Connections Academy ®-supported schools offer many ways for students to meet and learn through field trips, volunteer projects, and online clubs and special events.These socialization opportunities give students a chance to explore the world around them and form friendships with other students from across their state. They chat before and after class, they participate in group discussions and lab experiments, and they build relationships through study groups and other course-related interactions. The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) on Thursday admitted during a virtual House hearing that poor internet connection, especially in the provinces, has made the conduct of fully online classes The cap has been met for grades K–8. Less is more. The educational setbacks can have significant impacts on academic success, college admissions and career opportunities. Make an appointment with your academic advisor. One of these assignments is to have students. Consider splitting large classes into smaller classes to allow for more individualized attention and a … Slow Internet connections or limited access from homes in rural areas can contribute to students falling behind academically, according to a new report from Michigan State University’s Quello Center. As the new strain of coronavirus continues to paralyze all aspects of public life, including schools, educators across the D.C. region worry students without access to technology will fall behind. is another helpful tool that allows students to virtually raise their hands and indicate how they’re feeling via pop-up emojis. The fun part is seeing how students choose to share their commentary! It’s a place where students gain confidence, prepare for their future and build relationships, says Brigid Godvin, the owner of The Student Connection. Vision, Mission, and Core Values | Notice of Non-Discrimination PH ONE 919-894-3146 For even more ideas for creating magic in the classroom, check out Emily's post on. You can read more of her ideas on her blog, Reading and Writing Haven. Staci also uses the above mentioned Padlet layouts to help students, While we are not in the classroom with students at the moment, reading volume is still critically important. Students enjoy hearing their teachers read, and Lauralee from Language Arts Classroom has incorporated read alouds into her lessons. Staci has so many ideas about how this could work with Romeo and Juliet (which is what Staci is currently reading with her students). For students who have limited access to books, Sora also has eBooks that can be borrowed for free. FlipGrid is highly accessible to students through chromebooks, phones, or desktop computers. Nearly 93% of our parents agree that our curriculum is high quality. While maintaining a connection with students should be a university wide initiative, in the short run, faculty can assist by developing their own student connection initiatives. One, Lauralee created a YouTube channel for her students where she reads the first chapter of books in the public domain. With this option, you’ll have to setup individual Google Meets and label them for each group so the students know which one to attend. FlipGrid reading responses are fun, accessible, and allow students to tap into their creativity. For assistance logging into to ClassLink please read the Classlink Quick Guide for Students. and hopefully hear a new author, genre, and book. As a high school English teacher who is currently teaching more than 160 students remotely, the best advice I have. You can read more of her ideas, Differentiation idea: Use Audible or Sora for students who need or prefer audio books. Emily Aierstok, from Read it. Phone Calls: One of the most direct methods to connect with students is a phone call, which reminds students they have support and provides space for them to share concerns, Stuart says. Staci likes to create a Padlet and have students share, so responses can be visible to the entire class, but students also have the capability of making their own for full customization and a deeper analysis! Edutopia® and Lucas Education Research™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. For students with little to no Internet access, ask for prompts that can be shared in class chats or to start virtual turn and talk discussions, then share classmates' answers via email. As an English teacher experienced with grades 6-12 and a current instructional coach, Melissa recommends focusing on what is most important right now. If you’re struggling with this disconnect and missing your students, try incorporating some form of online discussion. Literature circles are a great way to facilitate discussions virtually because each student has a separate role that they are in charge of presenting to the group. Together, I worked with 12 other Secondary English educators to gather the best ideas for keeping the magic alive in our online classrooms. She walks students through the process of prioritizing their time and planning ahead using templates found in her free Time Management resource. Once you are enrolled in classes, you will be matched with one of our amazing Jacks Online or Transfer Jacks peer mentors. In fact, with a few free tools, Jenna from. The videos were so much fun, and kids loved the idea of sharing character gossip. Under necessity, Stuart came up with new, shorter ways—even in just one to three minutes—to make meaningful connections with all of his students. In an attempt to create normalcy, Amanda has tried to streamline instruction in limited platforms and focus on the ones that her class had already been using before school ended. For students with limited access (just email, for example), create a regular schedule with any students who need that accommodation. The, extension helps by allowing teachers to see students’ video thumbnails on a single grid, rather than just a list of names off to the side. found an easy and fun way to make the magic of literature circles appear in the virtual classroom. Yes, it's definitely different teaching on a computer, but those same humans are behind the screen, and we can still find ways to connect and spark a love for learning. Students in grades K–8 will be placed on a waiting list and will be able to enroll based on the order the enrollment tasks were completed. Staci also uses the above mentioned Padlet layouts to help students respond to a picture prompt. If you find this post helpful, please share it with your friends! The Canadian Press . By Flower Darby. Since she is not sharing these videos publically, she returned to reading modern YA literature for First Chapter Friday through a Google Meet. 5 Ways to Connect With Online Students. extension allows teachers to “take attendance” during a Google Meet session. Here are Emily's best tips for using FlipGrid in the online classroom: Create fun, creative prompts: Emily's students post one FlipGrid each week in response to their reading. Amanda from Mud and Ink Teaching has been focusing on two major goals: providing structure and creating normalcy. In the future, she can ask students to watch these videos if they are absent, if they are searching for a book, or if they need inspiration. Let’s say you’re practicing character analysis, make different columns such as personality, appearance, thoughts, and interactions with others. To spread these resources even further, offer students paper copies of the Digital Community resource and allow students to weigh in on how to include students who have limited access in the classroom community. How about writing? View our parent survey results. Day and have students free write about something that they are doing during this time. Published November 8, 2020 Updated November 8, 2020 . We know that our kids (and maybe...admittedly, ourselves haha) are getting more and more into TikTok. In an attempt to create normalcy, Amanda has tried to streamline instruction in limited platforms and focus on the ones that her class had already been using before school ended. Though online learning creates new barriers to communication and connection, Stuart says these practices can transfer online and describes five ways to do so: 1. He offers a simple script: “Hey, I’m checking in. If you aren’t familiar with Chrome extensions, they’re basically little programs that enhance the functionality of Google Chrome. I am further inspired by the innovative efforts of my colleagues across the Alliance network to connect with our students in ways that transcend the classroom. This lets the teacher split your larger class meeting into smaller separate rooms. Many students need additional support with balancing their home and school responsibilities. A high school English teacher shares ways to create genuine connections online. The. Ask students to reply with the emoji/character in the chat. Emily's students have the option to post a video or a written response in the comment section. ! Respond with Emojis/Characters: Post a multiple choice question on the screen, and designate each answer with an emoji or character (*!~+). Write it. This will create a “flood” of responses in the chat at once. 2. Most importantly, Tanesha gives herself and students grace when it comes to remote learning! Ask them to enter their answer only after the timer has sounded. You can learn more and read about Shana’s favorite Chrome extensions for teachers and students, Because so much of our face-to-face communication is nonverbal, not being able to see students’ faces or reactions online can feel a bit strange. As a certified reading specialist, Melissa has no shortage of ideas for using books to build relationships with students and create positive classroom cultures for older students. American Campus Communities does not store the e-commerce information of online applicants. New online students Transfer and Online Connections endeavors to make the transition to the university as simple and fun as possible. Offer audio book apps like Audible and Sora to make reading more accessible. Has your school tried a digital spirit week? Give students with limited access the opportunity to create questions that students on Padlet can answer. She received emails asking her to read aloud. Having a designated role that they prepared ahead of time helps students feel more comfortable presenting in this new digital format. Final Projects or the Planning Stages of Writing: Use Padlet Timelines for literal comprehension, like tracking events in a story, or ask students to get more creative by making a timeline of a character’s life based on textual evidence and inferences. Teachers can download my Free Daily Attendance Student Check-In Form here. Students heard about Katniss Everdeen’s love triangle, the gossip surrounding the murder of Simon in One of Us is Lying, and the gossip about Matthew’s newest love interest in The Boy in the Black Suit. Another great digital platform is Padlet, and it is completely free as long as you don’t plan to have more than three active Padlets at a time. In another prompt, students had to create a FlipGrid from their character’s point of view. The New York Public Library has also recently released free access to their digital collections. For students with few books at home or limited Internet access, print and share paper copies of short stories from the public domain. Finally, it saves all of the data so that I have a record of my student check-ins. If you feel like your discussions are flopping, try one of these fun strategies: Flood The Chat: Ask students a question, and set a timer. There are many different ways it can be used, depending on your area of study. One of these assignments is to have students write an alternate ending to the book they’re reading in class using Google Slides! With the pressure of high-stakes testing taken off your plate, now is the perfect time to add creative learning selections to your virtual menu! is all about building a classroom community and teaching soft skills. As many students are at home during the pandemic, teachers are searching for ways to connect with students in the online classroom. Sometimes teacher-student connections didn't require any video. Staci has so many ideas about how this could work with. If you want to connect with a mentor right away, just call the office 928-523-9330. Anchor charts: On a Padlet shelf, content can be organized in columns. Finally, Amanda’s team has decided to give writing assessments that look almost identical to ones that students have already done, just with a few updates. If your district supports the use of Google Meet and you’re thinking about giving it a try, Shana suggests downloading a few Chrome extensions first. Reading and response, like writing an alternate book ending, is easy to do with very few materials. She received emails asking her to read aloud. What’s great about this is that you can bounce between meetings easily. Melissa created this free Our Digital Classroom Bookshelf resource so that students can share book recommendations and inspiration with peers. The responses were so relevant and creative. resource. We know that our kids (and maybe...admittedly, ourselves haha) are getting more and more into TikTok. Getty Images. If sending work back to you is not an option, students or parents can take a picture of the work and email it back. Along with providing books through the public domain or after reading aloud the chapter of a current YA novel, share the audible link so students have access to the audio version. Here are Emily's best tips for using FlipGrid in the online classroom: Create fun, creative prompts: Emily's students post one FlipGrid each week in response to their reading. What’s great about this is that you can bounce between meetings easily. How Online Students Connect . Shana Ramin from Hello, Teacher Lady is currently using Google Meet to hold weekly “office hours.” Students can pop in to ask questions about the week’s assignments or just to say hi and share what’s going on in their lives. I can edit the form each day to include new pictures or questions related to that day’s content. This one is a game changer. Before deciding on which route to take, you should check with your school district about their policies and expectations. We hope that these ideas will refresh your online teaching and help to bring joy to you and your students. Kami allows users to upload documents or images and convert them to PDFs that can be, . Waiting Rooms: Some video conferencing tools permit the host to put a group of participants in a … Then, share classmate responses through email. Primarily, Lauralee reads to students in two ways. Another fun way Staci has used this layout is to create an A-Z Guide to Being at Home where her students posted different ways they are staying busy during this time at home. Organize ideas for a narrative in chronological order or use it like an outline to plan a more structured essay. The Student Connection, based in Bloomfield Hills, is more than just a place where students can get extra help in math, science and language arts. Classroom Community Agreement– Tanesha prioritizes time for students to reflect on the feel of the classroom they want to be true. For assistance logging into to ClassLink please read the Classlink Quick Guide for Students. has been focusing on two major goals: providing structure and creating normalcy. Students join (this is not required!) Veterans connect with students online in lead-up to pandemic-era Remembrance Day. resource. ), to jump on new bandwagons and explore every new free edtech resource being offered right now. I refuse to give up hope that we can still bring magic to our classrooms, even from a distance. If you aren’t familiar with Chrome extensions, they’re basically little programs that enhance the functionality of Google Chrome. For example, you can have students message the student above/below them on the participants lists or to the left/right on the grid view of screens. Differentiation idea: For students who cannot participate at a specific time, Zoom and Google both have options to record meetings. Each slide has clickable links for the reader to choose her own adventure and they’re so much fun to read and write! Even though Lauralee is not in the classroom, keeping FCF has increased her connection with students online. As a high school English teacher who is currently teaching more than 160 students remotely, the best advice I have, besides keeping these10 considerations in mind, is to use a Google Form to check in with your students daily. For students who are anxious to show their face on video, model how to have fun with emoji stickers. Just remember, build a foundation, create stability, and then start to introduce new tools to students. You can learn more and read about Shana’s favorite Chrome extensions for teachers and students here, here, and here. Again, make sure to check with your district before using Google Meet or initiating any kind of two-way communication with students. If you are hosting live lessons through a video conferencing platform, you can easily facilitate discussions. Research has found audio or video feedback can have a more profound impact on students than written feedback, so consider adding a short clip of encouragement or praise on an assignment, Stuart suggests. User Name:: Password: These discussions thrive on interaction between group members, and this interaction can absolutely happen in the virtual classroom with live video tools. The first platform that’s helped create normalcy is utilizing Actively Learn - a digital reading platform that does it all (check it out in Amanda’s insta stories highlights for elearning!). . , is to use a Google Form to check in with your students daily. She also recommends responding to the parts of the video that make you smile! Connections Academy Connections Academy is a tuition-free full-time online public school for grades K–12, with schools located in communities across the country. What was missing was the magic. She is intentional in providing students opportunities to interrogate their core beliefs about an ideal (e)learning environment, and developing life-long career habits. Creating Moments of Genuine Connection Online. Differentiation: For students who cannot attend online classes, see if your school has an easy way to deliver paper copies. Video Postcards: Individual, short video messages let students know you are thinking of them. Staci Lamb from The Engaging Station coordinated a week-long Digital Spirit Week, and students could send in their pictures daily for the different themes like pajama day, school spirit day, and crazy sock day. To provide a little choice, she allows students to reflect using 2 of the 3 templates provided in this FREE. Differentiation: Tanesha's ideas ARE differentiation techniques. Current residents may also wish to pay their rent online. She recommends sharing specific feedback about student’s analysis. Ashley Bible atBuilding Book Love created thisFREE and editable Creativity Choice Board for distance learning. One of the hardest adjustments for students transitioning from a traditional classroom to an online environment is feeling connected to their teacher. Differentiation idea: For students who need audiobooks to access their reading, audible is currently free during the emergency school closings. Differentiation idea: For students who need audiobooks to access their reading, audible is currently free during the emergency school closings. FlipGrid is highly accessible to students through chromebooks, phones, or desktop computers. Melissa created this free. Along with each idea, we provide ways to differentiate for students with limited access to resources. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Lars Hagberg Since she is not sharing these videos publically, she returned to reading modern YA literature for First Chapter Friday through a Google Meet. for distance learning. Virtual Turn & Talk: Depending on your platform and what it supports, you can create fun conditions for students to message peers with an answer to a question. I can share the shortened link via Remind so that students have easy access to the Form. As a wonderful bonus, reading aloud has helped her to connect with her students online. An Approach to Soft Skills - Tanesha takes a proactive approach in “teaching” students soft skills that will be valuable beyond the classroom. Tennessee Connections Academy is a community of tuition-free public online schools serving students in grades K–12. The community agreement is always presented as a “living” document that can be adjusted as needed. 4. Using Google classroom, she creates a classroom question for students to respond to the survey results, and hosts a Google Meetup to draft the community contract, or agreement. For example, ask students to share work or responses every Tuesday and Thursday. The community agreement is always presented as a “living” document that can be adjusted as needed. As we thoughtfully shift our courses online, we must also strategically consider how to best replicate or innovate to develop social connections. Is anything getting in the way of your learning right now?”. If your district supports the use of Google Meet and you’re thinking about giving it a try, Shana suggests downloading a few Chrome extensions first. Since the books are in the public domain, students can immediately access the books. When you ask a question, students can not only reply, but they can also see their classmates’ responses and comment on them. We strive to provide tools to help students succeed here at Northern Arizona University. Here are a few suggestions: If you are using Google Classroom, you can use its “Ask a question” feature as an online discussion forum. After students complete the reflection process, she administers a class survey that combines standing agreements with ideas captured from student reflections. Staci Lamb from. Whether it is in person, or online, Tanesha over at. Having a designated role that they prepared ahead of time helps students feel more comfortable presenting in this new digital format. By doing these two things, she hopes to establish a foundation for learning to happen. As a certified reading specialist, Melissa has no shortage of ideas for using books to build relationships with students and create positive classroom cultures for older students. While we are not in the classroom with students at the moment, reading volume is still critically important. Dial *67 before any student phone numbers to keep your own phone number private. These transactions are processed by third parties and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. To provide a little choice, she allows students to reflect using 2 of the 3 templates provided in this FREE Creating a Digital Community resource. Differentiation: Mail paper versions of class work and agendas, or if your school has meal delivery, see if work can be sent home with meals. An Approach to Soft Skills - Tanesha takes a proactive approach in “teaching” students soft skills that will be valuable beyond the classroom. For students with few books at home or limited Internet access, print and share paper copies of short stories from the public domain. For more tech tools and ideas to connect with your students online, head to Abby’s blog. Differentiation idea: Send home a paper copy or email a copy for families to print. Students can complete many of the projects with little or no Internet (crafting a piece of art with pieces from nature, writing a story book version of a novel, and more!). Tennessee Connections Academy has an enrollment cap of 1,500 students for grades K–8, and a cap of 1,500 students for grades 9–12. District Website: StudentConnection Login. I hope these ideas inspire you to find the magic in your online clasroom. If you are ready to try a new tech tool, consider online “backchannel” discussion platforms like Yo Teach (similar to the former Today’s Meet)or Kialo, a platform where you can browse public “debates” or create your own. We’re all in this together! When you ask a question, students can not only reply, but they can also see their classmates’ responses and comment on them. Therefore, you can start in a full class meet by explaining directions and expectations, and then break up students into their assigned groups. Just like in-person learning, a predictable structure makes students feel stable and less anxious. Holly McKenzie-Sutter. Because so much of our face-to-face communication is nonverbal, not being able to see students’ faces or reactions online can feel a bit strange. Emily instructs students how to use FlipGrid to create short, creative video responses to their reading. This lets the teacher split your larger class meeting into smaller separate rooms. For those admitted to NAU as an online student; Done with all of your Next Steps? Students who are involved and “connected” at their university are more likely to persist to graduation. She understands the challenges with time management for students in a digital world. Office Hours: Set aside time for individual or small group student video conferences. To request a HAC account or report a problem, complete this online form and a technician will contact you via email or phone within two business days. resource so that students can share book recommendations and inspiration with peers. to hold weekly “office hours.” Students can pop in to ask questions about the week’s assignments or just to say hi and share what’s going on in their lives. Students can monitor their academic progress online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We encourage you to find a student below and read or listen to how online school has helped to move these students toward a bright future. If you want to take this feature a step further, consider letting students generate their own questions for a mini virtual Socratic Seminar. Many students need additional support with balancing their home and school responsibilities. When she transitioned to online learning, she began by pre-recording herself. Primarily, Lauralee reads to students in two ways. While you may not hit it off with every student, “what you’re after in these encounters is that set of feelings: valued, known, respected,” Stuart says. Learn it., uses FlipGrid as a tool for keeping the magic alive in the distance learning classroom. Engaging group discussions can happen outside of the classroom! In Jennifer Gonzalez’s “Creating Moments of Genuine Connection Online,” from Cult of Pedagogy, teacher Dave Stuart Jr. shares simple ways to develop relationships with students, even in a digital classroom.