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SEL

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Helping Students Process Their Feelings During Remote Learning

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When classes resume, elementary students will benefit from intentional routines designed to maintain emotional well-being.

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As education adapted to the pandemic, teachers scrambled to create sustainable virtual spaces. Online instruction may never feel quite the same as live instruction, but it's likely we'll be doing it in the fall, and there are many simple ways we can create virtual classrooms that inspire and accommodate all learners.

Create a Welcoming Virtual Space

We can't high-five our kids on their way into virtual classrooms, but there are other things we can do to give our virtual spaces some personality.

Start class with a greeting: And let students see your face. It adds a personal touch that makes students feel good about coming to your class.

Pose a question: Try asking, "How are you feeling today?" before jumping into content for the day. If you notice that a student has submitted a concerning response, send them a message to show you care.

Set an agenda: Include a learning target so that students know what to expect from the lesson. (I always provide at least one opportunity to take a break.)

Develop a Reward System

Believe it or not, there are viable reward systems you can use in your virtual space.

Develop goals that respond specifically to your students' struggles: For instance, one struggle I've had since switching to virtual learning is getting my students to attend my optional office hours. To address this, I developed a system: Each day that a student comes to office hours and completes the assignment, they get a raffle ticket. Then, at the end of the week, I collect all the tickets, draw a name, and send a pizza to that student's house. They love it, and I consistently have great attendance at my office hours.

Other rewards might include unlocking a fun extra credit opportunity, mailing a certificate home, sending a positive message to parents, giving virtual homework passes, or earning a virtual dance party.

Maintain High Expectations

As always, the first step to preventing distracting behavior is setting clear expectations.

Create a procedure for each virtual feature of your classroom: When are students allowed to be in these virtual spaces? Does an adult need to be present? When should students use the chat feature? Should the microphone be muted? Should they use the chat to ask questions?

Communicate your expectations before starting the lesson every day: Focus on behaviors that directly impact your virtual learning space, like "Only use the chat to type questions related to the lesson" or "Make sure your microphone is muted during the video."

Remember that you control the virtual learning space: When students intentionally defy expectations in a way that disrupts learning (such as using profanity in the chat, repeatedly yelling, or playing loud music when their mic should be muted), remove them from the virtual learning environment if you can, and contact their parent or guardian to ensure that everyone is clear on the expectations.

Reach Out to and Support Families

Consider the challenges that students and their families face. Is the student home alone while the parent works, perhaps taking care of other siblings in the home? Does the student have reliable access to technology? Does the student have a quiet space available where they can go to focus?

Reach out to families at least once a week: Learn what their struggles are, offer solutions when you can, and update them on student progress. Some students may need more frequent check-ins at first to stay accountable, so set aside time each day to make these contacts. Share accommodations that parents can try at home, such as using timers and allowing frequent breaks.

You will likely have to provide tech support to parents and students, so be patient and prepared to answer tech questions about your learning platform. You might make a Frequently Asked Questions flyer available.

Always reach out from a place of support: Phrase your communication positively and offer support. For example: "I noticed that Jasmine has not submitted her assignment today-what can I do to support her? Do you have everything you need for virtual learning?"

Offer Scaffolds Throughout the Lesson

Expect that each activity may have students who need extra guidance. Provide a scaffold for each part of your lesson:

If students are typing a free response, offer sentence starters beneath the prompt.

If you teach a class that requires students to read, record yourself reading the chapter and offer a read-along option.

If your class requires students to solve problems, provide extra video examples.

Offer exemplar answers after giving students a chance to try on their own. It might seem counterintuitive to give kids the answers, but unless you're assessing their understanding, it will do more good than harm.

Use Engagement Techniques

Explore the features of your learning platform, and consider how they could be used to engage students:

Prompt students to respond to a classmate's thinking over chat.

Call on students to read out loud to each other.

Share your screen to highlight exemplary answers, shout out to students, or play videos.

Allow students to share their screen to show their thinking.

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As education adapted to the pandemic, teachers scrambled to create sustainable virtual spaces. Online instruction may never feel quite the same as live instruction, but it's likely we'll be doing it in the fall, and there are many simple ways we can create virtual classrooms that inspire and accommodate all learners.

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7/1 @ 1 pm  Modules 2 & 3

7/7 @ 1 pm  Modules 4 & 5

7/15 @ 10 am  Modules 6 & 7

7/22 @ 1 pm  Modules 8 & 9

7/29 @ 1 pm  Open

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In the fall of 2018 our school made a big shift. After twelve months of planning we launched a new daily schedule based on brain science and designed to encourage deeper learning and student wellbeing.

Three months ago, COVID-19 closed our school, along with nearly every other school in the country, and we realized we'd have to start over. Once again, we turned to research.

As we chronicled in an earlier EdSurge article, we had tried to change our school schedule once before without success. The difference two years ago was that we trained 100 percent of the teachers from PreK to grade 12 at St. Andrew's Episcopal in Maryland, where we both work, in the science of teaching and learning-which helped our staff realize the schedule we were using did not align well with the most promising research on how students learn best.

In our old schedule, classes weren't long enough for deep learning, our students were cognitively overloaded and nightly homework for every class raised anxiety and put pressure on sleep. Opportunities for things like quality feedback, deep learning and metacognition were limited, as was time outside of class for working independently and meeting with teachers.

Our revised schedule delayed the start time (to let students get more sleep), lengthened classes to 65 minutes, decreased homework and fixed many other problems. So when COVID-19 struck, we decided to keep the schedule we had in place, as though this were an extended snow day. Classes met at the same times for the same 65 minutes, but online.

We quickly learned how unsustainable this was.

How did we know? As a research-informed school, we surveyed all our constituencies-teachers, students, parents and caregivers-and a certain alignment emerged. At least 87 percent of each group believed that class was too long and too challenging for attention.

To create a new plan, we balanced what we know about developmentally appropriate amounts of screen time with research on the importance of teacher directed instruction (particularly one paper with a title that should be on everyone's mind as they plan distance learning: "Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work").

Basically, we believed an effective distance learning plan needs high quality direct instruction from teachers who are able to guide learning and keep students on task, along with time away from the screen for students to practice, create, read and explore-"homework" reimagined. This blended approach was the basis of the schedule in the Distance Learning Plan we developed.

But how did we use the time? We know that one thing will never change. The brain, whether learning on campus, fully online or in a blended environment, is the organ of learning. So the same research from the field of Mind, Brain and Education that we used in 2018 to create our new at-school schedule became the starting point for designing what distance learning should look like as well. Because we understand the underlying principles that help students learn, we were able to reimagine school online, rather than just trying to recreate the same bricks and mortar experience. What must online school include? And how do we do it?

Sample of a revised schedule from St. Andrew's.

We concentrated on creating an even better balance between the academic growth, social and emotional development and overall well-being of our students. We sought to reduce screen time by shortening class periods and elevating offline independent work, which we supported through targeted faculty professional development to help staff understand that research on homework is unequivocal; the quality of assignments has a much greater impact than the quantity of minutes spent.

These changes allowed us to start later, at 9:00 a.m., and end class time earlier, boosting well-being and engagement. It also allowed students more time for non-screen-time work, as well as to pursue non-school passions and find some balance in their lives.

Importantly, we built in 15-minute breaks between classes and a larger slice of time to meet with advisors and teachers during Office Hours. Lunch was lengthened so students could eat with siblings, parents or guardians-or online with classmates for elementary students, which proved extremely popular.

We also knew that the anxiety and weirdness of our current times had created an increased executive functioning struggle. So we made classes start on the hour, with the same basic routine each day. And each week is exactly the same-we have that mythical unicorn schedule, the 5 day rotating block.

We realized we could teach less content as well as give less homework by focusing on essential questions and core competencies. We asked ourselves the question, "What do I want my students to still know, value and be able to do in two years time?" Less important things can go.

Feedback both from and to students was critical. We knew that gaining insights into what students did and did not currently know would be harder, so we included more low- or no-stakes formative assessments, and used them to guide the teaching we did and the assignments we set. We knew that the feedback we gave students would be more crucial than ever, so we made sure we designed lessons and assignments that gave students smaller, more regular doses of very targeted feedback.

We elevated project-based learning that didn't revolve around screens. But we also made sure we took a research-informed approach to project-based learning. Teachers used direct instruction to impart core knowledge, and gave students formative assessments to make sure they understood the material. Projects were then used as a means of getting students to transfer these skills to a new context. The timing was perfect for this-late in the year, a lot of background knowledge had already been put in place. It is much more impactful to craft projects that force students to transfer knowledge to new contexts than use projects to learn new concepts.

We taught our content better by making informed choices of when and where to use edtech tools. Before choosing any tools, we decided on our learning objects and matched them to science of learning objectives. Afterward, we launched elementary and secondary school versions of a " Science of Learning Field Guide " that helps teachers find the right tool for where their students are in the learning process.

Online learning has reminded us of something Dr. David Daniel, one of the founders of the field of Mind, Brain and Education, once said about students: "They have to want to learn." It is why we are closely looking at the research of Chris Hulleman and others at the University of Virginia's Motivate Lab, and research of purpose and relevance from the Mindset Scholars Network.

Online learning has also reminded us that cognition and emotion are highly intertwined, both in the brain and in each child's everyday lived experience. We continue to look at the work of Mary Helen Immordino Yang at the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning & Education (CANDLE) and Dr. Pamela Cantor and the Turnaround for Children team for guidance.

Our schedule is still a work in progress. But we will leave you with an insight from one of our students, who said that "distance learning has all of the elements of school, but none of the fun stuff," which raises two points. First, how does the next iteration of our schedule bring back the fun and elevate social connection should we remain at a distance of more than six feet apart? And second, how do we include the end-user experts in the plans we make? We may not yet know what the fall will bring, but there is expertise-from research, teacher experience and student's insights-that can guide us.

Agility and flexibility isn't something that just happens. But by helping teachers and leaders understand the fundamental principles of how students learn best, we can design for it no matter what the future brings.
Glenn Whitman (@gwhitmancttl) is director of The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew's in Potomac, Md. Ian Kelleher (@ijkelleher) teaches science and is the Dreyfuss Chair for Research at CTTL.

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How Brain Research Helped Retool Our School Schedule for Remote Learning - EdSurge News

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In the fall of 2018 our school made a big shift. After twelve months of planning we launched a new daily schedule based on brain science and designed to encourage deeper learning and student wellbeing. Three months ago, COVID-19 closed our school, along with nearly every other school in the country, and we realized we'd have to start over.

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by Fisher, Frey & Hattie

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The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12

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Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting

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Extra - Corwin Book Club with the Authors 

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Extra - Corwin Book Club with the Authors 

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Because Educators Are Always Essential
As an expression of support and gratitude, we're offering a 25% discount off the original price across all our books, PLUS free shipping, through the end of June.

Just use promo code ESSENTIAL at checkout

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Frequency: 4 book club meetings per book/ 2 sessions per week When: Mondays / Wednesdays and Tuesdays/Thursdays Time: 9:00am PT / 12:00pm ET Duration: 60 minutes Cost: FREE! *Purchase of the book is highly encouraged for participation. Buying a Book? Both print and eBook formats are available.

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Published 6/24/2020

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Published 6/22/2020

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To ensure that you have all of the up-to-date information regarding a variety of areas impacted by COVID-19, please visit the CDE's Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Web Page.

For the purposes of the guidance and resources on this page, "distance learning" means instruction in which the student and instructor are in different locations. This may include interacting through the use of a computer and communications technology, as well as delivering instruction and check-in time with the teacher. Distance learning may include video or audio instruction in which the primary mode of communication between the student and instructor is online interaction, instructional television, video, telecourses, or other instruction that relies on computer or communications technology. It may also include the use of print materials incorporating assignments that are the subject of written or oral feedback. This page provides guidance and information for teachers, students, and parents who are transitioning, or have transitioned, to a distance learning model.

Please note that while this page refers to many specific resources to support local educational agencies (LEAs) in developing, improving and extending instruction through their distance learning capabilities, the CDE has not extensively reviewed all resources. Individual LEAs are responsible for assessing the appropriateness of any specific resource prior to implementation.

Guidance Documents

English Learner Support

The English Learner Support Division has collected links to distance learning resources that can assist educators with providing language support to students and families. For the latest information and resources regarding English learner education from the California Department of Education, including distance learning please visit the English Learner Updates Newsletters web page.

Grading and Graduation

Special Education

Webinars

For the remainder of the 2020 school year, the CDE plans to host Distance Learning webinars on Thursdays.

Completed:

Implementing the 2019 Arts Standards Through Distance Learning: Lessons from the Field
This webinar is hosted by the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division in collaboration with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) Arts Initiative and The California Arts Project (TCAP). Presenters will provide a high-level overview of the 2019 California Arts Standards and then feature voices of arts educators from several disciplines sharing how they are implementing the 2019 standards through distance learning.

Kelly Wylie and Kathy Wahl from the Santa Clara County Office of Education will provide a broad overview of UDL and guidance on integrating UDL principles as educators plan and deliver instruction in a distance learning format for preschool students.

The Role of High-Quality Instructional Materials to Support Distance Learning The California Department of Education and CalCurriculum examine the role of high-quality instructional materials in a distance learning context. This webinar includes information and guidance for local educational agency considerations related to instructional materials and the upcoming school year.

Going the Distance with World Languages: Proficiency-Oriented Distance Learning, May 28, 2020
Nicole Naditz-Program Specialist for Instructional Technology and World Languages at San Juan Unified School District, National Board Certified Teacher, and former Chair of the World Languages Subject Matter Committee in the Instructional Quality Commission-facilitates this webinar focused on sharing ideas for engaging students of languages other than English. Ms. Naditz shares tools and resources that teachers can use in the context of distance learning to ensure students continue to develop and strengthen their language acquisition.
Resources related to this webinar:

Going the Distance with world Languages: Proficiency-Oriented Distance Learning Webinar Notes

Playlist of recorded live training videos on designing learning experiences for distance learning, engaging learners in distance learning, differentiation, and specific instructional technology tools. Each video includes a links to additional resources.

CTFL-NCCSFL Can-Do Statements work in tandem with the World Languages Standards and World Languages Framework. They include Proficiency Benchmarks, which are often used as year-end goals or course outcomes; Performance Indicators, which define performance objectives to be demonstrated at the end of a unit of study; and Example Can-Do Statements, which reflect concrete learning targets that are the focus of daily language lessons.

Integrated Performance Assessment (PDF) task template includes nine tasks that can be used for the interpretive mode of an Integrated Performance Assessment, as well as for practice with the interpretive mode. Not all tasks are appropriate for all texts or for all proficiency ranges, yet teachers can select the appropriate tasks to use with authentic texts in order to gauge comprehension and students' ability to interpret the meaning and intent of the text.

Resources for Remote Learning for Students who are Blind and Visually Impaired, May 19, 2020
Presented by California School for the Blind and the Clearinghouse for Specialized Media & Technology, this webinar provides resources and case studies for providing remote learning to students of all ages and abilities who are blind and/or visually impaired.

Support for Distance Learning: the History-Social Science and English Language Arts/English Language Development Frameworks, May 14, 2020
Hosted by the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division in collaboration with the Monterey County Office of Education and the California History-Social Science Project, this presentation provides an overview of how the state-adopted curriculum frameworks in history-social science and English language arts/English language development can support teachers and administrators in implementing a distance learning instructional program.

Virtual Support Circle for Educators Webinar May 7, 2020
Hosted by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, and the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, this Virtual Support Circle for Educators features an online panel of educators and experts who share their experiences, tips for educator wellness, and resources. This was originally streamed on Facebook live. You can find our posts and videos by following CAEducation on Facebook.

Implementing UDL in a Distance Learning Environment, April 24, 2020
Hosted by the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division in collaboration with the California Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Coalition, this webinar will provide information on UDL, a framework that can assist in the planning of instruction through a lens of equity and inclusion, whether that instruction is delivered in a classroom or from a distance.

Key Principles for a Quality Distance Learning Approach April 17, 2020
This video presentation is designed for K-12 teacher teams to virtually collaborate and learn together about some key principles and practical examples to consider as you design your lessons in a distance learning environment. Throughout the video presentation, you'll have an opportunity to discuss with your colleagues the ideas presented and how you can apply new learnings into your planning.

What Districts are Doing to Support their Students and an introduction of the English Learner Support Division Resources, April 9, 2020 (Added 14-Apr-2020)
This webinar highlights the work of Glendale Unified School District and Natomas Unified District in transition to distance learning. It also introduces California Department of Education English Learner resources, presented by the English Learner Support Division.

The links below are to information and resources provided in consultancy session webinars presented by the California Partnership for Math and Science Education (CAPMSE). These webinars did not record the breakout sessions, although future webinars will include that content. For more information, please visit the CAPMSE website .

A comprehensive listing of all CDE webinars related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

State, County Office of Education, and District Resources

This section contains links to resources, tools, and programs that local educational agencies (LEAs), county offices of education, and state partners have shared with us to support California teachers and families.

Developed collaboratively with CCEE, Riverside COE, and San Diego COE, the Continuity of Learning Playbook provides guidance about how to best leverage existing resources, translating individual activities into an action-oriented preparedness plan for the delivery of services to support the continuity of learning for all students. Whether LEAs are implementing an on-site, remote, or hybrid model, this Playbook will support school and district leadership teams make evidence-based decisions aligned with best practices to address the following topics and needs:

Communication/Family Engagement

SEL/Trauma-Informed Support

Effective Scheduling

Special Education

Staff Engagement and Professional Learning

Assessment of Needs and Progress

English Learners

Integration of Programs and Resources

Kern County Superintendent of Schools: At-Home Learning Resources .
Kern County schools are using a combination of paper packets and online tools like Google Classroom, Canvas, Zoom and other virtual learning applications. The At-Home Learning Resources page includes resources related to Canvas, as well as Supplemental Distance Learning, Camp KEEP Digital Content, and Distance Learning Support.

The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence has developed a series of modules on equity, learning systems and strategies, special education and additional matters related to distance learning.

Digital Learning Integration and Standards Guidance Project
The 2019-2020 California State Budget allocated funding for the Sacramento County Office of Education to develop draft distance learning curriculum and instructional guidance for mathematics, English language arts, and English language development to be adopted by the State Board of Education by May 31, 2021.

Quality Distance Learning Guidance from California School Library Association (CSLA) Teacher Librarians

We believe: Learning takes time. We recommend being open-minded and flexible. We emphasize developing and maintaining a supportive community. We believe that instruction can be synchronous as well as asynchronous. We believe that students need time every day to read both for understanding new content as well as self-selected reading for personalized learning.
Steps to successfully implement distance learning:

1. Check with your school district for guidelines and expectations

2. Utilize and connect with your Teacher Librarian for support:

Promoting reading literacy in all formats and forms including but not limited to e-books, audiobooks, read alouds, library card support

Collaborating with curriculum development, inquiry, formative and summative assessment

Implementing instructional lessons across the curriculum

Providing Professional Development

Curating digital resources in multiple formats to target diverse student needs

Providing one to one support and training for implementation of technology

Building relationships and learning communities

Teaching and implementing Information literacy skills and research integration

Integrating digital citizenship lessons to keep our students safe online

Transitioning face to face lessons to distance learning

Implementing tools and pedagogy to increase student engagement

Supporting ELL and Special Needs teachers and students with resources and guidance supporting IEP and 504 needs

Supporting synchronous and asynchronous instruction

Supporting SEL

Supporting MTSS practices and needs

3. For specific information about online digital resources for the classroom contact your school or district librarian, your county office of education librarian or contact the School Library Technology Consultant as the California Department of Education

Check with CSLA for additional resources and assistance. Email assist@csla.net

Content Enrichment and Extension

This section includes links to state and local systems, agencies, and organizations that provide opportunities to enhance distance learning. This collection includes content, resources, and tools that teachers and parents can use to enrich curriculum and promote student engagement.

Digital Resources by Content Area

Arts Education

Online resources to support remote arts education instruction.

During the pandemic, some in-person activities associated with performing arts courses (dance, music, and theatre), such as groups practicing and performing, may sometimes not be possible. Despite this, instruction can continue to focus on the 2019 California Arts Standards associated with the artistic processes of creating, responding, and connecting, and students can continue to practice for performances during independent applied learning time. Educators may also consider how to approach rehearsal and performances through shared technology platforms and other innovative approaches. On April 14, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance including industry-specific guidance for Outdoor Seated Live Events and Performances (PDF) and Indoor Seated Live Events and Performances (PDF) . These documents include guidance for rehearsals which may also be useful for schools and districts. Please note that CDPH guidance is subject to change as conditions evolve.

General Arts Education Resources

For users of Apple products, Apple's K-12 Teacher Resources includes Everyone Can Create with free project guides that help teach students to develop and communicate their ideas through drawing, photography, video, and music.

The California Department of Education, the California County Superintendents Education Services Association (CCSESA) and The California Arts Project (TCAP) have collaborated to produce an Arts Standards Webinar Series which may be useful to arts educators to build understanding of the 2019 California Arts Standards as they plan standards-based distance learning lessons.

The CCSESA Arts Initiative produced Creativity at the Core, Professional Learning Modules , 21 Professional learning modules for arts educators on various topics. Module 2 is Distance Learning Through the Arts: Equal Access for All.

PBS Learning Media provides resources and activities for dance , media arts , music , theatre , and visual arts .

Dance Education

The Dance Studies Association provides resources for moving dance-based pedagogy online. It is designed for university level educators, but the resources may be helpful to secondary level dance educators.

The KQED If Cities Could Dance project captures the diversity of culture and genre in California and across the nation by exploring dance from various communities. Teachers may wish to link their lessons to specific videos such as Dear Dancer , East Bay Hip Hop , or Memphis Jookin which may be especially useful for teaching theResponding and Connecting arts standards .

Luna Dance Institute offers free online resources for dance educators including free phone consultations and a practitioner exchange series, Teaching Dance from a Distance.

The National Dance Education Organization provides free access to their On-Demand Webinar Recordings related to teaching dance online.

Media Arts Education

The University of Notre Dame Remix page supports students to learn, explore, and build multimedia (image, audio, video, data) projects. The tutorials, assignments and projects can support high school students as they master the Producing media arts standards as well as educators who wish to build their own understanding of media arts.

Music Education

Theatre Education

The Association for Theatre in Higher Education offers Resources for Teaching Online . This extensive list, which is located at the bottom of the page, includes many open-access resources and may be helpful for secondary theatre teachers as they plan distance learning curriculum.

Visual Arts Education

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History pairs essays and works of art withchronologies , telling the story of art and global culture through the Museum's collection, while #Metkids provides an interactive timeline appropriate for elementary.

MOMA Learning from the Museum of Modern Art provides free distance learning resources and interactives that allow students and teachers to explore different eras, movements, and concepts in art history.

English Language Arts

Online resources to support remote English Language Arts/literacy and reading instruction, including lesson ideas and mobile apps for students and teachers.

Open Culture allows visitors to download hundreds of free audio books, mostly classics, to your MP3 player or computer. Below, you'll find great works of fiction , poetry , and non-fiction , by such authors as Twain, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Orwell, Vonnegut, Nietzsche, Austen, Shakespeare, Asimov, HG Wells & more.

Librivox - Free Public Domain Audiobooks features recordings of books in the public domain read by volunteers from around the world.

Health - Comprehensive Sexual Health Education: The California Healthy Youth Act

Because the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA) requires instruction to develop student's knowledge and skills, online instruction has not been previously considered for this type of instruction. In response to the closure of schools, every effort is being made by the CHYA curriculum providers to make instruction as interactive as possible. If your school district has purchased a CHYA compliant curriculum, please contact the publisher now for new online resources.

General guidelines for comprehensive sexual health education during distance learning:

Be mindful of the surroundings in which comprehensive sexual health education will take place in the home

If possible, watch privately or with a trusted adult

If possible, use headphones and be discrete with the laptop screen

Free Resources:

ETR . This resource will help with the transition from in-person teaching and training to online design and delivery. Additional resources are embedded.
ETR . These lessons from Health Smart for K-12 focus on hand washing, hygiene and general health. There are multiple lessons for each grade level.
Be Real. Be Ready . San Francisco Unified School District's comprehensive relationship and sexuality education curriculum designed for high school students. It is medically accurate; skills based; and LGBTQ inclusive that meets both the California Healthy Youth Act and the California State Health Education Content Standards.
For all other guidance regarding the California Healthy Youth Act, please see the California Department of Education website.

History and Social Science

Digital and online resources for teachers to develop lessons, locate primary and secondary source materials, and connect students with resources for research and inquiry-based lessons.

The Smithsonian

Many museums, cultural sites, and historical sites offer virtual tours and livestreaming. Here are a few, but an internet search will reveal many others:

The Zinn Education Project promotes and supports the teaching of people's history in classrooms across the country. They aim to equip students with the analytical tools to make sense of and improve the world today. Their website offers free, downloadable lessons and articles organized by theme , time period , and grade level. The teaching materials emphasize the role of working people, women, people of color, and organized social movements in shaping history.

Broken down by time period then listed in alphabetical order, the Avalon Project at Yale University offers primary sources for global history teachers. This database starts with ancient and medieval documents and moves into present times. In addition to categories that address specific historical periods, the Avalon Project includes links to human rights documents as part of Project Diana .

Mathematics

Online and digital resources for math instruction, assessment, and independent practice, including tutorials and videos.

Physical Education

Resources to promote and maintain physical education curricula in distance-learning environments. Many of these resources are designed for students who are homeschooled but could be used or adapted for use in a distance-learning environment.

Science

Online and digital resources for science instruction, including tutorials, videos, and online labs.

World Languages

Online resources to support remote world languages instruction.

The Occidental College World Language Project has created a series of web pages to meet the needs of world language teachers who now teach online and need diverse instructional technology tools. These tools, and corresponding guidance, are organized into five sections:

PBS Learning Media provides resources and activities for

Writing

Online and digital resources to promote student engagement though creative writing and writing prompts. This list also includes resources for students working on sustained academic writing, including research.

Career Technical Education

Online resources to support remote Career Technical Education (CTE) instruction.

The Career and College Transition Division has collected links to distance learning resources that can assist educators with providing support with Career Technical Education (CTE) curriculum and lessons for teachers and administrators. For the latest information and resources regarding CTE from the California Department of Education, including distance learning, please visit the CTE Distance Learning Website.

Pre-K Learning, Games, and Activities

Free and open-source resources and guidance for fostering early childhood/pre-k learning at home.

Current Events and News Outlets for Students

Digital and online resources that provide student-friendly access to current events. Some of these resources also provide reading guides, quizzes, and activities to support student learning.

Newsela has made access to their full suite of products free for teachers through the end of this year to assist with their learning continuity plans. They are also offering frequent professional learning resources to help them develop their mastery of distance learning techniques. Newsela has also created this guide for planning for remote instruction.

Free Educational Resources for Distance Learning

We are providing a list of publishers offering free distance learning resources. At the links listed, users can learn about the specific resources available as publishers continue to expand their offerings. In this list below, educators and parents/guardians may discover the individual resources they want for a particular need.

Articles to Navigate Distance Learning

These articles that provide guidance on developing distance learning lessons and units as well as advice specifically related to moving to online instruction as a result of the coronavirus

Supporting Students with Disabilities in Distance Learning

Resources to help support students with disabilities complete tasks and assignments and adjust to new routines in the transition to distance learning.

provides resources for helping students focus on the skills and strengths they possess through guided self-assessments

allows parents and teachers to create their own worksheets or print existing worksheets but does have a collection of .

provides guidance for supporting students with significant cognitive disabilities who have been classified as moderate/severe/profound.

Virtual School Programs

It is a local governing board decision whether or not to award credit for courses completed outside of the district. A variety of courses are available online, including those that are grounded in the Common Core State Standards adopted by California and that meet A-G requirements.

Resources

Districts should conduct a careful analysis of these courses and consider awarding credit where appropriate.

Language Support

The English Learner Support Division has collected links to distance learning resources that can assist educators with providing language support to students and families. For the latest information from the California Department of Education regarding resources for English learner education, including distance learning, please visit the English Learner Updates Newsletters web page.

English Language Development Learning, Games, and Activities

Online resources to support remote English Language Development (ELD) instruction, including lesson ideas and mobile apps for students and teachers.

COVID-19 Information: English Learners provides responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs), ELD resources, and multilingual resources to support English learners and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

is BrainPOP's English language instruction site for English Language Learners of all ages. The curriculum is comprised of short, animated movies as well as games, quizzes and interactive features. Users practice the four principle language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

offers resources for families that can be used for distance learning with English learners. They also appear to be growing their collecting of resources in response to the COVID-19 school closures, so more resources for distance learning may be available in the future.

Multilingual Resources (Updated 03-Apr-2020)

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Distance Learning - Curriculum and Instruction Resources (CA Dept of Education)

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Guidance and resources for teachers and families in K–12 schools regarding high quality distance learning.

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Elementary Student Well-being Board by Tucker & Hersey

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Well-being Board for Elementary Students & Their Parents by Tucker & Hersey 6/25/2020

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Teacher Well-being Board by Tucker & Hersey

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Teacher Well-being Board by Tucker & Hersey

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Well-being Board for Teachers by Tucker & Hersey 6/25/2020

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Classroom Design During Social Distancing 6/22/2020

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Classroom Design During Social Distancing 6/22/2020

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Where we learn matters. This truth has exploded as we have waded through the realities of emergency remote learning.

As a profession, we have honorably pivoted to meet the needs of students, but all of us have experienced the soft spots of our strategy. We have seen students lack access to technology and Wi-Fi. We have watched as students with additional challenges, including those with physical or learning disabilities, fade from technology-rich learning, and we have even seen our most driven students burn out from the daily grind of hours on video conferences and completing assignments online.

All of this has us eager to be back in the same physical space as our students as soon as possible. Nothing replaces proximity when it comes to fostering relationships and building trusted connections with students.

The realities of COVID-19 spreading in our communities without a vaccine or herd immunity means that a return to full schools without restrictions is simply out of our reach for many months. We will likely see students returning to school in shifts to classrooms that have been specifically designed to protect students and teachers. Cafeterias, gymnasiums, and libraries may be off limits. Practices we once took for granted, such as community supply stores, learning in groups and soft seating may be on hold for now. All of these things will stretch our ability to redesign our spaces so that students can explore, discover, and connect in meaningful ways.

As the number of things that remain out of our control grows (spacing of desks, movement in and between classes, scheduling), there are still a number space design considerations that we can control and which can allow our students to truly benefit from where they learn. Consider these five ways to craft your classroom in these unique moments when we need to balance the health and humanity of our spaces.

Signage and First Impressions

Returning to a school building for the first time since we were all jettisoned to emergency remote learning will be a stressful event. Many teachers and students haven't gathered in large groups since March, so this return to school will elicit a variety of emotions from everyone. To support students' emotional needs, it will be important to set the right tone with the signage that fills our spaces.

From the front doors of the school, through the hallways, and into our classrooms, do we have signage that cares for all or produces fear? Are we asking people to be a part of a responsible community or filling them with negative messages that lack empathy for the emotional stress of returning to school? There is definitely a need for everyone to understand the community health rules of a space, such as frequent hand washing and donning masks, but this doesn't have to be our leading message. Let all spaces acknowledge the reality, but stress belonging, community and the joy of being together again.

Optimizing the Perimeter

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments may have control over how we design the floor plan in our classrooms (i.e., six feet of space between desks, directional walking patterns, coordinated movement between spaces), educators have control over how we design the perimeter of our classrooms.

Fill the walls with only essential items for learning. During emergency remote learning, we have realized that students can learn without the anchor charts and inspirational posters on the wall. We shouldn't design a sterile space, but instead design with fresh eyes and ask these questions. Does having this item on the wall add to the visual clutter or support daily learning? Can I move more learning resources away from the front of the learning space to calm and focus students on presentations and content? In what ways, can I design with a color palette in mind that brings a coherence to the space? Answering these questions and focusing on the spaces that you can control will allow the classroom to be a place of normalcy during a time when all of the rest of school feels different.

Minimize Teacher Only Space

This was always a good idea, but with the mandated restrictions on space, we need to double down items that fill up space with no real purpose. Start by looking at the teacher-only space in the room-and if you don't know what spaces are teacher-only, ask students to go stand in spaces where they feel are implicitly off limits. This will give you a sense of what spaces have been removed from student use. If we are limited by the rule that only allows 10-15 people in a space, then every square foot matters. Consider ways to add 20-30 square feet back to the space available for students. This addition by subtraction will help give students some breathing room.

Movement and Choice

Intentional space design is anchored in the concepts of maximizing physical movement and providing students with choice over where they learn. This has resulted in the flexible, agile and active classroom efforts that had incredible momentum before COVID-19 disoriented all aspects of learning.

Learning science continues to show us that movement and choice are key to optimal learning. But in this sliver of life these optimal design elements must be put on hold to mitigate the risks of spreading the virus. Even so, we can't eliminate these elements in totality. Having students stand for 3-5 minutes behind their desks to listen to the teacher talk can keep the brain oxygenated and primed for learning. Giving students permission to stand along the sides or in the back of the room or even the chance to sit on the tops of their desks will promote choice and supply variation to a room that has been sterilized by its arrangement. In some locations, moving learning to an outdoor space is an option, and when available can provide the movement needed to greater engagement and joy to learning.

Space is Time and Time is Space

Space and time are interconnected, and when we talk about the aspects of space that we can control in these trying times, we should also talk about intentionally designing the time that we have with students. Face-to-face time shouldn't be a content blitz filled with the voice of the teacher, as most of this can happen in virtual learning; instead, use this time to connect and listen. Use in-class time to promote conversation and community. Use it to calm and lower stress. In the coming months, our time with students may not have daily consistency, so it will be essential to design the time in our physical spaces to support the whole child. It will also be a time to anchor learning in relevant, meaningful contexts. Sync time design and space design to support the academic and emotional needs of all students.

This will be a very non-linear return to our school buildings. In some locations, students will come to school with a new type of schedule. Their in-person learning may pause because of contagion or public health concern and then return to the physical space again. This cycle could happen many times throughout the upcoming school year. For other students and families, they will remain in a virtual only space because of their unique needs or the success that they have found in the virtual learning environment.

All of these variables will require educators to design with the flexibility that allows for students to fluidly move between physical and virtual learning spaces. Design with this reality in mind. Make sure that our digital learning spaces provide easy access to resources and learning tasks. Minimize the digital clutter in these spaces. Model the power of learning near natural light and bringing fresh air into the mix whenever possible, so that students carry this into their home learning spaces.

Where we learn matters, and as we consider the launch of the new school year, take time to listen to students, notice their needs and incorporate that in which we can't control into the design elements that we can control. With these efforts, we can heal, remain healthy and continue to bring a deep sense of humanity to our work to guide the learning for our students, students that are eager to be connected with their learning community again.

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What Does Good Classroom Design Look Like in the Age of Social Distancing? - EdSurge News

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Where we learn matters. This truth has exploded as we have waded through the realities of emergency remote learning. As a profession, we have honorably pivoted to meet the needs of students, but all of us have experienced the soft spots of our strategy. We have seen students lack access to technology and Wi-Fi.

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ABCs of Online School Etiquette | Distance Learning

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Learn how you can help your child adapt to distance learning and be successful in the online school classroom when learning from home.

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Nine suggestions to help you provide online learners with class norms and expectations and a sense of community.

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Technology Infused Classroom

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Education Technology Blog | Holly Clark - Leading Education Strategist | The Infused Classroom

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As we head back to school, don't leave out the Digital Citizenship lesson. Here is a quick activity to get you started.

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Teacher Tech

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Alice Keeler Teacher Tech blog provides tips and resources on teaching with Educational Technology EdTech.

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"educational technology" "g suite for education" "google forms" chromebooks

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John Sowash is a former high school biology teacher and principal who helps teachers use technology to improve instruction. John is the author of the Chromeb...

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Empowering teachers to reach a new generation. With a combined 20+ years of classroom teaching experience and a combined 10+ years creating YouTube content for teachers, expert lesson designers Sam Kary and Thom Gibson create videos to help you learn what it takes to create engaging learning experi…

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Distance Learning

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Sponsored by World101 and Listenwise

Disclaimer 1: This post was written in the Spring of 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak, so a lot of the information here is discussed through the lens of distance learning launched by a global pandemic. I have attempted to broaden the lens beyond our current situation to take other distance-learning situations into account.

Disclaimer 2: I recommend quite a few tech tools in this post. Before you proceed with them, please check with your district to make sure the tools comply with your specific use policies for age, privacy, etc.

If you've found yourself teaching in a distance-learning situation, especially if it's been foisted upon you by circumstance, you'll discover pretty quickly that distance learning offers different challenges from face-to-face instruction. And if you look online, you'll find tons of ideas and resources that can help you tackle those challenges, so much that it's easy to get paralyzed at the volume of it all. This is especially true if you're expected to hit the ground running with very little notice.

To help you, I'm going to take my best shot at sharing clear, carefully curated information on distance learning. We'll do this in four parts:

In Part 1 I'll address your head and your heart, the very real, valid emotional and psychological factors that may be preventing you from doing a decent job with online learning.

In Part 2 we'll get into the nuts and bolts of distance learning, options for content delivery, different ways students can demonstrate learning, and some of the tech that can make it all work.

In Part 3 I'll share some general tips and advice I've gathered from teachers in the field.

And in Part 4 we'll talk about troubleshooting, solving some of the more specific problems that come up often when we talk about online learning.

PART 1: START WITH YOUR HEAD AND YOUR HEART

None of the practical stuff is going to do any of us much good if we're in a distracted, panicked headspace and haven't tended to the ways our current situation has impacted our emotions. Here are three things you can do to get your head and heart in a better place.

Get Perspective

There will likely be times when the people in charge of you start to expect too much, or you expect too much of yourself. If you're in a situation like the one we happen to be in right now, in the spring of 2020, you may need to regularly step back from what's right in front of you and remember that we're dealing with life and death circumstances right now. None of this is normal, and there really is no precedent to follow. Most people are doing the best they can on any given day, and that means things will not go smoothly. And by "people," I mean everyone: students, parents, your colleagues, your administration, your family members, and you. YOU. Giving yourself plenty of grace is key at times like this.

If you need something to help you regain perspective and cut yourself some slack, read Carolyn Todd's editorial, Is Anyone Else Just Barely Functioning Right Now?

Now if you personally have a cool, level head at the moment, but someone else is pressuring you to do more, keep in mind that they are feeling their own unique pressure to perform, and they're passing that on to you. It may be an opportunity to validate their feelings, or it may be time to push back on expectations that are simply unreasonable.

Get Physical

When things start to feel like too much, start moving. Decades of research has pointed to the link between physical activity and brain function, but most of us don't need research to know that some of our best ideas come to us when we change things up and go for a walk, a run, or a bike ride. This is especially important during times when we are more likely to be cooped up in our homes, such as, say, a quarantine imposed by a global pandemic.

Get with Other People

One of the things that has really overwhelmed me in the process of putting this post together is knowing that everyone's situation is a little different and not having the tools to address each situation.

One way to alleviate this is to get in touch with others who are more familiar with your specific needs. Apart from collaborating with your colleagues, a great way to share ideas is to find and join online groups. Two I'm recommending here are on Facebook. If you're not on Facebook, I strongly suggest you set up an account just for the purpose of collaborating with others.

Dealing with Educational Inequities in Distance/Online Learning: This group was created "in response to the growing list of resources and practices during the COVID-19 shutdown that further increase the educational divide as it relates to accessibility; race; socio-economic status; gender; and other marginalized communities. We want to demonstrate real solutions in distance/online learning that can provide solutions for all learners."

PART 2: THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF ONLINE LEARNING

Online learning has so many components to it; each one could honestly get its own whole blog post. Since I can't go too in-depth all at once, I'll just do an overview of all the pieces and link out to a few resources that can help you learn more about each one.

1. CONNECTING AND COMMUNICATING WITH STUDENTS

It's essential that you have clear, consistent, accessible channels for communicating with your students. Different pathways for communication will need to be established. The first two are essential and asynchronous, meaning participants can access the conversation whenever it's convenient; they don't need to be present at the same time. The third pathway is optional and is usually synchronous, meaning participants must "attend" the conversation at the same time.

Must Have: Outgoing Communication asynchronous On this pathway, you give instructions, post announcements, and generally inform your students about what's going on and what's expected of them. Some teachers are creating daily or weekly videos for this purpose, while others are writing out instructions in places like Google Docs, and others are doubling up-pairing short videos with written instructions so students get the information through different modes.

It seems like one of the most important considerations with outgoing communication is that you keep it consistent: Pick one place to deliver and store outgoing messages and stick with that, so students know where to look, nothing gets lost in the mix, and no one gets overwhelmed with information overload.

Must Have: Incoming Communication asynchronous This pathway is for students and parents to reach out to you with questions, feedback, and updates on their ability to complete required work.

Nice to Have: Two-Way Communication
synchronous OR asynchronous On this pathway, you and your students can communicate back and forth in a more open dialogue, where you broadcast yourself live and students attend as participants in one-on-one, small-group, or whole-class sessions.

Video conferencing: For this pathway, many teachers are using video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, and Microsoft Teams. These can be great for community-building and giving students a sense of connectedness with you and each other.

It's important to note that these platforms also have their pitfalls, one of which is that they may directly violate your school's privacy policies, so be sure to check with the people in your district who are in charge of compliance with those policies to make sure you're ok. This article from Edsurge does a good job of explaining the potential problems with video conferencing; it focuses specifically on Zoom, but the concepts would apply to any video conferencing tool.

This infographic, created by the Celina High School SWAT Team in Celina, TX, and their advisor, Tisha Poncio, offers tips for students when participating in video conferences:

Alternatives to Video Conferencing: If you've decided not to go the video conferencing route for now, you can still set up text-based discussions that can get students interacting:

Discussion boards: Many platforms, like Google Classroom, Blackboard, Edmodo, and Microsoft Teams, give you the option to set up ongoing, text-based discussions on individual topics. You can make these optional, open for students to ask questions on their work, or make participation a required part of students' grades.

Backchannel discussion: If you'd like something that feels more dynamic and "live," try a backchannel discussion, which can happen at a set time (synchronous) or stay open for a longer period of time to allow students to participate when it's convenient for them (asynchronous). You can open up a text-based chat room in YoTeach (which is very similar to the now-defunct TodaysMeet). If your students are 13 years or older, you could also set them up on Voxer, which allows them to use voice or text to carry on discussions.

2. KEEPING EVERYTHING ORGANIZED

Ideally, you and your colleagues will have chosen a single platform for storing and delivering assignments, collecting student work, posting announcements, and so on. Many schools are already set up on a learning management system (LMS) like Google Classroom, Canvas, Blackboard, or Edmodo. If you don't already have something in place, and you don't have time to learn a new platform, it's probably not a good idea to jump into anything new.

But creating a central hub should be a priority. What parents and students are saying most often is that it's incredibly stressful to have to keep up with multiple platforms and multiple streams of information, with some pieces coming through email, others through Remind, others through an LMS, and so on. With more than one child at home and more than one teacher per child, things can get out of hand very fast. It's perfectly fine to use different tools as part of your instruction-you might assign Quizlet flashcards, Edpuzzle lessons, Newsela articles-but for communication, keep things as streamlined as possible.

One simple approach taken by some schools is to maintain a single document (usually a Google Doc) for the whole school. In that document are links to individual documents for each teacher.

This type of document-which is just a really simple hyperdoc -creates a central hub where parents and students can start every single time, then click over to the places where they can find updated information for their classes. Even if you don't use this specific model, setting up something like it will make your whole school run more smoothly.

Individual teachers can then replicate this type of hub for their own classes, creating a central folder or file where students can find daily or weekly assignments and other communications.

3. LESSON DESIGN

Entire degree programs have been created to show teachers how to design lessons for online learning, and I wasn't able to delve into this enough for this post. What I did find are two resources that you might find helpful without getting another master's degree:

One principle that I've seen in several discussions of online learning is the idea that it works better when you give students some choices, choices in how they take information in and choices in how they demonstrate learning. The next two sections will share some possibilities for both of those.

4. OPTIONS FOR DELIVERING CONTENT

One of the main things you need to do when setting up online instruction is figuring out how students are actually going to take in the content. You have a few options, and it's a good idea to not just stick to one avenue, since you ideally want to give students multiple modes of intake.

Readings

Google Docs or Microsoft Word Files: As long as you remember to manage the security settings on these so they can't be edited, these kinds of files are perfectly fine to use as reading materials.

Regular PDFs: One advantage of using PDFs is that you generally don't have to worry about them being altered by the student, and things like fonts and other design elements will be preserved no matter what device a student is using.

PDFs with Annotation Tools: Several tools like Edji and Kami allow users to annotate PDFs, which would make a great close-reading assignment.

Websites: There's a ton of outstanding free content online that would make excellent reading material for class assignments. On CommonLit, Newsela, and Actively Learn, you can find good reading material for many grade levels and subject areas. NewseumED offers fantastic primary sources for history and social studies.

Websites with Customized, Added Layers: With any website at all, you can use Insert Learning to layer on your own instructional content, such as notes, discussion questions, quizzes, and other embedded content.

Videos

Video is a very popular way to deliver content online, because it has the potential to restore the voice and visuals that are lost when we move away from face-to-face instruction. Once you have a good video, you can share it directly with a link or use a tool like Edpuzzle or PlayPosit to build a complete lesson around that video.

You have two options for sourcing your content: use videos that were created by someone else, or create the videos yourself.

Created by Someone Else
Obviously, the internet is absolutely loaded with videos, and using them means you don't have to make them yourself. What's challenging is finding videos that (a) are appropriate for student viewing, and (b) accurately represent the content you want to deliver, in a way that's succinct and maybe even entertaining. Finding videos that meet these criteria can be really time-consuming if you don't know where to look.

To save time, it helps to go to sources that have already proven themselves as creators of high-quality educational videos.

Khan Academy offers a massive library of videos on math, science, and arts & humanities, including history and government, so that would be a great place to start.

Look for YouTube channels created by organizations that already have a strong reputation for good content, like National Geographic, the History Channel, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

As with anything else, your colleagues are going to be one of your best sources for finding good stuff, so ask around at school, or find a group on Twitter that can recommend something for you.

Created by You The good thing about creating your own videos is that you have total control over the content. Probably the easiest way to create instructional videos is with screencasting software, which simply records whatever is on your screen while you narrate into a microphone. So you could, for example, create a PowerPoint-based lecture, then just deliver that lecture on your screen and use screencasting software to record it.

Here are two affordable, popular options for screencasting:

Screencastify
screencastify.com
This recorder is built right into Google Chrome, which makes it an incredibly convenient tool for creating on-the-spot screencasts. As of right now, the editing tools are still kind of rudimentary, which means you're not likely to end up with a very polished end product. Still, for many purposes, this tool gets the job done quickly and easily. Watch this video to learn how to use it.

Screencast-o-Matic
screencast-o-matic.com
This popular recorder is one that you download onto your computer, which is slightly less convenient than one that's built into a browser, but the editing features available with the paid plans might make it worth it for you. This video gives you an overview of how it works.

Static Slide Presentation

Slideshows that combine text with appealing visuals can be a nice alternative to text readings. They're also much quicker and easier to create than videos, and viewing them requires a lot less internet bandwidth.

These kinds of slideshows, which students would click through on their own, should ideally be designed with that independent experience in mind. Unlike a presentation that you give live, these would not be simply a support for a speaker; they'd need to stand completely alone, with all the necessary text on the slides, rather than in the speaker notes.

Rather than sharing these as a file, which would require you to adjust editing permissions and would likely result in the student looking at it in editing mode, you can share it in presentation mode so the slides take up the full screen and it feels more like an experience, like in this sample presentation. Learn how to set this up with a Google Slides presentation in the video below:

Audio

Content can also be delivered via audio, which can be a nice change of pace for students who are used to text or videos only, and because audio files are much smaller than video files, they're less likely to strain home internet capabilities.

Listenwise houses a fantastic library of curated, standards-aligned podcasts.

You can find lots of other podcasts on pretty much any topic imaginable. Here are some good ones that are produced specifically for student audiences.

Recording your own audio instructions, reflections, or lectures is simple and quick. You can use a voice recording app on a smartphone or a web-based tool like Online Voice Recorder to create MP3 files, which are just audio files, then upload those files right into whatever platform you're using to distribute information to students. In many cases, students will be able to play them right on that platform.

Interactive Learning Experiences

Some tools have come along in recent years that allow you to create interactive online learning modules, where students click through various instructional components, play games, take interactive quizzes, and so on. Although some activities may not justify the time it takes to put these interactives together, they can offer something different and more fun than the standard fare. You can find these on sites like GoConqr, Deck.Toys, BookWidgets, and Wizer. The one platform that seems to have the most robust collection of options is Genially. Take a look:

5. OPTIONS FOR DEMONSTRATING LEARNING

Just as there are many different ways to get the content into students' heads, you can also offer choices for how students demonstrate their learning. Probably the quickest, most traditional way to measure whether students learned the material is to give them some kind of test or quiz, but that may not be the best way to get students to experience the content in a deep way. Sticking only to tests also favors students who work well in that mode, rather than allowing other students to shine in areas they might be stronger in. Beyond all that, it's not much fun.

On Twitter, I asked teachers for some fresh ideas for "end products," and got tons of ideas back. Below I've listed some really good ones. Before you jump on these, be mindful that these end products still need to align with your instructional goals and are not what we call Grecian Urn assignments, creative-looking projects that don't ultimately have much instructional value.

Book: Students create a children's book, mini-textbook, handbook, comic, or other kind of book. These can be done on paper or created with apps like Book Creator.

Google Tour: Using Google Tour Builder, students can create customized tours that combine photos, text, and targeted locations on Google Earth. These could be used to create tours that explore current events, historical periods or phenomena, science or geography topics, global research topics, students' personal histories or future plans, or completely fictionalized stories that take place in various locations around the world.

Infographic: On paper or using a tool like Piktochart, have students create an infographic to represent or teach about an idea or set of data.

Lesson: Have students write their own lesson on a chunk of your content. Provide them with the basic structure of a lesson to follow, including objectives, direct instruction, guided practice, and some sort of assessment to measure their success.

Model: Students can create a physical model representing some aspect of your curriculum, then photograph it from various angles or create a video tour of the model with their own narration.

Museum or Multimedia Collection: Have students curate a collection of artifacts representing a curricular concept, along with their own written captions, in a Google Slides presentation. Two fantastic resources for gathering these artifacts are the Smithsonian Learning Lab and the Google Arts & Culture website.

Podcast: Have students use the recording tools mentioned in the "Audio" section above or an app like Anchor to record a podcast where they express an opinion, tell a story, or teach about a content-related topic. If students have a lot of material, they can break their podcast into multiple episodes and do a series instead.

Scavenger Hunt: Have students participate in a content-based scavenger hunt and take photos to record their findings. An app like GooseChase can make this even more fun.

Sketchnote: Have students create a sketchnote to represent a content-related topic using paper or with a drawing app like Sketchpad.

Video: Students can create their own videos as creative, informative, persuasive, or reflective pieces. These can be public service announcements, commercials, mini-documentaries, instructional videos, short feature films or animations, or TED-style talks. Tools for creating these can range from quick response platforms like Flipgrid, to screencasting tools listed in the previous section, a tool that creates stop motion videos like Stop Motion Studio, or simple online video creators like Adobe Creative Cloud Express.

Website: Using tools like Weebly, Wix, or Google Sites, have students develop a website to document a long-term project or teach about a particular idea.

PART 3: GENERAL TIPS AND ADVICE FROM TEACHERS

Begin again.

If distance learning has been introduced suddenly, where it takes the place of face-to-face learning rather than being the standard from the start, treat the beginning of the shift the same way you'd treat the beginning of a school year, by establishing routines and protocols before digging deeply into content, and giving extra energy to rekindling culture and relationships on the new platform even if they were already established in the face-to-face setting.

Keep home responsibilities in mind.

When schools are closed district-wide, all children are out of school and under one roof. This means older kids may be shouldering some responsibility for caring for their younger siblings, and that could impact how well they are able to keep up with deadlines, log in for synchronous events, or respond to communication in a timely manner. Letting students know up front that you get this, and maintaining flexibility with deadlines, can go a long way toward keeping lines of communication open and avoiding misunderstandings.

Make social interaction a priority.

When we are kept apart from one another for whatever reason, our need for human interaction increases. So if you're teaching a distance learning course that was set up that way to begin with, it's important to build in structures to keep students interacting with each other and with you.

This principle is even more vital in situations where distance learning is coupled with large-scale social isolation.

Some of the tools and systems I mentioned earlier, like video conferencing and discussion boards, can meet this need; even your own outgoing video, audio, and written communication can be used for more "human connection" reasons. A good general rule to keep in mind is that you don't need to use 100% of your time for instructional purposes; allowing space for regular conversation, venting, and laughter can be incredibly important.

Keep messaging to a minimum.

I mentioned this earlier, but it's important so I'm repeating it. If kids and parents are receiving multiple messages from multiple teachers every day, and families have multiple kids, they can become overwhelmed really quickly, and things will start slipping through the cracks.

Try to limit the number of platforms you and your school are using for distributing information. Ideally, you'll have one clear channel for sending out announcements and messages, and those will be limited in number. Parents and students will have one place to look for all important information, and that "place" will be clean, simple, easy to navigate, and updated regularly so that all users can count on the information being current. The closer you can get to this ideal, the more smoothly things will go.

PART 4: TROUBLESHOOTING

Two specific problems tend to come up more often than any others when it comes to distance learning. Although neither one is completely solvable, here are some of the ways schools are addressing them:

1. Students Who Do Not Have Home Access to Tech

The whole notion of distance learning becomes a problem if some of your students don't have devices or reliable internet access. Here are some ways to address this problem:

Get more students connected. In a 2017 post, When Your School is Short on Tech, I showcased some ways that schools are getting unconnected families online, including information on how some schools partner with organizations like Kajeet to loan WiFi hotspots out to families. Although some of the solutions may not be relevant to a distance-learning situation, you may find some resources that can be helpful in your community, even if they can't be implemented right away.

Offer non-digital options. Some districts are working around the problem by offering paper resources for pick-up and drop-off. This is how we did distance learning in all the years before the internet, so it's certainly possible to do it again.

Use the phone. If you've tried other avenues and still can't get a hold of some families, a regular phone call might be your best option. If you want to keep your number private, you can set up a Google Voice account, which allows you to call, text, or message another phone without sharing your personal number, or use some of these phone settings to block your regular number. If you are reaching out to families that don't speak your language, try the free TalkingPoints app, which allows you to communicate with them in their language.

Use the mail. Although not ideal or cheap, it may be possible to mail materials back and forth (if you have office staff still going to school each day, they may be able to help with this). Even if instruction isn't possible this way, consider the impact it would make if you took ten minutes to mail a hand-written letter to an otherwise unconnected student, just to let them know you're thinking about them.

Consider home visits as a last resort. This isn't out of the question. And if you're deeply concerned about reaching students who can't be reached in any other way, it may be possible to just drive to their neighborhoods and, maintaining all precautionary measures and social distancing, check in with them. One visit might be all that's needed to at least establish a phone connection that you can maintain from that point on.

2. Meeting Special Education, RTI, and Language Learning Needs

So many of our students have individual needs that we have figured out how to meet in a school setting. When school moves to a distance-learning model, both teachers and parents are often at a loss for how to continue working with students with IEPs, those who receive RTI support, English learners, and other students who get one-on-one time with educators specifically trained to meet their needs.

Since this one is really far out of my wheelhouse, I reached out on Twitter for help. Really, your best bet is to read the replies to see what might work for you. You'll not only get some good ideas, you're likely to connect with people you can reach out to for even more good ideas.

Apart from that, I have a two more resources to share:

Microsoft has a growing suite of tools made specifically to make online learning more accessible for all learners. One or more of these may make it easier for you to meet more students' needs from a distance.

The TalkingPoints app enables teachers to communicate with parents in the parents' native language, and it even works if parents only have text-based phones.

As I neared completion on this post, I opened up my inbox and found five other resources that had been sent to me for possible inclusion in this post. Looking through them made me realize I had missed gobs and gobs of information here. I felt completely deflated and overwhelmed all over again, but then, as I have often had to do in the past couple of weeks, I took a deep breath, closed up the things that were distracting and upsetting me, and said to myself, "Today you have done enough."

I hope this has helped you in some way. If not, tomorrow is another day.

Come back for more.
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Distance Learning: A Gently Curated Collection of Resources for Teachers

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An overview of the nuts and bolts of distance learning, including general tips, advice on tech, and troubleshooting some common problems.

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Remote Learning School Loop Page

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Hello Twin Creeks Students and Parents,

I hope you're all doing well! I just wanted to reach out and let you know that all of your student artwork is being kept safe in the Art room at school. I can't wait until the time comes when our school campus is open again and I can finally hand over your Art folders! I miss you all so much!

Also, now through the end of the school year I will be sending you a simple weekly art lesson to complete at home if you like. No pressure, I just wanted to provide some fun projects for you.

Below are links for access to Dreambox Learning Math for Students to use at home. It can be accessed via a computer with the Student Portal or Ipad with the Clever app.

Attachments:
Student Portal Dreambox Parent Information

Shaun Collins
O ff i ce H o u rs: Friday 2- 3PM Google Meet Site

He will also be streaming a 10 minute Wednesday Workout on my Twitter at Noon. Students can find this on his website Mr Collins' Cornerby clicking on the Twitter button

or directly @Mr_CollinsPE on Twitter. They do NOT need a twitter account to view!

Library with Mrs. Casebeer

Adrienne Casebeer Library Website
Click the above website for amazing and fun activities from our librarian.

Shaun Collins ~~~PE scollins@srvusd.net

Linda DeMello ~~~Art ldemello@srvusd.net

Gretchen Sullivan ~~~ELD gsullivan@srvusd.net

Krista Fong ~~~Speech kfong@srvusd.net

Julie Torchiana ~~~Math jtorchiana@srvusd.net

Kathy Roebuck ~~~Rainbow kroebuck@srvusd.net

Terri Knight ~~~Music tknight@srvusd.net

Adrienne Casebeer ~~~Library acasebeer@srvusd.net

David Chang ~~~Computer Tech dchang@srvusd.net

Alyssa Luu ~~~Psychologist aluu1@srvusd.net

Marcia Norgard ~~~Reading mnorgard@srvusd.net

Rachel Gonzales ~~~Reading rgonzales@srvusd.net.

Susan Dees~~~Science sdees@srvusd.net

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Hello Twin Creeks Students and Parents, I hope you're all doing well! I just wanted to reach out and let you know that all of your student artwork is being kept safe in the Art room at school. I can't wait until the time comes when our school campus is open again and I can finally hand over your Art folders!

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Shake Up Learning

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The Shake Up Learning Blog by Kasey Bell offers educational technology and digital learning resources, tips and tricks, tutorials, Google cheat sheets and more to educators across the globe.

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Chart for Upper Elementary Students

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.