Woof - 27 May 2020

As we enter Week 8 of the Remote Learning Program, please feel free to use the checklist/schedule for your child’s grade/team to help plan their work in the coming week.

• Grade 6
• Grade 7
• Lightning Bolts
• Navigators
• Grade 8

You may also want to look through your child’s Google Classroom pages with them to see what teachers have posted.  If you are still getting used to your child’s Google account and the Classroom pages, this guide might help: Using Google Classroom.  If it is helpful, the Tech Services Department prepared this guide to Translate Google Classroom into your Family’s Home Language.

INTELLECTUAL GROWTH & ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

One of the challenges of working online is there are fewer opportunities for students to share their ideas. In the classroom, teachers call on kids & answer questions, which helps them recognize as a student develops a deeper understanding of the topic.  They often assign several “smaller” tasks—homework assignments, journal entries, quizzes—that help kids “talk through” their thinking before it’s time to present it in a final test, essay, or project.  In the Remote Learning Program, a lot of these smaller “check in” assignments have been sidelined, and kids are challenged to just present a final product.  This is not easy!  Please help your child by talking to them about their schoolwork at different times throughout the week.  If guardians review these assignment lists, you will get a sense of what they’re studying, and can ask about it.  This will motivate some kids to get going on their work earlier in the week, and it’s probably a less-hostile conversation than if you’re asking on Monday night (or Tuesday at 8 pm!) what they need to finish!

Teachers also listen in the classroom as kids talk to one another or work collaboratively in groups, and they’ll pay attention to who seems to be sharing ideas and who seems to be taking ideas from others.  We have seen an increase of incidents where students have copied their classmates’ work, more or less word-for-word, and passed it in as their own work.  Even if kids decide to work together on something, they need to write their own final version.  Copied work will not be accepted for credit by the teacher—for any of the students involved—even if one person wrote it and then their friends copied it off them.  It is important for teachers to check that every student is developing their own understanding of the topics in each lesson. 

And please, make sure they’re reading the book for English class! 😊

STUDENT EMAIL:

Students may not be in the habit of checking email regularly, but please help them get into the routine of checking every day or two.  Teachers may send feedback or additional information that we want students to have.  Because we’re using email for almost all our communication these days, students’ in-boxes are getting very full!  A few weeks ago for Computers class, the 6^th graders had to complete the task below.  Most students who commented said that it was a huge relief to organize their mailboxes and to know how to keep them that way!  I strongly encourage the 7^th and 8^th graders to do these.  Consider them “extra credit” and the bonus is your reduced stress levels!

• Managing Gmail
• Gmail Filters

With all best wishes,

Damon Rainie

Don’t forget to order your copy of the South Yearbook at the Josten’s website!