- Weekly Meetings: We will meet virtually every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. For the most part, these will be huddle type meetings where people can ask questions and we can share information.
- Professional Development: We have one more schoolwide PD scheduled. This was an important PD to finish up our learning for this year and set-up our learning for next year. We will do this PD virtually. Please stay tuned for a date.
Teaching and Learning:
I had a virtual meeting today with the Academics Office. Andrea Zayas, Chief Academic Officer, has a plan. At this moment I am waiting to get the slides so that I can confirm that my notes are accurate. I will correct any inaccuracies on Monday as it is 3:07 and I still do not have the slide deck.
- We discussed a week by week plan for how teaching and learning will evolve as our own practice and knowledge evolve. My new favorite word "consistency" was mentioned multiple times.
Rose and Marc have been using Google Classroom and their skills in leveraging this virtual tool far surpass my own. Where they are now with their students and practice appears to be the way the district sees this evolving for our students. I am sharing an email exchange that we had today to highlight both the collaboration and practice that is occurring. Again in NO way is the expectation that we as a learning community are all at this point. It is more of a vision of where we are heading.
Me:
I like how you are building these out. The objective is so important. I agree that directing to the google classroom makes sense. I will also link to this document if kids for whatever reason cannot sign into classroom. I am hoping 12:00 came faster today because of the craziness of adjusting.
Are you going to be holding live classes with students? Please make sure that your families are aware that assignments will be posted daily. I am worried about consistency. If everyone else is updating once a week expecting third-grade families to sign on daily to see/access assignments is different. I am curious why you made the decision to do one day at a time?
This could be an interesting discussion point moving forward as a school.
Rose and Marc:
We were thinking of posting assignments daily because we were worried it would be too overwhelming to post all assignments (15 assignments per week) at the same time. They won't disappear at the end of the day, so if students are behind, they will still be there so that they can catch up. We made the decision based on Marc's experience of homeschooling his own children this week using computer-learning. He might be able to speak more to that experience.
The assignments here include a video of us teaching (or a different video that we found online), and then an activity for students to complete and turn in. We will then be able to provide feedback on that assignment. It isn't live teaching, but it is video recording of us teaching.
We may try to do a "live" morning meeting with zoom each day, but we are still figuring out those details.
Rose has offered to be a resource as people are learning about Google Classroom and setting their classrooms up. I have not asked Marc yet. I am sure he will help too but he is also teaching his children.
- The district is creating curated resources that they will put in a teacher/administrator facing google classroom so that you can pull resources into your own Google Classrooms. Everything in this toolkit will be framed with the lens of the racial equity toolkit.
- There will also be a district website to supplement our school website. This will be family facing and students can enter on their on to have additional experiences to those we are providing.
- They are working with BostonTV to create some early childhood programming
Resources for Teacher Learning Re: Virtual Learning
Work from Home Tips
Office Hours
I will be at Lee Academy from 9:00-12:00 every Wednesday throughout the duration of the closing. If parents (or you) need something from the building please come by or call so I can get it for you during this time. You still have daily access to the building. I needed to set up weekly office hours in case someone needs me.
The Website
I have shortened the URL for our website it is now: https://bit.ly/LAPSLearn
Honey-Do List
Record first contact with families into the tracker- March 25th
Family Communications
We are going to start tracking family communications using this tracker so that we are aware of who has spoken to what families each week. Each grade level has its own tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet where the students are filtered by your grade level. You will scroll right each week. At the end of each color-coded week, there is a place to take notes so that the full team is aware of concerns or things that are going well. I have received the following directive:
If you have not already done so, work with your teams to be sure EVERY FAMILY has been contacted and that you can say with certainty that they have access to a site where they can get meals if they need them and that they have access to technology.
During our initial contact with families please ask families if:
- They are aware of food pick-up locations and able to access the locations
- Has technology to access instruction
- Has reliable internet
- Is connected to the online platform that you use to deliver instruction/assignments
- Has the initial learning resources we provided
Once you have these answers please record on the tracker. Please try to record contact for the first week by Wednesday, March 25th. I have set this deadline with the assumption that you have contacted families already.
Literacy Tips and Tricks- Request from Sarah
Literacy Tips and Tricks Page
The Literacy Tips and Tricks Page is live!
Each week we will have a new read-aloud video (hopefully from guest readers!), a featured resource, a featured game/activity, and a featured tip.
If you have any tips, games or resources that you would like to pass along, please do so by emailing me. The webpage will feature some each week, but I will also curate running lists that will be linked on the page. And please offer any feedback that would improve the page!
If you would like to record a guest read aloud to be featured on the website, please fill out THIS FORM. Directions for uploading your video are on the form (and may change as I become more tech-savvy). I have created a YouTube channel where I will upload and store all of our videos. Thank you!
Something Fun
I want to thank Marc for sharing this with me. I have watched it at least 5 times and laughed each time. I am thinking that those of you with school-age kids might be feeling the same way as this poor mom.
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