Questions answered (hopefully)

I am so proud of how all students have taken to working between books and their Chromebooks.  As we all learn more, I am sure we will all see amazing things happening with our learning and teaching.

I have been asked about the microphone I wear in the classroom.  I use a microphone/speaker for two reasons:

1. I lost my voice for nearly 9 weeks in 2015 and following over 6 months of speech therapy was advised to use a microphone/speaker system both in and out of the classroom to reduce voice strain.
2. Room 31 has two students with hearing difficulties. The microphone/speaker provides the amplification needed to help them hear instructions.

Students are asked not to speak or make background noise whilst either I or another student is talking to enable these students to hear instructions and answers. The school behaviour procedure will start occurring for repeat offenders who have been constantly reminded not to talk while another person is speaking.

A couple of students have started forgetting to charge/bring in their Chromebooks.  I ask that Chromebooks have at least 6 hours of charge on them at the beginning of the day.  Students must also bring their Chromebook to school each day.  If forgotton/left at home, it will be the students responsibility to catch up any work completed in class on the Chromebook by the next lesson.  Students will make hand written notes during the lesson to use at home.

Unfortunately, I have had to remind a couple of students of email etiquette and will make this a focus of future Chromebook lessons.

Don't forget, you, as parents, can log on to your child's Chromebook using your ardps.com account to see what work they are doing.  Homework/classwork is shown on Google Classroom and also on the class blog.

Have a look at the typing app they are using - it is free to sign up!  Practice your touch typing skills too and challenge your child to be better than you!

 I will notify you via the class blog as more and more apps are introduced.

Please let me know if you need any help with Chromebooks, etc.