Gateway High faculty have assembled an impressive array of activities in all disciplines for students to take on during the summer. As they are ungraded and optional, all are designed to be relevant to students’ lives, maximize student choice, and be fun! It’s a great opportunity to go-in depth into topics constrained by the typical school schedule or that aren’t quite covered by state standards. And while it’s true most students probably have literally nothing better to do, the deal is made sweeter by a prize raffle: completed projects earn entries into two different raffles for teen-friendly gift cards. 

Gateway educators have compiled this quick tip sheet to help students understand how to reach out to teachers appropriately and effectively, going over the basics of business email and video chat etiquette, and even providing a sample email students can use to help them organize their thoughts when they need assistance. 

This activity is best done in a fairly large group (at Gateway, it was an all-faculty meeting), and will take a little bit of advance preparation: you’ll need to set up several dummy accounts on Google Classroom (or whatever learning platform your school is using) and “enroll” them in a standard course load. Small teams of teachers will then “shadow” the student – surveying a day or week as a student would to get a sense of what works well and what is confusing. 

This activity is best done in a fairly large group (at Gateway, it was an all-faculty meeting), and will take a little bit of advance preparation: you’ll need to set up several dummy accounts on Google Classroom (or whatever learning platform your school is using) and “enroll” them in a standard course load. Small teams of teachers will then “shadow” the student – surveying a day or week as a student would to get a sense of what works well and what is confusing. 

You’re working your butt off: rewriting curriculum, making videos, hosting zoom lessons, calling home, answering emails from students at all hours of the day and night. Distance teaching isn’t for the faint of the heart. But it isn’t easy for those tasked with doing the distance learning, either. If you’re finding that your students are struggling or are hard to keep in touch with, this PD exercise may help by inviting you to spend time in your online classrooms from the perspective of a student.

The High School schedule is somewhat simple, for older, more responsible students managing more of their work using Google classroom. This document emphasizes instructor office hours (a term deliberately chosen to mirror the practice they’ll encounter in college) and contact information -- many instructors opt for a fairly “open door” policy for students, while others manage meetings throughout the week. 

The Middle School version walks students through each day’s mandatory and optional activities. The school day “begins” with optional but highly encouraged morning meetings, which are opportunities for students to connect with each other and with staff, ask questions about the day’s work, and stay informed about announcements that impact the extended school community. Students are also encouraged to visit the virtual “Student Services Office” each afternoon for live support if they need help with issues not directly related to specific class content. The organizer also provides extension opportunities for students looking for stretch goals, and reiterates “schoolwide” norms -- slightly updated and adapted for the new learning context.

Along with calendar and grading information, these organizers can help clarify expectations for working together under a distance learning model, as well as points of contact for issues that may arise. Customize with your directory information and guidelines.

This learning rubric identifies specific noncognitive skills and habits that supports students’ success throughout their education. Because it enumerates the full range of these skills, this rubric is a centerpiece of classroom learning and can be used in many ways, including at a Student-Led Conference.

This document scaffolds teachers’ long-term planning of content and skills in their classes.