November TSP Newsletter
Courtesy of the LUSD TSP Team
Covered in this Issue
- Q Class Engagement
- STOIC Instructional Strategies
- TSP Tech Tips
- SPED Progress Monitoring in a Virtual Setting
- Monthly SIRAS Newsletter
- SEL Responsible Decision-Making
- Mindfulness
- Meet the New LUSD Teacher
- Resources from the TSP Team
Hot Topics
Q Class Engagement Tips
New Engagement Module released 11/9/20
This new Engagement Module allows teachers to note student engagement within our current Attendance Platform in Q! Lompoc Unified is fortunate to have this new CDE requirement embedded into a platform we use daily for attendance. Other districts that may not have Q are creating additional venues to document this new requirement.
As this task may add to our ever-changing “to do” lists, this tool definitely has some perks! It will help teachers to hold students accountable for their role in their education. There is an opportunity here for teachers to use this tool to motivate and engage learners in their Zoom classrooms! Many teachers are feeling they are talking to a silent room and are staring at blank screens or ceilings. This tool can be used to improve this reality!
Here is a Google Slides presentation to guide your students through this process (also pictured below). Feel free to Make a Copy and edit to fit your class needs!
Reminder for the Engagement Module in Q- Teachers must verify the engagement data before submitting, similar to attendance. Each site may have different expectations for how often and how detailed the notes must be. Please refer to your Admin for guidance and site expectations for individual student notes and frequency of engagement marks.
Here are some wonderful resources our sites have provided- Thank you Cabrillo High School and Fillmore Elementary!
Instructional Strategies
STOIC checklist from Safe and Civil Schools
This month the Teacher Support Providers will focus on the “Teach” section of the STOIC coaching tool. This tool is intended to build upon teachers existing classroom management skills and expertise. When implementing this coaching tool teachers will reflect on these 3 questions:
Have you created lessons on expectations and explicitly taught them for classroom activities and transitions?
Have you created lessons and explicitly taught expectations for classroom routines and policies?
Have you provided teaching and reteaching as needed? (Think about a basketball coach reteaching particular plays or patterns.)
Implementing these three guiding questions will specifically support students in the skills they need to behave in the Distance Learning Instructional Model.
Have a student who needs more support in this area? Click HERE for a behavior contract.
TSP Tech Tips
Google Chrome: Record to Slide Extension
Record to slides extension app is an easy way to enhance your google slides-based task by recording yourself greeting your students and giving them tips or specific directions on the things they need to do. A great way to connect with your students during their asynchronous learning time! Check this short video on how to install and use it.
Google Translate App: translate.google.com
The Google Translate App will allow you to translate many languages either through text or voice. This is very helpful for teachers since we mostly have available Spanish-English translators, but for teachers who want to translate parents’ notes that are written in different languages other than Spanish, this app should help. Here is a video on how to use it.
Google Docs also has a “translate document” feature that you can find under “Tools”.
Special Education
Progress Monitoring in a Virtual Setting
Progress monitoring allows us to measure student progress and mastery over time and is needed to keep track of progress on IEP goals. Due to distance learning, achieving high-quality, evidence based progress monitoring can be challenging to complete. The following are some resources and tips that can assist you with completing progress monitoring in a virtual setting.
Click HERE for a link to an Academic Progress Monitoring Tools Chart
Create or copy an existing Excel Sheet to track progress
Create a Google Form- Google Forms are a great way to gather important data quickly
Click HERE for Goal Tracking Sheet samples
Increase parent partnership through progress monitoring.
Monthly SIRAS Newsletter
Did you know SIRAS publishes a monthly newsletter? The newsletters include several helpful tips when using SIRAS. November’s newsletter includes tips on how to add your virtual meeting link to the IEP meeting notice, how to upload documents, and more! You can find the monthly newsletters HERE.
SEL Corner
Responsible Decision-Making
This month, our Social and Emotional focus is Responsible Decision-Making. CASEL, Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning has identified five major competencies as a framework to foster and enhance all students’ academic, social, and emotional learning.
CASEL.org defines Responsible Decision-Making as, “the abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations.”
PBS Learning Media Video- Responsible Decision-Making
Instructional Tool: Within your Morning Meeting Routines or Social Emotional Learning block, you may find time to play, “What Would You Do?” This activity allows students to practice how to make tough decisions and can help students learn how their actions may affect others. You may assign this as a synchronous activity with a productive student discussion to close. You may also incorporate writing standards into this activity and allow students to complete this asynchronously. However you decide to assign this activity, students greatly benefit from hearing other students’ decisions and choices. Taking time to share and reflect will greatly improve your classroom community and build a greater understanding of responsible decisions. Here is a Google Slide presentation you may use for your class. Please feel free to Make a Copy and modify as needed.
Movement Menu: Take time to move! Between subjects or during transitions, open the Movement Menu and have a student select a ticket for the whole class to participate! Feel free to Make a Copy and edit in your own Bitmojis!
Employee Wellness
Mindfulness
What is your practice for mental health? What do you do to manage the cognitive load of increased adaptation and innovation in striving to serve your students? Mindfulness begins with a simple practice of sitting still, closing your eyes, and paying attention to your thoughts. When the mind is busy solving problems from the past or worrying about the future, you feel overwhelmed and stressed. By taking 5 minutes to bring your awareness to the breath and realize the busy-ness of the mind, you can begin to release the thoughts that don’t serve the moment.
District Wellness Resources
Try Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 pm - Zoom Meeting ID: 758 859 5825
Or visit the Fitness Center by the transportation office.
Take time to take care of YOU!
Meet the New Teacher: Judy Cabacungan
One of my favorite subject areas to teach is mathematics; I love bringing in fun ways for students to engage in math like playing Math Jenga or Grudgeball. I also love reading, and I enjoy getting to read and talk about books and stories with my students. In my typical classroom you would often see a lot of cooperation and discussion between students as well as a sense of community.
Resources From the TSP Team
LUSD TSP Team
Thank you for reading! Look out for our next issue in December!