During SY 2019-20 in regards to Q1 Instruction Criterion, the Advise class was implemented to focus on student behavior. ExCEL was continued to focus on academic needs. Teachers were adequately trained by school instructional coaches in diverse strategies including: CITW, Standard- based grading, literacy strategies, and STEM instruction.
Strengths: Implementation of proficiency scales, target standards were posted in the classroom and reviewed before the start of lesson. What are the standards and what is expected to reach the target goal within the proficiency scale. Reading scores have improved.
Growth Needs: Technology skills need improvement. The technology is adequately available at the school site. How do we effectively measure student progress in skill development and mastery in using the available technology.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic which affected Guam, the Guam Department of Education declared the closure of all public schools on March 15, 2020. LPUMS immediately took action to address how learning would be implemented so that students can continue to receive instruction, at least until the end of the school year.
The focus group discussed challenges that were faced during the months of March to May.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges for teaching and learning. The closure of all schools was initially for a few weeks. During this time, teachers were instructed to provide lessons for a two-week period of time until the lockdown was lifted. However, the closure of schools was extended to the end of the school year. The challenge now was how to ensure that the delivery of the learning process for all students K-12 continued as smoothly as possible. LPUMS teachers met the challenge head on by communicating with parents and students via telephone, email, social media, and video conferences such as Google Classroom Meets and ZOOM. Teachers modified their instruction to provide lessons that could be done without the resources normally provided in classrooms such as computers, internet, textbooks, supplemental materials, and projectors, etc.
Although most teachers and students were familiar with the use of electronic devices and internet resources, this presented a challenge for those who did not own devices and had no access to internet connectivity. Lessons were provided to encourage student engagement, with the intent of minimizing student hardships during this time. Teachers collected as much of the assignments as possible and provided feedback as best they could using personal internet accounts and personal devices. To address the challenges faced by teachers who were not technologically adept, LPUMS teachers provided peer training on the use of video conferencing, Google Classroom, and other instructional programs so that all teachers were able to continue providing online lessons. During the last few weeks of the school year, teachers were encouraged by the district to include social-emotional lessons and/or activities that would help keep students mentally and emotionally stable with the goal of providing as much normalcy for students as possible. School administrators provided tremendous support to the teachers which encouraged them to maintain a positive attitude throughout the crisis period.
From August to the present, public schools have been closed. The school year started with online learning and hard copy instructions as the modes of learning. Students who owned laptops, iPads or tablets, or owned mobile telephones and who had access to internet connectivity were encouraged to sign up for online instruction. Challenges with online instructions included but were not limited to stable connectivity, data usage, and technology devices that were not compatible to programs used for video conferencing. The island had not been prepared for the internet traffic that overwhelmed the service systems causing delays in connectivity for many households, including those of teachers. Stable connectivity continues to be an issue.
Another challenge to online learning was the financial and economic status of many families in the LPUMS district. Students who did not own or have access to the technology devices were registered to receive hard copies of lessons. However, as the school year began to settle, the school was able to offer the loan of school-owned computers and laptops to students who preferred online instruction over hard copy lessons. The district also provided some access to internet connectivity. Teachers implemented distance learning through Google Classroom Meets or Zoom, requiring some teachers to use personal funds to provide instruction longer than 40 minutes on Zoom. All GDOE students have a GDOE email address. So all LPUMS students can receive communication via email. Other forms of communication with students are social media chat rooms and telephone calls. One of the biggest challenges for most students relative to online learning was the transition from grade to grade, especially from 5th to 6th grade. Students were not able to develop the social connections with students and teachers that would have been made in face to face instruction. This has had a negative effect on student attendance and learning. Many students still do not understand the need to be in class- many sign in with cameras off, but are not present for the instruction. Many are not motivated to submit assignments on time or to complete assignments. To address these issues, teachers are highly encouraged to include engaging activities in their lessons, social emotional lessons and sessions are provided by the school’s guidance counselors, teachers make referrals for educational counseling, and teachers communicate with parents via, Google Classroom summary reports, email, telephone calls, and social media chat rooms.
Initial challenges with hard copy lessons was the timely pick-up and submission of assignments. Parents often failed to pick up assignments on designated days and many submitted assignments at the end of the quarter. However, the challenges continue to be addressed with the strong support of the school administration, support staff and teachers who have been designated to prepare hard copy instruction, Communication is done via email and telephone calls as well as home visits with assistance from the village mayor and other community resources.
Although school closure has been extended to at least December 2020, teaching and learning will continue at LPUMS. Teachers will do whatever is necessary to make sure that students in their assigned classes receive standards-based instruction so that students continue learning as much as possible.
Major challenges for teachers during the SY 20-21 teaching both online and hard copy models of instruction include but are not limited to teaching lessons online effectively, answering parent questions (some very hostile), addressing student concerns, developing and preparing lessons for online instruction, learning how to use internet resources, and learning how to use the different technology devices and features. This has created a heavy workload for many teachers and has taken a toll on their social, emotional, mental and physical well-being. But despite these challenges, the teachers at LPUMS are determined to provide the best possible educational opportunities for their students. They work together, support one another, and encourage each other to keep on doing what is best for the students. One example is teachers working together to co-teach in each other's classrooms to provide needed support while learning the basics of video conferencing (Google Meets and Zoom) for online instruction. They helped each other with attendance, technological glitches, and answering student questions.
In summary, these challenges were met through the support and collaborative efforts of the LPUMS school administration, school support staff and the teachers. The school principal conducted numerous video conference meetings to ensure that teachers were kept up to date with the district’s plans, training, and information relative to the island’s covid status. Teachers who were technologically savvy provided many “How To..” training videos for colleagues who were technologically challenged. Many used personal time to have one-on-one sessions to walk teachers through a program or process such as Google Classroom, Google Meets, Zoom, Kami, and other online tools. Departmental collaboration between teachers helped to divide the workload and create shared and peer reviewed resources such as assessments, instructional websites, and shared methodologies that target unique situations at LPUMS. Many of the teachers were involved in the district meetings and kept their teams apprised of district news and plans . Teachers developed WhatsApp chats and Google groups to tackle problems as they occurred and provided modes by which teachers, parents, and students can seek guidance and further understanding of digital tools. Online teachers gave students tutorials to help them with accessing emails, connecting on google classroom, submission of assignments, use of different tools such as pdf editors, practicing digital citizenship. Standards are posted into every assignment and also into the classroom framework as an outline or as an accessible resource and are frequently reviewed and referred to. The standards and objectives are also on the cover page of the hard copy. Academic honesty is an ongoing issue but students are encouraged to work independently and to be as honest as possible. Faculty meetings and team meetings keep the administration, staff and faculty connected. The greatest strength in overcoming the many challenges that have faced the school year is the resiliency of the LPUMS community to bounce back up from the ravages of the covid pandemic and to keep on keeping on through the collaborative and supportive effort of the administration, support staff, teachers, parents, and community leaders.