Curriculum Connection
Updates, Information, and Ideas for DCSC Staff
December 10, 2019
In order to be respectful of everyone's time, I have broken the newsletter down into information that staff "Have To Know" and information that is "Nice to Know." In addition, I have tried to break things down further by grade level or subject area. Please ensure you read and/or respond to anything in the "Have To Know" section that applies to a grade level or subject area you teach.
If you find any ideas, websites, books, etc. that you think are worth sharing out, please send them my way and I am happy to include them!
Morgan Walker
Director of Academic Services
Certified Teaching Staff K-12
Results from November 7th eLearning Day Parent Survey
Lessons Learned
- Be mindful of the amount of time your assignment for the day will take students to complete. If you give an assignment in class that is taking students longer than you anticipated to finish, you have the ability to adjust. Because you don't have this same ability on an eLearning Day, you may want to include types of activities you have tried before in class and you know are doable in a normal class period (or less). Our goal was for each class to take students between 20-45 minutes to complete.
- Every class that you devote time to during the day should have an "assignment" of some kind to complete. You can be creative with this work, but if there is not work assigned or it only takes students 30 seconds to complete, you are essentially telling parents you don't believe your class is worth spending time on (which we know is not the case).
- Parents (and sometimes students) get frustrated trying to access sites outside Schoology in the younger grade levels. If you want elementary students to access another site, please create detailed instructions (with screenshots if applicable) or even a how-to video and add it to Schoology. This is something you can create ahead of time and share among grade-level teachers.
- Please do not ask students to print something out at home. While we are able to provide computers to most of our students, many parents commented they don't have a printer at home and felt that they couldn't complete the assignment. If you have an assignment you want them to complete at home that is on paper, let me know and I can help you digitize it!
- Creating some sort of assignment, test, quiz, discussion, etc. in Schoology helps staff to take attendance after the fact. If you want something turned in, Schoology is easier than email because you can easily track who has completed the assignment and who hasn't.
- Parents would love a checklist, if possible, at the elementary level. This would help parents understand what is expected of students and when they have completed things.
- Video instructions are really appreciated! Parents commented that they really loved videos walking them through directions and/or explaining concepts! There's just something about hearing it from a teacher's voice that makes an impact!
- You are all amazing! (Duh!) :-) SO many parents commented on the survey that they can't believe our teachers work with an entire class of students every day- when they were struggling at times to get work done with just their one child. Props to each of you!
***Setting up Schoology for a possible unplanned eLearning Day***
The first snow day utilized will NOT be an eLearning Day. It will be made up on President's Day. After the first snow day, we *may* utilize an eLearning Day. A few factors will be considered before a decision is made including how many we have already used, how many days in a row we may be out, etc.
In order to prepare for a potential unplanned eLearning Day, please go through the steps below. Working through these steps now will ensure less stress for you the morning of the snow day.
Just like we did for the practice eLearning Day, all staff should add an "eLearning Day- Snow Day #1" folder to all courses students could access on an unplanned snow day (this means you would create it for both red/white day classes, each specials class during the week, etc.). When you create the folder, select to keep it unpublished (see screenshots below). The expectation is that all work is posted and ready for students by 9AM and all emails received from parents/students by 2:30 will be answered the same day.
This is where we will tell all students and parents to go to access directions for each course. It is imperative you add this folder. This folder may contain all links that students need or simply directions for students to access materials in your course documents found outside that folder.
I think the most difficult part about an unplanned eLearning Day is the content to put inside. We want the work to be timely but I know it's also easier to have some things created before the morning of a snow day. Anything you can do on the front end will help you out- you are welcome to add some of your directions now, or even add assignments that will be timely during the January-February timeframe.
As you are creating work for an unplanned eLearning Day, please keep the "lessons learned" in mind. If you would like me to look over anything, I am happy to do so. Send me the course/s you want me to look at and I can log in (I can see things that are unpublished, too).
Classified Staff
Unplanned eLearning Day
For unplanned eLearning Days (snow days, for example), classified staff members that do not work 260 days will not report. All 260-day employees are required to work (unless a level three snow emergency is declared by Hendricks County and non-emergency personnel are not allowed on the roads). A makeup option is available for up to two days. All staff must have prior approval to make up this time and supervisors will keep a record of completion of hours.
Please see the chart below for information regarding classified staff guidelines as they stand now for unplanned eLearning days (snow days, for example):
Grade 3-8 (Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies) & HS Biology Certified Teachers
ILEARN assessment writing opportunity
IDOE is seeking 13 educators for English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in grades three through eight and high school biology to write items for ILEARN assessments. A two-day workshop will be held in late February/early March. Educators will be trained on item-writing best practices to construct these items. Educators will be expected to develop approximately 20 items in a six-month time frame outside of the standard school day, and will be compensated for additional items written outside of the workshop. Assistance will be offered to educators during the development cycle. Interested participants should complete the following Jotform. A subset of applicants will be identified for a follow-up phone conversation to define the expectations for this process and to gather details about content and assessment expertise of the applicant. Final selections will be made by February 7, 2020.
IDOE Literacy Book Study Coming Soon! Sign-up Now!
If anyone is interested in participating in this optional IDOE book study, please let me know! I will purchase a book for anyone who signs up by December 13 (hopefully that means books arrive before break)! PGPs will be given from the IDOE team as a bonus. This book study is for ANY teacher- we ALL are responsible for creating better writers and teaching students to use evidence in their responses.
From the IDOE:
Join our book study where we will read The Writing Revolution (TWR) by the well-respected researchers, Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler.
TWR introduces a revolutionary way of explicitly and systematically integrating evidenced-based writing strategies that apply to all K-12 subject areas. IDOE's Literacy Team will facilitate all participants through how to teach and use accessible strategies to train students to write a single sentence through the development of multiple paragraph essays.
Teachers who participate will have opportunities to read, create, and collaborate with fellow educators of all disciplines from across the state of Indiana with the common goal of improving writing instruction for all students! All participants will earn PGPs upon completion of the book study.
How to set up an account on Moodle.
Access Moodle here.
Enrollment code: TWR2020
If you have any problems signing up, please let me (Morgan Walker) know!! And don't forget to let me know if you would like me to purchase you a book!
All teaching staff, PK-12
(Click on the picture to enlarge.)
If you're feeling extra nerdy, check out this blog post to go along with it: Building Relationships With Students Through Books
Reading/ELA teachers PK-12
#INspirEDlit- IDOE ELA newsletter
The IDOE sends out regular updates. This month's update contains an opportunity to turn in lessons you have already created for PGP points, includes helpful tips on vocabulary and comprehension instruction, and more!!
To read this month's update, please click here:
Download this FREE QR Code activity to scan and view FREE videos of picture books read aloud! Perfect to use as a take home activity or listening center! Over 60 stories linked!
Check out this resource shared by Heather Jackson (DCHS Science teacher) for reading/ELA teachers. The lesson shared is elementary focused but students are never too old for picture books, so this lesson could definitely be adapted for any grade level. Thanks for the share, Heather!!
Mathematics teachers PK-12
How Old Is the Shepard?
The following YouTube video (approx. 3 minutes) was shared by a member of the IDOE math team and is eye-opening. Watch to see what happens when students are given a nonsensical problem to solve. Try it with your students. Adapt the question up or down depending on grade level. Will your students try to make sense of a nonsensical problem? Why is that? Get ready for a rich conversation and a starting point in helping students develop strategies and skills to make sense of problems and persevere through them. (Indiana Process Standard #2- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them)
#INspirEDmath- IDOE math newsletter
The IDOE sends out regular updates. Last month's update contains elementary/secondary problems of the month, an explanation of the difference between contextualizing and decontextualizing, explanation of one of the process standards, and more!!
To read this month's update, please click here:
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DCSC Curriculum Connection
Contact: Morgan Walker, Director of Academic Services
Email: mwalker@danville.k12.in.us
Website: www.danville.k12.in.us
Location: 200 Warrior Way, Danville IN 46122
Phone: (317) 745-2212
Twitter: @walker8208