Tech Parent FYI
Welcome! I am so glad to have your student in my class!
Computer science, technology and the skills to go along with them, can have a great impact on your student. Not only will it influence their future but it can help with school work and be a creative outlet.
We cover a variety of Computer Science related topics and tools that are aligned to the state standards in this classroom.
A few things to take note on:
We have a Class Remind system (please contact me if that paper did not make it home!) With this system, you can email or text me and I can send you notices, celebrations and reminders for our class.
Your student should be bringing home a letter at the end of every other week with a list of any of their missing assignments or assignments that need to be resubmitted. This paper needs to be initialed by you and returned the following school day.
Your student's only homework is to make their bed every morning (see our classroom rules video on our home page). They should be able to complete all assignments during class time. They are welcome to work on missing assignments or get ahead or enjoy using tools they have learned in class at home if possible. I am also available after school on Monday - Thursday until 3:30pm. (Please send a note, email or text to verify) Homework Club is also available 3:00 - 4:00pm. Graphic Students and Tech Exploration Students needing access to programs on our desktops may reserve time after school with Parent permission (until 4:00).
Your student can resubmit projects. They are encouraged to! Every assignment that receives less than 100% is given a comment with how they can improve their score. Please encourage your student to fix their project and resubmit it until they get 100%. (Anything below a 70% is requested.)
Quizzes in this class can be retaken. All quizzes are open note. They often include a video that your student should watch and take notes. They can use these notes to take the quiz. They are welcome to retake the quiz. I suggest they re-watch the video, improve their notes and retake the quiz with those notes. They are encouraged to re-watch, pause, rewind, whatever they need to be successful. They are never timed. However, they must ask to retake the quiz via our class form.
For any resubmissions, retakes (quizzes) or late work (work marked missing with a zero in Power School), your student will need to fill out our class form found on the Stream in their Google Classroom.
Every student creates a Personal Digital Portfolio that they will manage throughout their years until their Graduation (at which point it is encouraged to transfer to a personal email). Please click on this link or see our page about Digital Portfolios for more information. In every class, we continue to update our Digital Portfolio. Please have your student show you theirs at home today!
The remaining information is dependent on the class your student is in.
Please visit their class' page for more information or contact me with any questions!
Tech 1
In this class, we focus on building our skills with Google Apps that are used in the classroom (both at JMS and JHS). We also work on our coding skills, basic computer maintenance and computational thinking skills. We use Typing.com to develop our keyboarding skills. We use Google CS First to work on our coding skills. We also use Google Applied Digital Skills for projects involving group work and Google Apps.
Tech Exploration
In this class, we will dive into the future Technology can provide. We look into careers that deal with a variety of technical resources from dealing with coding, computer hardware, 3D printing, robots and drones.
We go more in depth on computer science principles and history, as well as on basic computer maintenance. We will also advance our coding skills with further projects.
Some programs used in this class are CodeHS, Thonny, EarSketch, TinkerCad and Unity.
Graphic Tech
In this class, we explore the world of Digital Graphic Art. We start at the foundation with pixels and the law that governs the creative world (Copyright!) and beginning learning with the wonderful program of Adobe Photoshop. With some basic tools under our belt, we explore our new digital power and where our personal ethics may play a part. We finish with personal creations using our own images taken in our own JMS Studio.
Advanced Tech
In this class, we continue with the skills we've learned in the previous classes. Your student has learned quite a bit at this point and is ready to apply what they've learned. This class is preferably a year long class.
The route ahead depends on their previous class.
If your student has taken the Tech Explorations class, your student has the opportunity to pick an area of interest in technology that they would like to increase their skills in. This could be their coding, web design, media arts, virtual reality, drones, 3D printing, information technology, app development or mastering 3D games. This may involve certifying, meeting with professionals or working in a team.
All would involve understanding the profession and creating a project and presentation.
If they have taken Graphic Tech, they will be advancing their Photoshop skills to earn their Certification to become a _____________ and we utilize the Brain Buffet program.
Earning their certification welcomes them to exclusive ranks of the Certified Tigers. You may see them around town with their custom jackets (their own designs).
Once the Photoshop certification is complete, your student is welcome to pick another Adobe program to explore, learn and even try to certify in or they may work on developing their personal digital portfolio - particularly the Graphic Arts section. The certification does allow them to advance ahead in the Graphic Arts program at JHS and the teachers are eager to see their own creations.