1) I work in Pender County; we have distributed Chromebooks to all students who need a device and set up wifi work areas in the high school parking lots for students who lack internet at home (although in our rural county this is not enough access). We are setting up learning opportunities in Google Classroom, but have not yet begun teaching new content (still trying to figure out how to accommodate our EC population, especially those who require a 1-on-1 assistant).

2) I am giving my students the opportunity to do test retakes through the Google Classroom platform. I am also working to update my YouTube channel with more video tutorials on moles and stoichiometry.

We have used Canvas and Google classroom a lot, so posting is not the problem. Our difficulty is with students with no Internet (and some teachers). Not all students have transportation to go sit in the school parking lot. We provided paper copies of assignments last week and this week, and the students take a picture on their cell phone of the completed work and send it via email on their phone. This has worked pretty well although some have to use data, which they're not happy about.

My Microsoft students are trying to work on PowerPoint. They have Chromebooks, but Microsoft and Google don't play well together, so that's been a challenge. Most students who have a home computer don't have Microsoft Office loaded on it. We are preparing study guides where we print the ribbon and all its commands and dialog boxes fully expanded, textbook excerpts from Microsoft, and then pose questions at the bottom about where to find commands and what each one does. It's a challenge to teach computer software without a computer.

One tip I read is that if the parent/student has an iPhone, if they use the notes app to take a picture of their work, it converts it to a scanned document and uses less data to send. I agree it is a challenge with Microsoft tools, have you had any luck with 365 online? I heard parents can signup for free access.

I love that you are giving opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery and thank you for sharing your YouTube channel! Did you know that you can apply a Creative Commons license to your videos so others can use them freely?

My school is 1-1 with chromebooks, so it should have been easy to have them access work.  School was given additional hot spots to loan out and Spectrum has offered free internet for 60 days, but there are still some students whose guardians haven't taken advantage of these offers if needed.  We don't have a set platform, so some teachers use Canvas, some use google classroom, and others use websites they've set up.

There are several "opportunities" I've begun using over the last week, and there's a learning curve.  I began using EdPuzzle and linked the assignments to my google classroom accounts.  Some students can access them and others can't.  I've posted multiple times on my stream with instructions and there are still students who aren't able to access them.  I was required to set up a google "site" and I've never done that before.  Several days later, I was informed only someone with a school account could access it, so it wasn't available to parents and had to figure out how to fix that.  I've also learned how to use google hangouts for "office hours" and post links in my google classroom as well as use Zoom for meetings I've been invited to join.  

Great job overcoming challenges, give yourself and students grace. Celebrate the wins!

1) I'm Melinda Mouzzon, AP Calculus/Math III teacher, from WCPSS.  We are currently researching best practices for facilitating online learning, available remote learning formats, and communication formats to connect with students.

2) I've used Talking Points app (from my computer & cell phone) to reach out to parents with home I didn't have accurate email addresses as well as to keep all parents aware of online resources I've added to my google classroom during our first 8 days of closure.  I've used google meet to speak with several of my students via Google meets.

Thanks for sharing about Talking Points, I haven't used that. I agree that connecting with students is very important...celebrate your successess!

In Carteret County, our high school students have 1-1 Chromebooks. We started online enrichment this week, but participation hasn't been that great because we can't attached grades to anything until next week. I think participation will be much better when grades are attached to the work we're asking the kids to do. It seems that most of our kids have internet access. Spectrum has offered free internet for those who do not currently have it, so I do not think that is a problem for us. I think our biggest obstacle is that we have kids working more than ever before, kids helping take care of youngere siblings, and we have kids whose homes just are not conducive for learning/studying for a variety of reasons. I'm really worried about the mental health of our kids.

I have been using videoconferenceing this week. In Canvas, I've used Conferences. The kids loved seeing one another and being "together" as a class. There are a lot of options with Conferences in Canvas such as putting students into breakout groups and recording the conferences. I have also used Screencast-O-Matic to make a recoding which I posted on Canvas. I plan to make several recordings tomorrow. I am not comfortable teaching to a camera, but I'm going to have to just do it. 

Researching how to present online learning in rural area.

Difficulty making certain all students can and will access online material. We are glad to note that students have email and encouraged to use Office 365. Many do have phones and some type of device but not all of Internet access.

I teach at an alternative high school and we distributed Chromebooks to our students last week for those who needed one.  All of our teachers are using Google Classroom to communicate with our students.  We only have 1 student who doesn't have internet, so we have a teacher that lives close to the student who takes this student worksheets to complete.

Something new that all of the teachers at my school are trying is Google Meet.  We are using this every other day to touch base with our students and make sure they are doing okay.  I'm also using Remind to communicate with my students as well and that is new for me.  

I agree that sometimes we just have to do it - I hate the sound of my voice in recordings but I know it is important for my students to hear me and connect. The social and emotional needs have to come first right now and I think providing space and a way for students to connect is so important. 

Good evening. I am Tilola L. M. Robinson and I am a High School teacher at a public school for in Rolesville, NC. 

Welcome Tilola!

My name is Pam Tindal.  I teach Spanish at Western Harnett High School.   A lot of my students are not going to Google Classroom but over half picked up take-home packets.   Although a lot of students have internet access, many of them checked out Chromebooks.  Today is day #3 of the students doing work at home and I have had emails from less than half of the students.  One student is having issues with intermittent internet access because she's in a big family.  

Opportunity:  There are opportunities for students but right now, the activities have been low.  However, I did a Google Meet PD with my school and am taking advantages of opportunities like this webinar series to expand and continue to learn. 

Hi Pam, I agree that opportunties are many right now and we need to focus on connections where we can. 

We are in what we are calling Phase I (preparing lessons, etc.) and are waiting to start Phase II which should be the virtual lessons. I have polled my students and currently all of ther students that have responded have internet access and some sort of device to use at home I plan to use Google Classroom. I teach Art so it's been a real challenge to decide what will really work for my students since not all of them have art materials at home to work with. Our county has been offering all sorts of pd for digital resources as well as many others that are offering help and support. 

Hi Tammy, thank you for sharing. It sounds like your district has a clear plan in place. Have you seen the virtual tours available of art museums around the world? Might be a good resource to learn about different mediums if the students can't physically practice.

We are providing laptops for the students who need one, packets of materials for those who need hard copies. We are using Zoom and/or Google Hangouts for meetings, and Canvas or Google Classroom. I have created Google Classrooms for the three inclusion classes, a website for the students and parents to use to find information they may require.  I have created bonds with parents by contacting them frequently to check on them and their students and to see if there is anything they need. I have had the opportunity to reflect on how this difficult situation really helps put things into perspective. 

Christine, I love your attitude and agree, perspective is everything right now. Thank you for all you are doing!

1. In New Hanover County we are still planning and organizing ways to get technology to students and allow teachers to become comfortable with online learning platforms. 

2. I used Screencastify for the first time to record and share instructions with my students for something that I previously thought could only be explained in person. Now I will have that for the future when students are absent, need a reminder, etc.

Hi Jamie,

I agree Screencasts are a wonderful tool. Glad you are discovering a new method in this challenging time!