# data[].attributes.body
AVID Culturally Relevant Teaching: A Schoolwide Approach pp. 203-204

# data[].attributes.body
www.elenaaguilar.com

# data[].attributes.headline
The Five Phases of the Focused Note-Taking Process

# data[].attributes.subject
The Five Phases of the Focused Note-Taking Process

# data[].attributes.body
from AVID Writing for Disciplinary Literacy: A Schoolwide Approach pp. 98-162

# data[].attributes.headline
Differentiate Instruction in the Digital Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Differentiate Instruction in the Digital Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In adapting to the 'new normal' of digital classrooms during COVID-19, the initial focus was simply moving the curriculum entirely online. But now educators are looking at ways to adapt their lesson plans to this new paradigm to make class time more engaging-and more effective.

Educators are well aware that students learn in different ways and at different paces. But the idea of providing a personalized learning experience for students in a digital classroom may seem like a daunting, if not impossible, task for educators thrown into the deep end of the digital realm. But this environment is, in fact, well suited to engage different types of learners through personalization-and it doesn't necessarily require a big technical learning curve.

While taking a more personal approach might look a bit different online than it does in a traditional classroom, there are ways to adapt teaching methods and approaches for the online world to meet students' needs, from introverts to extroverts. An added bonus? It will capture their attention and keep them from tuning out or drifting off during online classes.

What is Differentiated Instruction?

In a traditional classroom, teaching often followed a one-size-fits-all approach. Some students thrived, while others struggled. Instructors would make adjustments on the fly if it became apparent a lesson wasn't quite working.

Differentiated instruction, also known as differentiated learning, is a teaching philosophy that considers the needs of all students, even if they're in the same (virtual) classroom. This means teaching materials, assignments and assessments take into account diverse learning styles, as well as other factors such as gender, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and personal interests.

"At its most basic level, differentiating instruction means 'shaking up' what goes on in the classroom so that students have multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn," according to Carol Ann Tomlinson, chair of educational leadership, foundations and policy at the University of Virginia-who is widely considered one of the most reputable thought leaders on this topic.

"In other words, a differentiated classroom provides different avenues to acquiring content, to processing or making sense of ideas, and to developing products so that each student can learn effectively," she says.

But it's important to distinguish differentiated learning from individualized instruction. While it's still based on individual needs, differentiation doesn't mean you have to come up with a customized lesson plan for each individual student-which would be exhausting and probably unsustainable.

Instead, while differentiation "advocates attending to students as individuals, it does not assume a separate assignment for each learner," says Tomlinson. Nor is it chaotic; rather, what she refers to as "orderly flexibility" is a defining feature of differentiation, where student behaviour is more focused and productive.

Some key benefits to this approach include boosting student engagement and enhancing their motivation to learn, while also allowing them to take more responsibility for their learning. This can benefit a range of students, from high achievers to those with learning disabilities and everyone in between. For example, students who receive average grades might thrive in an environment where they can adapt learning to their preferences and interests.

Some instructors may worry that planning lessons with differentiated instruction will be a time-consuming task, especially if they're in the midst of adapting to a digital classroom (and an uncertain future) during a global pandemic. Their worries are not unfounded. Admittedly, this approach will likely require more prep work.

Yet, differentiation lends itself well to the online world. As you attempt to make classes more interactive and engaging to students, you can integrate personalization through class activities and by using online learning tools.

To understand how to apply this approach in your online classroom, it's important to understand the key pillars of differentiation: content, process, product and learning environment.

Key Pillars of Lesson Design for Differentiated Instruction

Content: This involves using diverse materials and teaching methods in class to cover course content. Some students may be somewhat familiar with the concepts in a lesson, while others may be unfamiliar; some may even show signs of early mastery. Differentiating content means using different materials and teaching methods to help students at all levels of comprehension, without lowering performance standards. In other words, the content remains consistent, but how students access content could be differentiated.

Processes: This relates to learning activities that help students master course content. It could include tiered assignments where different learners are offered different levels of challenge or complexity, or it could involve varying the time it takes different students to complete a task. In addition to assigned readings, you could offer the option of listening to a podcast or watching a video-or varying individual study with group work-to appeal to a variety of learning styles.

Products: This refers to 'products' such as tests, reports, projects and assignments where students demonstrate their mastery of content based on their learning preferences. For some students, demonstrating knowledge isn't best achieved by a 10-page report. Students could be provided with a choice of assignments such as creating a video, writing a blog post, developing a podcast or building a 3-D object. It could, of course, also involve writing a 10-page report, because some students will prefer this method.

How Differentiated Instruction Works Online

A fourth aspect of differentiation is related to the learning environment itself-creating conditions for optimal learning in the classroom. This could include anything from the physical layout of the classroom to the overall atmosphere. But how does this work in a digital classroom?

The same general principles for physical classrooms can be applied online. Using a professional-looking space with good lighting for video lectures, offering small-group virtual breakout rooms, student-led chat forums and virtual office hours can go a long way in creating a comfortable virtual space for students.

A lesson will likely resonate with a wider swath of students if it targets visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic senses. This means applying several different teaching approaches in your lessons, such as watching videos, listening to audio clips, playing educational games and dividing students into pairs or groups in virtual breakout rooms, as well as providing both spoken and written directions.

You can also use tools such as online questionnaires, quizzes and polls to pinpoint what content will best meet students' needs-asking them about their favourite class activities, for example, or about which types of exercises help them remember key points.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Digital Classrooms

For some students, giving an online presentation in front of their classmates is a terrifying prospect. Others will be in their element. That's why differentiation blends individual, small-group, large-group and whole-class instruction across content, processes and products. It also takes into account learner readiness, learning profiles and learning interests.

There's still room for traditional lectures (albeit in video form) and online class discussions, particularly when covering basic course material. But differentiated instruction can be applied to your digital classroom in ways that will engage students, while helping them meet the objectives of the course.

In unpacking differentiated instruction, it's helpful to understand what it is-and what it isn't. Differentiation doesn't mean that 'advanced' students can skip their homework, or that 'advanced' students should be paired with 'struggling' students. But it could mean grouping students around their strengths and weaknesses so they can all learn from one another.

It's also a good idea to avoid distinguishing students based on their pace of learning. "A fast-paced student might have only a superficial understanding of a concept, while a slower-paced student might have greater facility with the same concept and a greater ability to apply that knowledge or skill. In this case, the faster-paced student might have a lot to learn from the slower-paced student," according to Steven Mintz, executive director of the Institute for Transformational Learning at The University of Texas at Austin, in an article for Inside Higher Ed.

Here's how to differentiate instruction to meet a variety of student needs-even in the digital classroom:

Tiered assignments: Assign groups of students to specific tasks according to comprehension-they meet the same learning goals, but at different levels of challenge and complexity. Students can be grouped according to challenge level (where different groups tackle different assignments) or complexity (where different groups tackle the same assignment at a different complexity level).

Group work based on learning styles: After teaching a lesson, break students into small groups using virtual breakout rooms. Students can be grouped based on their learning styles (such as visual or auditory), rather than ability. Of course, not all students are aware of their learning style-and they may have more than one learning style-so a pre-assessment quiz can help determine how to group students.

Flexible groupings: This approach to group work allows students to rotate in and out of temporary groupings (whether pairs or small groups) to complement their own learning style. This does, however, require some pre-planning. Looking over student learning profiles will help create groups and ensure students rotate in and out of the most appropriate groupings.

Layered curriculum: This offers students a choice of assignments, though they're still required to demonstrate mastery of course material in order to pass. It's a good choice for instructors who are teaching a large online class but still want to provide differentiation.

Independent projects: Ask students to come up with their own project ideas and pitch them to you. The project must still meet academic standards, so students should be open to your revisions or refinements.

Student response systems: These systems allow for real-time collaboration, helping educators better gauge student understanding in order to differentiate instruction. You can create online quizzes, for example, that automatically assign differentiated follow-up activities or assignments based on the student's score (and comprehension of material).

Game-based learning: Educational games can be used across a range of subjects. Look for platforms that allow you to monitor students, perhaps even generate reports, to assess learning and where any gaps exist. They can also promote self-paced learning; some games will adjust according to 'player' needs.

Interactive discussions: Rather than being the sage on stage-which is difficult in a virtual classroom, even for the most riveting of lecturers-use digital tools to facilitate interactive online roundtables, discussions and debates.

Hands-on activities: At first this may seem difficult to conduct in an online environment, but it could inspire surprising creativity in your students as they look for household objects to use in artistic or scientific projects. And it will appeal to students who are tactile or kinesthetic learners.

The Role of Assessment in Differentiated Instruction

The content, processes and products you choose to incorporate in your lesson plans should be based on data from student assessments (and related tools). Just as no two students are alike, no two classes are alike, so instructional activities should be flexible, based on the needs of both the students and the class as a whole.

"In a differentiated classroom, assessment is no longer predominantly something that happens at the end of a unit to determine 'who got it.' Diagnostic pre-assessment routinely takes place as a unit begins, to shed light on individuals' particular needs and interests in relation to the unit's goals," says Tomlinson.

Throughout the unit, the instructor assesses students' developing readiness levels, interests and approaches to learning, she says, and then designs learning experiences based on the latest understanding of students' learning needs.

Pre-assessment: For differentiation to be effective, you'll need to determine students' understanding prior to a unit of study. Pre-assessment should be informal, providing qualitative feedback to identify learning preferences and interests, as well as student knowledge, strengths and areas of weakness. This can be done through online checklists, quizzes, self-reflection exercises and other types of pre-assessment tools.

Ongoing assessments: It's important to continually assess and adjust content on a regular basis to meet evolving student needs. Formative assessments-such as assignments, quizzes and tests-can help to inform your instructional strategies. But they can also help you learn about students' learning preferences so you can tweak and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Aptitude testing: Evaluate comprehension in ways that test different aptitudes-not just written answers (although that will still appeal to some students). Artistic or kinesthetic options can help some students demonstrate their understanding of content in a different way, such as delivering a presentation, performing a monologue or creating visual art.

When it comes to differentiated instruction, it's important to recognize that "instructors aren't simply content area specialists or evaluators of student work, but, rather, designers of educational experiences," according to Mintz.

There's a lot to learn in this new paradigm of online instruction. But as we move toward more personalization in the classroom, differentiation will help to meet the needs of all learners-even in the digital realm.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Differentiated Instruction in the Digital Classroom | Top Hat

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In adapting to the 'new normal' of digital classrooms during COVID-19, the initial focus was simply moving the curriculum entirely online. But now educators are looking at ways to adapt their lesson plans to this new paradigm to make class time more engaging-and more effective.

# data[].attributes.headline
Design Flexible Lessons for Hybrid Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Design Flexible Lessons for Hybrid Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Explore five flexible lesson design models to enhance hybrid learning.

If you design hybrid lessons like you would design a traditional, face-to-face lesson, you will likely end up creating multiple versions of every lesson, with one for each learning group (face-to-face, remote hybrid, and full-time remote). This approach is not very efficient, and it is probably not sustainable.

On the other hand, to keep your workload manageable, you might be tempted to record your live class and then require remote students to either tune in live or watch the recording later. This practice is not effective either, and many students will find it boring and quickly disengage.

Rather than trying to fit what you have always done into a hybrid-learning structure, rethink how you are designing your lessons. Whenever possible, create lessons that will work effectively across any delivery model and in any learning environment. This common design will also enable you to pivot quickly to other learning models, if needed, and you will be able to switch modes without recreating all of your lessons. Since you are implementing best practices and creating well-designed lessons that are both effective and flexible, this work can be reused in the future with any instructional model you may be using. Consider this work an investment in the future as well as a benefit for today.

One core hybrid design concept is to design your lessons for remote learners first. This will be the most versatile lesson design. If remote students can complete the work on their own, face-to-face students will be even better able to complete it with a teacher in the room. Once your core lesson has been developed, then you can adjust your face-to-face classes to be more personal and interactive. Since it's easier to convert remote work to in-person learning than it is to turn an in-person lesson into a remote experience, start with the remote lesson plan.

While you will focus on the remote lesson first, it's still critical to make the most of your face-to-face time. Whenever possible, find ways to make this in-person time as interactive and collaborative as possible. Take advantage of the fact that you have students together in the same physical space. If you plan for an online discussion, your in-class students could still have that virtual conversation. However, you could also easily transform that experience into a live, face-to-face discussion with very little extra effort. Consider what changes will increase interaction without requiring you to create a whole new lesson.

As you plan, your content will guide your lesson design process to some extent. Consider if your content must be learned sequentially or if you have some flexibility in the order that students learn it.

Sequential Lessons

For lessons that must be completed sequentially, your most efficient approach will be to design for remote learning, and then modify for those attending in person. For example, remote learners may watch a short screencast to receive the core content. In-class students could view these same recordings. However, a teacher could adjust this and present this same content live to the face-to-face students with minimal extra work. In any of these models, however, think of yourself as a facilitator or coach first, and reduce the amount of time presenting content. Whenever possible, keep the face-to-face experience student-centered and interactive. Three lesson design models work well for sequential content.

Self-Paced Online

Playlist

Project- or Inquiry-Based

Non-Sequential Lessons

If you have lessons that do not need to be completed in a specific, sequential order, you will have more flexibility in your lesson planning. In fact, all of the models on this list can be used with non-sequential content. With non-sequential learning modules, you may also find that you have additional opportunities to increase student interaction during the face-to-face classes. Consider these opportunities as you explore the models.

Self-Paced Online

Playlist

Project- or Inquiry-Based

Flip-Flop (A/B Model)

Virtual Station Rotation

Remote Learners

With either sequential or non-sequential lessons, you will need to make sure that any remote-only students can still engage in a rich learning experience, even if it must be slightly modified. For instance, instead of meeting with these students in person, you might schedule a virtual meeting with Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams to provide a similar learning experience. By planning for these remote learners first, you will usually find that your lessons can work in any environment. For unique experiences that require in-person connections or resources that are only available at school, you will need to make some modifications.

5 Ways to Design Flexible Hybrid Lessons

In the self-paced online approach, you will design every lesson so that students can complete it on their own regardless of their learning model. Oftentimes, this will include a short screencast introducing core content or explaining the tasks for the day. This is then followed up with some type of engaging learning activities where students dig deeper into the content, research on their own, practice a skill, complete online activities, or interact with other students remotely through interactive technology, such as discussions, Flipgrid (Tips), collaborative documents, email, and more.

While the group at home is working independently, you will have an opportunity to work more closely with your in-class students. You can set up individual conferences with each of these face-to-face students while the rest of the class works through the lesson either individually or collaboratively. You can answer questions or facilitate in-person group learning. In this model, students can complete the coursework no matter where they are learning, and you can provide in-person attendees more individualized support. You will want to check in on your remote learners regularly, as well. There are many ways to do this, such as reviewing their online work, reaching out via email/messaging, or by scheduling a video meeting.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

A playlist is a list of tasks that a student must complete. Ideally, students have some choice in which tasks they complete on their journey toward mastering the content. A choice board is one popular version of a playlist. In the playlist model, you can either provide a different playlist each day, or you can provide one for the entire week. In the case of a week-long playlist, students often receive it on Monday and are required to have all the work completed by Friday.

The playlist model is similar to the self-paced online model and can be used in similar ways. In-class time is once again leveraged for interpersonal connections, check-ins, and interventions. Playlists can contain group and partner options to encourage collaboration. Fully remote students can also complete collaborative tasks, but they will need to connect with classmates virtually.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

This model is another variation of the self-paced online model. In the project-based approach, students are all working on a project whether at home or in school. This way, they are all completing the same lesson at the same time. However, you should take advantage of the in-class time to conduct formative check-ins with each student to see how they are progressing. You could also facilitate peer check-ins and group think time to take advantage of the peer-to-peer connections that can best happen in person. It's a good idea to schedule virtual check-ins with your remote-only students, as well. You won't want them to fall behind.

The project-based approach is very student-centered and offers considerable voice and choice. It also allows students to develop important skills, such as creativity and problem-solving. If you wish to increase the collaboration aspect of the project, assign each student a "study buddy" or "project partner." They can connect remotely and support each other through the project.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

While you will likely use all of these five design models at some point during your hybrid experience, the flip-flop model is especially helpful for working in those highly interactive, in-person experiences. This model is much like it sounds; you flip-flop the in-person and online lessons during each A/B cycle in the schedule. For example, on the first day, you might facilitate a Socratic Seminar, a lab, music rehearsal, or a class discussion with the face-to-face students while the remote learners conduct research on a related, but non-sequential topic. Then, the next day, you flip-flop the lessons. The first in-class group is now remote and completes the research assignment while the first remote group takes part in the face-to-face activity. While you will need to design two lessons at a time, this model allows you to take full advantage of the in-person classes while still only creating two lessons over a two-day span.

The biggest challenge with this model will come if you have full-time remote students. For those learners, you will need to modify the in-class lesson to work remotely. One idea is to allow remote students to attend the live class virtually. An in-class student could use their device as a portal for the remote students. For labs, you could have students record their experience, so the remote students can "look in" and be a part of the process (either live or through a recording). While this is not perfect and requires a little extra work on your part, it is often worth it to be able to offer these rich, interactive learning experiences. As with any instructional design, you will want to make the experiences as equitable as possible. In some cases, you may need to find a comparable activity that the remote-only students can complete online.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Many teachers implement station rotation in their classrooms. Traditionally, this would mean that during a class period, students would rotate between several learning stations. Most often, these stations could be completed in any order. In an English classroom, for instance, one station might be for grammar, one for peer editing, one for a mini-lesson with the teacher, and one for independent reading. This model has long been a popular strategy in elementary classrooms, and it has seen significant growth at all grade levels in recent years.

To maximize the advantages of face-to-face time, consider a station rotation model where students rotate to a new station each day rather than several times within the same day. This way, you can use the face-to-face days for collaboration and direct instruction while using the remote days for more independent tasks. In the English class described earlier, this might mean that the in-person days are for peer editing and the mini-lesson while the remote days are used for independent grammar lessons and reading assignments. If station rotation is blended with the flip-flop model, you could have students complete two independent stations remotely and two collaborative ones in-person.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Design Flexible Lessons for Hybrid Learning - AVID Open Access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore five flexible lesson design models to enhance hybrid learning. If you design hybrid lessons like you would design a traditional, face-to-face lesson, you will likely end up creating multiple versions of every lesson, with one for each learning group (face-to-face, remote hybrid, and full-time remote).

# data[].attributes.headline
Build Classroom Community to Support Your Students’ Social and Emotional Needs

# data[].attributes.subject
Build Classroom Community to Support Your Students’ Social and Emotional Needs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Develop strategies to establish relationships and build a positive classroom community for your students.

Relationships are the foundation for nearly everything that happens in education. Without them, we will likely see very little learning and growth. As we know, relationships lead to trust. Trust leads to risk-taking and growth mindset, and this willingness to stretch leads to learning and growth. For these reasons and more, it's essential that we begin establishing relationships and building a positive, trusting classroom community as early in the school year as possible. Whenever you can, include yourself in the activities, so you become a trusted member of the community, as well.

Most teachers are comfortable establishing relationships and community in a face-to-face environment. After all, this is where they often have the most experience. However, when school takes place in an online or hybrid environment, you may need to rethink some of your strategies. If possible, develop strategies and activities that can be modified and adapted to work in a variety of learning environments, not just face-to-face. Think about how you might make a traditional in-class activity work in a virtual or hybrid classroom, as well. In some cases, this might not be possible, and you may need to rethink your approach altogether. That's okay, but whatever approach you take, design with change in mind and be flexible.

"Design with change in mind."

To help you get started, we have compiled some strategies, activities, and templates for you to try in your classroom. Think about how these might work in your back-to-school setting.

Before the School Year Begins

You don't have to wait until the first day of school to begin connecting with your students. In fact, reaching out to them before the first day can set everyone up for success and create a positive tone when you get together for the first time. This early communication can help answer burning questions, reduce anxiety, and create a familiarity with what is ahead for the new school year. Whatever you do to reach out to students before the school year begins, be sure to be positive, encouraging, and inviting. This will make students excited to be a part of your classroom community, and it will go a long way toward meeting their social and emotional learning needs.

Ideas and Strategies:

Send a welcome letter to parents/guardians and students.

Send out a greeting using your school's digital messaging system.

Send a personal email to each family.

Record a video introducing yourself and describing your classroom.

Record a virtual tour of your classroom to send to students.

Record yourself reading a story and send it to families of younger students.

If it's set up and available, invite students and families to your virtual classroom space.

Send out a link to a Flipgrid or Padlet and encourage students to introduce themselves.

During the First Weeks of School

The first days and weeks of school might be the most important days of the entire school year. It is during this time that students need social and emotional learning support as they experience the anxiety of something new. This is your opportunity to set a positive tone for everything that is to come. You can help students feel safe and welcomed, so they can be excited to learn. Creating a positive, supportive classroom will open the door for risk-taking and a growth mindset throughout the year. These are both essential to helping students reach their personal potential as well as feel socially and emotionally secure.

When planning your first two weeks of school, consider including a community-building activity as part of each day. These might be longer and more involved during the first few days of school and then reinforced with more compacted activities as you get further into the school year. These first activities will often be specifically designed to build community, and it's helpful to call this out when you are doing them. Explain to students that community is important to you, you care about them, and you want them to feel comfortable and included in your classroom.

After the more focused community-building activities, it can also be helpful to weave smaller mixers into your academic learning activities. For instance, if students are asked to work in groups, build in a mixer or introduction activity to start the group process of fostering a team atmosphere. This process can also work when students are paired up with a work partner. Another efficient approach is to weave personal topics into the academic content. If students present a speech, have them share a personal experience. If they are practicing their writing, have them write about something that helps you get to know them better. If they are counting, have them count something that matters to them. This approach allows you to get to know students while they are practicing their academic skills.

As you plan your community-building activities, consider how you can facilitate them in a variety of classroom formats: face-to-face, virtual, or hybrid. You'll probably even need to consider the different ways that face-to-face instruction might look, as well. Are your students allowed to move around the room, or do they need to remain socially distanced? If social distancing is required, can you use collaborative documents and tools to connect students? Even with social distancing, are there ways to have your students share verbally? These connections and opportunities to have a voice are key to creating a classroom community, but they may require some creativity on your part to make them fit your specific environment.

Ideas and Strategies:

Encourage Student Ownership and Voice

Give students a voice in creating classroom norms.

Ask students what is important to them.

Allow students to decorate the classroom.

Rotate classroom duties and tasks, so everyone is involved.

Ask for student feedback about a class activity or assignment.

Personal Introductions

Share verbal introductions to the whole class, in small groups, or with partners.

Interview and introduce a partner.

Record and review introductions virtually.

Schedule individual Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams meetings with each student.

Learning Teams

Create smaller learning communities within your classroom.

Teams can create names, logos, and cheers to establish a team identity.

Create a team T-shirt (Template).

Start every team activity with a quick personal share-out.

Make sure that each team member has a group role.

Solve a puzzle or complete a task (such as a Flippity Scavenger Hunt) as a group.

Use live breakout rooms in a synchronous remote-learning setting.

Full-Class Mixers

Games: Survey students and create a Quizlet Live or Kahoot! activity for them to identify and get to know each other in a game format.

BINGO: Play "Community Building BINGO" by getting classmates to sign off on a square of your BINGO board. If you are doing this virtually, you might need to post the board and have students "sign" (type) their names on a common board, allowing multiple names on each square. Encourage students to try for a blackout!

Would You Rather...?: Have students share out quick responses to "Would you rather...?" statements.

"My Favorite..." Speeches: These are simple, quick share-outs that allow students to learn about each other.

The Name Game: This lets students learn each other's names by going around the circle repeating each student's name and something they shared to a quick prompt.

Musical Shares: Randomize partner groups by mixing students until the music stops, and then they share their response. In a virtual environment, you could use a virtual partner generator, like the Flippity Name Picker.

Two Truths and a Stretch: Have each student submit two truths and a stretch to you with their name. You can periodically pull up one student's list and ask the class to try and identify which item is the stretch. You might consider using a polling tool, like Socrative or Poll Everywhere, so everyone gets to be part of the activity.

Use Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams to facilitate synchronous meetings during remote learning.

Throughout the School Year

While the beginning of the school year is essential for establishing a positive classroom community, it must be nurtured and reinforced throughout the year. This will help to protect the foundations of those relationships, even when students face academic and personal struggles. Consider how you can connect to holidays or events that are happening in your school. This can be as simple as having students share out their favorite holiday tradition or creating a decoration to be displayed in the classroom. This is also a great opportunity to continue creating a culturally relevant classroom by recognizing the different perspectives and cultures of your students.

In addition to sharing, allowing students to personalize your classroom learning space can be powerful. It not only helps students feel comfortable in the space, but it is a great equity strategy that allows each student's voice and identity to be recognized and heard. This also reinforces a culturally responsive and relevant classroom.

Ideas and Strategies:

Post student work.

Facilitate brief student share-outs.

Recognize a different student each week.

Create a class publication to showcase work from each student.

Create an identity wall and allow each student to add to it.

Collaboratively decorate the classroom.

Make classroom decisions together, giving students voice in the process.

Have students plan a class celebration.

At the End of the School Year

When the end of the school year is nearing, community is still important. You will want to validate the positive feelings and experiences that students have shared in your classroom. This positive ending to the school year can be a catalyst and catapult for future learning.

Ideas and Strategies:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Classroom Community During Remote Teaching - AVID Open Access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Develop strategies to establish relationships and build a positive classroom community for your students. Relationships are the foundation for nearly everything that happens in education. Without them, we will likely see very little learning and growth. As we know, relationships lead to trust.

# data[].attributes.headline
Academic Language Scripts for Socratic Seminar Primary Level 

# data[].attributes.subject
Academic Language Scripts for Socratic Seminar Primary Level 

# data[].attributes.body
AVID Elementary Foundations: A Schoolwide Implementation Resource pp. 138

# data[].attributes.headline
Establish a Feedback and Progress Monitoring System

# data[].attributes.subject
Establish a Feedback and Progress Monitoring System

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How will I know how my students are doing?

You will not be able to rely on walking around the classroom to check in with students and see how they are doing. Instead, you'll need to develop an intentional remote-learning system for gathering feedback. If possible, design each lesson with a feedback component woven meaningfully into the learning experience.

These feedback opportunities are often activities that allow students to process their learning while also getting feedback on their progress and informing the teacher at the same time.

Options for self-paced remote learning include:

Assignments

Discussions

Tests and quizzes

Project checkpoints

Online games or activities with analytics

Options for live remote learning include:

Digital entry and exit tickets

Discussions

Chats, both group and private

Low-risk polling

Visual symbols/cues, such as holding up different colored cards or "Agree," "Disagree," or "Don't Know Yet" signs

Word clouds

Sketch responses

Collaborative whiteboarding

Collaborative writing/posting in a shared document

When designing student activities, consider not only what you want students to process and practice but also what types of information will help inform you as their teacher. This information can help you improve your practice and inform next steps.

Which students need support or remediation?

Which students need extension opportunities?

How are my students feeling about this learning experience?

Are students engaged, or are they "checking out"?

Do I see a trend that tells me I should modify what comes next for the entire class?

How has group size or lesson structure impacted learning?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Feedback and Progress Monitoring - AVID Open Access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You will not be able to rely on walking around the classroom to check in with students and see how they are doing. Instead, you'll need to develop an intentional remote-learning system for gathering feedback. If possible, design each lesson with a feedback component woven meaningfully into the learning experience.

# data[].attributes.body
AVID Critical Thinking and Engagement: A Schoolwide Approach pp. 151-158

# data[].attributes.headline
Embrace Differences and Establish Community

# data[].attributes.subject
Embrace Differences and Establish Community

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
10 Strategies to Embrace Differences and Establish Community

1. Foster a growth mindset in yourself and your students.

Use a growth mindset to help you and your students develop and grow new understanding around equity, differences, and how to work together.

2. Build relational capacity and classroom culture through shared dialogue and collaborative experiences.

Students will be better able to collaborate and have deeper and more meaningful discussions if they have engaged in a shared experience and developed positive relationships with one another.

3. Listen to your students.

Hold class meetings and have students practice speaking and listening to each other. Teach students how to engage in different collaboration and communication protocols. Provide students with sentence stems. Students who know how to ask and respond to meaningful and deeper-level-thinking questions will learn more and be more engaged.

4. Gather student input and voice to create routines and traditions that support a culture of learning.

If you use your students' interests to create and deliver lessons, students will be more engaged and feel like their interests and opinions matter.

Use Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, or SurveyMonkey to create a survey and gather written input and feedback from students. Some example questions are:

What is something you are proud of?

What are you interested in?

What kinds of music do you like?

What was one of your favorite lessons in school? Why?

If you could add a rule to our classroom, what would it be?

How do you like to take notes? (This could be a multiple-choice question.)

How do you like to learn? (This could ask students to check all that apply and offer answer choices like: watching video, searching on the internet, reading, listening to a lecture, working with others, working alone, and other: _____.)

Use Flipgrid (Tips) to gather video input and feedback from students.

Have students create a digital All About Me T-shirt to share with you and others. Here is an All About Me T-Shirt Template that you can use with your students.

5. Use what you know about your students in your teaching.

Create opportunities to get to know your students, their likes, and their interests, and then use that information to support learning. Using what you know about your students will help them feel valued and create a stronger classroom community.

Use the information you gathered from your student input survey, Flipgrid video, and/or their digital T-shirt and incorporate their likes and interests into your teaching. For example, use the information you gathered in a word problem, scenario, or even questions. Play the music that they like when having them rotate stations or while waiting for everyone to gather in an online space during remote learning. In your self-paced remote-learning platform, include content-relevant and appropriate video clips that you know your students will enjoy.

Be honest with students about how you are trying to incorporate their likes and interests in what you are teaching, and then elicit feedback and suggestions from students to see if you have met your goal and/or how you can improve.

6. Design and build lessons, activities, and assignments based on students' strengths and identities.

Students will be more engaged and learn more when they are able to feel successful and empowered through their strengths.

For strategies to support you in this design process, visit our collections below:

7. Help students develop a positive self-identity and mindset.

This is especially important for students who are working remotely and may not have a lot of contact with others. When students feel good about themselves and the work they are doing, they will learn more and be happier. Check out the following collections for strategies to cultivate relational capacity and a positive classroom community in your virtual-teaching environment:

8. Provide supports and encouragement for students to take ownership of their own learning.

Students care more, are more engaged, and learn more when they feel ownership over what they are learning. Explore our collections below for strategies to support you.

9. Try to use bias-free language in your classroom.

Using bias-free language will help establish and develop a more inclusive and safe classroom environment.

10. Create more opportunities for all students to be successful.

If every student has a pathway to success, students will learn more and have a more positive attitude toward your class and school.

Provide many low-stakes opportunities for students in their learning.

Use student voice to drive what is happening.

Make sure to have visuals, charts, and lots of models for what being successful looks like.

Consider applying the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) process when planning. You can learn more about UDL and accessibility in our collection, Design With Accessibility in Mind.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Differences and Establish Community - AVID Open Access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use a growth mindset to help you and your students develop and grow new understanding around equity, differences, and how to work together. Students will be better able to collaborate and have deeper and more meaningful discussions if they have engaged in a shared experience and developed positive relationships with one another.

# data[].attributes.body
AVID Critical Thinking and Engagement: A Schoolwide Approach pp. 153

# data[].attributes.headline
Choose Your Live Virtual Feedback Strategies and Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Choose Your Live Virtual Feedback Strategies and Tools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Discussions

Similar to the normal classroom setting, you can assess and learn a lot about what students know and how they are feeling simply by listening to discussions. Think about how you might capture the data that comes from discussions. Think about how to structure your live virtual learning session so that every participant has a chance to actively participate in the discussion.

Depending on your group size, provide space for whole-group and small-group discussions.

Discussions can be done orally and/or in the chat. If done in the chat, think about saving the chat as a piece of data.

Surveys

Give participants time to respond to a survey during your live virtual session.

If used as an entry ticket, use the data to drive your session. You may consider even sharing the data with students, so they know why you are doing what you are doing.

If used as an exit ticket, use the data to inform your next steps. Even something as simple as a Pluses and Wishes survey can help inform your instruction. Students simply write about what went well during the live virtual learning session (pluses) and what they wish would be different (wishes).

Possible digital survey tools include:

Word Clouds

Participants can provide feedback and be engaged through the use of digital word clouds. In most word cloud generators, the word(s) used the most are larger and bolder. This can provide you with very quick feedback around student thinking and understanding.

Think about limiting participant responses to one word.

Possible word cloud generators include:

Visual Cues

Because participants are muted most of the time, using visual cues to assess students' needs and understanding can be very powerful. In addition, if you record your session, you can always go back through to keep track of visual cues.
Digital

Have participants use emojis and/or reactions throughout the live session to show their understanding, raise their hand, etc.
Analog

Have participants write and/or draw an answer to your question on a piece of paper and hold it up for you and others to see. Make sure they are using a bold writing tool, such as a pen or marker, so it is easier to see.

If you do not have robust chat/reaction features, paper can also be used in a similar way. Participants can draw emojis and write a word or short phrase to show their understanding or current emotions.

Have participants hold up cards to show that they agree, disagree, or don't understand something you are teaching.

Polls

Use polls to quickly assess the needs or understanding of a larger group of participants throughout your live virtual session.
Digital

Have participants use digital polls, such as Kahoot! or Poll Everywhere.

If using a slide deck to accompany your live virtual learning session, consider using polls in tools such as Nearpod or Pear Deck.

Analog

Have participants hold up their fingers to show how much more time they need.

Have participants complete a Fist-to-Five to show their understanding or how they are feeling, with a fist being very low and a "5" being very high.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Online Teaching Feedback Strategies - AVID Open Access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Similar to the normal classroom setting, you can assess and learn a lot about what students know and how they are feeling simply by listening to discussions. Think about how you might capture the data that comes from discussions.

# data[].attributes.headline
Recognize Students and Celebrate Together

# data[].attributes.subject
Recognize Students and Celebrate Together

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Discover ways to honor and recognize students' accomplishments during live virtual-teaching sessions.

There is no "one size fits all" approach, and you will likely need to customize these ideas to meet your unique needs and circumstances. As you make your plan, be sure to review and comply with local guidelines, which may help guide your decisions, and remember that not all of your students have the same access to technology and other resources. As you plan, try to be as equitable and inclusive as possible. Finally, don't let this situation be limiting. In fact, look at it as an opportunity to honor more students than ever before because you are not bound to the limitations of time or space.

Let this list of ideas be a "fire starter" to help ignite your imagination and help you find the best ways to celebrate with your students in a virtual setting!

Classroom Recognition and Celebrations

Teachers love to celebrate important events and dates with their students. Not only is this a fun event, but it helps to build community and create lasting, positive memories. While this will feel different in a remote learning environment, there are many ways to both recognize students individually and celebrate as a community.

INDIVIDUAL RECOGNITION

Virtual cards

Flipgrid messages

Collaborative documents with crowd-sourced messages

Personalized video messages for each student

A physical card or note mailed to a student

E-cards

Email to a student

Eating lunch together

A phone call

A personal video call to celebrate a student accomplishment

GROUP CELEBRATION

Virtual games and challenges - Kahoot! (Tip Sheet), virtual breakout challenges, virtual puzzles, etc.

Augmented reality (like scavenger hunts with GooseChase)

Happy birthday sung over live video

Digital bingo or other games

A virtual party (which can be themed)

Online show and tell

Playing "masked singer" on Flipgrid

Classmate awards (be sure that each student is honored)

Scavenger hunt challenges (find items in your house)

Breakout rooms, where students can play in small groups

Featured Tool: Flippity

Flippity is a free website, packed full of customizable templates. The templates make creating your own activities fast and easy. You simply choose an activity, copy and customize the template, and then you're ready to share it with your students! Flippity even offers a "Skip the Spreadsheet" option for an even easier rollout. With this one site, you can create activities to both recognize your students and energize your group celebration.

Recognize your students: Badge tracker, certificate quiz, progress indicator, and more.

Energize your celebration: Quiz show, scavenger hunt, BINGO, Mad Libs, and more.

School-wide events, such as talent shows, award programs, prom, and graduation, are highlights for many students, and they mark a few of the rites of passage that students may experience on their way toward adulthood. While we may not be able to host these events in a traditional way, it's important that we find other ways to commemorate them. Whether they happen in real time or not, there are ways that we can continue to celebrate school-wide events together. The list below offers some ideas, many of which can be combined into different aspects of one larger event:

Live Virtual Events

Video streaming allows many simultaneous viewers.

Slideshows can be presented in real time during virtual events (a way to honor students).

Speakers can share their message in real time.

A full virtual ceremony can be broadcasted.

Guest readers can join the event virtually from any location.

Recorded Virtual Events

Video-record the event ahead of time (can be student- or teacher-created).

Record commencement addresses.

Speeches, videos, and slideshows can all be included.

Flipgrid speeches allow more students to contribute their message.

Photo galleries can highlight memories:

Grad photos and bios

Grad cap decorating

Virtual grand march for prom

Academic, arts, athletic, and club letter winners

Scholarship winners

Beyond The School and Into The Community

Drive-by or drive-through events:

Pick up your diploma and take a picture.

Drive by, wave, and honk at graduate homes.

Honk for birthday greetings.

Teacher car parades through student neighborhoods.

Drive-up events using an outdoor screen and FM transmitter:

Drive-up movie

Celebratory slideshow

Displays:

Yard signs

Porch photos

Porch balloons

Street banners

Collaborate with local media:

Notify them of upcoming events.

Leverage their audience and platform to bring more attention to your students.

Use local broadcast television when available.

Featured Tool: WeVideo

Video is a powerful way to help celebrate virtual events. It can be used to capture events, speeches, performances, or tribute videos that honor graduates and others. These recordings can then be broadcasted widely or shared individually with students and their families. There are many video editing programs available, and you can choose whichever one works best for you or is the most available and affordable. WeVideo is a Chromebook-friendly option that will let you create a video up to five minutes in length with a free account.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Recognizing Accomplishments in Distance Learning - AVID Open Access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover ways to honor and recognize students' accomplishments during live virtual-teaching sessions. There is no "one size fits all" approach, and you will likely need to customize these ideas to meet your unique needs and circumstances.

# data[].attributes.body
Examples of Station Rotations:

Math (Links to an external site.)

English Language Arts (Links to an external site.)

Social Studies (Links to an external site.)

Science (Links to an external site.)

AP Class (Links to an external site.)

Physical Education (Links to an external site.)

Flipping the Ensemble Classroom (Links to an external site.)

The Flipped Choral Rehearsal (Links to an external site.)

World Languages (Links to an external site.)

# data[].attributes.body
From Dr. Anita Archer - expert in explicit instruction

# data[].attributes.headline
Resource of Tools for Collaborative Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Resource of Tools for Collaborative Tools

# data[].attributes.body
Breakout Rooms

# data[].attributes.body
Collaborative slide embedded into the presentation

# data[].attributes.headline
K-5 -  Collaborative Conversations Think Pair Share Caton

# data[].attributes.subject
K-5 -  Collaborative Conversations Think Pair Share Caton

# data[].attributes.headline
Google Drive with Canvas Course Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Google Drive with Canvas Course Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Accommodation Videos and Resources 2020-2021 Pre-Planning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Snap&Read - Getting Started Tutorial for Snap and Read

# data[].attributes.headline
I feel relationships are the most important part of being a teacher.Knowing what goes on in your students' lives binds them to you. It can be as simple as asking how "grandma is feeling" or ' how was it with dad this weekend" that makes my students feel I am vested in them as people.

# data[].attributes.subject
I feel relationships are the most important part of being a teacher.Knowing what goes on in your students' lives binds them to you. It can be as simple as asking how "grandma is feeling" or ' how was it with dad this weekend" that makes my students feel I am vested in them as people.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree. Forming relationships with your students is one of the most important thing you can do as a teacher to promote learning within the classroom. Students need to feel accepted and feel as if they are able to take risks throughout the learning process.

# data[].attributes.body
Hold-up tips can get tricky with younger students, however, they often are very eager to show/share their work with others.

# data[].attributes.body
Differentiation is one thing that I find I enjoy about virtual learning. I have found it very time-consuming to differentiate instruction, however, once I located resources it wasn't too difficult to differentiate an assignment.

# data[].attributes.headline
These coaching stems are key for reluctant students who are nervous to comment 

# data[].attributes.subject
These coaching stems are key for reluctant students who are nervous to comment 

# data[].attributes.body
Snap and Read has been a useful tool with my fourth graders when wanting to expose the students to higher level texts on the same topics.

# data[].attributes.headline
I'm taking an Online college course for my cert on this at the moment, and look forward to using this type of small group structure in class.

# data[].attributes.subject
I'm taking an Online college course for my cert on this at the moment, and look forward to using this type of small group structure in class.

# data[].attributes.headline
Building relationships is a MUST to ensure a successful, enthusiastic classroom full of engaged learners.

# data[].attributes.subject
Building relationships is a MUST to ensure a successful, enthusiastic classroom full of engaged learners.

# data[].attributes.headline
This I enjoy doing, especially letting the students pitch in with their ideas, opinions and suggestions.

# data[].attributes.subject
This I enjoy doing, especially letting the students pitch in with their ideas, opinions and suggestions.

# data[].attributes.headline
I've done this in the past when using Hapara, and I may try it again in the future, though I'm focusing on doing more computer-free activities in class, for the sake of increasing live interaction. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I've done this in the past when using Hapara, and I may try it again in the future, though I'm focusing on doing more computer-free activities in class, for the sake of increasing live interaction. 

# data[].attributes.body
I use Achieve 3000 which individualizes student's lessons.

# data[].attributes.headline
Tom Hayes - Jamboard is a great tool for this.

# data[].attributes.subject
Tom Hayes - Jamboard is a great tool for this.

# data[].attributes.body
I am conducting Socratic Seminars with classes.

# data[].attributes.body
I have been using Jamboard and plan on using padlet as well.

# data[].attributes.headline
R. Ruddy-I agree with the article which basically states that relationship building is the first step towards having a successful classroom (both synchronously and asynchronously).  A teacher's relationship with their students often impacts how they are engaged and should be a priority when teaching in a whole group setting.  If students feel comfortable and safe, they are more likely to ask questions and participate. 

# data[].attributes.subject
R. Ruddy-I agree with the article which basically states that relationship building is the first step towards having a successful classroom (both synchronously and asynchronously).  A teacher's relationship with their students often impacts how they are engaged and should be a priority when teaching in a whole group setting.  If students feel comfortable and safe, they are more likely to ask questions and participate. 

# data[].attributes.headline
This virtual Whiteboard that I found very useful when my class was just quarantined. It allowed me to teach on a whiteboard while my students worked on theirs. I could see errors in progress and redirect and give feedback.

# data[].attributes.subject
This virtual Whiteboard that I found very useful when my class was just quarantined. It allowed me to teach on a whiteboard while my students worked on theirs. I could see errors in progress and redirect and give feedback.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About

About Us

Whiteboard.fi is created by Sebastian Laxell and Jaakko Virtanen, and is run by Digital Teaching Tools Finland Ltd - a Kahoot! company. We have experience in teaching and IT-management - so we know the struggle in finding good digital tools.

Certificates

FERPA Certified

COPPA Safe Harbor

California Student Privacy Certified

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Whiteboard.fi - Free online whiteboard for teachers and classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whiteboard.fi is an instant formative assessment tool for your classroom, providing you with live feedback and immediate overview over your students.

# data[].attributes.headline
When students are in the classroom, synchronously, they can utilize this time to gain support from teacher and other peers.  Teachers can also be modeling what is expected of the students when they are home. 

# data[].attributes.subject
When students are in the classroom, synchronously, they can utilize this time to gain support from teacher and other peers.  Teachers can also be modeling what is expected of the students when they are home. 

# data[].attributes.headline
Love the idea of recognizing students and staff especially now!!

# data[].attributes.subject
Love the idea of recognizing students and staff especially now!!

# data[].attributes.headline
Robin Ruddy-This sounds like an excellent tool that I would like to try to use in my synchronous learning environment, in the classroom.  I have seen students using this for other classes and they do seem to like using this to have collaborative conversations and interact. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Robin Ruddy-This sounds like an excellent tool that I would like to try to use in my synchronous learning environment, in the classroom.  I have seen students using this for other classes and they do seem to like using this to have collaborative conversations and interact. 

# data[].attributes.body
I had not thought of using sentence stems to help students during a data chat but it is a perfect coaching tool.

# data[].attributes.body
We have found the academic sentence stems to be very effective, regardless of the student's age. I would like to make sure all of our teachers have access to the Spanish version, too.

# data[].attributes.headline
Excited to learn and practice station rotations.

# data[].attributes.subject
Excited to learn and practice station rotations.

# data[].attributes.body
We are finding ways to follow COVID guidelines while still conducting Gallery Walks. The students love to collaborate in the effort to 'show what they know'.

# data[].attributes.headline
I guess I never really thought of this as a "Strategy" but always thought of it as an "essential".  The better we get at this the better a teacher we become.... and it never stops!

# data[].attributes.subject
I guess I never really thought of this as a "Strategy" but always thought of it as an "essential".  The better we get at this the better a teacher we become.... and it never stops!

# data[].attributes.headline
In a classroom situation where working a lab with partners is not allowed, I have found that having student do an individualized model of a concept has been an effective means of instruction.  We have done this in forms of posters, flow charts, t-charts and even turned a class demonstration into a suitable STEM Fair project. 

# data[].attributes.subject
In a classroom situation where working a lab with partners is not allowed, I have found that having student do an individualized model of a concept has been an effective means of instruction.  We have done this in forms of posters, flow charts, t-charts and even turned a class demonstration into a suitable STEM Fair project. 

# data[].attributes.headline
Really embracing the interactive notebook this year.  This article was a good refresher for me.  So much energy has been dedicated to get students to buy in and use the Interactive Notebook.  Reflecting on this article will help me to refocus for next semester.  

# data[].attributes.subject
Really embracing the interactive notebook this year.  This article was a good refresher for me.  So much energy has been dedicated to get students to buy in and use the Interactive Notebook.  Reflecting on this article will help me to refocus for next semester.  

# data[].attributes.body
I love using these apps to differentiate math instruction. My students love them and if they have a hard time with a question, there are videos and step by step examples of each step.

# data[].attributes.headline
I think that building relationships is the most important thing a teacher can do, whether they're teaching synchronously or asynchronously. While it is SO crucial to begin community building in the beginning of the year, I believe that it is just as important to maintain those relationships throughout the year. One strategy I use is Would You Rather? I ask my students these questions throughout the year as a bell ringer and they usually engage in some interesting discussions.

# data[].attributes.subject
I think that building relationships is the most important thing a teacher can do, whether they're teaching synchronously or asynchronously. While it is SO crucial to begin community building in the beginning of the year, I believe that it is just as important to maintain those relationships throughout the year. One strategy I use is Would You Rather? I ask my students these questions throughout the year as a bell ringer and they usually engage in some interesting discussions.

# data[].attributes.body
Slides, Docs, & Sheets all help my student collaboratively contribute to projects though the virtual setting, as each one can contribute their own information/thinking to the project. Let's students still have that "poster" presentation virtually which they love to make their own.

# data[].attributes.headline
I coach my students while writing on Google Classrooms. I assign them a Google Doc so that I can access their writing while they are working on it. I can open their doc and give suggestions with the comment feature. Students can see it instantly, respond, and make the suggested revision.

# data[].attributes.subject
I coach my students while writing on Google Classrooms. I assign them a Google Doc so that I can access their writing while they are working on it. I can open their doc and give suggestions with the comment feature. Students can see it instantly, respond, and make the suggested revision.

# data[].attributes.body
I use padlet in class during the morning for a "morning meeting" while students are coming in and getting situated. The questions are not academic but just a way for them to get to know eachother.

# data[].attributes.headline
I already wrote this in another column, but creating Google doc assignments in Google Classroom allows you to open students' work at any time, make comments, and students can respond, ask questions, and make revisions.

# data[].attributes.subject
I already wrote this in another column, but creating Google doc assignments in Google Classroom allows you to open students' work at any time, make comments, and students can respond, ask questions, and make revisions.

# data[].attributes.body
Using station rotations is definitely something that I'd like to try with ELD students next year.

# data[].attributes.body
This year in Leadership we started a Class Bonding Committee. Every Wednesday they conduct a student-led activity. Some are very surface fun level and others are very deep. Students work in small and larger groups to plan these activities. They also work together to make them happen.

# data[].attributes.body
I took an Alice Keeler workshop not too long ago and one of her tips was the idea of 'resubmit for score'. She would give students feedback on an assignment and return it with the note resubmit for score. The idea is to encourage students to actually review feedback and implement that feedback before giving them their grade. This keeps them engaged.