Distance Teaching and Learning Expectations
General Expectations
Students may begin logging into Google Meetings during the 10-minute window before class begins, though they will not be admitted right away. I will begin admitting students all at once several minutes before class officially begins. Class will usually begin with a warm up or "bell ringer" prompt (some content-related, some for fun), and students may begin on them in the chat window as soon as they are admitted to class.
Teacher-Specific Virtual Meeting Expectations/Rules
Students who are absent should check the Google Classroom stream and classwork sections for any work missed and check in with the teacher during office hours or via email. Students are encouraged to have "study buddies" in each class who can help fill them in as well.
Assignments
All class assignments will be posted and submitted in the Google Classroom classwork section, though formal essays will be submitted through TurnItIn.com (ClassLink). Google Classroom will be the main avenue through which different types of assignments will be assigned and collected.
AP Students will also complete progress checks and topic questions in AP Classroom through CollegeBoard. Multiple choice progress checks are auto-scored in AP Classroom, and contain immediate feedback on skills mastered/not mastered. Free-response portions of progress checks are scored by teachers using College Board analytical rubrics, and returned within AP Classroom.
Assessments
Students will complete formative assessments constantly - these are activities and assignments which allow students to practice new skills and become familiar with new concepts as they are learning. These assignments will go in a smaller category of the overall grade. Summative assessments - assessments which measure mastery of skills and concepts after a length of initial practice - go in a larger category of the grade.
I use a modified standards-based grading system, which promotes mastery and intrinsic motivation, and allows for students to make mistakes during the learning process. AP Lang and English Honors are challenging courses in which students will often make mistakes but will be encouraged to build on skills. College Prep English Courses still abide by Common Core Standards, and I do encourage critical thinking and skills mastery as well. Making mistakes is a part of learning, and the classroom should never be a place where anyone is afraid of being wrong. With these things in mind, all course outcomes will be based on mastery of skills, and room for error will always be built into students' learning (and in their grades).
Feedback
Feedback is a vital part of the learning prcoess and will be provided in a number of ways. During class, students will be provided descriptive verbal feedback, and assignments will include written feedback as much as possible. Students will become familiar with multiple rubrics and will use them to self-evaluate, peer evaluate, evaluate exemplars, and complete reflections on learning.
As mentioned above, AP students will also have multiple choice progress checks which return immediate feedback from AP Classroom on skills mastered/not mastered, and free-response portions of progress checks are scored by teachers, including feedback in the form of an analytical rubric. Often times students will be provided with feedback rather than a grade, and encouraged to set specific goals for improvement in response.
Grades
Grades will be posted in AERIES at a minimum of every three weeks, though I do update continuously when possible. Students
Grading Scale and Weighting
You must work for the grade that you want. Remember that your work reflects upon you, so do the best that you can.
A+ 99-100 B+ 89-87
A 93-98 B 86-83
A- 92-90 B- 82-80
Cs and Ds follow the B percentages above...
59 and Below F
Grades are weighted in different categories according to the district: Assessments (65%-80%), Homework/Classwork (20%-35%). Actual weighted percentages depend on the course itself and will be explained to students enrolled in their respective course. Because grades are weighted, it is possible to do well on all assessments (tests, projects, and essays) and still not get an A if a student does not complete any homework or classwork.
In AP, Grades on "timed writes" (practice AP essays) are not provided until students have "debriefed" (studied the rubric and exemplars, engaged in analysis of sample essays against the rubric, and attempted self-scoring). Once scores are revealed, students will compare their self-scoring to actual scores received, and complete reflections and revisions.
Students are encouraged to reach out if they have questions about the grades they have received, as the ability to accurately self-evaluate is integral for deeper learning. Point totals for individual assignments increase with each 6-week grading period; this allows for students to develop mastery with additional practice, and for those later assignments to impact the grade more heavily than early assignments, which may reflect growing pains in encountering new concepts/complex skills.
Troubleshooting Guidance
Student self-solving: visit CVUSD EdTech Notebook (linked on student ClassLink page)
Access to district technology from home: Community Support Hotline (M-F, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM) (909) 628-1202, ext. 1080
Access to district technology from home: [email protected]
Email teacher for access to teacher-specific applications (Remind, Google Classroom, etc.); Email College Board for issues accessing AP Classroom (only after we have set up your account together)
- Students should not share their login information, meeting links, or passwords with others.
- To the extent possible, students should participate in virtual instruction from a quiet and neutral area that is free of distractions.
- School and classroom rules apply to the virtual instruction environment.
- It is recommended that students review the District Technology Acceptable/ Responsible Use Policy regarding expectations for behavior while conducting themselves online and on District devices. [Click here to review the CVUSD Responsible Use Policy]
- Students should dress appropriately for virtual instruction sessions.
- Students who use inappropriate language, share inappropriate images, or in any way behave inappropriately on a video conference will be subject to appropriate discipline.
- Students should not conduct audio or video recordings or take screen shots of virtual class meetings or activities unless they have received prior permission to do so from a teacher or authorized District official.
- To the extent possible, parents should allow the student to work with the instructor or provider in a quiet, private space. However, to the extent a student requires adult support to participate in virtual instruction/services, a parent or guardian may be specifically asked by the instructor or service provider to provide such support.
- Once the virtual instruction session or meeting is over, students should be sure to close out of the meeting platform entirely. Students should also ensure that cameras are covered and that microphones are turned off to avoid inadvertent transmission following the meeting.
Students may begin logging into Google Meetings during the 10-minute window before class begins, though they will not be admitted right away. I will begin admitting students all at once several minutes before class officially begins. Class will usually begin with a warm up or "bell ringer" prompt (some content-related, some for fun), and students may begin on them in the chat window as soon as they are admitted to class.
Teacher-Specific Virtual Meeting Expectations/Rules
- Show up on time and prepared for class (this means both physically and mentally present)
- Check yourself into attendance at the start of class. On non-class days, you have until the following day to check yourself in.
- Try to find a quiet, private space for class time when possible
- Wear school-appropriate attire (sorry, no pj’s!)
- Keep your camera on at all times. Small breaks are acceptable, particularly if you are engaged in “asynchronous” work
- Stay muted unless called on or in a small group
- Use the raise hand button if you have a question that needs to be answered right away
- Use the chat box to ask questions that may not need to be addressed immediately. We will get to them sometime within the class period
- Restroom breaks are fine w/o teacher permission; please be appropriate in limiting their length
- Please try to refrain from eating during class time (however, I do understand you have much easier access to snacks at home). If you cannot resist the urge to eat: light snacks are fine, full meals are not. We want you ready to speak/participate and focused on class.
- Abide by all group/classroom norms during breakout work (tbd)
- Always allow ample time to submit your work online. Tech issues happen, but we can prepare for them. When in doubt, communicate.
Students who are absent should check the Google Classroom stream and classwork sections for any work missed and check in with the teacher during office hours or via email. Students are encouraged to have "study buddies" in each class who can help fill them in as well.
Assignments
All class assignments will be posted and submitted in the Google Classroom classwork section, though formal essays will be submitted through TurnItIn.com (ClassLink). Google Classroom will be the main avenue through which different types of assignments will be assigned and collected.
AP Students will also complete progress checks and topic questions in AP Classroom through CollegeBoard. Multiple choice progress checks are auto-scored in AP Classroom, and contain immediate feedback on skills mastered/not mastered. Free-response portions of progress checks are scored by teachers using College Board analytical rubrics, and returned within AP Classroom.
Assessments
Students will complete formative assessments constantly - these are activities and assignments which allow students to practice new skills and become familiar with new concepts as they are learning. These assignments will go in a smaller category of the overall grade. Summative assessments - assessments which measure mastery of skills and concepts after a length of initial practice - go in a larger category of the grade.
I use a modified standards-based grading system, which promotes mastery and intrinsic motivation, and allows for students to make mistakes during the learning process. AP Lang and English Honors are challenging courses in which students will often make mistakes but will be encouraged to build on skills. College Prep English Courses still abide by Common Core Standards, and I do encourage critical thinking and skills mastery as well. Making mistakes is a part of learning, and the classroom should never be a place where anyone is afraid of being wrong. With these things in mind, all course outcomes will be based on mastery of skills, and room for error will always be built into students' learning (and in their grades).
Feedback
Feedback is a vital part of the learning prcoess and will be provided in a number of ways. During class, students will be provided descriptive verbal feedback, and assignments will include written feedback as much as possible. Students will become familiar with multiple rubrics and will use them to self-evaluate, peer evaluate, evaluate exemplars, and complete reflections on learning.
As mentioned above, AP students will also have multiple choice progress checks which return immediate feedback from AP Classroom on skills mastered/not mastered, and free-response portions of progress checks are scored by teachers, including feedback in the form of an analytical rubric. Often times students will be provided with feedback rather than a grade, and encouraged to set specific goals for improvement in response.
Grades
Grades will be posted in AERIES at a minimum of every three weeks, though I do update continuously when possible. Students
Grading Scale and Weighting
You must work for the grade that you want. Remember that your work reflects upon you, so do the best that you can.
A+ 99-100 B+ 89-87
A 93-98 B 86-83
A- 92-90 B- 82-80
Cs and Ds follow the B percentages above...
59 and Below F
Grades are weighted in different categories according to the district: Assessments (65%-80%), Homework/Classwork (20%-35%). Actual weighted percentages depend on the course itself and will be explained to students enrolled in their respective course. Because grades are weighted, it is possible to do well on all assessments (tests, projects, and essays) and still not get an A if a student does not complete any homework or classwork.
In AP, Grades on "timed writes" (practice AP essays) are not provided until students have "debriefed" (studied the rubric and exemplars, engaged in analysis of sample essays against the rubric, and attempted self-scoring). Once scores are revealed, students will compare their self-scoring to actual scores received, and complete reflections and revisions.
Students are encouraged to reach out if they have questions about the grades they have received, as the ability to accurately self-evaluate is integral for deeper learning. Point totals for individual assignments increase with each 6-week grading period; this allows for students to develop mastery with additional practice, and for those later assignments to impact the grade more heavily than early assignments, which may reflect growing pains in encountering new concepts/complex skills.
Troubleshooting Guidance
Student self-solving: visit CVUSD EdTech Notebook (linked on student ClassLink page)
Access to district technology from home: Community Support Hotline (M-F, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM) (909) 628-1202, ext. 1080
Access to district technology from home: [email protected]
Email teacher for access to teacher-specific applications (Remind, Google Classroom, etc.); Email College Board for issues accessing AP Classroom (only after we have set up your account together)