Month: September 2020

The need to assess students’ knowledge is vital to enhancing teaching and learning. But with so much disruption to the school year last year, assessments this fall 2020 are even more important than usual. In order to prepare for the school year, ATT teachers attended a workshop with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Jacobson, Educational Consultant, Yeshiva Educational Services, Inc.,  about the types of assessments they can use.

 There are 4 types of student assessments:

1. Placement testing: a pre-assessment before instruction begins. This creates a baseline for instruction.
2. Formative assessment: done by the teacher at the beginning and during instruction to note students’ progress and check for understanding. This is not necessarily for a grade, it is to help the teacher assess the progress of the learning.
3. Diagnostic testing: used to figure out if there is an impediment to learning so that the teacher can make accommodations or provide extra resources.
4. Summative assessment: tests at the end of a chapter, unit, year, course for purpose of giving a grade or advancement to next level of learning and to collect data on the student progress.

Placement testing and formative assessment are used to assess readiness, and teachers might need to adjust their teaching accordingly. This is always important, but it’s more important this year since students have not been in the traditional classroom since March. 

Once you have your assessment results, you’ll need to  

• Revisit the plan for the course/unit/lesson and make adjustments as needed.
• Provide or seek support for students who are below (and above!) level,
• Implement differentiated instruction based on student needs

This year it’s essential that teachers focus on ways to make remote learning interesting and effective. Now’s the time to make a habit of finding ways to make virtual learning interesting and interactive, as some students in the ATT system have opted to learn from home this year and others have to stay home even for a slight cold. Plus, there’s the realistic possibility that some classes or schools will have to learn remotely at times this year.

To help provide teachers gain the tools necessary to make this unusual year successful, the ATT is offering teachers additional professional development opportunities. Recently, education consultant Lakey Silber met with teachers over Zoom to explore creative ways to make virtual learning exciting for students. 

Practice using the virtual whiteboard whether it’s in-person or virtual 

With the many types of different learners out there, having a visual component to any lesson can be both engaging and essential for some students. Take the time to practice on your own and with your students by writing your name, drawing, coloring and using the different tools offered. 

Here are a few ways to use the whiteboard to make learning engaging: 

• Hangman – Take turns coming up with the word the students guess and having students submit words to use. 
• Pictionary – A fusion of words and pictures can be both fun and educational for students.
• I packed my bags to Israel – “And in it I put…” Followed by an object and the next student repeating the original object along with an addition. 
• Picture by piece – Draw one part of a picture at a time and have the students copy each part. At the end, share the picture with the class.
• Alphabet four squares –  A name, place, animal, think in four squares
• BINGO  

Shared screen

Having access to a screen sharing feature offers many creative learning opportunities for the virtual classroom. Games such as Boggle, Scattergories and Secret Code can all be used while screen sharing. Putting up a maze on your screen allows the students to simultaneously journey to the completion together. 

Sharing your screen can also be an engaging way to read a story together as a class. Read the story on slides so that the text and pictures are clear and vibrant to students. Screen sharing also allows the students to participate in a show and tell virtual experience. 

More activities to use with a shared screen include: 

• I spy
• Word find
• What is missing
• Can you guess the sound
• Show a part of an object and the students guess what it is 
• Memory game
• Scavenger hunt
• Dots and boxes
• Find the hidden objects in the picture 

There are enough options that you can incorporate many of these activities into daily lessons and see what works best with your class for the future. 

Effectively playing games 

Learning games are a tried and true method of teaching, and remote learning affords teachers many opportunities to incorporate fun and educational games into the mix. 

Triviamaker.com has different game modes to make quizzing students on materials fun, social and engaging. Similarly, teachers can use Family Feud, multiple-choice activities or other trivia games. Powerpoint and other software enable teachers to easily create Jeopardy-style games to quiz students’ knowledge. 

The picture story game is a very engaging and thoughtful exercise to do with students. For the game, each student receives a picture. Then, one student begins the story and each student continues the story with their individual picture. 

Another option is to play “Last Letter.” To play, the teacher selects a category for the game. The first player names a word in that category. Then the next person names a word in that category that starts with the last letter of the previous word the person said. The game continues until everyone is stumped.

Art projects for virtual learning

Participating in arts and crafts projects is proven to reduce anxiety, and in a time of such uncertainty, students will certainly appreciate the change of pace. The projects don’t need to be so complicated either. Make a flying paper airplane, paper boat or a simple paper plate project like a smiling sun. Teachers can have the students draw a picture and cut it out to create their own puzzle. 

Movement and exercise 

With remote learning, the thought of sitting and staring at a screen for hours can be daunting for even the most patient students. Break up the learning with some movement and exercises as often as needed. Play “Simon Says,” and teachers can give students the opportunity to play “Simon.” 

Freeze dance is a great way to incorporate music and energy into the learning experience. Put on music and let the students dance until it stops. Students can also dance with an object like a broom or a scarf to make it more interactive. 

“5,4,3,2,1” is an exercise where the teacher proposes five different movements in descending order. Five jumping jacks, four spins around, three hops on one foot, two walks around the room and one high-five for a friend. 

Movement and exercise can also mean using the time for relaxation and focus techniques. Practice breathing strategies with students such as smell the flower and blow the pinwheel. Have students breathe in while raising their hands and breathe out slowly putting their hands back down.  Giving students clapping rhythms to copy or providing Youtube videos such as JJ Duchman’s “Keep School Fun” are also creative ways to keep students engaged. 

Although nothing can replace the power of in-person learning, using creative and engaging activities can make the best of the virtual learning situation and give students a positive experience when they need it most. 

There is hardly an area of our lives that is unaffected by the pandemic. It has brought uncertainty, anxiety and isolation. For students even under normal circumstances, sitting and learning can be difficult. With the pandemic, the potential roadblocks to education are that much harder to break through.

As ATT teachers launch this unusual school year, we are offering several professional development sessions to support them. Sarah Steinberg, MS, BCBA of Steinberg Behavior Solutions and Jill Hollederer, MA, BCBA met with teachers over Zoom to provide tools for transitioning to learning in-person. 

Although we are fortunate to have programs such as Zoom and Google Classroom, learning remotely presents many added challenges to students. In the physical classroom, there are distractions, but the energy of having a teacher and other students often helps students focus and stay accountable. 

It’s also important to approach education with a balance in striving for meaningful learning during the pandemic as well as emphasizing emotional support for students. Fortunately, there are tools and techniques to help students adjust back to in-classroom learning and thrive in this unusual school year. 

Set goals and expectations 

The first step in helping students acclimate back to learning in the classroom is for teachers to identify the specific needs of their students. Teachers will then be able to offer personalized support throughout the transition. 

Teachers can ask students to reflect on both the challenges and benefits of remote learning. Teachers may find that students prefer certain elements of the remote learning experience, and they can work towards implementing those strategies. This also has the potential of addressing some of the emotions students might be feeling and can be a helpful way for them to cope. 

Setting clear classroom expectations will provide students with knowledge and understanding to reduce uncertainty. This increases the students’ willingness to comply with new behaviors.  

Here are some helpful tips on how to set solid expectations for in-person learning in 2020:

1. Present what students can do rather than what they can’t do

Stating rules and expectations in the positive encourages students’ compliance and also makes it easier for the teacher to enforce. Rather than telling a student what not to do over and over again, reframing a command in the positive creates a more nurturing environment and better promotes meaningful learning. 

For example, instead of writing a class rule stating, “Don’t get out of your seat without permission,” write, “Please remain in your seat until you are given permission.” It’s a slight change that makes a big difference. Another example of a class rule in the positive is “We are respectful.” Under the rule, you can elaborate on the practical applications such as, “Listen to the teacher and your peers, speak kindly and respect personal space.” 

2. Offer choices

Many students respond better when offered a choice between different options. This gives them responsibility and some level of control. Teachers can give the students an option to use hand sanitizer or wash their hands, to choose the schedule of activities or actually help create the guidelines for the class (with some guidance, of course.) 

There are many areas that teachers and students are not able to be flexible in the classroom, but finding an area with flexibility and offering choices to students will help encourage participation and even excitement in regard to classroom activities. 

3. Use reinforcement charts and praise students 

Now that the guidelines are in place, reward students for following them through some form of reinforcement. Teachers can use a sticker chart, participation dollars or another creative option as a reward. Teachers can ask students what reward is best for both short-term and long-term reinforcements to help motivate them. 

4. Clearly and visibly display the expectations 

Create an appealing poster or graphic to display the expected behaviors to earn the reinforcer, how the teacher will check, what the reward will be and when it will be given. Try to only present what is relevant for the students today in the short-term. The long-term plan for fading out the reinforcement will come gradually as students are more adjusted back to in-person learning. 

Look out for behavioral concerns

Students often display troubling behavior when going through a challenging time, so it’s important to identify what these possible behavior challenges are and how to best work through them. 

Some examples of COVID-19 related behavioral concerns might include:

• Struggling to wear a mask especially for long periods of time
• Washing hands frequently or overusing hand sanitizer
• Restlessness 
• Difficulty focusing
• Hypersensitivity
• Aversion to certain fabrics 
• Hyperactivity

For a student who is exhibiting challenging behaviors, try offering choices, offering extra assistance and allowing additional time for them to complete tasks. This will help with students who need to build up skills potentially lost from the lack of in-classroom learning which may be a factor in their acting out. To limit the over-use of hand sanitizer or handwashing, make sure to plan frequent times for both so the students can expect when they will be able to eliminate germs.

Allowing the use of noise-canceling headphones, separating workspaces or having students work in small groups are all helpful ways to channel both hyperactivity and difficulty focusing. Making sure to use reinforcement rewards and specific verbal praise will also motivate students in the classroom. 

When the expectations and reinforcements are at the forefront of the students’ minds throughout the day, they will be more likely to exhibit positive behaviors. Reminding students before recess or social activities can help encourage positive interactions between students and their peers.  As the teacher models following the rules and expectations, great emphasis should be placed on praising students who are serving as role models for their peers. 

Be mindful of sensory issues related to COVID-19

Sensory issues related to COVID-19 might be anything that affects the senses such as touch, sound, taste, smell and sight. A recommended technique to help students cope with this challenge is systematic desensitization. This will vary depending on the sensory need, but examples include gradually increasing the duration, offer choices, provide scents in their masks and to encourage frequent breaks in the bathroom or plexiglass corner. 

Students who may be slightly more sensory can have a hard time wearing masks, especially those made out of certain fabrics. Work with the parents to find a mask that may be more comfortable and manageable. 

The four main motivations behind behavior are: 

1. Sensory challenges
2. Escape or avoidance
3. Attention seeking
4. Tangible (to get something a student wants)

By taking the time to really listen to what the students are going through and what they could benefit from, teachers can work towards more meaningful, effective and engaging learning in the classroom.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ATT joins the great number of organizations and agencies who are working diligently to mitigate the impact of this unprecedented event. As humanity struggles with fear, loss and uncertainty, we are buoyed by our faith and our commitment to each other. The Navi Yeshayahu tells us “אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ יַעְזֹרוּ וּלְאָחִיו יֹאמַר חֲזָק – Each man shall assist and encourage his fellowman.” This has become the response of all people of goodwill and compassion, and we are grateful to the volunteers, dedicated lay people, leaders and community servants who continue their daily service to the community with compassion and dedication under trying circumstances. May Hashem repay them with good health and the fulfillment of everything good that they need.

Community-wide contact tracing

The ATT schools have all prepared contingencies for the event that a staff member or student is positive for COVID or has been exposed to someone who tested positive. The schools are mandated to report any outbreaks to the local health department and to receive guidance regarding quarantine and contact tracing procedures.

As our schools are an integral part  of our community’s infrastructure, we want to encourage the parents and staff of our schools to participate in the communal tracking endeavors which will help our community leaders have more focused and accurate information. Data on COVID which is shared about the general population is not as helpful as information that is generated within the community as it helps us get a true picture of how the community is faring in preventing the spread of COVID. There two platforms that are available to report cases of COVID, Community Counter and COJENT. 

We ask community members who test positive for COVID to share this anonymously to CommunityCounter.org or the COVID-19 Orthodox Jewish Emergency Tracker (COJENT). It will go a long way to prevent further spread in our community.

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Thank you to our community supporters

The ATT would like to thank the JUF for advancing allocations to all our day schools during this challenging time. The JUF staff have been spending countless hours on ways to provide much needed assistance for agencies throughout the Jewish community at large. We thank all the professionals that are working diligently to meet these needs and may G-d grant all of you the wisdom and strength to make the best decisions on behalf of our community.

The ATT wishes to give a special acknowledgement to the Kehillah Fund and the Walder Foundation for the special emergency grant it has provided to the community’s schools. This will help the schools defray some of the costs of all of the emergency infrastructure that needed to be created on short notice as well as substantial shortfalls in fundraising and other revenue shortfalls. We wish you and yours the best of health and we all pray for a speedy resolution to the current situation.

Here’s how the ATT is doing to support its schools and the community at large.

1. Guidance and Policy:

• Helping the school community make decisions and to craft policies in response to the unusual circumstances created by the pandemic
• Consultation with school leaders to help them meet challenges and needs

2. Technology Resources, Training and Support:

• Helping schools find financial and training resources to maintain continuity of learning
• Supporting individual teachers with technology and methodology needs
• Convening ATT’s Principals Council to collaborate

3. Advocacy to Public and Private Funders:

• Identifying the scope of school needs and working with governmental bodies and nonpublic funders to meet those needs
• Assist schools to access Federal Payroll Protection Loans (PPP) to assure that staff will continue to remain employed
• Assuring that remote learning requests are eligible for Title I funds.
• Consultation with Chicago Public Schools and four other public school districts to access the Federal CARES Act/Education Stabilization Fund and understanding appropriate uses of the funds. These consultations consist of the exchange of information and monitoring that our schools are getting their fair share.
• Assuring that remote learning requests are eligible for Title I funds.
• Successful efforts with Chicago Public Schools to reinstate IDEA Proportionate Share special education services for eligible students so that services could resume remotely. These services include speech, LD learning specialists and other LD interventions.
• Managing the required paperwork for Federal Title programs and tracking their progress for payment.

4. Family Support:

• Ongoing parent support sessions to help them be effective and supportive of their families during this crisis
• Individual referrals and supports
• Resource lists for families to keep children well occupied

5. Partnering with other agencies and organizations:

• Helping to coordinate and craft the communal responses to the evolving needs of the times for maximum efficacy

6. Supporting Special Needs:

• REACH is continuing its special services to students remotely
• Helping mainstream teachers teach effectively to students with varied abilities

7. Mental Health Needs:

• Providing networking and resources to school social workers and families
• Monitoring trends to address mental health needs proactively

Social Work Sessions

Immediately upon the closure of schools, we gathered social workers from several ATT schools together for a public Zoom session with parents, followed by second session on March 26 and another one on May 11.

March 15 Session

March 26 Session

May 11 Session

Peer Tutoring

We are setting up peer tutoring and chavrusas for students interested in finding a learning buddy or mentor in limudi kodesh and limudi chol subjects. Complete the survey here If your children would like to participate.

Collaborative Problem Solving

REACH’s expert in Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) Tamar Shames spoke on March 29 on Facebook Live and Zoom, offering tips for this challenging time from this research-based behavior method that the use to train teachers. CPS can help you work with your child to build up their intrinsic motivation to make positive choices and solve problems.

Click here to watch that session on Facebook

Resources to help children structure their day

• BigTalks Structure Tip
• Daily Schedule Day
• Daily Schedule Week
• First Then Next
• Nursery Schedule Cards
• To Do all Done Visual Schedule

Homeschool Resources

We are constantly updating a full list of homeschool resources in Judaic and general studies here. We encourage you to check the website links out for yourself and to supervise children while using the web.

For more information about any of the ATT initiatives during school closures for Coronavirus, email att@att.org.

As relieved as exhausted parents are to be sending kids back to class this school year, this comes with concerns and challenges. Beyond health and safety, parents, kids and schools alike are all wondering about connecting during this time of wearing masks and social distancing. And for those families opting to keep children home for remote learning, the need to find creative ways of connection is even more crucial.

Rabbi Ephraim Hochberg of YTT and ATT’s Rabbi Avrohom Moller addressed educators from across the ATT system to discuss ways to proactively pursue a relationship with each student. 

Relating to students as a teacher or rebbe is always a key factor in learning and in helping kids have a positive association with school. The concern that we could revert back to remote learning makes building relationships early on even more critical.

Two prerequisites of relationships

Any strong relationship between a student and teacher is based upon safety and trust. Only once these conditions are met, can a teacher move on to build the relationship.

Creating a safe space for learning: 

A teacher has a responsibility to make sure his classroom is safe, everyone is respected and has a role and everyone will be defended against bullying and other aggression. This means a teacher has to be empathic and really try to understand the child’s perspective. He has to be authentic and open rather than aloof and controlling. A teacher should never use sarcasm because many kids cannot process it.

• A classroom feels safe when learning and the schedule are predictable and clear
• The teacher is consistent, cheerful and fair 
• A teacher can admit when she makes a mistake to establish safety and trust
• A teacher can be vulnerable and show that he is also human 

To build trust, a teacher must listen well and be there for students when they need problems solved. It means to forgive and forget without bearing a grudge. Trust happens when a teacher spends time thinking about solutions for a child’s challenges and gets back to him. Teachers who demonstrate trust will have students who reflect it back. It’s a tall order, but this is all the job of an educator.

Building the relationship with students:

Connecting with students takes effort. In the beginning, it can be as simple as using a child’s correct name and spelling. Or it can be something specifically personal for a student who needs it (e.g. a coin for student’s collection).

Teachers have to be masters of offering genuine and specific praise. They have to tout a child’s achievements to others, including their parents and grandparents. They have to notice what students need even if they haven’t asked for help.

Most importantly a child should feel that her teacher is happy to have him in class.