My goal is to be a resource to you with monthly tips that support you and your students within an ever-changing, diverse classroom.

Education Service Center Region 11| ESSA Team Lead

Email: myocom@esc11.net
Website: https://www.esc11.net/Page/719#calendar13881/20200304/month
Phone: 817-740-7563
Twitter: @myocomesc11

Teachers across the U.S. are facing some of the toughest times in the history of education. Many of you are starting off the year remotely. Some of you are teaching in person AND remotely.

There are no instructions or words of wisdom to get us through these unprecedented times. Currently, guidance is ever-changing.

Below are some considerations for juggling both in-person and remote learning:

1. Audio: Check your audio to ensure your remote learners can hear you as you move around the room, or stay near the computer to ensure remote learners can hear.
2. Visuals: Show the more important content on the screen for remote learners. Consider creating a slide deck to project for in-person and remote learners to follow as you provide instruction.
3. Activities: Design activities in platforms that allow both in-person and remote learners to work together or side by side. When planning, think about the goal and how it would have been done in person. Then think of a digital tool that will accomplish it.
4. Accessibility: Make instruction accessible. Screen record a lesson or record your live lesson for student access beyond your class period. Additionally, screen recording clear, explicit directions for daily activities.
5. Parent Support: We can't forget about parent survival during this new way of school. Find ways to provide support for tech issues and at-home learning expectations. Prerecorded videos providing activity instructions can be super helpful for parents!
6. Refer to the August Issue below for additional tips on teaching remotely.

Looking for ways to mimic activities that allow students to rotate stations individually or with partners?

Google Slides and Padlet are possible solutions! Whether you are teaching remotely, in person, or both, these two tools honor social distancing and collaboration. Students attending school in person and remotely can collaborate without being in the same room or even sitting together!

Google Slides:

1. Design your slides: Provide instructions on the first slide, number each slide, and format the slides so students know where to add text.
2. Assign numbers to your students or groups. If you are using Zoom breakout rooms, use the room number.
3. Manage time: Assign a time keeper if working in groups, send announcements if using Zoom breakout rooms, or add a timer to Google Slides.

Padlet:

1. Create a Padlet: Provide a column with clear, explicit instructions. Add column with headings.
2. Assign numbers to your students or groups. If you are using Zoom breakout rooms, use the room number.
3. Manage time: Assign a timekeeper if working in groups, send announcements if using Zoom breakout rooms, or add a timer to Padlet.

Below are two videos on using Google Slides and Padlet for student collaboration:

• Texthelp https://www.texthelp.com/en-us/products/free-for-teachers/
• TalkingPoints - Reach all your students' families in their home language https://talkingpts.org/
• Read, Write, Speak https://thinkalong.org
• Make Beliefs Comix https://www.makebeliefscomix.com/
  
• Digital Tool https://www.tes.com/lessons
  
• Digital Tool https://padlet.com
• Promote listening & speaking https://flipgrid.com/
  
• Create class lists, activities, assignments, and assessments https://www.vocabulary.com
• Classroom Screen https://classroomscreen.com/
• Interactive classroom in real time https://www.classkick.com
  
• K-5 Reading Student Centers http://www.fcrr.org/resources/resources_sca.html
• Free Content Power Points & Interactive activities http://www.pppst.com/
• Transform lessons to make learning impactful and engaging, or allow students to create animated products to show mastery https://www.powtoon.com/edu-home/
• Current event articles to promote critical reading, writing, and speaking http://wordgen.serpmedia.org/
  
• English Learner Teacher Support http://www.colorincolorado.org/
  
• Writing Guru Gretchen Bernabei http://trailofbreadcrumbs.net/
  
• Free reading passages & literacy resources https://www.commonlit.org/
  
• 2,000+ multidisciplinary wonders https://wonderopolis.org/
  
• Free reading passages by lexile level and content https://www.readworks.org/
  
• Lead4ward.com http://lead4ward.com/resources/
  

I am not perfect, so if you see errors or find broken links, please give me grace.

LB 09.09.20