Curriculum Connection
Updates, Information, and Ideas for DCSC Staff
March 2, 2020
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
All staff, Certified and Classified
eLearning Day Schedule- March 5th
Please check out the schedule for the planned eLearning Day for this Thursday. Note that all classified staff members are asked to attend Alertus training in one of the building locations. All classified staff with health insurance benefits should also plan to attend the benefits training organized by Mrs. Sarah Smith in the same location. Certified staff with health insurance benefits are also encouraged to attend this session, although we recognize it may fall during your office hours. Mrs. Smith will send out additional information about her session this week.
If you have any questions about schedule specifics, please reach out to your direct supervisor.
Certified Teaching Staff K-12
***Setting up Schoology for our next planned eLearning Day on March 5th- unpublished folder due Tuesday, March 3rd by 11:59 PM***
We WILL have an eLearning Day on March 5th. This will allow our staff to receive professional development and keep the eLearning practices fresh for staff, parents, and students.
In order to prepare for the eLearning Day, please go through the steps below. Please have your lessons up (unpublished) by Tuesday, March 3rd by 11:59 PM.
Just like we did for the practice eLearning Day, all staff should add an "eLearning Day- March 5th" folder to all courses students will access on Thursday. When you create the folder, select to keep it unpublished (see screenshots below).
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.
**Students will have until midnight on March 12th to complete eLearning work (5 school days).**
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).
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. Here is an example, although Schoology would make this easier because all sites would be in one place.
- 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!
All teachers, K-12
Schoology Expert Tip
Did you know that you can share Course Discussions to involve multiple classes that you teach or combine a discussion with another teacher’s classes, including teachers from outside your organization? Shared discussions can be a great way to get a broader perspective from students of different age groups, geographic areas and diverse populations. Think about connecting with other classes to:
Have older students mentor younger students
Learn about different cultures and perspectives
Practice language and writing skills with students in another country
- Exchange and evaluate data on collaborative projects
A few things to keep in mind before you get started:
Shared discussions are not available across linked sections.
You must share the discussion with at least one other course you administer in order for the Share ID to appear so it can be given to other teachers. If you only intend to converse with another teacher’s students, you could share the Discussion with a Sandbox Course of your own and then distribute the Share ID.
See the attached Help article and Video tutorial for detailed instructions.
(Note: In the video, the Share ID is shown at the bottom of the Discussion. As you can see in the Help article, the Share ID now displays at the top of the Discussion.)
How Do I Share Discussions? – Schoology Support
https://support.schoology.com/hc/en-us/articles/216858657-How-Do-I-Share-Discussions-
Shared Discussions Video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a9HoWufaZVju5B0RrvSFdvpofsEeA1aC/view?usp=sharing
Teaching staff, approx. grades 2-12
Easy "Activator"- Anticipation Reaction Guide
From "Using Data and Formative Assessment to Drive Instruction" presented by Mary Ann Haley-Speca.
Easy "Activator"- The Envelope, Please
Easy "Activator"- Give One, Get One, Move On
Did You Miss A Previous Edition?
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