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Information is updated daily!

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Educational Development Center: (English) Using Technology to Support Learning at Home

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Educational Development Center: (English) Using Technology to Support Learning at Home

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FREE TECH FOR LEARNING free products offered by companies and organizations to support learning during extended school closures. 

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FREE TECH FOR LEARNING free products offered by companies and organizations to support learning during extended school closures. 

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This online portal provides morning, mid-day, and evening scheduling suggestions for caregivers.

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Schools are closed. Minds are wide open.

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Guidance on Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Remote Education 

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Guidance on Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Remote Education 

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NYU Metro Center Guidance on Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Remote Teaching and Learning (2020).docx

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Healthy at Home: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19: In Spanish

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Healthy at Home: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19: In Spanish

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Trabajos de la familia y rutinas

Las rutinas ayudan a los niños a sentirse seguros al saber lo que se espera de ellos a lo largo del día. Estas actividades permiten que sus hijos sepan su papel en el hogar y ayudan a mantener a todos los miembros de la familia trabajando juntos.

Encontrando y haciendo patrones

Guiar a los niños para que entiendan los patrones es una habilidad fundamental en matemáticas. Use estas actividades de patrones para ¡explorar su hogar de manera diferente!

Baile y movimiento

Viajar implica mover el cuerpo a través del espacio. Aunque puedan estar limitados al espacio dentro de su casa, ¡estas actividades ayudarán a sus hijos a divertirse mientras se mueven!

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Healthy at Home: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19

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Las rutinas ayudan a los niños a sentirse seguros al saber lo que se espera de ellos a lo largo del día. Estas actividades permiten que sus hijos sepan su papel en el hogar y ayudan a mantener a todos los miembros de la familia trabajando juntos.

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Michigan: Feeding Students During COVID - 19

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Michigan: Feeding Students During COVID - 19

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The below is a list of locations in Wayne County providing free meals for students during the emergency school closures. Please read the details of the location carefully. For more detailed information about the food services of each organization, contact the organization directly.
Please check back periodically. We will regularly update this page as more information becomes available.

If you are on a mobile device, you can scroll left and right to see the entire table.

American International Academy

Pickup

3/17, 3/18, 3/19, 3/23, 3/25 from 10am-1pm. On 3/19 and 3/23 food for 2 days provided; on 3/25 food for 3 days provided.

See dates and times column

Yes

Yes

Cesar Chavez Academy

Pickup

Cesar Chavez Academy East: 4130 Maxwell, Detroit, MI 48214

Cesar Chavez Academy Lower Elementary: 8126 Vernor, Detroit, MI 48209

Cesar Chavez Academy Upper Elementary: 4100 Martin, Detroit, MI 49210

Cesar Chavez Academy Middle School: 6782 Goldsmith, Detroit, MI, 48209

Cesar Chavez Academy High School: 1761 Waterman, Detroit, MI 48209

Mondays-Fridays 8am-1pm beginning 3/17

Information forthcoming

Yes, offering grab and go breakfasts and lunches to all community children, up to age 18. Children do not need to be present to receive meals.

Yes, offering grab and go breakfasts and lunches to all community children, up to age 18. Children do not need to be present to receive meals.

Dearborn Heights School District #7

Curbside pickup all schools

Madison Elementary, 4950 Madison St, Dearborn Heights 48125. Back door on Syracuse St

Pardee Elementary, 4650 Pardee St, Dearborn Heights 48125. Main door

Polk Elementary, 4651 Polk St, Dearborn Heights 48125. Main door

Bedford Elementary, 4650 Croissant St, Dearborn Heights 48125. Main door

Oakley W Best Middle School, 22201 Powers Ave, Dearborn Heights 48125. Main door

Annapolis High School, 4650 Clippert St, Dearborn Heights 48125. Main door

3/17, 3/18, 3/20, 3/23, 3/25, 3/27, 3/30, 4/1, 4/3 from 10am-12:30 pm

1 breakfast, 1 lunch on 3/17

2 breakfasts, 2 lunches on all Mondays and Wednesdays

3 breakfasts, 3 lunches on all Fridays

Yes. Breakfast will consist of a grain, a fruit and a milk.

Yes. Lunch will consist of a sandwich, a fruit/vegetable and a milk.

Dearborn Public Schools

Pickup

Dearborn High, 19501 W. Outer Drive

Edsel Ford High, 20601 Rotunda

Fordson High, 13800 Ford Rd

Woodworth Middle, 4951 Ternes

McCollough/Unis, 7801 Maple

Salina Intermediate, 2623 Salina

Smith Middle, 23851 Yale (will be opening on Monday, 3/23)

Monday-Friday 10am-12pm beginning 3/17 (Smith Middle begins 3/23)

Information forthcoming

Yes, bagged

Yes, bagged

Distinctive College Prep

Pickup

19360 Harper Avenue, Harper Woods Michigan, 48225 and 17175 Olympia, Redford Township MI, 48240

Monday-Friday 10am-12pm beginning 3/18

Information forthcoming

Yes, grab and go

Yes, grab and go

Flat Rock Community Schools

Pickup

Flat Rock Community High School, 25600 Seneca, Flat Rock MI 48134

3/18 2pm-5pm (2-day supply of breakfast and lunch)

3/20 2pm-5pm (4-day supply of breakfast and lunch)

3/24 2pm-5pm (3-day supply of breakfast and lunch)

3/27 2pm-5pm (4-day supply of breakfast and lunch)

3/31 2pm-5pm (5-day supply of breakfast and lunch)

Information forthcoming

Yes, based on availability for all students up to 18 years old. Students do not need to be present.

Yes, based on availability for all students up to 18 years old. Students do not need to be present.

Livonia Public Schools ( see flyer)

Pickup (or delivery if family cannot get to pickup location; information will be sent to parents)

3/18 11am-1pm, 3/24 11am-1 pm; 3/31 11 am-1pm

5 breakfasts and 5 lunches (including milk) for each student in the family; additional supplemental food supplies for the family

Yes

Yes

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools

Curbside pickup

West Middle School- 44401 W. Ann Arbor Trail, Plymouth

Starkweather Academy, 39750 Joy Rd, Plymouth

Discovery Middle School, 45083 Hanford Rd, Canton

Liberty Middle School, 46250 Cherry Hill Rd, Canton

Eriksson Elementary, 1275 N. Haggerty Rd, Canton

Salem High School, 46181 Joy Rd, Canton

Wednesdays 11am-1pm

5 breakfast and 5 lunch per child

Yes

Yes

Redford Union School district No. 1

Pickup and bus drop-off

School pickup locations:

Bus delivery: for bus delivery locations and times, see school website under "Meal Pick Up and Deliveries"

Monday-Friday 10am-1pm for pickup at school locations; see school website under "Meal Pick Up and Deliveries" for bus times and locations.

Monday-Thursday: one breakfast and one lunch; Friday: three breakfasts and three lunches

Yes

Yes

River Rouge School District

Pickup

Monday-Friday 10am-1pm beginning 3/17. Friday meal pickup will have 3 breakfasts and 3 lunches.

See dates and times column.

Yes

Yes

Riverview Community School District

Pickup

Riverview Community High School, 12431 Longsdorf St., Riverview, MI 48193

Seitz Middle School/Huntington Elementary, 17800 Kennebec St, Riverview, MI 48193

Memorial Elementary, 13425 Colvin Ave, Riverview, MI 48193

Forest Elementary, 19400 Hampton St, Riverview, MI 48193

Monday-Friday 10am-12pm beginning 3/16

Information forthcoming

Yes

Yes

Romulus Community Schools

Pickup

All buildings:

Romulus High School, 9650 Wayne Rd, Romulus, MI 48174

Romulus Middle School, 37300 Wick Rd, Romulus, MI 48174

Wick Elementary School, 36900 Wick Rd, Romulus, MI 48174

Romulus Elementary School, 32200 Beverly Rd, Romulus, MI 48174

Barth Elementary School, 38207 Barth St, Romulus, MI 48174

Halecreek Elementary School, 16200 Harrison Rd, Romulus, MI 48174

Monday-Friday 8am-12pm beginning 3/17

1 bagged breakfast and 1 bagged lunch per day

Yes

Yes

Taylor School District

Curbside pickup

Eureka Heights Elementary School, 25125 Eureka Rd, Taylor, MI 48180

Holland Elementary School, 10201 Holland Rd, Taylor, MI 48180

Hoover Middle School, 27101 Beverly Rd, Taylor, MI 48180

McDowell Elementary School, 22929 Brest, Taylor, MI 48180

Moody Elementary School, 8280 Hipp St, Taylor, MI 48180

Myers Elementary School, 16201 Lauren St, Taylor, MI 48180

Randall Elementary School, 8699 Robert St, Taylor, MI 48180

Taylor Parks Elementary School, 20614 Pinecrest St, Taylor, MI 48180

West Middle School, 10575 William St, Taylor, MI 48180

Tuesday and Friday 10:30am-11:30am beginning 3/16

14 meals/child

Yes

Yes

Van Buren Public Schools

Bus drop-off

Bus 1:

Bus 2:

10am-11am: Mary Catherine St (between Jeff and Lori St)

11am-12pm: Lakeview Park (Corner of Smith St and Lakeview Ave)

Bus 3:

Bus 4:

Information forthcoming

Information forthcoming

Information forthcoming

Woodhaven-Brownstown School District

Pickup and bus delivery

BMS PM bus routes (see website)

Bates Elementary - 22811 Gudith Road, Woodhaven 48183

Erving Elementary - 24175 Hall Road, Woodhaven 48183

Gudith Elementary - 22700 Sibley Road, Brownstown 48193

Wegienka Elementary - 23925 Arsenal Road, Brownstown, 48134

Yake Elementary - 16400 Carter Road, Woodhaven, 48183

Brownstown Middle School - 20135 Inkster Road, Brownstown, 48174

Patrick Henry Middle School - 24825 Hall Road, Woodhaven, 48183

Woodhaven High School - 24787 Van Horn Road, Brownstown, 48134

Tuesdays and Fridays via BMS PM bus routes ( see website); Tuesdays and Fridays via each school 2pm-4pm

1 week's worth of breakfast and 1 week's worth of lunch per child, per week

Yes

Yes

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Feeding Students During School Closures - Wayne RESA

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The below is a list of locations in Wayne County providing free meals for students during the emergency school closures. Please read the details of the location carefully. For more detailed information about the food services of each organization, contact the organization directly. Please check back periodically.

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Remote Learning Toolkit - Virtual Field Trips

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Your children may be learning from home, but virtual (online) field trips allow them to see the world around them!

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Well Being: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19: Spanish

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Well Being: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19: Spanish

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With the growing impact of the COVID-19 virus, ReadyRosie is developing this free toolkit as a resource to support families with information and resources for supporting the children in their care.

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Ligero Como Una Plumafrom Flow (GoNoodle)

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Ligero Como Una Plumafrom Flow (GoNoodle)

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Healthy at Home: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19: In English

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Healthy at Home: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19: In English

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Meaningful Mealtimes

Mealtime is a perfect time for learning! Build an awareness of sequence and patterns by talking about the steps in a recipe. Support language and literacy skills by describing the foods you are eating.

Little Muscles, Big Fun!

Before children can write legibly or tie their shoelaces, they must develop the small muscles in their hands and fingers! Tearing paper, using tweezers, rolling dough, and pinching leaves are examples of activities that grow these important muscles. Try these fun activities throughout the day!

Dressing for the Weather

Springtime means that the weather is changing almost all the time! Before your child gets dressed for the day, look at the weather forecast and talk about what the symbols and numbers tell us. Encourage your child to use what he knows about the weather to choose which clothes are best for your weather!

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Healthy at Home: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19

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In order to serve educators and families during the COVID-19 crisis, ReadyRosie developed this free toolkit as a resource to support families with information and resources for supporting the children in their care. The current content on this site will be available throughout the summer.

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Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community ASCD Framework 

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Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community ASCD Framework 

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ASCD is a passionate community of life-changing educators. Our community is empowered to be equity and instructional warriors who transform vision into practice. For 75 years we have worked side by side with educators from every level in all 50 states and more than 200 countries to help them find their people and amplify their voice to reach many. Our professional learning services let educators chart their own learning journey, as educators, as leaders, so they and their students can flourish.

ASCD Executive Leadership Team

Check back for more information about the ASCD Executive Leadership team.

ASCD Annual Report

2020: ASCD's Response to a New Reality

The months marked by this annual report were like no other in terms of its demands for innovation and stress on educators, families, and students. COVID-19 disrupted everything we knew about schooling, work, and daily life. ASCD pivoted in every conceivable way to serve educators to meet their immediate needs as well as to nourish their long-term professional growth.

The 2020 Annual Report covers the 2020 fiscal year (September 2019 through August 2020).

Annual Report Archives

Please contact us for additional archived reports.

ASCD empowers educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

Sign up for our newsletter

Questions?

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ASCD is a passionate community of life-changing educators. Our community is empowered to be equity and instructional warriors who transform vision into practice. For 75 years we have worked side by side with educators from every level in all 50 states and more than 200 countries to help them find their people and amplify their voice to reach many.

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Just For Kids Comic Exploring the Coronavirus

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Just For Kids Comic Exploring the Coronavirus

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Updated on March 16 at 1:56 p.m. ET. This comic has been updated. Click here for the newest version.
Kids, this comic is for you.

It's based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China.

To make this comic, we've used his interviews with Tara Powell at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, Joy Osofsky at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and Krystal Lewis at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Print and fold a zine version of this comic here. Here are directions on how to fold it. To read this comic in Chinese, click here.To read it in Spanish, click here.

Malaka Gharib is an NPR editor and the author and illustrator of I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir, about being first-generation Filipino Egyptian American.

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Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus

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You may have heard the word "coronavirus" online or on TV. You probably have a lot of questions. Check out our comic to get some answers - and print out a zine version at home.

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This toolkit includes PK-12 content resources, digital tools, and more.

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The U.S. Department of Education is committed to the privacy and security of students, educators, and all involved in schools. Their site details the requirements and best practices that need to be taken into consideration when evaluating the use of online educational services. shares a collection of research, videos, and tips that can used by educators and parents on practical ways to keep kids safe.

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The U.S. Department of Education is committed to the privacy and security of students, educators, and all involved in schools. Their site details the requirements and best practices that need to be taken into consideration when evaluating the use of online educational services.

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Wide Open School is a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense. There is so much good happening, and we are here to gather great stuff and organize it so teachers and families can easily find it and plan each day.

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About

We hope that Wide Open School helps make learning from home an experience that inspires kids, supports teachers, relieves families, and restores community.

This site was built in a matter of days on a shared vision. We plan to keep building until things get back to normal. A group of more than 25 organizations came together and raised their hands to help, and many more are joining on a daily basis. Watch for new features and content partners frequently.

Wide Open School is a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense. There is so much good happening, and we are here to gather great stuff and organize it so teachers and families can easily find it and plan each day.

This crisis has reminded us of our deep appreciation for the work teachers do every day in their classrooms. At Wide Open School, we celebrate teachers-and parents-as they take on this new challenge. We'll discover and highlight teachers who are figuring out how to light up an online classroom and invite them to share their tips and wisdom to help blend home and school. Wide Open School can only fulfill its mission if all kids and families can access it. We know that millions of kids are without home broadband and/or computers, leaving them without access to critical learning and support services. We will persistently highlight the need to connect all kids, and we won't rest until we have played our part in closing the digital divide. As we do so, Wide Open School will offer many resources that can be completed offline and on smartphones, as well as bilingual and English-language learner resources.
A note on privacy
While we have tried to favor sites that don't require login, some do require registration. The provided resources include links to external websites or applications that are governed by their own privacy policies or information-collection practices, which may be substantially different from those of Common Sense. We encourage you to review the privacy policies and information-collection practices of any external websites and apps before using them with children. Many organizations have stepped up and made their resources free for kids during this critical time.

We welcome your suggestions and contributions. We hope to provide great free learning experiences, resources, and social services for teachers, parents, and kids.

- The team at Wide Open School

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We hope that Wide Open School helps make learning from home an experience that inspires kids, supports teachers, relieves families, and restores community. This site was built in a matter of days on a shared vision. We plan to keep building until things get back to normal.

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Creating space for students to be actively involved in remote classrooms: How to use Brain Breaks 

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Creating space for students to be actively involved in remote classrooms: How to use Brain Breaks 

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At school, kids get breaks throughout the day.  Find out how taking “brain breaks” can help your child stay focused and recharged for at-home learning and homework.

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Homework struggles are something most parents and kids can relate to. But many kids with learning and thinking differences have these struggles every day. Their issues can make homework extra frustrating and harder to get through.

Brain breaks during homework or lengthy chores can help relieve that frustration. They can also help kids learn to self-regulate and self-monitor when they're getting fed up or losing track of what they're doing.

That's especially helpful for kids with executive functioning issues . But it's good for all kids to know how to refresh and refocus when homework gets tough.

Learn more about brain break activities and what might work for your child.

A brain break is just what it sounds like-a break from whatever kids are focusing on. Short brain breaks during work time have been shown to have real benefits. They reduce stress and frustration and increase attention and productivity.

The key is to take them before fatigue, distraction or lack of focus set in. For grade-schoolers, that's typically after 10 to 15 minutes of work. At that point, they may need a three- to five-minute break. Middle- and high-schoolers can work for longer-up to 20 to 30 minutes before a break.

The goal of brain breaks for kids is to help their brains shift focus. Sometimes that means getting up and moving, especially if your child has been sitting for a while. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which helps with focus and staying alert. It also reduces stress and anxiety, making it easier to focus on important tasks.

Research has also shown that kids learn more quickly after they've exercised. In one study, kids were 20 percent faster at learning vocabulary words after they'd exercised than when they hadn't.

But brain breaks don't always have to be active. Relaxing, quiet activities can have similar benefits. They may also be a better option for kids who can get overstimulated by a physical brain break. Active breaks may make it tougher for these kids to settle back down to do homework.

Asking kids to do a short, guided meditation exercise, directed drawing, doodling or quiet stretching can work, too. Just a few minutes can be enough time to give the overworked area of the brain time to recharge.

What Successful Brain Breaks Look Like

To make a brain break effective for your child, there are a few things to consider. First, you'll want to make sure it's an actual break. Moving from homework to an activity that feels like more work won't help your child stay focused.

For kids who need quiet and relaxation, a brain break can be as simple as actively sitting still. While they do that, kids can also take a minute to feel their heartbeat.

For kids who need activity, taking a "dance break" is a fun way to refocus and refresh. Classroom teachers who work with kids with learning and thinking differences often use this technique. Kids leave their seats to dance to a favorite song or two before getting back to work.

Here are some examples of typical physical activities:

Stretching breaks that include yoga poses (dog, cat, cow, bug, rock) and animal walks (walk like a bear, hop like a frog, stand like a flamingo, fly like a bird)

Wall push-ups

Regular push-ups

Yoga ball activities

Jumping jacks

Running in place as fast as possible

Cross crawls (touch hand to opposite knee)

Rocket ship jumps (bending down, touching toes and bouncing while counting down from 10, then blastoff)

Snow angels on the floor

Your child may also benefit from activities often used as part of a sensory diet. These might be oral-motor activities like chewing on a crunchy snack or doing tactile activities, like using Silly Putty. (See a sample sensory diet with over 50 activity suggestions.)

Whatever activities you use, it's important to do some pre-planning with your child. That includes setting ground rules around the purpose of a brain break.

For others, it may be a reward for staying on task for a certain amount of time. Or, it may be a step on the way to accomplishing a larger goal. (For example, taking a break after 10 minutes of silent reading to make sure your child is able to finish 30 minutes of reading.)

You'll also need to figure out how to schedule brain breaks. There are two ways to schedule breaks: by intervals of time or by ratio of behaviors (number of tasks completed).

Interval breaks: Younger kids tend to benefit from taking breaks at timed intervals. For instance, your child might work for five minutes and then take a two-minute break. You can use a timer to help your child understand how much time is passing. It helps kids learn what they can do in a set amount of time. Give specific instructions about how long the break will last, and explain the activity. Then start the timer. The timer provides a built-in warning that the break is winding down. You can also use verbal reminders like, "Wasn't that fun? Now it's time to get back to your homework!"

Ratio breaks: Older kids tend to benefit from taking breaks that are tied to a certain number of behaviors. For instance, once the math homework is complete, your child might take a five- or 10-minute brain break before moving on to English homework. Or after completing five out of 10 math problems.

Other Benefits of Brain Breaks

Knowing how to take a brain break can help kids in ways that go beyond recharging and getting through work.

Brain breaks can help reduce anxiety, which is common in kids with learning and thinking differences. And being able to return to a task and get it done can build self-confidence and self-esteem. It can also show kids that there are lots of ways to work on challenges and stay motivated.

Brain breaks can help your child reduce stress and build self-esteem.

Make sure your child takes brain breaks before fatigue and distraction set in.

You can schedule brain breaks based on timed intervals or on when your child completes specific tasks.

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin&nbsp

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ellen Braaten, PhD&nbsp

is the director of LEAP and codirector of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, both at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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Homework struggles are something most parents and kids can relate to. But many kids with learning and thinking differences have these struggles every day. Their issues can make homework extra frustrating and harder to get through. Brain breaks during homework or lengthy chores can help relieve that frustration.

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What you need to know about coronavirus disease?

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What you need to know about coronavirus disease?

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Create a class-wide Slack - lets you carry on group conversations in useful (or just stress-relieving) channels. Can have a ‘supplies’ channel, funny pics, news and updates, educational ideas etc.

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Slack is a new way to communicate with your team. It's faster, better organized, and more secure than email.

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5 Structures to Support Virtual Learning 

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5 Structures to Support Virtual Learning 

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How do I assess student learning online?

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How do I assess student learning online?

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Online Assessment

Assessing student learning is an essential component of effective teaching and learning in the online environment. The following resource will provide you with information on how to effectively use online assessments.

Assessment Tools in OWL

The OWL assessment tools allow for both formative and summative assessment of student learning. Formative assessment tracks student understanding and areas of weakness during the learning process and allows for the instructor to adjust teaching accordingly. Summative assessments are a test of learning, typically conducted at the end of the learning process (i.e. midterm or final exam).

Check out the Assessments page in Western's eLearning Toolkit for an evaluation of the different assessment tools that can be incorporated into your OWL course.

Authentically Assessing Student Learning Online

It is important to create authentic assessment activities in the online environment. As always, it is critical for your courses to start with a set of clearly defined learning outcomes (See this article for help with writing learning outcomes). Assessments can promote active learning and build a sense of community among students and faculty, if designed appropriately.

The following are examples of assessments that have been shown to be effective in the online learning environment, along with links to tools in Western's eLearning Toolkit that can help facilitate student learning.

Written Assignments: short essays, research papers, case study responses.

Students submit written work electronically.

Can assign students to small groups to provide peer feedback and build community.

Assignments Tool

Online Discussion: Asynchronous discussion activities (i.e. discussion board, blog or wiki).

Instructor can initiate class discussions with set of questions.

Opportunity for community building through student moderation.

Discussions

Forums Tool

Concept Maps:

Provide visual representation of connections between concepts students have learned. Labeled links show relationships between concepts.

Good tool for formative assessment to evaluate student's knowledge at certain checkpoints in the course.

Brainstorming/Mindmapping

Lucidchart

Presentations:

Student presentations can be modified to the online learning environment

Students create presentations (i.e. slide deck or poster) to present to instructor and classmates online and receive instructor and peer feedback.

Synchronous web-conferencing tools can be used to facilitate these presentations or they can be recorded and presented asynchronously.

Blackboard Collaborate

Test/quiz/exam:

Traditional multiple choice, short or long answer questions can be delivered via OWL.

Unproctored tests can be taken using OWL. These are generally low stakes, formative assessments to test student understanding of course material.

Face-to-face proctored tests can also be incorporated for higher stakes exams.

Tests and Quizzes

Tips for Evaluating Student Learning Online

If assignments are complex and multi-part, it is more effective to break these down into smaller components such that the instructor can assess students at several points in the learning process and provide feedback.

Provide students with explicit and detailed rubrics to accurately communicate expectations for student performance.

If course material is highly technical, consider using ungraded, self-check quizzes as a formative assessment to check student learning and determine whether teaching strategies should be altered.

Use synchronous technologies when appropriate (i.e. Blackboard Collaborate) to communicate with students in real time. As online students have very different schedules, it is suggested that synchronous meetings be recorded such that students that cannot attend live can watch at a later time.

Self and peer assessments can be used to reduce instructor workload, improve student learning experiences and build community.

Look for opportunities to provide feedback to the entire class - i.e. an announcement or e-mail summarizing patterns observed in student assignments.

Q & A discussion boards can also be useful to field common student questions.

Using a variety of assessment techniques in an online course is recommended.

Resources and References
Transforming Assessment Series
This research group was group created to discuss how assessment tasks can be set and graded in the online classroom. The webinar series are both live and recorded sessions which show examples of new and upcoming e-assessments as well as a discussion of theories and practices related to assessment in online learning.

Pallof and Prat: Assessing the online Learner

Kearns LR: Student Assessment in Online Learning: Challenges and Effective Practices

Faculty Focus: Assessing Online Learning: Strategies, Challenges and Opportunities

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How do I assess student learning online?

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Assessing student learning is an essential component of effective teaching and learning in the online environment. The following resource will provide you with information on how to effectively use online assessments. The OWL assessment tools allow for both formative and summative assessment of student learning.

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Essential Digital Citizenship Lessons for the Coronavirus Pandemic (Commonsense.org)

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Essential Digital Citizenship Lessons for the Coronavirus Pandemic (Commonsense.org)

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As many parts of the U.S. and world continue with distance learning because of the coronavirus pandemic, setting expectations for this new way of teaching and learning is essential. It's important to remember that even if students are comfortable with technology, learning online requires its own norms and procedures, many of which will be new to students who are used to learning in a face-to-face classroom.

In addition, teachers and students alike are spending more time checking news and social media in an effort to understand the coronavirus and its effects. Now more than ever, students need key digital citizenship skills, including news and media literacy, the ability to recognize and respond to cyberbullying, and an understanding of how their media habits affect them.

To help you establish a culture of digital citizenship for distance learning, we've collected our most relevant digital citizenship lessons for this moment. The lesson plans listed here are all available for free as part of Common Sense Education's K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum. If you're able to share resources with your students, you can assign our lessons using Google Classroom, download student activity sheets and send them as virtual activities to students, or share links to our videos with your students (lessons with videos are noted with an *).

Short on time? Check out our quick digital citizenship activities: discussion-based activities that take only 15 minutes. These are available on every lesson with a video (noted below with an *).

We hope these resources are helpful to you during this challenging time.

Online Communication

As you set up the communication channels for your virtual classroom, it's important for students to understand the norms and expectations for online communication. They may be used to texting or chatting with friends on social media, but how they interact in the online school setting will be different. Help them learn what to do if they encounter hurtful language online, how to switch their communication style based on the setting, and ways to debate and communicate with civility.

*The Power of Words (Grade 3): Focus on social and emotional learning as you help students learn how to process their feelings when they see or read something online.

*Digital Drama Unplugged (Grade 6): Students can learn how digital drama develops and how to de-escalate contentious situations.

Connecting with Digital Audiences (Grade 11): Help high school students rethink how they use their devices as they transition to a virtual learning environment. Students think about how they should adjust the way they communicate with one another as well as how they use their devices depending on the setting.

*We Are Civil Communicators (Grade 12): This lesson helps students identify the best ways to meaningfully and respectfully engage in online discussions.

News & Media Literacy

For many students, the coronavirus pandemic has them worried. While there is reason for concern, some of their anxiety stems from incomplete or incorrect information they're seeing on social media. Now is an important time to help them build critical thinking skills so that they can identify what information is credible and what isn't. Use these lessons to support news and media literacy:

Finding Credible News (Grade 6): Help students differentiate real news articles from misleading ones.

This Just In! (Grade 8): When breaking news happens, information may not always be accurate. Students can learn the importance of stopping, thinking, and reflecting on what we see in breaking news.

Hoaxes and Fakes (Grade 9): Help students ask critical questions when they encounter information online, and decide which sources are credible and which are not.

Media Balance

When school happens online in addition to kids' already-busy online social lives, they may start to feel like they're staring at a screen 24/7. Talk with students about how much time they're spending on devices and help them reflect on how their media use makes them feel. Try these supporting lessons:

*Finding My Media Balance (Grade 5): Students out of school, staying home, may be using more media than ever. Plus, the bombardment of news media can be overwhelming. This lesson helps students think through what their own media balance should include, for their own well-being.

Social Media and How You Feel (Grade 10): Social media plays a big role in most teens' lives, and research shows that it causes intense feelings -- both positive and negative. This lesson helps teens think through how social media use is making them feel, and come up with a plan for more beneficial use.

Cyberbullying

Some students might witness or be the target of cyberbullying based on misconceptions about COVID-19. It's important for educators to teach students how to identify, respond to, and avoid cyberbullying. In addition, when you address what is and isn't acceptable online behavior, you promote a positive and safe learning environment for your students.

Putting a STOP to Online Meanness (Grade 2): Focus on social and emotional skills as you help younger students process mean behaviors or actions they witness online.

Upstanders and Allies: Taking Action Against Cyberbullying (Grade 7): This lesson prepares students to respond to situations that involve cyberbullying by encouraging them to be upstanders.

Responding to Online Hate Speech (Grade 8): Students likely encounter a lot of negative content, fear, and even hate of others online and on social media. Students will learn to identify online hate speech, and define specific actions they can take to positively impact a situation involving hate speech.

*Countering Hate Speech Online (Grade 10): Students can learn to understand the connection between xenophobia and online hate speech. Students analyze how the internet can contribute to the spread of xenophobia, and develop strategies to combat hate speech.

Use these short, self-guided digital citizenship activities and create a positive culture around digital learning.

Get teens talking about real issues they've encountered online -- from media addiction to hate speech.

Get customizable planning calendars and student activity sheets to make digital citizenship part of your teaching.

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Essential Digital Citizenship Lessons for the Coronavirus Pandemic | Common Sense Education

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Support the transition to distance learning and help students think critically and compassionately about what they see online.

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Your financial support of the Institute helps us expand our initiatives and resources so that educators and children's helpers can continue to learn and grow from Fred Rogers' legacy. Thank you!

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Read to your child in your home language.

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Read to your child in your home language.

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Research shows that children who have a strong foundation in their home language learn English at a much faster rate.

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As a parent, you may be wondering whether you should be reading to your children in Spanish or English. You may be afraid that reading to them in Spanish will confuse them as they try to learn English, and that it will make it harder for them to read in English. You may also be concerned that you shouldn't read to them in English if you don't feel comfortable with your own English skills.

While it is important to encourage and support your child's efforts to learn English, research shows that children who are read to in their native language (such as Spanish) will have an easier time learning to read in their second language (such as English). The benefits are even greater for children who learn to read first in their native language. This means that by developing your child's literacy skills in Spanish, you will be making it easier for them to learn to speak, read, and write English in the future. This article provides information about the research done on this topic, and suggestions of ways that you can help your child develop his or her literacy skills in your family's native language.

Research Findings

Definitions

Academic language: "the language necessary to speak, listen, read, and write in an academic environment" (Anstrom, 1999).

Cognitive foundation: the development of the brain's ability to process information

Native language: the first language a person learns to speak

Second language: the second language a person learns to speak

A number of studies have been conducted about the ways in which children learn to read in a second language most effectively. Some of the results of those studies include the following findings:

1. Young children who were exposed to age-appropriate books and literature in their native language developed stronger pre-literacy skills than children who were only exposed to books in their second language (Association for Childhood Education International, 2003).

2. Children who learn to read in their native language first will have an easier time learning to read in their second language than children who never learned how to read in their first language (Anstrom, 1999). Children who can read in their native language understand the process of reading, even if they need to learn new letters, sounds, and words to attain reading proficiency in a second language. Children who are learning to read for the first time in their second language have twice as much work to do because they are learning the process of reading from the beginning at the same time that they are learning a new language (Short & Fitzsimmons, 2007).

3. Although children seem to learn new languages very quickly, without a strong cognitive foundation in their first language, children learning a second language "will tend to take much longer to acquire cognitive academic language skills in the second language" (Ramirez et.al, 1991).

4. The first three years of a child's life are critical to brain development, and increased exposure to a child's native language lays an important foundation for strong literacy skills when the child is older (Department of Education, Archived Information). In addition, when a child's brain is exposed to language at a very young age, the brain develops a life-long capacity to learn language, including foreign languages (McGill University, 2002).

5. Infants exposed to spoken language (reading out loud, talking, singing, and listening to music) show more language proficiency and better reading skills once they enter school than those who had not heard a lot of spoken language during their infancy (Center for Early Education and Development, 2001).

Creating a Print-Rich Environment in Your Native Language

Now that you know some of the reasons that it is important to encourage literacy in your child's native language, how can you get started? Creating a rich language environment at home in your family's native language will stimulate your child's cognitive, linguistic, and social development, and will enforce his/her early literacy skills. You can do this by:

Reading books in Spanish with your child on a daily basis

Talking about the stories you have read together

Playing rhyming games and singing songs in Spanish together (Example: I'm thinking of an animal that rhymes with globo: lobo)

Encouraging your child to write in Spanish

Keeping Spanish print material in your home such as books, greeting cards, magazines, and newspapers

Exposing your child to games, puzzles, and music in Spanish

Encouraging your child to use Spanish to tell stories

Expanding your child's Spanish vocabulary by teaching him/her new words, pointing out and naming objects, and helping him/her improve pronunciation

Visiting the public library regularly to check out books and other resources

Libraries, bookstores, and community centers in your neighborhood may offer books in Spanish that you can read with your children. Even if you can't purchase books to take home, you can make special "reading trips" to these places to enjoy books with your children. If you can't find any children's books in Spanish in your community, talk with other parents about ways to create a collection of books or Spanish-language resources that many families can enjoy.

So when you see Spanish-language books at your library or bookstore, don't hesitate to pick them up and take them home - they may be just what you need to get your child on the road to reading and to becoming a successful English language learner!

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Why Reading to Your Kids in Your Home Language Will Help Them Become Better Readers

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As a parent, you may be wondering whether you should be reading to your children in Spanish or English. You may be afraid that reading to them in Spanish will confuse them as they try to learn English, and that it will make it harder for them to read in English.

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25 Ways For Your Child to Write at Home 

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25 Ways For Your Child to Write at Home 

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Kameenui, E. J., & Simmons, D. C. (May, 1997). Read*Write*Now! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun. A Joint Project of the U.S. Department of Education, the American Library Association, Pizza Hut, Inc., Scholastic, Inc., Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.

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25 Activities for Reading and Writing Fun

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Doing activities with your children allows you to promote their reading and writing skills while having fun at the same time. These activities for pre-readers, beginning readers, and older readers includes what you need and what to do for each one.

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Teens are not made for isolation. Here’s how to help your teenager see the bigger picture during COVID-19.

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Mindfulness - Take Breaks Throughout the Day

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Mindfulness - Take Breaks Throughout the Day

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Classroom Meditation - For All Ages! | Yoga With Adriene

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Fannie Mae Assistance Options for Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19

WASHINGTON, DC - Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) wants to help ensure families are given options in these uncertain times in the case of job loss, a reduction in work hours, illness, or other issues. We want to remind those impacted by COVID-19 of available mortgage assistance and relief options. Under Fannie Mae's guidelines for single-family mortgages:

Homeowners who are adversely impacted by this national emergency may request mortgage assistance by contacting their mortgage servicer

Foreclosure sales and evictions of borrowers are suspended for 60 days

Homeowners impacted by this national emergency are eligible for a forbearance plan to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months

Credit bureau reporting of past due payments of borrowers in a forbearance plan as a result of hardships attributable to this national emergency is suspended

Homeowners in a forbearance plan will not incur late fees

After forbearance, a servicer must work with the borrower on a permanent plan to help maintain or reduce monthly payment amounts as necessary, including a loan modification

Fannie Mae also offers help navigating the broader financial effects of this national emergency to homeowners with a Fannie Mae-owned mortgage through its Disaster Response Network*, including:

A needs assessment and personalized recovery plan

Help requesting financial relief from insurance, servicers, and other sources

Web resources and ongoing guidance from experienced disaster relief advisors

Homeowners can find out if they have a Fannie Mae-owned mortgage and access to the Disaster Response Network ™* by visiting www.KnowYourOptions.com/loanlookup.

"Our thoughts are with everyone who may be impacted by COVID-19 and we urge you to stay safe and well during these unprecedented times. Fannie Mae, along with our lending and servicing partners, is committed to ensuring assistance is available to homeowners in need. We encourage residents whose employment or income are impacted by COVID-19 to seek available assistance as soon as possible," said Malloy Evans, Senior Vice President and Single-Family Chief Credit Officer, Fannie Mae.

Homeowners can reach out to Fannie Mae directly by calling 1-800-2FANNIE (1-800-232-6643). For more information, please visit www.knowyouroptions.com/covid19assistance.

About Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae helps make the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and affordable rental housing possible for millions of Americans. We partner with lenders to create housing opportunities for families across the country. We are driving positive changes in housing finance to make the home buying process easier, while reducing costs and risk. To learn more, visit:
fanniemae.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Blog
Fannie Mae Newsroom Photo of Fannie Mae
*Operated by Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions, a division of MMI, through its Project Porchlight program https://www.fanniemae.com/resources/img/about-fm/fm-building.tif
https://www.fanniemae.com/news
Fannie Mae Resource Center
1-800-2FANNIE

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Fannie Mae Assistance Options for Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19

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Fannie Mae wants to help ensure families are given options in these uncertain times in the case of job loss, a reduction in work hours, illness, or other issues. We want to remind those impacted by COVID-19 of available mortgage assistance and relief options.

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Tech tips from home.

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Teach From Home

Find tips, resources and tools on this information hub to help teachers keep teaching during the COVID-19 crisis school closures.

As many educational institutions are facing or planning for closures due to COVID-19, Google for Education is providing distance learning solutions, training and resources to help them stay connected. Today, Google supports schools around the world by providing G Suite for Education, a free range of productivity tools to enable teaching & learning. These cloud-based tools (which include Google Classroom, Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms and more) are currently used by more than 100 million teachers and students, and can be used from any device in more than 40 languages.

We also have Chromebooks, a range of devices produced by OEM partners (e.g., Acer, Lenovo). Chrome Education Upgrade is a purchased license attached to each device which unifies deployment and management of the Chromebooks. There are currently 40 million Chromebook users in education globally.

Learn more on the Google for Education blog and follow along on @GoogleForEdu for tips and resources.

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Teach From Home Find tips, resources and tools on this information hub to help teachers keep teaching during the COVID-19 crisis school closures. TEACHER CENTER Find free, online training for G Suite for Education tools, including videos, one pagers, training modules and more.

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Best Special Education Apps and Websites (Commonsense.org)

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Best Special Education Apps and Websites (Commonsense.org)

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Apps and Websites for Special Education Programs | Common Sense Education

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Apps and Websites for Special Education Programs is a Top Picks list of 32 apps and websites curated by Common Sense Education edtech editors.

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Tips and resources for educators teaching on Zoom.

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Discover a collection of helpful resources to support IT leaders, educators, students and parents during remote learning. Includes Apple Education Learning Series, Apple Teacher, APP and Book Collections, and more

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Learning Resources from Apple

Discover apps, curriculum, resources, and support to help build great learning experiences wherever you are.

Learn

Resources to help schools and educators use Apple devices in any learning environment.

Use Built-in Apps

iPad and Mac come with a collection of apps such as FaceTime and Messages to help you communicate, stay connected, and collaborate.

Teach

We've developed apps and guides to help you build engaging learning activities.

Connect

Learn, share, and connect with the @AppleEDU community by joining #AppleEDUcha t every Tuesday at 6pm PST during the school year on Twitter.

Support

Apple Support Communities
Chat online, ask questions, and get help from Apple Education support communities.

Apple Education Phone Support
AppleCare experts are available to help educators and leaders with dedicated support at 1-800-800-2775, option 3. This number is operational for the United States and Canada only. For all other countries, customers should use their country's AppleCare phone number.

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Learning Resources from Apple Discover apps, curriculum, resources, and support to help build great learning experiences wherever you are. Prepare Prepare your environment for remote teaching and learning. Help IT leaders understand how to prepare, set-up, and clean devices so teac

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Participate in assistance programs like the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, and others, or are enrolled or enrolling in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) with Xfinity.

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Internet Essentials - Affordable Internet from Xfinity

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See if you qualify for low-cost, fast and reliable Xfinity Internet from Comcast now! low-income households benefit from access to online resources

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Top Tools by Grade and Subjects for Learning

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Top Tools by Grade and Subjects for Learning

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Hand-picked tools for every scenario, all well-suited for use during the coronavirus pandemic.

It's tough in a typical school year to serve each student's unique learning needs, but the coronavirus pandemic has transformed the meaning of meeting all students "where they are." For many, this means converting some or all elements of your teaching and curriculum to distance learning.

We've heard from educators how overwhelming it can be to wade through the dozens of emails and articles with hundreds of "great apps for distance learning" from people and companies that possibly have their interests -- and not yours -- in mind. That's why we've curated this short list of free, quality classroom resources for each grade band and subject area. Each tool has scored well on our research-based ratings rubric. More importantly, each tool is something we think would work well given the unique circumstances of the pandemic. Of course, you'll also want to dig in to their privacy and safety practices, so make sure to check out the privacy evaluations on the review pages (when available).

Elementary school math and science

Elementary school ELA and social studies

Free, expansive digital library unlocks treasure trove of books
Price: Free for teachers
Platforms: iOS, Android, Chrome

K-2 literacy program offers comprehensive, adaptive activities
Price: Free and paid versions
Platforms: Web

Elementary school arts and creativity

Middle school math and science

Middle school ELA and social studies

Middle school arts and creativity

High school math and science

High school ELA and social studies

High school arts and creativity

Check out our Common Sense Selections for Learning to find best-in-class media resources and tools that facilitate great learning experiences for students and educators.

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Distance Learning Short List: Best Free Resources by Grade and Subject | Common Sense Education

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It's tough in a typical school year to serve each student's unique learning needs, but the coronavirus pandemic has transformed the meaning of meeting all students "where they are." For many, this means converting some or all elements of your teaching and curriculum to distance learning.

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Fannie Mae Assistance Options for Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19

WASHINGTON, DC - Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) wants to help ensure families are given options in these uncertain times in the case of job loss, a reduction in work hours, illness, or other issues. We want to remind those impacted by COVID-19 of available mortgage assistance and relief options. Under Fannie Mae's guidelines for single-family mortgages:

Homeowners who are adversely impacted by this national emergency may request mortgage assistance by contacting their mortgage servicer

Foreclosure sales and evictions of borrowers are suspended for 60 days

Homeowners impacted by this national emergency are eligible for a forbearance plan to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months

Credit bureau reporting of past due payments of borrowers in a forbearance plan as a result of hardships attributable to this national emergency is suspended

Homeowners in a forbearance plan will not incur late fees

After forbearance, a servicer must work with the borrower on a permanent plan to help maintain or reduce monthly payment amounts as necessary, including a loan modification

Fannie Mae also offers help navigating the broader financial effects of this national emergency to homeowners with a Fannie Mae-owned mortgage through its Disaster Response Network*, including:

A needs assessment and personalized recovery plan

Help requesting financial relief from insurance, servicers, and other sources

Web resources and ongoing guidance from experienced disaster relief advisors

Homeowners can find out if they have a Fannie Mae-owned mortgage and access to the Disaster Response Network ™* by visiting www.KnowYourOptions.com/loanlookup.

"Our thoughts are with everyone who may be impacted by COVID-19 and we urge you to stay safe and well during these unprecedented times. Fannie Mae, along with our lending and servicing partners, is committed to ensuring assistance is available to homeowners in need. We encourage residents whose employment or income are impacted by COVID-19 to seek available assistance as soon as possible," said Malloy Evans, Senior Vice President and Single-Family Chief Credit Officer, Fannie Mae.

Homeowners can reach out to Fannie Mae directly by calling 1-800-2FANNIE (1-800-232-6643). For more information, please visit www.knowyouroptions.com/covid19assistance.

About Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae helps make the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and affordable rental housing possible for millions of Americans. We partner with lenders to create housing opportunities for families across the country. We are driving positive changes in housing finance to make the home buying process easier, while reducing costs and risk. To learn more, visit:
fanniemae.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Blog
Fannie Mae Newsroom Photo of Fannie Mae
*Operated by Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions, a division of MMI, through its Project Porchlight program https://www.fanniemae.com/resources/img/about-fm/fm-building.tif
https://www.fanniemae.com/news
Fannie Mae Resource Center
1-800-2FANNIE

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Fannie Mae Assistance Options for Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19

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Fannie Mae wants to help ensure families are given options in these uncertain times in the case of job loss, a reduction in work hours, illness, or other issues. We want to remind those impacted by COVID-19 of available mortgage assistance and relief options.

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Michigan Home Internet Options for the Economically Disadvantaged

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Michigan Home Internet Options for the Economically Disadvantaged

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Michigan Home Internet Options* for the Economically Disadvantaged

Spectrum Internet Assist from Charter/Spectrum provides low-cost internet for $14.99 per month, plus taxes and fees.

Eligibility requirements:

Have at least one student who participates in the National School Lunch Program

Without outstanding debt for Charter/Spectrum service within the last year

Cannot have had a Charter/Time Warner Cable/Bright House Network broadband subscription within 60 days of signing up

Comcast Internet Essentials Program provides affordable Internet for $9.95 a month plus tax, with no term contract, no credit check, no installation fee, with In-home Wifi.

Eligibility requirements:

Have at least one child who qualifies for the National School Lunch Program

Do not have outstanding debt to Comcast that is less than a year old. Families with outstanding debt more than a year old may still be eligible.

Live in an area where Comcast Internet Service is available but have not subscribed to it within the last 90 days. Access an availability map from Comcast here.

CenturyLink® Internet Basics provides affordable Internet for $9.95 a month plus taxes and fees, with a 12-month contract at speeds up to 1.5Mbps.

Eligibility requirements:

Either meet the income-based eligibility requirements: household income at or below 135 percent of federal poverty guidelines OR if you, or someone in your household participates in one of the following federal or state assistance programs: National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program, Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) or Section 8; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps; Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance; Tribal TANF

Do not have outstanding debt to CenturyLink

Live in an area where CenturyLink Internet Service is available but have not subscribed within the last 90 days. Access an available map from Centurylink here.

Access from AT&T provides low-cost internet to qualifying households in Michigan for $5-$10 a month depending on options in your area.

Eligibility requirements:

At least one household member who participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Without outstanding debt for AT&T Internet service within the last six months or outstanding debt incurred under this program.

Other Resources

Visit EveryoneOn to learn what Internet options are available for low income families in your area, including mobile hotspots. The site also lists information on discounted computers for qualified families, as well as local training opportunities.

Opportunities are also available for discounted service for eligible applicants without home telephone or mobile phone connectivity through the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)'s Lifeline Support Program.

* The MDE neither promotes specific vendors nor does the MDE provide technical assistance for home connectivity. The programs listed above are simply low-cost options for economically disadvantaged families in Michigan.

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MDE - Michigan Home Internet Options* for the Economically Disadvantaged

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Spectrum Internet Assist from Charter/Spectrum provides low-cost internet for $14.99 per month, plus taxes and fees. Eligibility requirements: Have at least one student who participates in the National School Lunch Program Without outstanding debt for Charter/Spectrum service within the last year Cannot have had a Charter/Time Warner Cable/Bright House Network broadband subscription within 60 days of signing up Comcast Internet Essentials Program provides affordable Internet for $9.95 a month plus tax, with no term contract, no credit check, no installation fee, with In-home Wifi.

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Spectrum makes it simple for qualified households to sign up for low-income Internet assistance.

High-speed Internet at 30 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary)

Optional in-home WiFi service at $5/mo

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Low-Income Internet Service | Spectrum Internet Assist Program

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Spectrum makes it simple for qualified households to sign up for low-income Internet assistance. High-speed Internet at 30 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) Optional in-home WiFi service at $5/mo

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Find low-cost internet and device offers in your area

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Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)’s Lifeline Support Program: provides discounted service for eligible applicants without home telephone or mobile phone connectivity

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Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)’s Lifeline Support Program: provides discounted service for eligible applicants without home telephone or mobile phone connectivity

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If you are a homeowner experiencing financial hardship directly or indirectly related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your mortgage is owned by Freddie Mac, contact your loan servicer (the company listed on your mortgage statement) right away to discuss your options.

Whether you're facing job loss, reduced income, illness or other issues that impact your ability to make your monthly mortgage payment, Freddie Mac is working to ensure you are protected. In fact, the company has directed your loan servicer to provide mortgage relief options that include:

Ensuring payment relief by providing forbearance for up to 12 months

Waiving assessments of penalties or late fees

Halting all foreclosure actions and evictions of borrowers living in homes owned by the company until at least January 31, 2021

Offering loan modification options to provide mortgage payment relief or keep those payments the same after the forbearance period

Starting July 1, 2020, offering a payment deferral solution in which your deferred payments will be due at the end of the loan

Borrowers are eligible for forbearance regardless of whether their property is owner occupied, a second home or an investment property.

If you are struggling to make your mortgage payments or believe you may fall behind on your payments soon, don't wait - contact your loan servicer now. They're here to help you.

Help for Renters

If you are a renter facing financial hardship resulting from COVID-19, learn about available relief options.
More
Stay safe

Information to help keep you and your family safe:

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Extending Help to Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19

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If you are a homeowner experiencing financial hardship directly or indirectly related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your mortgage is owned by Freddie Mac, contact your loan servicer (the company listed on your mortgage statement) right away to discuss your options.

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Get Desktop, Laptop Computers and Low-Cost Internet - PCs for People

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PCs for People provides affordable refurbished computers and internet to eligible individuals. See our desktop, laptop computers and low-cost internet.

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The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

Español: Llama o envía un mensaje de texto 1-800-985-5990 presiona "2."

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Callers: To connect directly to an agent in American Sign Language, click the "ASL Now" button below or call 1-800-985-5990 from your videophone. ASL Support is available 24/7. FAQs for ASL NOW users.

Counseling Services

The helpline puts people in need of counseling on the path to recovery. When you call or text, crisis counselors listen to what's on your mind with patience and without judgment. DDH is staffed by trained counselors from a network of crisis call centers located across the United States, who provide:

Crisis counseling for people in emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster

Information on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families

Referrals to local crisis call centers for additional follow-up care and support

Healthy coping tips

There is no need to give any identifying information when you contact DDH. The counselor may ask you for some basic information at the end of the call, but these questions are optional and intended to help SAMHSA keep track of the types of calls it receives.

Who Can Call the Disaster Distress Helpline?

The helpline is open to anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. This includes survivors of disasters; loved ones of victims; first responders; rescue, recovery, and relief workers; clergy; and parents and caregivers. You may call for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
Disasters may include:
The impact of crises may affect people in different ways. Recognize the warning signs and risk factors for emotional distress related to natural and human-caused disasters.

How do I Connect with a Trained Counselor?

Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

Standard text and data message rates will apply when texting from mobile phones. International text and data rates may apply from within U.S. territories and free association nations. SAMHSA will not sell your phone numbers to other parties.

Languages

DDH callers can connect with counselors in over 100 languages via 3rd-party interpretation services. Indicate to the responding counselor your preferred language and they will connect you to a live interpreter (interpretation in less commonly spoken languages may require calling back at an appointed time). Get DDH information in 30 commonly spoken languages.

Other Inquiries

If you're not in immediate need of crisis counseling support and would like to contact us for other reasons, send us an email. Contact us for:

Technical problems. If you encountered a technical problem while trying to contact the helpline, please include your name and preferred contact information in your email if you wish to receive a reply.

Provider inquiries. Providers with specific inquiries about technical assistance and support, requests for materials, and exploring collaborations are encouraged to send an email.

Feedback. To provide feedback about your experience with the helpline, send an email describing your experience and SAMHSA will look into the matter. Please include your name and preferred contact information if you wish to receive a reply.

Social media inquiries. Email us with questions about the helpline's use of social media.

All media inquiries. Members of the media with questions about the Disaster Distress Helpline are encouraged to email media@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Our staff appreciate hearing from people about their experiences. SAMHSA takes feedback about our services, whether it is positive or negative, very seriously.

SAMHSA also encourages public promotion of the Disaster Distress Helpline. Anyone can use the Disaster Distress Helpline logo and telephone number on their website and link to the Disaster Distress Helpline's materials and social media properties.

Call 211 for information about disaster-related evacuations, shelters, food and clothing distribution, volunteer opportunities, and other resources and referrals. Or visit the national 211 Call Center website to find the 211 information and referral center nearest you.

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The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 .

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Skip to main content

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988

¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!
Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre cómo acceder a todos los servicios en español.

Conocer más

Stock photo by iStock.

The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

About The Lifeline

Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

I'm Struggling With Individuals with Neurodivergence

We understand that every struggle is different. Experience the stories of people like you, and how they overcame crisis to find hope and recovery.
read stories of hope & recovery

First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

We'll play you a little music while we connect you to a skilled, trained crisis worker.

A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and get you the help you need.

988 Lifeline Center calls are free and confidential, and we're available 24/7.

Show What Happens When You Call The Lifeline

Everyone Plays A Role In Suicide Prevention

Get in touch

Call the Lifeline

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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Mental Health: Michigan Department of Human Health and Services

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Mental Health: Michigan Department of Human Health and Services

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The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) - Mental health services for adults who have a mental illness, children and youth who have an emotional disturbance, and persons who have a developmental disability.

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Talking to Children About COVID - 19 (Understood.org)

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Talking to Children About COVID - 19 (Understood.org)

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People getting sick, schools closing, and news about the coronavirus can be scary and confusing for kids-especially for younger kids. Older kids may worry about grades slipping or not being prepared for upcoming exams. And in general, kids may feel anxious about the unknown.

Kids who learn and think differently can have added challenges. For example, it's common for kids with ADHD and other learning and thinking differences to also struggle with anxiety.

Language disorders can make it hard for kids to express their thoughts and understand what people say. Kids with slow processing speed need longer to take in and process what they hear. All of those things make talking about the unfolding crisis harder.

Having information and answers can help. But it's important to talk with kids in an age-appropriate way. Some kids may not want to open up about feelings or fears. Tell them that's OK, and that you're there to listen and answer questions any time.

And here are more tips from the Understood team for when your child:

About the Author

About the Author

The Understood Team&nbsp

is made up of passionate writers, editors, and community moderators. Many of them learn and think differently, or have kids who do.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Amanda Morin&nbsp

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

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People getting sick, schools closing, and news about the coronavirus can be scary and confusing for kids-especially for younger kids. Older kids may worry about grades slipping or not being prepared for upcoming exams. And in general, kids may feel anxious about the unknown. Kids who learn and think differently can have added challenges.

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Wide Open School's mission lives on at Common Sense

With schools back in person, we have closed this dedicated distance-learning site designed to guide families and educators through the sudden shift to remote learning.
Discover More Great Resources for Families & Educators
Common Sense is dedicated to providing teachers and families with free resources to help kids learn, grow, and thrive with media and technology. Join our community for more tips and resources to support kids' learning and healthy development.

More Resources You'll Love

Get more free content like what you found on Wide Open School.
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Thank You to Our Supporters & Partners

We are grateful to our supporters and partners for helping to bring these resources to kids, families, and educators everywhere during a global crisis. It is a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to education and digital access for all.

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Wide Open School's mission lives on at Common Sense With schools back in person, we have closed this dedicated distance-learning site designed to guide families and educators through the sudden shift to remote learning. Discover More Great Resources for Families & Educators

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Why We Social Distance: Why outbreaks like Coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve”

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Why We Social Distance: Why outbreaks like Coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve”

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Health

By

Warning: This graphic requires JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience.

PLEASE NOTE

The Washington Post is providing this story for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the coronavirus. For more free stories, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter.

After the first case of covid-19, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus, was announced in the United States, reports of further infections trickled in slowly. Two months later, that trickle has turned into a steady current.

[Lea en español | Leggi in italiano | اقرأ هذا المقال بالعربية | Lire en français | 日本語で読む | به فارسی بخوانید | L eia em português | Читать по русски | Lesen Sie auf Deutsch | Lees in het Nederlands | Prečítajte si po Slovensky | বাংলায় পড়ুন | हिंदी में पढ़ें]
Hover to explore the number of cases over time. [Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked within the newsletter are free to access.]
This so-called exponential curve has experts worried. If the number of cases were to continue to double every three days, there would be about a hundred million cases in the United States by May.

That is math, not prophecy. The spread can be slowed, public health professionals say, if people practice " social distancing " by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement.

Still, without any measures to slow it down, covid-19 will continue to spread exponentially for months. To understand why, it is instructive to simulate the spread of a fake disease through a population.

We will call our fake disease simulitis. It spreads even more easily than covid-19: whenever a healthy person comes into contact with a sick person, the healthy person becomes sick, too.

In a population of just five people, it did not take long for everyone to catch simulitis.

In real life, of course, people eventually recover. A recovered person can neither transmit simulitis to a healthy person nor become sick again after coming in contact with a sick person.

Let's see what happens when simulitis spreads in a town of 200 people. We will start everyone in town at a random position, moving at a random angle, and we will make one person sick.

Notice how the slope of the red curve, which represents the number of sick people, rises rapidly as the disease spreads and then tapers off as people recover.
[Mapping the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. and worldwide]
Our simulation town is small - about the size of Whittier, Alaska - so simulitis was able to spread quickly across the entire population. In a country like the United States, with its 330 million people, the curve could steepen for a long time before it started to slow.

When it comes to the real covid-19, we would prefer to slow the spread of the virus before it infects a large portion of the U.S. population. To slow simulitis, let's try to create a forced quarantine, such as the one the Chinese government imposed on Hubei province, covid-19's ground zero.

Whoops! As health experts would expect, it proved impossible to completely seal off the sick population from the healthy.

Leana Wen, the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore, explained the impracticalities of forced quarantines to The Washington Post in January. "Many people work in the city and live in neighboring counties, and vice versa," Wen said. "Would people be separated from their families? How would every road be blocked? How would supplies reach residents?"

As Lawrence O. Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, put it: "The truth is those kinds of lockdowns are very rare and never effective."

Fortunately, there are other ways to slow an outbreak. Above all, health officials have encouraged people to avoid public gatherings, to stay home more often and to keep their distance from others. If people are less mobile and interact with each other less, the virus has fewer opportunities to spread.

Some people will still go out. Maybe they cannot stay home because of their work or other obligations, or maybe they simply refuse to heed public health warnings. Those people are not only more likely to get sick themselves, they are more likely to spread simulitis, too.

Let's see what happens when a quarter of our population continues to move around while the other three quarters adopt a strategy of what health experts call " social distancing."

More social distancing keeps even more people healthy, and people can be nudged away from public places by removing their allure.

"We control the desire to be in public spaces by closing down public spaces. Italy is closing all of its restaurants. China is closing everything, and we are closing things now, too," said Drew Harris, a population health researcher and assistant professor at The Thomas Jefferson University College of Public Health. "Reducing the opportunities for gathering helps folks social distance."

To simulate more social distancing, instead of allowing a quarter of the population to move, we will see what happens when we let just one of every eight people move.

The four simulations you just watched - a free-for-all, an attempted quarantine, moderate social distancing and extensive social distancing - were random. That means the results of each one were unique to your reading of this article; if you scroll up and rerun the simulations, or if you revisit this page later, your results will change.

Even with different results, moderate social distancing will usually outperform the attempted quarantine, and extensive social distancing usually works best of all. Below is a comparison of your results.

Finishing simulations...
[What you need to know about coronavirus]
Simulitis is not covid-19, and these simulations vastly oversimplify the complexity of real life. Yet just as simulitis spread through the networks of bouncing balls on your screen, covid-19 is spreading through our human networks - through our countries, our towns, our workplaces, our families. And, like a ball bouncing across the screen, a single person's behavior can cause ripple effects that touch faraway people.

In one crucial respect, though, these simulations are nothing like reality: Unlike simulitis, covid-19 can kill. Though the fatality rate is not precisely known, it is clear that the elderly members of our community are most at risk of dying from covid-19.

"If you want this to be more realistic," Harris said after seeing a preview of this story, "some of the dots should disappear."
How to prepare for the coronavirus in the U.S. How the coronavirus tanked the markets Millions of tweets peddled conspiracy theories about coronavirus in other countries, an unpublished U.S. report says How epidemics like covid-19 end (and how to end them faster)
Related stories

Harry Stevens

Harry Stevens joined The Washington Post as a graphics reporter in 2019.

About this story

The data for the chart at the top of this story showing the number of reported cases in the United States was collected by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering and is available for download on GitHub. The likely number of actual cases in the U.S. is likely far higher because of problems with the coronavirus test and because many cases are so mild that those infected do not visit a doctor or hospital.

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These simulations show how to flatten the coronavirus growth curve

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Health By Warning: This graphic requires JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. PLEASE NOTE The Washington Post is providing this story for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the coronavirus. For more free stories, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter.

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Social and Emotional Research and Videos 

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Social and Emotional Research and Videos 

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Find resources to help students manage their emotions, resolve conflicts, and make responsible decisions—creating the healthiest school culture possible.

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How to use Snapchat for classroom learning success

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How to use Snapchat for classroom learning success

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How to use Snapchat for classroom learning success

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Snapchat is turning into more than just an amusing app that lets people send pictures and videos, only to disappear after a few seconds. Many educators are finding ways to make learning fun for the...

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Tips for Using Facebook Live | Facebook Media

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Follow these best practices when broadcasting Live on Facebook.

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Facebook Live is the relatively new feature on Facebook that allows a user to "Go Live" and stream a film directly onto their Facebook page. I think Facebook Live has the potential to directly impact professional development for teachers as teachers can stream tips, ideas, lesson demos and more directly to other teachers. Learn about how some teachers are "Going Live" and sharing best practices as well as some tips for "Going Live" yourself!

Facebook Live is not much different from posting a video. Like other video posts, Facebook Live videos are posted directly on the page wall, will remain there indefinitely, and will autoplay when scrolled by.

The big difference is that when the user opts to broadcast, they are able to see who is watching and commenting in real time. Viewers can give immediate feedback in the form of comments or "likes," by using the new icons.

To broadcast on Facebook Live, you select the Post button then touch the icon of the head with waves coming over it. Title your video and hit start. There is a moment where you won't be able to tell you are filming so try to smile during this in-between time since the actual "Live" part can seem abrupt.

Most teachers using Facebook Live right now are advertising when they are going live so you know when to pop over to their Facebook page to watch the broadcast. Some will even give a heads up about the topic so you can decide if you want to watch or not.

After experimenting a bit, I have settled on doing a weekly show at the same time - Mondays at 8 p.m. on my Facebook page, since I have children and being spontaneous with a video cameras is a potential disaster waiting to happen! I plan on sharing various tips for technology integration, lessons, reviews, apps and websites for a variety of devices and projects as well as demo some of the ready-made resources I have available at www.shoperintegration.com.

Unfortunately, Facebook Live is governed by the same laws as the Facebook feed so you may not see all of the videos your favorite teachers post. Your best bet is to first like their Facebook teaching page, then under like, turn on notifications by clicking All On under Notifications.

If you are a teacher and have a teaching Facebook Page or a page for your classroom, you also have the option of going live for your followers - or if a classroom page - for parents! Facebook has an official tips page, but I wanted to add share my perspective as a fellow teacher since our purpose of sharing is very different than a celebrity or brand.

Have a fully charged Phone with strong WiFi

Right now Facebook Live in only available on the Facebook app so you will need a mobile phone to go live. I keep mine plugged in just in case, but I find a 10 minute video broadcast eats the battery faster than a phone call or typical internet browsing. Facebook recommends Wifi or 4G for broadcasting. You can broadcast from your personal or teacher page on Facebook.

Be Ready.

Have any materials you are sharing nearby to avoid having to move around too much - you do not want your viewers to feel like they are watching the Blair Witch Project. I highly recommend a stand for this that you can adjust quickly or move depending on what you are sharing. I use these adorable hand grippers by Honksy to hold my iPhone when I'm not holding it myself.

Grab a double pack with the affiliate link or check out my post on Tablet stands for more options.

I also make sure to have any resources ready that I might want to zoom in on. Having multiple devices pulled up to websites or links displayed has also been helpful. Clear off an area to be the home base for anything you might want to share whether it is student work or an organizational system you are showing off.

Know what you are going to say.

Some people will advise you to prep with index cards or a list. However, I do think Facebook Live broadcasts should feel more conversational and thus looking at notes may take away from your viewers' experience. I think of it like sharing with a colleague: how would I tell them how I did this lesson or activity in my classroom.

Your tone should be informal and relaxed - less job interview and more mentor. Plus you will be more likely to feel relaxed and not trip over words or forget what you were saying if you keep the tone casual.

Think about lighting

Broadcast from a well lit location or add artificial lighting. I learned this the hard way as I rewatched my first broadcast I did from my underground cave - or basement office - not that you could tell! To avoid being Gollum, I use a ring light that clips onto my iPhone to add direct lighting to me and anything I am sharing.

Click the affiliate link to purchase the one I use:

It was relatively inexpensive but I have been impressed with the better quality of my videos. This particular model uses batteries and has 3 settings. I think I used the first "click" before going live the first time I used it. The nice thing about this set up is it is portable so I can broadcast from anywhere and it also works from both selfie and flipped camera modes so I do not need to change anything out. It is a little awkward to touch the live button initially and I did need to adjust the height of my phone (easy with the Honksy stands mentioned above).

Be yourself.

The reason you are broadcasting live and not making a professional video to post on YouTube is that you are sharing your slice of life in the moment. Think of how you are in your classroom and bring that same personality to your live video. If you can connect with your students on a real level, you can do the same with your viewers.

In that same vein do not worry about being "camera ready." I have done broadcasts wearing make up with my hair clean and blown dry (fellow moms of young children will know this is a rare event to be celebrated) but others I was messy hair don't care, throw a scarf on. Unless you are selling a lifestyle brand, remember your audience is other teachers who are looking to learn! My thinking is, if I looked like this at school, it is good enough for Facebook Live.

Engage in the conversation.

I have seen some very impressive teachers who are able to answer questions, respond to comments, and shout out to their viewers as they join. I am NOT one of those teachers because without my glasses, I can't really see the screen on the iPhone at all! I have no idea who is watching or who I am talking too. However, I always make time to jump in the comments after to follow up with anyone.

Remind viewers who you are and where to find you online.

Since most Facebook Live videos are public, your viewers may not necessarily be those who have liked your page or who you are friends with (unless you selected that option when going live initially). They may not know your blog or teaching experience. Obviously you don't want to tell everyone your address and bank account - but remembering to say your grade level, subject area, and website are important to help viewers connect the person sharing with your online portfolio.

Shake off mistakes and move on

Your viewers know the video is live and as teachers we totally get it when a lesson just does not go the way we planned more than most professions. Be honest, but move on. It gets awkward if you wallow in your mess up or your live broadcast is more about what you were going to broadcast but your phone rang or whatever.

Flipping the camera is the worst

Going from the "selfie" view to the outward camera always results in a still image of your face making a bizarre expression. Just know it is the worst and it will be over soon.

And so is the screenshot Facebook will pull for your video cover

Every.Time. This is not a tip just a life lesson in all of the weird faces you make. Thanks Facebook!

Overall, I am really enjoying connecting with teachers live as well as sharing during my own broadcasts. I would love for more teachers to jump on and share what they are doing in their classrooms too. I am collecting a list of teachers who are going live regularly and will update this post as time goes on. Let me know in the comments if you are a teacher going live on Facebook regularly so I can add you to the list of teachers to follow!

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Facebook Live is the relatively new feature on Facebook that allows a user to 'Go Live' and stream a film directly onto their Facebook page. I think Facebook Live has the potential to directly impact professional development for teachers as teachers can stream tips, ideas, lesson demos and more directly to other teachers.

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COLLECTION STORIES, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE

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COLLECTION STORIES, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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Stories from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

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Google Arts & Culture features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to bring the world's treasures online.

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National Council Teachers of Mathematics: Flipping Math Content

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National Council Teachers of Mathematics: Flipping Math Content

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By Tim McCaffrey, posted June 6, 2016 -

Does "I do-we do-you do" ring a bell? Well of course it does. Better known as the gradual release of responsibility, this model of teaching ensures that students have the right tools and thinking before attempting problems on their own. This post focuses on enhancing this model by doing one simple thing: reversing the order. Click here for a helpful diagram that shows the relationship between teacher and student responsibility.

YOU DO

Start the lesson by giving your students a task and see what they can do with it. Not just any task but a worthwhile task. In addition to the 10 principles laid out by Dan Meyer for engaging math tasks, I would add a few as well:

1. Provide multiple entry points

2. Allow for varied solution paths

3. Focus on process, not necessarily the answer

These types of rich tasks allow students to play around with mathematical ideas and use the math tools they currently have in their tool chest.

WE DO

After students have had an opportunity to work independently and have probably run into some roadblocks, they need time to work with their peers. One of the best collaborative structures I have seen is called complex instruction. There are four components to complex instruction:

1. Student responsibility

2. Multidimensionality

3. Assigning competence

I won't go through each of the four components in this post, but you can find additional resources from Jo Boaler and NRICH. One of my favorite components is the multidimensionality of the classroom environment. For instance, I asked 220 secondary students in my district, "What does it take to be successful in math?" and the top-three answers were not surprising:

The same question was asked of a group of students who were engaged in complex instruction. They answered:

Asking good questions

Rephrasing problems

Explaining

Using logic

Justifying methods

Using manipulatives

Connecting ideas

Helping others

The implications of each list are what are valued in the classroom. The second list had a breadth of dimensions on how students learned mathematics and how students were given opportunities to represent their thinking.

I DO

Now your students are ready to listen to you. You have given them a need for your direct instruction, and you have a ton of data to pull together to make a rich learning experience for your students. For example, some of the data you now have are the following:

1. Students' questions and inquiries

2. Students' representations and processes

3. Student-to-student conversations

4. Students' misunderstandings and understandings

5. Students' responses to your questions

In my next post, I will give concrete examples of what this entire process could look like in your classroom.

Tim McCaffrey is the founder of Agree or Disagr ee?, writes at http://timsmccaffrey.com/, and tweets at @timsmccaffrey. He currently serves as the mathematics coordinator for grades 6-12 in Fontana, California. He desires to help coaches and administrators implement sound mathematical practices that will help students become deep thinkers.

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Rethinking the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

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Does "I do-we do-you do" ring a bell? Better known as the gradual release of responsibility, this model of teaching ensures that students have the right tools and thinking before attempting problems on their own. This post focuses on enhancing this model by doing one simple thing: reversing the order.

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Disney World and ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean

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Disney World and ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean

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Pirates of the Caribbean Ride through 4K POV | Disney Magic Kingdom | FL Attractions 360

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How many times have you heard your child say, "Look what I found!" with delight and amazement? All children see the creative potential in "stuff," but it is sometimes hard for adults to muster the same enthusiasm for a seemingly ordinary branch, leaf, or rock. By championing such discoveries, however, with open-ended questions like, "What do you see?" or "What might you do with that?" you'll help develop your child's self-expression, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills. Take a walk together, and be willing to see the beauty and uniqueness in a small piece of "nothing" that is a big "something" to your child. It can lead to a great deal of learning and fun for both of you.

I've heard that you can give a child a stick and he could be entertained for hours. Take your child for a walk to collect small branches or sticks. Ask, "How many different ways could we use these branches?" Here are a few ideas to try:

Make a branch mobile or a wind chime by hanging interesting found objects and art materials off a horizontal branch.

If you find big branches (roughly shoulder-high), make walking sticks. Decorate them with windings of ribbon or yarn and a few beads or shells.

Decorate sticks to celebrate the seasons - colored leaves and nuts in the fall; white ribbons, snowflakes, or silver or blue stars in winter; pastels and flowers in spring; or a patriotic red, white, and blue theme with streamers for summer's Independence Day.

MORE: 16 Fall Fun Books for Kids
These activities are best undertaken in the autumn or early winter when you can discover the beauty of dried weeds and leaves.

Examine the weeds and leaves with your child. Ask, "How are they the same or different?" If possible, use an unbreakable magnifier (often sold as party favors) to get a close-up view.

Fill recycled containers or jar lids with clay to form a base for a dried weed arrangement. Sprinkle the clay with colored gravel and shells, or drape it with moss. Then gently press the gravel or moss into the clay and poke the clay with chopsticks to create small holes in which the weeds can stand.

Milkweed seedpods make great boats or window ornaments when painted and filled with dried flowers. Or invite your child to offer his own suggestions for how to use the seedpods.

Make lovely leaf prints by having your child turn the leaves over (to the vein side) and lightly paint them with tempera. While the leaf is still wet, press the painted side onto a piece of paper to create a print. Just like snowflakes, no two are the same!

MORE: Get Crafty With Fall Leaf Prints
Stones and rocks come in such wonderful shapes, sizes, and textures. Here are some ways to use these different "finds" with your child:

Invite your child to close his eyes and touch the different rocks with his hands. What do they feel like? How are they different? Have him sort the rocks into piles and then open his eyes to see what is in each. Any surprises?

Ask, "What can you do with your rocks?" Provide a variety of art materials such as paper, glue, fabric, pipe cleaners, and buttons. Stand back and see what he does with them all.

Make rock creatures or "pets" with your child by gluing rocks together. Use markers to make features and pipe cleaners for arms, legs, and tails.

MORE: Fill in an Autumn-Inspired Mad Libs Printable

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How many times have you heard your child say, "Look what I found!" with delight and amazement? All children see the creative potential in "stuff," but it is sometimes hard for adults to muster the same enthusiasm for a seemingly ordinary branch, leaf, or rock.

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...where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community. Where just you and a handful of friends can spend time together. A place that makes it easy to talk every day and hang out more often.

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Discord | Your Place to Talk and Hang Out

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Discord is the easiest way to talk over voice, video, and text. Talk, chat, hang out, and stay close with your friends and communities.

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10 - Fun Digital Videos on Citizenship K-5 (Commonsense.org)

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10 - Fun Digital Videos on Citizenship K-5 (Commonsense.org)

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From an early age, it's important for students to start learning healthy media habits. More and more, digital citizenship skills like balancing screen time with other activities, being kind to others online, and knowing what's OK and not OK to share online are essential at the elementary school level. But working digital citizenship lessons into an already-packed daily schedule can be a challenge for most teachers.

For Digital Citizenship Week, we've put together a series of quick video discussion activities you can use to kick-start your commitment to digital citizenship. These can fit into a short, 10-minute window of time -- be it planned or unplanned. It's easy -- just show the video to your students, then use the questions to lead a class discussion! And if you find time to take it further, each video has a free lesson plan linked on the video page, complete with slides, student handouts, family activities, and more.

Activities for Grades K-2

Discussion Questions: What was your favorite part of the song? What was one thing you learned from the song? Why should you take a break from your device when a friend says "hi"?

Discussion Questions: Which character do you relate to most when you go online? Why is it important to be kind online? Why shouldn't you open a message from someone you don't know?

Discussion Questions: What was one thing you learned from the Digital Citizens? Why is it a good idea to set a time limit when using technology? Why shouldn't you share your username or password with other people?

Discussion Questions: Do you ever have a hard time pausing when you're in the middle of watching a show or playing a game? If so, why do you think it's hard to pause? Why do you think it's important to stop what you're doing and pause for people even if you don't want to?

Discussion Questions: What did Arms like about the internet? What kinds of things can he do online? What three rules does Arms follow when going places online?

Activities for Grades 3-5

Discussion Questions: How could throwing a bottle out of your window be similar to something you do online? What are the Rings of Responsibility? Have you ever heard the term "digital citizen"? What comes to mind when you hear that term?

Discussion Questions: What type of information about you is OK to share? What type of information isn't? Why shouldn't you share private information?

Discussion Questions: According to the video, what is media balance? How are some media choices more or less healthy than others? What does media balance look like for you?

Discussion Questions: What is cyberbullying? What are some things you can do if you see cyberbullying?

Discussion Questions: Why do you think it's important to know the different parts of an online news article and website? What are some things to look out for when reading a news article online? How do you think knowing more about the parts of an online news article can help you?

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10 Fun Digital Citizenship Videos for K-5 Classrooms | Common Sense Education

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From an early age, it's important for students to start learning healthy media habits. More and more, digital citizenship skills like balancing screen time with other activities, being kind to others online, and knowing what's OK and not OK to share online are essential at the elementary school level.

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5 - Quick Video Discussion Activities for Middle School (Commonsense.org)

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5 - Quick Video Discussion Activities for Middle School (Commonsense.org)

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5 Quick Video Discussion Activities for Middle School | Common Sense Education

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Give students the space to share their perspectives on digital citizenship topics.

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5 - Videos that Get Teens Thinking Critically About Media (Commonsense.org)

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5 - Videos that Get Teens Thinking Critically About Media (Commonsense.org)

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5 Videos That Get Teens Thinking Critically About Media | Common Sense Education

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Use these videos and quick discussion activities to spark meaningful classroom conversations.

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Mason Plumlee Gets Moving

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Yo Uso la Comafrom Blazer Fresh (GoNoodle)

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Yo Uso la Comafrom Blazer Fresh (GoNoodle)

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Hip Hop Patterns (GoNoodle)

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Sing, dance, and practice patterns with this super-funky Blazer Fresh song.

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Physical Activities: Movement I See, I See (PlayWorks)

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Physical Activities: Movement I See, I See (PlayWorks)

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Playworks Play at Home Game: I See I See

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KIDZ BOP

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34 Minutes of KIDZ BOP Dance Along Videos

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Get Up and Dance (GoNoodle)

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Move, dance, munch and crunch as you sing about your delicious lunch.

Keep Moving With GoNoodle

GoNoodle is free for teachers, parents, and kids! Get moving with 300+ dance videos, mindfulness activities, and more engaging videos for kids!

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Move, dance, munch and crunch as you sing about your delicious lunch. GoNoodle is free for teachers, parents, and kids! Get moving with 300+ dance videos, mindfulness activities, and more engaging videos for kids!

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GoNoodle is free for teachers, parents, and kids! Get moving with 300+ dance videos, mindfulness activities, and more engaging videos for kids!

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Physical Activities: Movement Do The Chicken Dance (GoNoodle)

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Physical Activities: Movement Do The Chicken Dance (GoNoodle)

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Get Your Kids Moving & Practicing Mindfulness with GoNoodle®. Start Watching Now & Get Access to Hundreds of Videos! Active Learning. Healthy Kids. Active Kids. Boost Learning.

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Unicorn Noodles (En Español) from The Best Tees (GoNoodle)

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Unicorn Noodles (En Español) from The Best Tees (GoNoodle)

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Jump, Squat, Turn Around! (GoNoodle)

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What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? 

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What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? 

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During my school years, I learned about white scholars, white inventors, white ideas, and white theories. I did not read a book about a writer of color until I was in high school, and even then, it was not a part of the official curriculum. I was expected to find myself in narratives of enslaved Africans, of the three civil rights leaders I learned about each year, and of Black struggle. I did not see myself reflected in the clear faces with blonde hair and blue eyes that I read about or saw in magazines and on television. I became convinced that ingenuity could only live within whiteness.

I searched for stories about Black biracial children with immigrant mothers and absent fathers, about Black children who lived in cities and invented games because going outside was sometimes too dangerous. I searched for stories that represented me, that portrayed Black love, Black excellence, and Black joy. I searched for these stories until I could not search anymore.

Even as I was looking for myself in stories and lessons at school, I was watching news clips of Rodney King's assault by police officers on the side of the road. I was listening with horror as newscasters told the slanted narrative of Amadou Diallo, who died with 41 New York-Police Department bullets in his body. And still today, violence against Black bodies continues, most recently with the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Each unnecessary death fills me with worry and fear about whether I can ever be free of the trauma of witnessing the dismissiveness with which our country treats Black life.

When Black students experience a world that devalues their humanity-including through curricular content that perpetuates narratives of inferiority and excludes their lives and full histories-and when they witness people who look like them being beaten or slain in the media, they are subject to the trauma of being made to feel worthless and unseen, of being made inhuman. Just imagine the damage done to our Black students' psyches when, at school, they are made invisible in academic content and yet blaringly visible through oversurveillance and policing. And what do white children learn from these very same triggering images of Black death and the white-centered curricula that dominate many of our nation's classrooms? They learn how to un-see and devalue Black lives. They learn how to feel nothing about Black suffering.

Educators Can't Be Passive

Therefore, our trauma work must include not only addressing the toxic stress of racism, which contributes to adverse mental and physical health effects in people of color (Comas-Diaz & Hall, 2019; Williams, 1999), but also confronting the dangers of white privilege. Racial trauma work is just as necessary for white children because the hate and rage that feeds racism, which originates from the acceptance of white supremacy, inflict harm too. Without a deeper understanding of their racial biases and assumptions, white youth run the risk of putting Black lives at risk over their privileged safety (like the Central Park dog walker Amy Cooper) or becoming inured to basic civic injustices (like the politicians who allowed the water problems in Flint, Michigan, to happen and persist).

To ensure that all children, especially Black youth, have the privilege to live full lives, educators must confront racism and the resulting trauma from it. If not, we are not really doing equity work, and we are not really trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive. We are just saying we are. We are just maintaining the status quo. We are just making ourselves feel good. If we truly care about the future of our young people and our nation, we can no longer be passive about racial justice. We can no longer walk away, bask in our comfort, and ignore the way racism is killing us and destroying our nation.

Engaging in anti-racist work challenges the very institutions and systems that benefit from it, which means it comes with a host of risks. For me, it has resulted in a loss of material comfort and relationships, but I am willing to accept those risks for the promise of an anti-racist future. Anti-racist work has to be the hill you are willing to die on. That may sound drastic and morbid, but it is not a choice for Black folks-this dying for defending our humanity. I want to live in a world where Black people do not have to experience being punished for the color of our skin or being forced to conform to the ways of the white powerful. I've learned from experience that mitigating racial trauma requires naming racism, whiteness, and white supremacy and their impacts on people's lives. We have to identify the problem we are trying to solve to begin working towards solutions. For too long, our nation has chosen not to confront our ugly past or the continuing dehumanization of Black people-a negation of reality that is carried out in our schools. Our wounds will never heal if we do not identify and tend to them.

Teaching to prevent and mitigate racial trauma requires, first and foremost, that educators commit to racial justice, to being anti-racists . I have grown impatient with the many teachers I support who tell me how scared they are to talk about race, how they do not know where to begin, how they are paralyzed by discomfort and wanting to get it right. Racial justice is urgent, and though I understand this fear and desire, we have to stop prioritizing white tears over Black lives. We cannot let our emotions paralyze us from engaging in anti-racist teaching. We have to start somewhere. In a society that is founded on whiteness, the chances are high that we will make mistakes on our anti-racist journeys. We may say the wrong thing. We may offend someone. What matters most, however, is that we learn from our missteps and bounce back instead of wallowing in our self-pity. When we educate for racial justice, we must engage in self-work and understand our power and privilege so that we do not harm our students through an inadvertent abuse of power. If we do nothing, Black people will continue to experience the injustices we have always faced.

As we engage in racially just pedagogy, it is important that we do not retraumatize students by showing pictures or videos of police- or vigilante-related violence against Black people. Instead, focus on teaching students how to identify and analyze racial bias in media and provide ways for them to reach out to media outlets with their findings to advocate for fuller stories. Empower students to disrupt single narratives of Blackness. Most important, center students' realities in the content you teach. This means affirming and valuing students and their communities in our teaching and putting social justice, equity, liberty, healing, and humanity at the core of our instruction, curriculum, and school policies.

In this regard, I encourage educators to interrogate, with an antiracist lens, the curriculum, learning experiences, and school policies to which our Black students are subject. Ask whose realities are reflected in what they are learning. Whose are not? Who will have the privilege of feeling valued and belonging? Who will not? It is our responsibility to mitigate the trauma of erasure that so many Black students have experienced just as I did. Go above and beyond what textbooks tell us is our history, introduce diverse voices and experiences through literature and mentors, and expose students to better media resources so that all students see and believe in Black heroism, Black ingenuity, and Black success.

Lastly, we must create opportunities for students to share their feelings freely in courageous and safe spaces centered on healing. It is crucial to provide young people with resources and activities for healing and engaging in self-care and to share accessible therapeutic and counseling supports.

Antiracist pedagogy involves deep, courageous work. It is important to understand that we cannot trauma-inform away racism. We cannot tweet away racism. We cannot read away racism. We cannot intervention away racism. We cannot breathe away racism. Educators, and especially white teachers, have to roll up their sleeves, look within themselves, sit with discomfort, reflect on what they can do better, and then live and teach with racial justice as their guiding principle. This work starts with us, but it cannot end with us. It must include dismantling old oppressive systems and structures and building anew.

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If We Aren't Addressing Racism, We Aren't Addressing Trauma

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During my school years, I learned about white scholars, white inventors, white ideas, and white theories. I did not read a book about a writer of color until I was in high school, and even then, it wa

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Ramadan Considerations for Teachers During Distance Learning.

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Ramadan Considerations for Teachers During Distance Learning.

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Building Positive Relationships

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Ramadan is almost here! Friday April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan. For those of you who don't know, is the 9th month in the lunar calendar and it is an incredibly holy month for Muslims. Many Muslims, including some of your Muslim students, will be fasting - abstaining from any food or drink (yes, even water) - from dawn to dusk for 30 days to focus on personal growth and reflection.

This year's Ramadan is going to look and feel different for many Muslims around the world, including the ones in your virtual classrooms.

Here are some reminders and resources for you as you begin to think about how to best support the students that are distance learning and simultaneously observing Ramadan.

1. First and foremost, make sure that you are educating yourself about what Ramadan is and why it is so important for Muslims. Please make sure that you are not making students responsible for educating you or their classmates about Ramadan. is a good starting point.

2. Now that many standardized tests have been canceled, teachers might feel freer to actually carry out a lesson about Ramadan in their distant classrooms. Check out this resource from Teaching Tolerance and this resource from Teachers Pay Teachers.

3. An easy way to make your Muslim students feel connected is to wish them a "Ramadan Kareem" or "Ramadan Mubarak" which both loosely translates to "Have a Blessed Ramadan."

4. Many teachers already have great relationships with the parents/guardians of students - utilize that relationship at this time! Reach out to parents and ask about how you can specifically support their child during the month of Ramadan.

5. Students who are fasting are going to be exhausted. Not only is this still a pandemic, but it is a tradition for families to wake up before dawn (dawn is at 4:55 AM right now in NJ) to have a meal before beginning the fast (known as suhoor), and it is a tradition for some to also stay up late praying with their families. Since Muslims are no longer able to pray together in a Masjid, students might be spending even more time in front of a screen for virtual worship activities, in addition to their virtual learning. Adding a suggestion I saw online for teachers of older students - make assignments due at 11:59 pm. Or even later!

6. The days will be LONG. Please keep that in mind! Here in NJ, Muslims who are fasting won't be eating or drinking from around 4:55 AM to 7:42 PM. Ramadan is for an entire month, therefore a student's energy will fluctuate over the course of that month.

7. Prayer is important for Muslims all year round, and praying on time is also incredibly important, especially during Ramadan. Some families might want to pray together during the day because they are at home, even if students are expected by their teachers to be in a virtual class. You can look up the prayer times in your area and allow your students to miss a few minutes of virtual learning during those times if they wish to pray.

8. It might also be helpful (especially for younger students) if you avoided lessons or class activities that revolved around food, eating, or drinking during the month of Ramadan as well.

9. This suggestion is SUPER optional, but it might be nice if you so desired. Ramadan is supposed to be a very spiritual but also communal month. It is spent with family and friends especially when it is time to eat. When it is time to eat, at dusk, it is called "iftar" which literally means "break of a fast." Students might miss having communal gatherings, which is why you might feel inclined to invite your students to a Zoom Iftar (or any other virtual platform). This is absolutely NOT mandatory and please don't feel obligated to do so. Just a thought!

10. Lastly, here is a list of books about Ramadan that you might wish to use in your classrooms, or read yourselves!

It is very important to remember that just because your student is Muslim, does not mean that they will definitely be fasting. Muslims are excused from fasting when they are traveling, ill, elderly, pregnant, or menstruating. Some Muslims might be struggling with eating disorders and some might just be struggling with the fast for a number of reasons. Please don't assume that a student is fasting or ask them why they aren't fasting. Some Muslims also choose to explore other aspects of their spirituality and religiousness during this month which can manifest itself in different ways. For example, Muslim girls might decide to try wearing hijab and some Muslim students might choose not to listen to music. Please keep in mind all of these decisions do not dictate a person's religiosity, and as teachers, our job is to create spaces in which our students feel comfortable exploring their identities, however they choose to do so.

Thank you for caring about the well-being of all of your students, and especially the well-being of your Muslim students during this beautiful month of Ramadan.

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Ramadan Considerations for Teachers During Distance Learning - Teaching While Muslim

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Ramadan is almost here! Friday April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan. For those of you who don't know, is the 9th month in the lunar calendar and it is an incredibly holy month for Muslims. Many Muslims, including some of your Muslim students, will be fasting - abstaining from any food or drink (yes, even water) - from dawn to dusk for 30 days to focus on personal growth and reflection.

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Ramadan & Distance Learning: Insight from Two Muslim Parents

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Ramadan & Distance Learning: Insight from Two Muslim Parents

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Building Positive Relationships

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ramadan is almost here! Friday April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan. For those of you who don't know, is the 9th month in the lunar calendar and it is an incredibly holy month for Muslims. Many Muslims, including some of your Muslim students, will be fasting - abstaining from any food or drink (yes, even water) - from dawn to dusk for 30 days to focus on personal growth and reflection.

This year's Ramadan is going to look and feel different for many Muslims around the world, including the ones in your virtual classrooms.

Here are some reminders and resources for you as you begin to think about how to best support the students that are distance learning and simultaneously observing Ramadan.

1. First and foremost, make sure that you are educating yourself about what Ramadan is and why it is so important for Muslims. Please make sure that you are not making students responsible for educating you or their classmates about Ramadan. is a good starting point.

2. Now that many standardized tests have been canceled, teachers might feel freer to actually carry out a lesson about Ramadan in their distant classrooms. Check out this resource from Teaching Tolerance and this resource from Teachers Pay Teachers.

3. An easy way to make your Muslim students feel connected is to wish them a "Ramadan Kareem" or "Ramadan Mubarak" which both loosely translates to "Have a Blessed Ramadan."

4. Many teachers already have great relationships with the parents/guardians of students - utilize that relationship at this time! Reach out to parents and ask about how you can specifically support their child during the month of Ramadan.

5. Students who are fasting are going to be exhausted. Not only is this still a pandemic, but it is a tradition for families to wake up before dawn (dawn is at 4:55 AM right now in NJ) to have a meal before beginning the fast (known as suhoor), and it is a tradition for some to also stay up late praying with their families. Since Muslims are no longer able to pray together in a Masjid, students might be spending even more time in front of a screen for virtual worship activities, in addition to their virtual learning. Adding a suggestion I saw online for teachers of older students - make assignments due at 11:59 pm. Or even later!

6. The days will be LONG. Please keep that in mind! Here in NJ, Muslims who are fasting won't be eating or drinking from around 4:55 AM to 7:42 PM. Ramadan is for an entire month, therefore a student's energy will fluctuate over the course of that month.

7. Prayer is important for Muslims all year round, and praying on time is also incredibly important, especially during Ramadan. Some families might want to pray together during the day because they are at home, even if students are expected by their teachers to be in a virtual class. You can look up the prayer times in your area and allow your students to miss a few minutes of virtual learning during those times if they wish to pray.

8. It might also be helpful (especially for younger students) if you avoided lessons or class activities that revolved around food, eating, or drinking during the month of Ramadan as well.

9. This suggestion is SUPER optional, but it might be nice if you so desired. Ramadan is supposed to be a very spiritual but also communal month. It is spent with family and friends especially when it is time to eat. When it is time to eat, at dusk, it is called "iftar" which literally means "break of a fast." Students might miss having communal gatherings, which is why you might feel inclined to invite your students to a Zoom Iftar (or any other virtual platform). This is absolutely NOT mandatory and please don't feel obligated to do so. Just a thought!

10. Lastly, here is a list of books about Ramadan that you might wish to use in your classrooms, or read yourselves!

It is very important to remember that just because your student is Muslim, does not mean that they will definitely be fasting. Muslims are excused from fasting when they are traveling, ill, elderly, pregnant, or menstruating. Some Muslims might be struggling with eating disorders and some might just be struggling with the fast for a number of reasons. Please don't assume that a student is fasting or ask them why they aren't fasting. Some Muslims also choose to explore other aspects of their spirituality and religiousness during this month which can manifest itself in different ways. For example, Muslim girls might decide to try wearing hijab and some Muslim students might choose not to listen to music. Please keep in mind all of these decisions do not dictate a person's religiosity, and as teachers, our job is to create spaces in which our students feel comfortable exploring their identities, however they choose to do so.

Thank you for caring about the well-being of all of your students, and especially the well-being of your Muslim students during this beautiful month of Ramadan.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ramadan Considerations for Teachers During Distance Learning - Teaching While Muslim

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ramadan is almost here! Friday April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan. For those of you who don't know, is the 9th month in the lunar calendar and it is an incredibly holy month for Muslims. Many Muslims, including some of your Muslim students, will be fasting - abstaining from any food or drink (yes, even water) - from dawn to dusk for 30 days to focus on personal growth and reflection.

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Learningkeepsgoing.org: Find guidance, best practices and strategies from experts in the field to assist you in online learning. 

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Learningkeepsgoing.org: Find guidance, best practices and strategies from experts in the field to assist you in online learning. 

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Learning environments that allow for rich educator and student collaboration and communication, and may also include collaboration with subject matter experts, instructional support personnel, and peers.

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International Society for Technology in Education

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Expert strategies for teachers and leaders | Learning Keeps Going

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Learning environments that allow for rich educator and student collaboration and communication, and may also include collaboration with subject matter experts, instructional support personnel, and peers.

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Teaching Tolerance webinars: Watch these FREE on-demand webinars at your own pace and share them with colleagues!

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Learning for Justice webinars offer helpful guidance and great ideas from our experienced teaching and learning specialists and from innovative educators in the Learning for Justice community. Watch these FREE on-demand webinars at your own pace and share them with colleagues!

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All About 112 Holidays (Videos): Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and many many more

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All About 112 Holidays (Videos): Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and many many more

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Have you ever stopped to wonder why we wear Halloween costumes, celebrate Thanksgiving in November, or choose valentines in February? These familiar traditions have fascinating and sometimes surprising origins. Get to know the history and significance behind these U.S. holidays (and more!) with this new collection of resources.

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Online learning and instruction offer their own particular benefits and challenges at any time-here we suggest some resources and activities that may help those suddenly faced with teaching online.
Download the PDF version.
Click on each item to jump directly to the resource described or scroll to browse.
Writing Together: Ten Weeks Teaching and Studenting in an Online Writing Course
This book narrates the experience of an asynchronous online writing course (OWC) through the dual perspective of the teacher, Scott, and a student, Diana Gasiewski, who participated in that OWC. Both teacher and student describe their strategies, activities, approaches, thoughts, and responses as they move week by week through the experience of teaching and taking an OWC.

You've probably heard that audiobooks serve as a useful resource for struggling readers. Classroom teachers sometimes use audiobooks to help students gain access to material that's too difficult for them to read independently. Audiobooks help novice readers build vocabulary, boost pronunciation skills, and develop fluency. What you might not have considered is what audiobooks offer proficient readers.

Book-to-film adaptations provide great ways for children to explore their favorite books in new ways.

Read on to see how you can use comics and cartoons with children and students.

Children and students need to feel that they own their space and the learning that takes place in it.

Encourage family relationship building by participating in family activities during breaks from school.

The following resources from NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org provide more ideas for fostering family literacy.

Nothing tests your knowledge like a crossword puzzle! But did you know the format of a crossword puzzle can be an effective learning tool, too?

If you are spending time with friends and family, in person or virtually, work together on these activities!

Since a majority of our students are engaging with social media outside the classroom, it makes good sense to integrate it into learning.

Breaks from school offer wonderful opportunities for families, caregivers, and out-of-school educators to help improve reading and writing. ReadWriteThink.org's Parent & Afterschool Resources and NCTE provide many resources, activities, and tools.

Reading and writing texts online are basic skills that students need to be literate citizens in today's world. Teaching with blogs provides the opportunity to engage students in both of these literacy activities, and the strategy has the additional benefit of enabling students to publish their writing easily and to share their writing with an authentic audience.

Take a few minutes and send someone a handwritten letter. Then, invite your students to write letters using these resources from ReadWriteThink.org.

Zines are small-circulation, self-published works of original or appropriated texts and images. Here are some resources from NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org to get you started.
Voices from the Middle
Lesson plans with specific digital tools mentioned to complete projects/tasks.
English Journal
The authors examine photovoice projects created by students and teacher candidates who explored issues of gender in response to a young adult novel and co-researched that process.
English Journal
This article describes blogging implementation in ninth-grade pre-advanced placement language arts classes to support strong writing practices. The author found that blogging empowered high school authors to craft worlds of digital expression where they pushed each other to become stronger writers.
Voices from the Middle
Recommendations of digital classroom tools from The Nerdy Book Club.
Voices from the Middle
This article describes how a middle school teacher uses technology, within an otherwise traditional writing workshop, to facilitate differentiated mini-lessons, confer with writers, and offer writers opportunity for peer response. In the end, she balances ways of streamlining workflow digitally, while maintaining the integrity of writing workshop and offering greater differentiation to meet the needs of writers in her middle school classroom.
English Leadership Quarterly
In this interview, Chris Bronke, teacher and CEL member, discusses useful digital tools for conferring.
Voices from the Middle
This article offers a model for organizing collaborative learning outside of classroom time. It describes affordances and constraints of the digital space and the process used. It also offers insight to how teaching in online spaces looks different from face-to-face instruction and how to support students. Includes screenshots that show very specific ways to set up a class module along with discussions of what to consider as you construct this.
English Journal
The authors worked with preservice teachers and youth in a juvenile detention center to pilot a curriculum focused on critical engagement with online text. Discussion of a specific lesson plan that involves analyzing Instagram posts.
English Journal
The setting and characters of To Kill a Mockingbird came to life in new ways when eighth graders in Georgia explored virtual reality apps as they studied the novel.
Voices from the Middle
While this specific lesson was classroom-focused, it could easily be adapted to digital work, especially related to current events.
English Journal
As an alternative to the traditional research paper for an English class, a digital narrative assignment positioned students as multimedia storytellers.
English Leadership Quarterly
Discussion of a specific lesson plan and digital tools for sharing peer responses to writing.
Language Arts
This Perspectives on Practice column focuses on using student audio recordings to help them craft their writing. Students use audio recorders of their own choice (like a smartphone or other kind of device) to record their own thoughts as they draft projects.
ReadWriteThink.org RESOURCES

ReadWriteThink's mission is to provide educators, parents, and after-school professionals with access to the highest quality practices in reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free materials.

Parent & Afterschool Resources

So just how are you supposed to read aloud? Or help kids write? Get quick and useful suggestions from the experts.

Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students. View by day, by week, or by month.

Want to help kids and teens with their reading and writing skills, but not sure where to begin? We've got engaging, step-by-step activities-just pick one and get started!

Kids and teens should read and write even when they are out of school. Why is this so important? Check out this flyer.

ReadWriteThink.org ACTIVITIES K-12

Act out a story after reading it. Work together to create a script and make costumes and props. Then invite others to watch and hear your story!

Choose favorite rhyming songs or nursery rhymes then replace the rhyming words with seasonal themes.

Help children use favorite photos to write a homemade memory book.

Boost vocabulary by taking an imaginary trip into space. After a lunar "landing," children return to Earth with a galaxy of new words.

After reading If You Give a Moose a Muffin, have a "Muffin Party"! Children will write invitations, follow a recipe, and enjoy sharing their homemade muffins.

Share a fun book about staying safe and then talk about real-life safety issues before writing a letter to someone in your community who can help.

Children will learn their address and phone number to help keep them safe.

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and you're surrounded by brilliant shades of green! Observe and collect sensory images from nature and use the sights, sounds, smells, and textures to create original nature poetry.

In this activity, children go on a hunt for places where they can read and enjoy books: on a family road trip, at the pool, at the doctor's office.

Work together, create a bingo board that can be played while walking around town, going to the zoo or a museum, or traveling on a vacation.

In this activity, children write short everyday notes to remind, plan, request, or compliment others.

Find three fun online games that are designed to help children learn to recognize letters and how they sound.

These activities will have children reading signs, logos, brand names, and other words all over their homes and communities.

Children love books that rhyme and to create their own rhymes. It's a fun way to learn how words sound similar to one another!

With a piece of paper and a pen, kids can learn anywhere! This activity gets kids writing, looking closely at letters, and learning some new words in any room of the house.

Encourage children to connect words and pictures by having them write their own captions for family or magazine photos.

When you plant a garden, involve children in the process by writing down questions and observations on the garden's growth in a garden journal.

From dishes to doors, find shapes all around you while strengthening important reading and math skills.

Make learning how to spell words a little "wild and crazy" by ditching the pen and paper and using unique materials that will make your kids really smile while they're having fun.

Children incorporate materials from outdoors with paints or crayons to create pieces of art to display on their clotheslines, fences, or porches for a neighborhood art show.

Want to visit a museum without leaving your computer? Virtually dig for famous historical artifacts from around the world found in the British Museum.

Get children excited about writing and descriptive language by creating yummy descriptions of their favorite candy.

Use recipes to help children practice reading and writing step-by-step instructions. Have them sample the results to see how they did.

Use shape and theme poems-poems that look like the things they describe-as a fun way to introduce children to poetry.

Children learn how to make a convincing argument-an important skill in school and in life.

Have children make cards describing their favorite characters from the books they have read.

Using published comics and cartoons as examples, children can create their own while playing with images and language.

Children can interview family members and make an illustrated timeline of the most important family events and memories.

In this activity, children look closely at living things in their natural environments and then make books about what they see.

Children will draw on their knowledge of story structure and fairy tales to write their own.

Can't make it to a zoo? After reading a book about apes, observe animal habits and habitats using one of the many webcams broadcasting from zoos and aquariums around the United States and the world.

Playing board games or card games can be a fun activity, so why not make your own?

Sort through your junk mail and talk about what you find for a fun literacy activity before recycling it!

Children watch the nighttime sky come alive as they read a book about fascinating elements in the night and write a poem/story about the things they learn!

Let children explore an interesting subject-themselves. An online tool will teach them to summarize and organize information as they write.

While enjoying a book that features a journey, children write postcards from the perspective of the main character for each stop along the trip.

Shake up children's reading by introducing them to new and fun formats for storytelling.

After reading about historical figures and other important people that have changed the world, children choose someone that they consider to be "amazing"-either someone they've heard about or someone they know-and create a book page that highlights this person.

Create a treasure hunt out of word-puzzle clues hidden around the home or yard.

Everyone loves getting a greeting card, especially if it's handmade. Make a funny or thoughtful greeting card or invitation with pictures and a poem, a joke, or a riddle.

Kids will love Hink Pinks-word puzzles that use two-word clues to lead to a rhyming solution. Try one and get hooked yourself: Obese feline? Fat cat!

Brainstorm popular expressions with friends and family, then explore their meanings through game play and writing/drawing/cut-and-paste activities.

Explore fairy tales told in both old and new ways and use an online tool to help children create their own "fractured" version of a fairy tale.

Have children explore the different parts of mystery writing by making a puzzle about a favorite book. They can then invent and write their own mysteries using the online Mystery Cube tool.

Let children practice using different types of words in a fill-in-the-blank-story game before making their own word list for a magnetic poetry set.

Encourage children to spend a little time thinking and writing about just what makes a hero and who their personal heroes might be.

Visit a museum or art gallery (either online or in person) with children and teens, helping them find inspiration for a story based on a piece of art that they particularly enjoy or relate to.

After reading a book or magazine, children and teens can choose a section and transform it into a "found poem."

Before seeing a film based on a book, classic or contemporary, children can learn about filmmaking and create their own scenes based on their favorite moments from the book.

Invite young adults to write letters to classmates, postcards from travels, and emails to family and friends.

Writing stories that imitate a certain genre or type of fiction allows children to explore a book they love by imagining new twists for their favorite characters and plot lines.

This activity invites children and teens to explore various careers and then write about what they might want to be when they grow up in a blog.

Kids learn about weather sayings throughout history while writing and illustrating a book for younger children.

Explore how music can have an emotional impact on a scene in a movie, then help teens write and film a scene of their own.

Invite teens to explore issues that are important to them and then write a script and film a video public service announcement.

Work with teens to learn about family members' significant personal experiences by interviewing them and sharing their stories with the rest of the family.

Engage teens in this activity in which they use photographs to examine and write about courage on a blog.

This activity can help teens create picture books that a teen caregiver can then share with children.

This activity will help pairs or groups of teens explore a hands-on approach that lets them become both comic book writers and comic book artists.

In this activity teens are encouraged to explore their reading history as they remember books they liked reading as children and then revisit these old favorites.

Work with a teen to create a wiki with everything people should know about the teen's top ten favorite songs-and your favorite songs as well! Then invite friends to add their favorite songs too.

Teens can take part in the process of building family histories by recording the stories, or memoirs, of family members.

In this project, teens create autobiographies, adding music selections to their life stories.

This activity gives teens an opportunity to write reviews on the movies, television shows, music, restaurants, and books they love-and hate!

Using a variety of artifacts, mementos, and technologies, teens can create an electronic scrapbook of their most important moments in high school.

In this activity, you can discuss with teens how they can tell the "good" characters from the "bad" ones by watching for clues that the movie makers have left.

This activity will help teens create a professional résumé that effectively presents their skills and talents to future employers.

FROM OTHER EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS

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Resources for Virtual Instruction and Online Learning

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Online learning and instruction offer their own particular benefits and challenges at any time-here we suggest some resources and activities that may help those suddenly faced with teaching online. Download the PDF version. Click on each item to jump directly to the resource described or scroll to browse.

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HELP FAMILIES CONTINUE ACTIVE LEARNING AT HOME

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HELP FAMILIES CONTINUE ACTIVE LEARNING AT HOME

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How to keep children engaged in active learning at home.

At HighScope, we view families as our valued partners and we strive to collaborate with them to promote optimal learning and development for their children outside of the classroom. During this uncertain time, we want to support educators and families, not overwhelm them. This is why we've curated our best "at-home" activities, strategies, and resources to give you a practical way to keep children engaged in active learning at home.

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HighScope At Home | How to continue early childhood education

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At HighScope, we view families as our valued partners and we strive to collaborate with them to promote optimal learning and development for their children outside of the classroom. During this uncertain time, we want to support educators and families, not overwhelm them.

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Well Being: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19:  English

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Well Being: A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19:  English

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With the growing impact of the COVID-19 virus, ReadyRosie is developing this free toolkit as a resource to support families with information and resources for supporting the children in their care.

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Weekly Themed Activities to Practice Mindfulness with Your Children

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Weekly Themed Activities to Practice Mindfulness with Your Children

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For Youngers: Encourage them to talk about a time they may have been afraid of the dark, but eventually were able to go to bed alone. (If your child hasn't mastered this yet, choose another area of growth you've seen in him or her.)

For Olders: Encourage them to talk about what happens when they have a disagreement with a friend. What's the difference between choosing to ignore them or mustering courage to talk things through with that friend?

Concluding Your Conversation: "When we cope with something, it is no longer stressful, but when we avoid something, it takes our effort to be sure we stay removed from it."

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Help Kids Cope with COVID19 | Crisis Management Institute

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For Youngers: Encourage them to talk about a time they may have been afraid of the dark, but eventually were able to go to bed alone. (If your child hasn't mastered this yet, choose another area of growth you've seen in him or her.)

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Guidance includes: Overview:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation, and ensures special education and related services to these children.

The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.

The challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic are many and have forced school districts across the nation to take necessary steps not only to protect the health and safety of students, but also to address the academic, and social emotional needs of our most vulnerable students. Although distance learning quickly became the default solution for the more than 54 million students displaced by school closures, it is not the most accessible choice for the nearly 7 million students identified as students with disabilities under IDEA.

Recent by the U.S. Department of Education and the department's Office for Civil Right (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) sought to clarify guidance and information to state and local education agencies on the legal obligations to provide a free and appropriate public education required by IDEA.

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Supporting Students with Disabilities Tip Sheet During COVID-19 School Closures

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Guidance includes: Overview: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation, and ensures special education and related services to these children.

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FAQs on IEPs & School Closures (Understood.org)

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FAQs on IEPs & School Closures (Understood.org)

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Can a public school send a student or teacher home if they have the coronavirus?

Yes. The government (and public schools) have the power to act to keep students and school staff safe. If someone has an illness that's a direct threat to others, schools may require the person to stay home. They also have the legal power to close down physical buildings and have all kids learn from home.

Can the school share information about a student or staff person having coronavirus?

Schools can and may be required by law to disclose that coronavirus exposure has occurred. However, they can't identify the person except in specific situations.

Teachers and school staff also have privacy rights. In general, schools can share that coronavirus exposure has occurred, but they can't give out identifying information. However, the laws around employees are complex. For more information, look at this guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

When a school closes temporarily for all kids, do kids have the right to instruction at home?

No. Let's say a school closes because of an emergency and decides that no students will be taught. In that case, all instruction stops.

Because there's no general education happening, there typically will be no special education either. There may be rare exceptions to this for kids with needs that are critical or time-sensitive.

State laws require that students have a certain number of days of instruction per year. So what's happening now is that physical school buildings are staying closed, but schools are reopening with kids learning at home.

When schools close and decide to have all kids learn at home, are they still required to provide special education?

Yes. Kids with disabilities have the right to a free appropriate public education . If a state or school district decides that all students must be taught at home for public safety, it must have a plan for special education services. Many states and schools have already put these plans in place, while others are just beginning to do so.

When all kids are learning at home, what happens to special instruction or related services in a child's IEP?

We don't know all the details yet.

In the guidance, the U.S. Department of Education says schools must "make every effort to provide special education and related services" to students. But it notes that there could be "exceptional circumstances" that change how services take place.

Many IEP services are provided one-on-one or in small groups. For example, a student's IEP might require 30 minutes of occupational therapy. How will the school deliver this? Will there be enough staff to send someone to every family's home? Will parents want visitors?

Schools will need to iron out a lot of details. If services are missed, the U.S. Department of Education says IEP teams must consider make-up or "compensatory" services.

As schools continue to manage coronavirus, there may be situations where families and schools disagree. Despite any differences, it's important to work together to make sure everyone stays safe and that kids get the services they need.

Does a public school have to respond to bullying, harassment, and discrimination?

Yes. Even as they work to keep students safe, schools may not discriminate against kids based on disability, race, color, or national origin. They must also investigate and respond to bullying or harassment that denies kids their right to an education.

If a child with an IEP has coronavirus and is sent home, but the school stays open in person, does the child have the right to instruction at home?

This isn't really happening now, as nearly all schools are closed. In the future, however, it may come up when schools reopen in person. And the answer is a bit complicated.

If kids have IEPs, the U.S. Department of Education says they need to be classified as needing homebound instruction because of a medical problem, ordered by a doctor. They also must be out for an extended time (usually 10 consecutive days or more).

Once this happens, the IEP team must hold a meeting to figure out how to provide education and services to the child. That might include forms of distance learning, like schoolwork packets, telephone or video calls, online classes, or some other learning away from school. Any services might need to be adapted because of the child's location and illness. However, the child still has the right to them.

We'll be working with NCLD to update these FAQs as we learn more. If you have any input on these FAQs, please share it with us.

About the Author

About the Author

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD&nbsp

is an editor and former attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Lindsay Jones, JD&nbsp

is chief executive officer of the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).

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Legal FAQs on Coronavirus, School Closings, and Special Education

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Can a public school send a student or teacher home if they have the coronavirus? Yes. The government (and public schools) have the power to act to keep students and school staff safe. If someone has an illness that's a direct threat to others, schools may require the person to stay home.

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Play and Learn Science App | RTL 2015 - 2020 | PBS LearningMedia

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Play with shadows, control the weather, roll and slide objects down a ramp, choose the best materials for an umbrella - all while building science inquiry skills and learning core science concepts. The games in the app encourage kids to see the science in their world.

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Science Museum (Miami): How to Mix Colors

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Science Museum (Miami): How to Mix Colors

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Science Museum Field Trip | PBS LearningMedia

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Science is all about discovery! At the Miami Science Museum, Penny and the KidVision VPK kids find out how to mix colors with their own shadows, learn how levers work on a giant swing, compare a real Bald Eagle to a Screech Owl, and much more.

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Weather Station Field Trip | PBS LearningMedia

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At the National Weather Service and Hurricane Center, Penny and the KidVision VPK kids learn how to read world weather maps, track hurricanes, predict the weather, and practice reporting on television.

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Press play on movement and mindfulness. Hundreds of videos that activate kids' bodies and brains.

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Take on The Day - Focus on the Day (Think About It)

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Take on The Day - Focus on the Day (Think About It)

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Take a moment to get ready for the day ahead of you.

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Access 100s of Videos for Families by GoNoodle

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Access 100s of Videos for Families by GoNoodle

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Get Your Kids Moving & Practicing Mindfulness with GoNoodle®. Start Watching Now & Get Access to Hundreds of Videos! Active Learning. Healthy Kids. Active Kids. Boost Learning.

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GettingSmart.com: tFostering Connectedness During Remote Learning

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The past few weeks have been challenging in the world. Life has changed and we have seen many aspects of our everyday life impacted and in many cases, we feel unprepared and confused as to what our next steps are and how we can best prepare ourselves for the future.

As educators, our work is even more complex because we now find ourselves providing ways for our students to continue learning during this uncertain time. We do not know for sure how long school closures might continue, with some schools currently closed for two weeks, others currently at six weeks and with the CDC recommending eight weeks or longer in order to mitigate the potential impact of the Coronavirus. If schools are closed for eight weeks or longer, this might mean that some will not reopen during this school year. So what do we do?

In our world there is so much technology and many resources, the number one question we must ask and answer is: what access do our families and our students have? There has been a flood of resources shared with access to many edtech tools now made available for free from different companies. All of this is amazing and wonderful but we still have to focus on the equity piece and making sure we understand what is available. It can also be overwhelming to figure out where to start, especially if there is not a lot of prior experience with teaching online.

The biggest area we need to focus on first and to be consistent is in communicating. There is going to be a lot of information coming about how to prepare, what types of learning should occur, and how to set up remote learning, just for a start. The best thing we can do is to focus on ways that we can stay connected to communicate with our family and our school. A big impact of the sudden shift to remote learning is the loss of social interaction.

First, we must find out what access our families and students have. Then we must provide multiple options so that everybody can access the information and learning materials. I think an important first step is to set up a consistent way to send messages, which means that messages should be sent in different formats so that everyone can select something that works for them. Here are some of the different ways that we can communicate and stay connected during this remote learning time.

Communicating Updates

We must still rely on traditional and consistent forms of communication such as email and phone calls and keeping our school websites up-to-date. But within our schools, we can leverage other tools to streamline communication in a faster way. Depending on each school, using tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for communicating and collaborating might be an option. Tools such as Remind or Seesaw have been great options for individual educators to connect with students and families and ParentSquare provides resources for more than communication for schoolwide use. For asynchronous communication using a walkie-talkie app like Voxer can be great for sharing ideas quickly.

The Power of Connecting

When we shift to remote learning, and this is something that I experienced in my own work as a student, we lose out on social interactions. If we are interacting solely by exchanging ideas through writing in an online space, without any opportunity for audio or video interactions, it makes it more difficult to connect. This lack of social presence has been a concern in regard to online learning for a long time, however, there are many ways that educators can promote social presence by leveraging some of the digital tools available. Here are some options:

Chat options: I've had a few people reach out to me to find out how they can promote a discussion in their classes, but of course, there are concerns about being able to get started quickly. Some of the options available include Backchannelchat, Loop, YO Teach!, and even Padlet can be good for creating a discussion space. Here is a recent post where I discussed some other collaboration tools with chat options.

Voice: Start a podcast to provide class updates, share ideas, or just talk using free tools like Synth or Anchor. Educators can record messages for students, colleagues, the school community using either of these options. With Synth, teachers can create a discussion topic and encourage students to respond to a thread using audio or video. Being able to see and hear directly from classmates and colleagues in the absence of being in the same physical space, can make a big difference in the learning experience and help us to feel more connected. I have used Anchor to share ideas on a variety of topics and it is very easy to get started with.

Video: A big concern is how to provide ongoing instruction and support for our students. We can leverage some of the different tools available for creating short videos that we can share with students and also other educators around the world. There are many free tools out there and some are also offering free accounts now. Some of the ones that I have used are Screencastify, Screencast-o-Matic, and Loom. Other options for creating instructional videos are tools like Educreations or ShowMe, where you can use an interactive dry erase board or add images to your lesson. For recording a quick video, a simple Google search can help you find a webcam recorder which can be used to record and then download an mp4 of your video to share on other platforms.

Multimedia: For more interactive learning options that can include a variety of media and promote collaboration, choosing tools like Buncee, Flipgrid, Padlet or Wakelet, enables teachers to create activities, announcements, lessons and more by leveraging the many options available within each of these. Teachers and students can create a lesson or a prompt with each of these and add additional resources that are relevant to the class or school news. The added benefit of having Immersive Reader in tools like Buncee, Flipgrid and Wakelet promotes accessibility and enables these materials to be shared with classrooms around the world.

Meetings: There are a lot of educators creating helpful tutorial videos, leading webinars and setting up virtual spaces for educators to share ideas. Offering a weekly check-in or virtual office hours for students or colleagues can be a good way to keep connecting over the next few weeks. Using a tool like Zoom, which is currently offering free accounts for educators, provides a space to either record a video, hold a panel discussion or meeting, and include the ability to screen share and chat. Another option is to set up a Google Hangout or leverage Facebook Live to connect with students and educators.

These are just a few of the options available to create a space for communicating during this unprecedented time in education. Choosing any of these will help educators and families work together to keep information flowing and provide meaningful interactions and learning opportunities.

For more, see:

Stay in-the-know with innovations in learning by signing up for the weekly Smart Update .

This post includes mentions of a Getting Smart partner. For a full list of partners, affiliate organizations and all other disclosures, please see our Partner page .

Rachelle Dene Poth is a Foreign Language and STEAM Teacher at Riverview Junior/Senior High in Oakmont, PA. Follow her on Twitter at @rdene915

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Fostering Connectedness During Remote Learning | Getting Smart

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The past few weeks have been challenging in the world. Life has changed and we have seen many aspects of our everyday life impacted and in many cases, we feel unprepared and confused as to what our next steps are and how we can best prepare ourselves for the future.

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iste.org: 4 ways to use tech to create a culturally responsive classroom (remote learning)

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Expecting students to leave behind all that they are when they enter the classroom isn't just unrealistic, it's unfair. But that's often what's expected of students: Show up and be prepared to take what we offer. Technology, however, has delivered the means to provide more culturally relevant instruction.

"When a lesson is relevant, the student becomes a learner, their interests are sparked and their brains ignite, and that is how we close the achievement gap," says Alicia Discepola, a digital literacy and learning specialist for Millville Public Schools in New Jersey.

"Culturally responsive teaching focuses on students' cultural knowledge and frames of reference. So, if we're going to meet the needs of our students and communities, we have to know who they are."

Technology provides ways to do that every step of the way, Discepola says. Here are four ways to make your classroom more culturally responsive with technology.

1. Translation

Use apps like Google Translate, iTranslate or Reverso to communicate with families who don't speak English.

2. Livestreaming

Use sites like YouTube Live, YouNow or Live to virtually bring families into the school for special events or to showcase learning.

3. Web accessibility

On websites, include text-to-speech and translation tools, and provide accessible information through multiple means, like interactive images with ThingLink.

4. Collaboration

Promote student voice and choice by allowing kids to decide how to show what they're learning. Google Hangouts, ePals and Skype let students collaborate and communicate with people around the world. Teachers can provide meaningful feedback through personalized videos and screencasting, comment threads and G Suite.

Finally, Discepola says, look within and examine your own biases and judgment. Have tough conversations with yourself and see where there's room to learn.

"Our students' cultures, interests and backgrounds, can no longer be left out of learning. When we know better, we do better, and we have the power and the potential to involve and empower all learners. So, let's do it."

You can learn more by watching Alicia Discepola's presentation below on creating a culturally responsive classroom.
Jerry Fingal is a freelance writer and editor who covers education, finance, business and agriculture.

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4 Ways To Use Tech To Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

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Culturally responsive teaching focuses on students' cultural knowledge and frames of reference. So, if teachers are going to meet the needs of our students and communities, educators have to know who they are, and technology can help.

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IDEAS & TIPS FOR FAMILIES: designed to help families guide your children who are making the shift to online learning.

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IDEAS & TIPS FOR FAMILIES: designed to help families guide your children who are making the shift to online learning.

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International Society for Technology in Education

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Parent ideas and tips for online learning | Learning Keeps Going

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Lessons, ideas and tips to help you guide your children who are making the shift to online learning.

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Educational Development Center: (Spanish) Using Technology to Support Learning at Home

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Educational Development Center: (Spanish) Using Technology to Support Learning at Home

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Leaders of K-12 schools, colleges, and universities sometimes release formal statements when acts of racial violence and injustice occur locally and elsewhere in our country. Many are writing now to their communities about the death last week of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis. While these statements are meant to represent solidarity and support, they can miss the mark if not courageously constructed. Dozens of leaders have sought our counsel on what to say in this moment. This essay includes some advice we have offered them on ways to make statements more substantive, trustworthy, and actionable.

We acknowledge that police officers have killed unarmed people across all racial and ethnic groups. But if a statement at this particular time is specifically about the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, then it should specifically address Black people's long-standing, catastrophic interactions with law enforcement officers and the persistent anti-Black racism that has plagued our nation and its educational institutions. We also insist that leaders cite Black people explicitly, as opposed to referring broadly to "people of color" or "historically disadvantaged communities."

While we strongly prefer action over written words, we understand that students, educators, parents, and others in local communities often expect (and sometimes pressure) leaders to swiftly release statements. Here are six things we suggest leaders who seriously aim to make a difference do in statements:

1. Acknowledge that citizens across the country are protesting not only the death of George Floyd, but also police killings of many other unarmed Black people over time.

2. Say how you personally feel about police officers killing unarmed Black people. Also say why you feel the way you do.

3. Use words that explicitly name racial violence. Do not soften the intensity of systemic racism with broad language about diversity, equity, and inclusion. If the statement does not include words such as "racism," "racist," "white supremacy," or "anti-Blackness," it is insufficient and therefore should be revised.

4. Call for readers of the statement to ask Black students, Black teachers, Black staff members, and Black families how they are affected by this; what support they need from their schools; and what they would like to have happen in this moment and beyond.

5. Urge readers of the statement to help students and colleagues across all racial and ethnic groups more deeply understand the realities of Black people's interactions with law-enforcement officers locally and elsewhere. Also encourage readers to form interracial coalitions that peacefully oppose anti-Blackness and pursue racial equity for Black Americans. Be sure to stress that Black people should be involved in these coalitions, and we all must stand alongside them.

6. Articulate actions you plan to take to confirm that Black lives do indeed matter. For example, specify how you will work to eliminate racist discipline policies and practices in your school or district; address the misdiagnosis of Black children for special education; provide Black students equitable access to gifted programs, Advanced Placement courses, and other academically rigorous experiences; integrate anti-racist and Black studies curricula across your academic programs; hire, support, and advance the careers of more Black employees; and provide multidimensional, sustained professional learning experiences for teachers, counselors, staff members, and administrators across all racial and ethnic groups.

Statements that include these elements indicate a clear stance on care for and affirmation of Black students and families. They have the potential to motivate and inspire readers and perhaps bolster their confidence in superintendents, principals, school board members, and other administrators. However, it is what leaders do in the days, weeks, and years ahead that will ultimately make a difference in the dismantling of white supremacy and anti-Black racism that occurs within and beyond schools.

Dorinda J. Carter Andrews is a professor and the chairperson of the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. Shaun R. Harper is a professor at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education, executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center, and the president of the American Educational Research Association.

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6 Considerations for School Leaders Making a Statement About George Floyd

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Leaders of K-12 schools, colleges, and universities sometimes release formal statements when acts of racial violence and injustice occur locally and elsewhere in our country. Many are writing now to their communities about the death last week of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis.

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This children's rally features children's authors, illustrators, children, and publishers discussing anti-racism, the protests for Black lives, the legacy of racism, and how to use children's literature to have appropriate conversations with children.

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School librarian Laura Gardner offers best practices to stay connected with students and keep the fun factor high.

I never wanted to be an online librarian, and I bet you didn't, either. I don't even like ebooks.

I miss my library. I miss the books. Most importantly, I miss my students.

Now that COVID-19 has forced us all to become online school librarians, we need to find ways to deliver virtual content, stay connected with our students, and help them continue reading. One way that I'm doing that is through online book clubs via Zoom. Our two daily meetups are now an established part of my day.

Getting online book clubs off the ground wasn't too difficult for me. It helps that we already had established book clubs at my school library, but that isn't a prerequisite. I've been running three "Lunch Bunch" book clubs (one per grade) almost every day for over three years. We read aloud books from the Global Read Aloud or Project Lit book lists, and every Friday, I do First Chapter Friday to get more books in kids' hands. We cap our in-person Lunch Bunch at 30 students per group. We max out, and we have a wait list! But the online lunch bunch can include far more students, and there's no cleanup necessary at the end of the session.
Tips and Tricks for an Online Book Club Everyone is invited
I got the word out about our new virtual Lunch Bunch via email, social media, and Google Classroom. I first sent all our regular Lunch Bunch kiddos invitations to our new Google Classroom and encouraged them to get chatting with a welcome/introduce yourself post. Then I sent an email to every student in the school, as well as all the parent contacts, via our student management platform ( Aspen) and posted the event on the PTO Facebook page.

Most of one day was spent helping parents and students troubleshoot the Google Classroom codes and Zoom meeting code over email and Facebook. Parents and students also helped one another out and invited one another to join. A lot of our "regulars" sign up for our virtual meetings, as well as new students who never came to our in-person events. So far, we're averaging between 10 and 15 students per session, but I'm hopeful for more in the coming weeks.
Live meetings are a fun way to connect
We're using Zoom for our daily meetups, one for sixth graders at noon and one for seventh/eighth graders at 1 p.m. Zoom has been very easy to use: It works on any phone, tablet, or computer, and students have been helping each other troubleshoot. I love the functionality it offers the host. I can mute everyone and unmute one by one, and I can also record the meeting if I want to.

The first 10 minutes of our sessions are designated hang out time. We chat about the daily challenge (more on that later), as well as how everyone's feeling and what they're up to. I'm loving the social interaction, as well as seeing everyone's house, siblings, and pets. Our connection may be virtual, but it's still meaningful. My primary goal is to give students a sense of normalcy and routine in a time of uncertainty.

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Asynchronous participation is important, too!
Not everyone will be able to make the live meetups. To keep kids engaged between our Zoom sessions, I'm posting a daily challenge in our Google Classroom. Examples include posting a picture of a student reading to a sibling, pet or plant; signing up for Sora, our ebook/audiobook platform; and finding a previously abandoned book in the house and reading 10 pages to give it one more chance. Google Classroom is also the best place for me to answer any questions about how to access library resources.
Give students choice
I've always read aloud to my middle schoolers. English language arts teachers in our school sometimes run book clubs where kids have physical copies of their own books, but that's not my preferred format. Given resource limitations, this may be a good time for you to try out a read aloud format, too. That said, I'm also a big proponent of student choice. We always have one set read aloud for the year, the Global Read Aloud pick. But for the rest of the year, students get to pick our read aloud from a list of choices that I booktalk. For our sixth grade virtual read aloud, we first finished up our previous book, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson, and then voted on Google Classroom to see what students wanted to read next from the selections I snagged from the library. We've settled onThe Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry for sixth grade and Small Spaces by Katherine Arden for seventh and eighth grade. So far both are going great!
Follow publisher rules
SLJ posted a great article about how to do this. Almost any book you will pick will be covered by one of the publishers listed. One quick email about each book and my read alouds are all set. I'm finding it easiest to read live and not record. We recap what has happened in the book at the start of each session by taking turns sharing what we remember, which helps increase participation, too.

I'm excited to see how our virtual book clubs evolve over time. I certainly miss seeing students in person, but given the situation, this is a nice consolation.
Laura Gardner is a teacher librarian at Dartmouth (MA) Middle School and a 2016 SLJ School Librarian of the Year finalist.

Read: Professional Development Opportunities from Home

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How To Run a Virtual Book Club with Middle Schoolers

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School librarian Laura Gardner offers best practices to stay connected with students and keep the fun factor high. I never wanted to be an online librarian, and I bet you didn't, either. I don't even like ebooks. I miss my library. I miss the books. Most importantly, I miss my students.