What is Google Classroom?

Initially, many parents think that Google Classroom is a virtual classroom where students log on to find their teacher and classmates waiting to start the day. While Google Meet and Google Hangouts allow for that type of interaction, Google Classroom is different. Google Classroom allows for a platform for teachers and students to interact via posting assignments, engaging in academic dialogue, and providing feedback to one another. 

When students log on, they see  upcoming homework assignments teacher announcements, student questions, and other important class information. Students can submit their work directly through Google Classroom, and teachers can provide feedback, assign grades, and return the work. All your child's work stays organized and conveniently stored on Google Drive. Assignments are even automatically added to the Google Calendar based on their due dates. Essentially, the Google Classroom is where all your child's schoolwork is created, exchanged, and stored.

How Do I Stay on Top of My Kid's Learning Progress With Google Classroom?

Instead of looking over your child's shoulder parents have the unique option of being added as a student guardian. Be sure to ask your child's teacher to grant you access. You'll receive an email that requires you to accept the invitation. Once approved, you can choose between daily or weekly guardian summaries. Based on your preference, you'll get an email that details missing work, upcoming assignments, and classroom activity.

How do I receive email summaries for Google Classroom?

To receive email summaries for your child's Google Classroom, please email the teacher to request access.

Do I need a Google Account to receive summaries? 

No, but you do need one to manage the frequency of summaries.  You can have a Google Account without a Gmail (you can use your current email address). To create a Google account click on this link:  https://accounts.google.com/signup.

For information about what information is included in Google Classroom guardian email summaries, please visit their Guardian email summaries FAQ page.

Parents can receive summaries of their student's activities, however, it is recommended that parents also sit with their student to view their activities from the student view on the school issued iPad. The student's view will give you a more complete pictures of what is happening, including missing work and upcoming assignments.

Does my child need to download an app for Google Classroom?

No. All SPHS iPads have the app pre-loaded on their school issue iPad. You child may download the app on his/her smartphone, or if they use a laptop, they can access it from going to classroom.google.com

Can you use Google Classroom at home?

Kids can access Google Classroom from anywhere, including from their phones, when they download the Google Classroom app. 

Can I communicate with my child's teacher through Google Classroom?

 If your kid's teacher wants to use Google Classroom for communication, they will send you an invitation, and after accepting, you will receive updates directly from them, which may include information on upcoming or missing work and announcements.

Can I check my child's grades on Google Classroom?

No. Though teachers can assign grades using the Classroom service Gradebook,  your child's grades are posted in Infinite Campus.

How does my kid find out about new stuff posted in Google Classroom?

Your kid will receive an email when the teacher posts an announcement. These emails come through your kid's email account, not in Classroom. Classroom doesn't alert you when an assignment is due; to keep track of deadlines, kids need to check the class calendar, or emails. Students can manage their own notification settings so check with your child to see what notification settings he or she has enabled.

How tech savvy do I need to be to help my kid with Google Classroom?

If your kids are younger, it's probably a good idea to have some familiarity with Google's G Suite so you can help your kid upload documents, check the calendar, and do other tasks. It also helps to know how the programs work so you can at least describe the problem to a teacher if anything goes wrong. Older kids may not need any help. Google Classroom is designed to be easy to use, and there's lots of online help.

Does Google Classroom track and collect kid's data? 

This is where things get a little tricky. You may have seen articles that suggest that Google collects student data. Because Google Classroom is a part of the G Suite for Education, it will be protected by stricter privacy rules, which forbid Google from tracking and collecting student data (beyond what's necessary for educational purposes). However,  services, such as YouTube and Maps, Google may collect data on those apps as it would for any of its other consumer apps. 

Can My Kid Use a Mobile Device or Tablet to Access Google Classroom?

Absolutely. Like all the other Google apps available, your student can access the full functionality of Google Classroom from virtually any device. Just be sure to add the other essential Google apps needed for success to their devices, like Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Drive.