The SPHS Learning Experience/Task Design Checklist originated as a result of classroom visits, departmental meetings, and task analyses. Our administrators and teachers realized that we were losing some of our planning practices from our brick-and-mortar setting, but we also knew that we had to make shifts in our planning to accommodate students during remote learning. During our department check-ins, SPHS department facilitators and admin analyzed high-quality tasks that were resulting in high engagement and completion and compared them to tasks that were not being completed. We selected the highest-leverage areas and compiled an easy-to-use checklist that teachers could use as a blueprint when creating tasks and activities. The checklist also provides administrators a focused list of items to look for during class visits and task analyses, making feedback clear, low-inference, and impactful. Take a look at these two tasks from the ELA department on interviews and activism.

Ms. Lauren Schulman, science teacher at Eximius Academy High School, demonstrates how she uses Peardeck to engage with her students during remote learning. Teachers of all subject mattes -- and especially science -- will appreciate her helpful modeling of how she uses this add-on to Google Slides to engage with her students in a seamless manner.

Science teachers at the HS for Energy and Technology began adopting Project Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching method to continue teaching to the standards without losing the students’interest for the class after Regents were waived. To exemplify the work of the science teachers at HSET utilizing PBL, this biotechnology project was developed by Ms. Ochiagha, a ninth grade Living Environment teacher. Featured here are project guidelines and samples of the student work. Thanks to Principal Guillaume for her unconditional support.

This resource uses Google Form, Google DOC, Edpuzzle, Math applets to engage scholars with an introduction lesson to Cavalieri Principle. In this lesson, scholars were to identify the cross-sections of 3D figures parallel to the base, perpendicular to the base, and at a different angle which then will lead to the Cavalieri Principle. Teachers were able to gather data using Google Form about the scholar's prior knowledge about this topic in order to determine the next steps and address scholars' misconceptions. Lastly, the use of the Math applets made a big difference in scholars' understanding of the concept - scholars who struggled with visualizing the cross-section of 3D figures were able to complete this activity with the aid of the math applets.

In their presentation, "Bringing Virtual Teaching Alive", math co teachers Cynthia Lopez and Vonkonah Barnes-Hibbert demonstrate how they use Flipgrid, Google Slides, and JamBoard to support student engagement and interactivity. Their video at left is a great model for teachers in all subject areas to learn from!

In light of the need to keep students intrinsically engaged in the work of history, and in an effort to keep their classwork tethered to our current historical moment, U.S. History teachers constructed a project that would allow students to both analyze their place in our current global crisis, as well as detect patterns across the crises of the past. To keep students engaged and inquisitive about the city they inhabit and the world that they live in, ELA teachers created a project in which students can analyze the history of NYC’s neighborhoods, policies that have shaped NYC, and propose policies that will shape the future of the city. In keeping with the need for student-centered and student-driven work, these projects will allow learners to present their findings in whatever form suits them best.

The SPHS Feedback and Check-in Checklist encourages teachers to reflect upon their feedback practices, task design, and accessibility to students during remote learning. We believe our teachers are reflective practitioners, and tools such as the Checklist allow them to discover the ways in which they can improve their current planning and feedback practices in order to boost student engagement and performance. As a result of this ongoing reflection, teachers and administrators are having data-rooted conversations around the quality of their assignments, whether students are receiving ongoing and high-leverage feedback, and how often they are making themselves available to students who need support.

FDA II is offering Google Certification to all of its students through G-Suite for Education. Students enroll in Applied Digital Skills a free , online digital skills curriculum provided by Google here. The program has lessons for a wide-range of students from late elementary school to college. The Powerpoint above shows a bit how Principal Jumel Carlos initiated the program as well as how the program tracks student progress. The school is looking into the possibility of students earning CTE and CDOS credit by completing the program.

Teachers at HS for Language and Innovation have begun using screencast to feature teacher videos, as opposed to talking over a PowerPoint. With the use of screencast, teachers have seen an increase in remote student engagement and participation across contents. Even the Physical Education teacher has seen a student completion and engagement percentage jump to 80% in comparison to the previous week’s use of PE youtube videos. Here is a sample ENL/English lesson for 11th and 12th grades where teachers are using screencast to provide students with explicit instructions and modeling. There are many online resources for creating screencasts including Screencastify (featured on this website) and Screencast-o-matic, which is what HSLI teachers used for this video

LPA is reimagining how they engage in professional development by having teachers lead mini tutorials on educational apps to adapt instruction. Check out this example on how to use various recording apps for modeling created by their 10th Grade ELA/ENL co-teaching pair, Ms. Feliciano and Ms. Sutterlin.

Dreamyard Prep posts daily videos to the entire school community to support and maintain connections. These videos are mix of both information and inspirational messages to support each other. All teachers and students are on an email distribution list to get the daily video. The videos are also posted to a private Youtube channel for subsequent viewing. Principal Alicia Wargo makes Monday and Friday's video. A different teacher posts every Tuesday, a student on Wednesdays, and a support staff member on Thursdays. Participants use Screencastify to make the videos. Check out the sample video above!

An inspiring video from the staff and coaches at Metropolitan High School