Transitioning to home-based learning is not easy. TSD 401 staff deeply appreciate all that you are doing to support your children at home and recognize that this comes with many challenges.
First and foremost, we are in this together and we are all learning. This won't be perfect and there will be frustration, but we can do this! If something isn't working, if you need support, if you have questions, concerns, or just someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher.
Before academics, students need to feel safe and secure. Checking in with your child and letting them share their thoughts and feelings about what is happening is important. What is happening can feel overwhelming and down right different, so it is important to provide space for children to process these feelings. Check out the TSD Wellness Site for more resources.
One key aspect to success in a school day is a consistent schedule. Students are used to a daily routine and setting a schedule at home can make a huge difference. When creating a schedule, it is important to review schedules with students and allow them to give input; they may have some great ideas for how to structure their day. Reviewing schedules regularly can support students in making this transition. Some students may prefer daily task checklists to stay on top of things, while others may benefit from setting alarms to remind them of important times.
Important parts of a schedule include time for academics, time for checking in with teachers, time for play and physical activity, time for socialization, breaks for meals and snacks and time away from technology. As our weather warms up and the sun is shining, getting outside, even for a short walk can make a huge difference.
If you have multiple students at home it can be helpful to schedule alternating times using technology when possible. This helps with Internet speed as well as sharing devices.
Environment is a major factor for success in learning. If you have the space, it is helpful to create a space specific for learning. Students will be most successful in an environment that is quiet, comfortable and free of distractions such as toys or games. If you are in need of a student desk and chair to assist in creating a learning space, we have some! You can pick up a student desk and chair from the old Driggs Elementary or the old Victor Elementary between 9am and 11am on Thursday, April 23.
Students are used to regular face-to-face interactions throughout the day. Outside of school scheduled virtual meetings, are there opportunities to connect with friends, other parents, and with each other as a family while continuing to social-distance? Facetime, Zoom meetings or Google Meets with friends, or playing a family board game can help students from feeling isolated. Remember to have fun together!
Reboot- When a device isn't working properly, a step that often helps is to reboot. Turn it off, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on.
Google It- With many tech issues, you're not the only one. A quick google search may show you quickly how to address your issue.
Check your login info- If you're not getting into a site, make sure you have the correct login information. Your child's teacher can provide login information.
Check the web address- Certain sites we use have a web address specific to our district. If you know your login information is correct and it's still not working, you may not be at the right site.
Reach out for help- You can start with your child's teacher or principal. If they can't help you, they will direct you to an Technology staff member. In this case, it will be super helpful if you can do the following:
Write down any error messages- When you reach out for help, it is important to relate exactly what your issue is. If there are any error messages, write these down or take a picture to share.
Write down your click path- Often when getting help with a tech issue, you'll be asked to share the steps you have taken. For example: I turned the computer on, I clicked on my name and logged in with my Google Account. I clicked on the Google Apps Icon, I clicked on Drive, etc...
The Internet is an incredible resource that holds a vast amount of high quality material, information and resources. The Internet also provides access to content that is not appropriate.
Filtering of content on the Internet is not something that can be monitored or controlled by Teton School District 401 while students are working from home. Most filtering occurs at the network level; at the internet source, like a router.
During home-based learning we are relying on the responsibility of parents, students, and staff to remember safe internet search practices and the school district’s internet use agreement.
Aside from sitting with your child each time they are online, there are additional measures that can be taken to support safe internet use at home. Most importantly, talk to your kids about being online and what you expect from them.
If you are using Google Chrome as a web browser, you can enable Safe Search to aid in filtering out inappropriate content. This is enabled on all TSD401 devices. It cannot filter out 100% of inappropriate content, but can help. Additional parental control information from Google.
Try using a kid-friendly search engine that filters search results. Some allow you to determine what sites can be visited, while others employ content filtering of search results.
Parent’s Guides to Common Media
Understanding the apps and sites your child is visiting can be helpful. Common Sense Media offers parents guides for some common resources/sites students may be accessing as well as a guide to parental controls (bottom of the list) ConnectSafely also offers helpful guides.
Guard your personal information
Talk to your child about being safe online. It’s important that kids understand not to post photos, share their passwords or addresses, or engage in conversations with unknown sources. It’s also important not to download apps, attachments or approve permissions for unknown sites or senders. Safekids.com outlines some rules for internet safety
This abrupt change to our daily lives is not easy. Thank you for all you are doing at home. Remember we are in this together. If you need help, reach out to your child’s teacher or principal.