Got Google Classroom???

The trials and tribulations of navigating Google Classroom or other online tools can be daunting for the students AND their parents.  

As most of you have been assisting your children with their class assignments I am sure you have come across Google Classroom at some point , and for those of you that haven't you are lucky!  I myself have had to learn by many stumbles through Google Classroom on a daily basis, and it has been challenging! It has also been challenging to help my children find their way through assignments and turning in assignments, where to go and what to do.  And then there is the age old question that you wonder about with Google Classroom, 'did my child do the work', as we are not sure how to see their work completed.  In my quest to find the answers I have found a few useful tools and videos to guide us.

The Parents' Guide to Google Classroom 2020

Parents Guide to Google Classroom in 2020

Google Classroom Tutorial for Students and Parents

Here is a link to the MDUSD Parent Portal for information and support throughout this online learning experience.

Perhaps it might be good to ask your child's teacher to provide a lesson on navigating their own specific 'classroom' for assignments and information during one of their class meetings. I suggest you you check Google Classroom or any other tools their teacher is using the night before or in the morning before they 'start their school day' so both of you know what the expectation and assignments are set for the day. You can check into throughout the day for task completion, that is if you have time. 

Another idea in ways to understand what your child is doing with their online classwork is to ask your student(s)' teachers to share with you their Google Calendar for assignments or to add you to access their Google Classroom as a guardian.  This may be a good way to monitor the assignments and completion of those assignments WITH your child.  Maybe you will learn who has more tech skills in your family, is it you!?!

If you learn something new or find a good video to help navigate google classroom and want to share with us a tip, please send me a message at shenh@mdusd.org or check out our website.