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Launching the School Year: Resources to Create a Coherent Approach to Google Classroom

A person writing in a notebook in front of an open laptop displaying the Google Classroom logo.

Last March, schools had to make a quick pivot to remote instruction and Google Classroom became the primary learning platform for millions of students. We know that most schools will continue with remote instruction this fall and we have an opportunity to develop a coherent approach to Google Classroom that will support administrators, teachers, students and families. 

New Visions for Public Schools has developed a Toolkit to support schools in making the decisions necessary to create a coherent approach to Google Classroom. As you approach the start of the school year, here are our top three recommendations for key decisions that administrators and teachers need to make in terms of how Google Classroom (or any other learning platform) will be set-up:

Key Decisions Point 1: Naming Conventions for Classrooms with recommendations for common naming formats.
☆ See Classroom Naming Suggestions for guidance and Session 1: School Leadership Decisions for an agenda for a school leadership meeting to make these decisions.
 
Classroom Settings decisions: why consistency matters, key questions to ask, and recommended settings.
☆ See General Settings image below and Grading for guidance and Session 1: School Leadership Decisions for an agenda for a school leadership meeting to make these decisions.
 
Table comparing Google Classroom default versus recommended general settings with rationales for teachers and admins.
 
Key Decisions Point 3: Supervisor Access recommendations for sharing Google Classrooms with supervisors and team leads.
☆ See the Sample Hub below which can be used as a template and see Session 1: School Leadership Decisions for an agenda for a school leadership meeting to make decisions on this.
 
Example Google Docs and Google Sheets templates for organizing Google Classroom, Meet, and Zoom links and schedules.
 

 

In addition to the above decisions, resources in the Toolkit will help teachers and administrators make decisions that will lead to a successful launch of the school year.

For additional curricular resources please see the New Visions Curriculum Site and for additional Ed Tech resources please see our Remote Teaching and Learning Site.