Hello Families,
I hope you’re enjoying your long weekend. A lot of information is being shared this week. Please take some time to read. Items are more important towards the top and less essential towards the bottom. We’re hoping for school to start next week. If and when it does start, please know that we’ll do our best to continue teaching kids who choose to remain online. Grade 2 is discussing different options for these students if and when class is in session on campus.
Schedule
Student Feedback…how will this change in the coming days?
Feedback is an essential part of learning and growing. Currently, students are receiving feedback on seesaw activities and during synchronous learning times.
As we shift to a longer period of virtual learning or our hybrid model, some feedback will continue to be delivered virtually.
Constant positive feedback such as, “great work!” “good job,” etc. is not always helpful to students. More detailed and specific feedback is needed along with follow up from learners.
How will feedback through seesaw shift in the coming days? What can students and families expect?
- For SOME activities, we will shift to this 1-4 system…see below. Mr. Hagen will review this with students on Monday.
- For SOME activities, audio feedback will be given which will include a request for revision.
- For SOME activities, we will simply click like or approve, which indicates that the activity has been completed and we’ve seen it.
- We will continue to provide detailed feedback through comments, but not on all activities.
- Writing will be an area where detailed audio comments will be shared. Please ensure this feedback is listened to by your child and also encourage your child to use the feedback to make revisions.
- Detailed and specific feedback is given to your child during small group instruction on zoom.
myON..what is it?
myON is an app that has already been added to your child’s iPad.
myON is our new reading online platform that is similar to EPIC but it has 24/7 access to thousands of enhanced digital books. This platform will be used during synchronous and asynchronous times to support your children’s reading.
We will spend some time teaching students about the app in the coming days/weeks. It’s one more place where books can be accessed. For now, reading levels are set to grade 2. Contact Mr. Hagen if you’d like your child’s reading level changed. Mr. Hagen is learning about the features and settings within this app. Teachers were given access last Friday.
Here’s how you will find myOn:
- Look for this icon on your child’s ipad.
- Log in with your child’s ISB student Number (this can be found on the back of your child’s ipad)
- Use the password: isb
Watch this short tutorial for more details: Tutorial for students
Handwriting
ISB uses the Handwriting Without Tears resource. During in-person school, we provide students with the double line paper shown below. The blue notebook we sent home as well as paper we will send home in the future also uses this format. Students at ISB have used this paper from kindergarten onward and also spent/spend class time receiving direct instruction in handwriting using this format. The models that Mr. Hagen will share in the coming days will use this format and he’ll also provide some instruction around this. Many students are writing inside the 2 lines or writing between the lines, which is very common.
Groups
Literacy and Math groups. No major changes have been made from last week.
Addition and Subtraction Strategies
Here is an overview of addition and subtraction strategies that will be taught and practiced this year. Strategy names vary greatly across classes and schools, but the ideas remain common. These graphic organizers show strategies and how the modeling and use of the strategies becomes more complex by grade 2. Some kids are already using many while some have not developed “go-to” strategies yet. A large part of math learning in grade 2, is the end goal of adding and subtracting within 100 mentally and within 1000 on paper, while flexibly using the most efficient strategies. The top two resources are for adults. The bottom two images are examples of what Mr. Hagen uses with students.
