• March 25, 2020

    Spanish 1 & 2 Alternate Learning Plan

     

    Hola! 

    I hope all of my students and their families are staying happy and healthy during these hard times. As we continue moving forward with our new ‘normal,’ there are some new procedures and expectations that will need to be established. While I know there is a lot of uncertainty at this time, I am setting some firm boundaries in order to make our distance learning experience run more smoothly. Once we all get more comfortable, I am hopeful that we will be able to ease up a bit.

    Finally, please keep in mind that our new class format may ask you to do things that seem awkward or uncomfortable. I will do my best to facilitate all interactions in a way that feels just as natural as being inside our classroom.

    Google Classroom

    During our extended closure, we will use Google classroom as our main mode of instruction. As we navigate our distance learning format, I would like to reiterate the following expectations for how students should plan on using Google classroom.

    • Check Google classroom daily - Beginning Wednesday, March 26th, 2020, there will be assignments and time-sensitive updates everyday. Please make sure you are checking Google classroom daily for up-to-date information.
    • Parents/guardians - Please make sure your parent/guardian checks their email for an invitation to join Google classroom

    • Check Google classroom daily - There will also be time-relevant updates that I will not be able to predict. Please make sure you are checking Google classroom daily for up-to-date information.

    • Turning in assignments - all assignments requiring any type of file to be submitted must:

      • Assignments must be marked as “Turned in” to recieve credit

      • First and last name and assignment name for the document title - “Jake Norman - Mi familia”

      • Be uploaded and turned before 11:59pm on the due date

      • Any assignment not uploaded and turned in before the due date will be marked as a zero

    • Cooperative work - when completing distance work with other students, all students are expected to turn in their own copy of the file.

    • Late work -  In the case of illness or other extreme circumstances, late work will be accepted with zero penalty. Otherwise, late work will be accepted at a penalty of 10% per SCHOOL DAY it is late. In order to make sure you receive credit for your late work, please make sure to take the following steps

      • Upload and turn in file as explained above
      • Send an email to norman.jacob@wgmail.org to confirm the assignment has been submitted and explain the reason the assignment is late

    Live Zoom Class Meetings

    • Classes will meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday starting April 1, 2020.

    • Class meetings will take place according to the schedule below. They will allow you to interact with your peers and me on a regular basis.

    • Class meetings are not required. They will not include new instruction. They are meant to provide “face-to-face” interaction between us. I will do my best to make our class meetings fun and lighthearted.

    • The link to our weekly Zoom live class meeting will be posted in the Classwork section of Google classroom under the topic “P. # Zoom meeting link”

    Zoom Schedule for Hixson Middle School

    1st hour - 9:00-9:25

    2nd hour - 9:30-9:55

    3rd hour - 10:00-10:25

    4th hour - 10:30-10:55

    5th hour - 11:00-11:25

    6th hour - 11:30-11:55

    7th hour - 12:00-12:25

    Communication

    Open, frequent communication will be critical during this time. It is important to recognize that things that have seemed irregular or awkward in the past may now be required in order to make student/teacher interactions happen.

    • Email - I am available through two district email addresses: norman.jacob@wgmail.org and norman.jacob@wgcloud.org. My “@wgcloud” address goes directly to my mobile phone and is easier to check frequently

    • Google voice - 314-252-0822: I am reachable straight to my mobile phone via voice or text using Google voice.

    • WGSD voicemail - 314-918-4592: Using this number you may leave a message on my district phone. I will check these messages once a day at the beginning of the day’s office hours.

    • Please limit all phone calls to the hours of 9:00am-4:00pm.

    Office hours

    • Outside of live Zoom classes, I am available for an hour each day for direct student-teacher OR student-parent contact. During this time, I will be immediately reachable by phone or email. These times are:

      • 1:00pm-2:00pm MWF

      • 10:00am-11:00am TTh

    • Students also have the option of signing up for a scheduled 10 minute conference with me during my office hours. Students are welcome to sign up for two conferences in a row if necessary. This can be done through Signup Genius. This will allow me to make sure students are able to receive targeted one-on-one instruction. Click here to be taken to my Signup Genius.

    Thank you so much for your time, patience, and flexibility! If there is anything I can do to help students and families through our extended closure, please don’t hesistate to reach out. #wereallinthistogether

    Sinceramente,

     

    Jake Norman

    Spanish Teacher

    Hixson Middle School