Great Things I Have Noticed this Week:
*Students meeting in BlueJeans, taking a fun break together to play Pictionary (using the iPad screenshare). It was virtually fun. :)
*When I surveyed students...they responded! See my email sent last night so you can also see their feedback.
*The great ideas you all shared in our meeting for virtual learning: EdPuzzle to add in notes and questions to a youtube video, Explain everything to create a video for students as you write/explain.
*A student who has had a history of negative attitude, along with use of choice words, emailed me: "
Thank you for doing everything you guys are for everyone. Means a lot. "
*Student participation in Schoology--discussions -not only posting one response but students also commenting back to each other, sharing of April Fool's jokes, students collaborating in a google doc, etc.
*I continue to be amazed by the creativity and ideas you are putting into engaging students virtually and helping each other as colleagues as well. We can get through this together!
Upcoming Events:
Spring break. Rest. Relax. Netflix. Garden. Whatever will refresh you.
April 13 - virtual learning continues
"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Please see the email I sent out regarding student feedback and Schoology organization/virtual learning work.
*I don't have a decision for you yet regarding grading. However, I would recommend for now to
mark assignments in powerschool as collected or missing. As I'm reaching out to parents of students not completing work in Schoology, parents don't know how to check when their child says, "but I did everything." Most parents do know powerschool and can see that for consistency.
*Click
HERE to see a resource page for staff members to answer common questions for students or parents during the school closure. The document shows password patterns, information about getting tech support, and other how-to options.
Just for You to Fill Your Cup:
Today was the first day of the
Power of Positivity Summit. I look forward to this every year by Jon Gordon, because it is filled with video clips from inspiring and wise people. Each day you get an email with about 4 video links, each packed with a punch. In previous years I've never had the time to watch all, but now I've been gifted with that time!
Jon Gordon's
first video is so applicable to what is happening in our country right now about challenging situations and adapting to change. He describes his book, The Shark and the Goldfish, where the goldfish has to figure out how to survive in the ocean like a shark. It made me think about the thousands of teachers, including you that have embraced this situation and are working hard to make it work for our students and families. This is not the way we typically educate students, but we ARE making a difference.
Here are some of the statements he made that stood out the most to me. What does this make you think about?
- The people and organizations who thrive who embrace change during challenging times.
- Discomfort leads to growth. Embrace the challenges and get better from them.
- Whether we thrive through change or not is determined by our mindset and how we perceive the change that we are dealing with.
- What we believe determines what we will create.
- How can I get better because of this, and what do I want to create in the future?
*Another app to keep you from getting stuck to your chair. I got this from Ted Neitzke's SMART thinking podcast and love it! It's the
Nike Training app. I haven't explored everything in there yet, but am currently loving the 7-minute Total-Body Desk Detox.
*Blog post:
This is the Time
*A wealth of resources on staying resilient during COVID19:
Compassion Resilience
Tech Tip of the Week:
Being a Digital Citizen...real life case study. We are learning online and using many tools to do so. Now is a wonderful time to review any digital citizenship skills we can. Below are some resources to share and work through with your students. Some resources are new and some are linked to the Common Sense lessons you have already started with your advisories. Be mindful that parents are learning along with our students, activities can benefit everyone.
Today (04/01/2020) we're [Common Sense] launching a brand-new, free online resource to support families and educators who are transitioning to remote learning as a result of the coronavirus: Wide Open School. Why? There are so many online resources to support kids' educational, emotional, and physical development that Common Sense editors are noticing yet another challenge for parents and educators: How can you find high-quality resources quickly, easily, and in one place?
There are Common Sense lessons for our high school students, but sometimes an article from an outside source may help move behaviors. I gravitate towards articles that give “to dos” versus what not to do. Search Terms = job search AND digital footprint
