Introduction
Introduction
Embedded Files
Schools provide students with many services beyond the classroom. With remote learning, student support providers such as counselors, psychologist and therapist (speech, OT, PT, etc.) have an even greater challenge connecting with and providing services for students.
Best Practices
Best Practices
Continue Offering Student Services
Students who receive services may need support now more than ever. There are several tools available to facilitate meeting with students virtually, like Google Hangouts Meet or Zoom.
Set Clear Expectations
Meeting virtually can be challenging. There are distractions and limitations when servicing from home. Create and set a list of expectations for students and their families to make the most of your meeting time.
Keep Up with Regular Communication
Whatever communication you were using with families prior to remote learning should continue. Send newsletters, emails or make phone calls to continue sharing resources and providing support.
Resources
Resources
Feel free to use any of these resources to help your school/district creating a schedule for learning that best suits the needs of your students during a period of distance learning. Each template, document, or presentation you find below can be copied and used for your own purposes with original credit attributed:
Teacher Training
Teacher Training
Check out the free training we offer to prepare your staff for distance learning:
Low Tech Tips
Low Tech Tips
Use a tool like Remind to send updates or notifications to families on resources, supports or meeting times.
Send newsletters to update families. This could be snail mail or an email.
Google Voice is a great tool for calling families discretely. It generates a phone number that you can use to stay connected, without giving out your personal number.
To get started providing services, you can use Google Forms to collect information from families. This can be helpful for creating a scheduling, getting contact information and more.
Things to Consider
Things to Consider
Consistent Scheduling
Consistent Scheduling
Now that the school day is not as structured, finding the time to meet with students can be more challenging. It is extremely important to create a consistent schedule for meeting that works for both the family and related service provider.
Related Services Minutes
Related Services Minutes
A major concern for student support staff, district administration and families is how minutes will be met during virtual learning. Despite our best efforts, there will likely be missed meetings. Will you make up the minutes when you return? Will you amend the document and the amount of service provided? Consider your options and seek feedback from all stakeholders.
Tracking Data
Tracking Data
With the services that student support staff provide, working remotely can pose a major challenge. Consider how students' progress will be monitored in a virtual setting. Will a video call provide enough evidence? Does the student have the tools they need at home to make progress?
Bright Spots
Bright Spots
Check this out!! A physical therapist and paraprofessional from the Three Rivers Local School District visited the homes of students they had not been able to reach and worked with students in their front yards!
Paraprofessionals in CPS join Google Meet calls to help encourage students. They also join the calls so that they can participate in the learning with students and keep up with what they are learning!
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