Teacher Sharing - Ellen 4/16/2020

Ellen Huls

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Well, after joining every single webinar for the last hundred years it seems, I have about five students who communicate with me. I send a  Google Form every day with Putting English to Work video, Learning Chocolate,Starfall Learn to Read, and a conversation video. I send silly pictures asking after their health and happiness. We zoomed twice and it was pretty awful. It seems like I yelled” Can you hear me? Can you see me ?” the entire time.  Most who joined spent the whole time trying to connect or couldn’t hear or see. We will zoom again next Tuesday. Now I want to make simple videos like “ This is my garden. This is what I planted.  This is my sewing room. This is what I’m making. And the piece de resistance” This is how to make an American peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” De Anna just sent me her “How to Make a Smoothie “and now I’m inspired!

All I can say is “oy, vey is mir” which is Yiddish for “Holy Mackeral, this is so hard!”

Teacher Sharing - Shireen 4/16/2020

Shireen Miles 
Thursday, April 16, 2020 

I think I’m doing okay, all things considered. We’re doing one hour Zoom sessions four days a week. I feel lucky to have about 15 engaged, but never all at the same time. I get 6-11 at a time. None of the male members of the class are participating, interestingly enough. 

Zoom was insane at first, getting people on it was HARD. I still feel like I’m Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride as the host, careening around. And I haven’t been able to train students to mute themselves when the kid is screeching. Often some participants can’t hear if I put on a video. I have no idea what is going on there.  Other than that, PERFECT! LOL. Seriously, one of my students today shared about the death to COVID19 of her uncle in London, father of five young children. Sobering.

WhatsApp has been what keeps us going. I have figured out how to use my Notes app to scan worksheets and upload them and they handwrite their responses and post them. We’re working a lot on grammar, and writing sentences, and a few stories. Not all students complete that work, but not all did their homework before, so it is what it is. We chat and share our comings and goings, post photos of food and flowers and kids, and I pass along info like the IRC call and other info on resources. 

It’s harder than an in-person class, and I’m putting in way more hours. I wouldn’t like to teach a class regularly this way, but it’s working for now.

Shireen

Teacher Sharing - DeAnna 4/17/2020

DeAnna RafanelliFri 4/17/2020 

Here is what I am realizing... some people love to socialize while having English class so they love zoom .  Some folks don't like communicating and working on English publicly online and they are moving along independently on USA Learns.  I have created a certificate of completion for USA Learns to mark the completion of the first English class.  7 folks are working to complete and 1 has moved on to English Plus.  Some folks love to do "school work"  in notebooks and take pictures of their work for me and so they respond to the google form work regularly. I have 27 active students and what they do runs the gamut from "Hi Teacher" on WhatsApp once in a while to submitting work every day. Some folks like to check in to "chat"...send pictures, make comments ask questions.   I also do emailing to those who prefer that mode.  I just put it all out there and mainly keep in touch with everyone at least once a week.  English is offered to all M-Th with zooming once a week so far.   I am trying to make videos which are mostly hilarious.  Maybe one day I will approve one for WhatsApp viewing.  I agree with Shireen...its way more time consuming...I have never sat so much in my life..the computer sucks me in with OTAN classes luring me and trying to learn new ways of sending lessons and communicating with students all day and into the night .. This morning I was awake at 5 and so checked WhatsApp.  well I must have touched something because that bad phone called a student and I couldn't turn it OFF!!! so embarrassing!!   Yesterday I was so proud to share screen with a student's daughter so that I could help her fill out turbotax form to get her stimulus check. (Thanks Shireen for your help there).    It is sure a different life teaching this way but I get to have nice conversations with individuals because of WhatsApp.  I like it .....I'm looking forward to Tues. meeting.  Stay well,  good things will come of this detour in our lives and we'll find new and better paths in the end.

Love, DeAnna   

       

Student Support Services - San Juan Unifies Support Request Form

Good morning Teachers,

Many of you have shared stories from your students about the challenges they face. The district is developing resources to help. Check out this website for more information. I have also attached flyers in multiple languages that could be used as a teaching tool and shared with students. 

https://www.sanjuan.edu/gethelp

Student Support Services / San Juan Unified Support Request Form Search Our Site. District Home. Our Schools www.sanjuan.edu

Be Kind Flyer in English

Be Kind Flyer in Farsi

Be Kind Flyer in Arabic

Be Kind Flyer in Russian

Be Kind Flyer in Spanish

Keep sending your experiences with distance learning. 

I really miss everyone!

Lynn Bartlett

Maximizing Moodle Office Hours

In order to support adult education teachers using Moodle with their students, Blair Roy and Susan Coulter will host a series of Office Hours for Maximizing Moodle Wednesday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00am PDT in May. Join them to get one-on-one support, help, suggestions, and just plain old encouragement in using Moodle with learners. Teachers can ask any questions about Moodle and their courses. You can sign up for these Office Hours at the California Adult Education Training Calendar.

Office Hours for Maximizing Moodle currently scheduled in May:

• May 6 - 10:00 to 11:00
• May 13 - 10:00 to 11:00
• May 20 - 10:00 to 11:00

If you ever have any questions about your Moodle courses, please contact us at support@otan.us.

The OTAN Staff

Temporary Moratorium on Tenant Evictions Due to COVID-19

Here's the link to the pdf flyer
with contact information.

Temporary Moratorium on Tenant Evictions

Grant Funds for Hardship Situations

HI Everyone,  

I asked our contact at IRC about funds for students worrying about not being able to make the accumulated payments of rent.  He sent me the below email to share the information with our students.

It's a one time payment of $450 but at least it's something and yeah they ask for a lot of information, yet it's doable. 

Please share with your students sharing this concern. Maybe our instructional aids can help relate the information with the lower levels.  Students can also directly call and speak with a language interpreter at IRC.

I hope this can help some students.

Marisol Richmond

Marisol, and all Adult Ed ESL Teachers,

I can help! I oversee our CSBG Safety Net program and we are funded to help with eviction avoidance. Each household is eligible to receive a  one-time check for $450 made out to their landlord. If you have interested clients I am including the documentation we will need to enroll them and process the check below.

1. Photo or Copy of a photo ID
2. Lease Agreement with your name and your landlord
3. Statement from landlord explaining rental assistance need. This could be an eviction notice, 3 day pay or quit, email or letter from your landlord explaining balance past due.

Ex. “ I can verify that my tenant, INSERT NAME, at INSERT LOCATION AND APT. NO is behind on rent by INSERT AMOUNT DUE as of INSERT DATE. My tenant has notified me that she will be receiving rental assistance through the International Rescue Committee.

4. Bank Statement that shows eligibility. The Deposits/Additions line on the bank statement must be below 100% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines on the document below.

Feel free to give a call for more information. I am available until noon today and tomorrow.

Best,

Luke Johnson  |  Workforce Development Coordinator

International Rescue Committee in Sacramento

2020 Hurley Way, Suite 420 | Sacramento, CA  95825lucas.johnson@rescue.org  | T 916 844-8299 

Please Note: Due to COVID-19 protocols, the IRC in Sacramento office is working remotely until further notice. The physical  IRC office is not accessible for clients/partners/staff during this time, however we will continue to provide services remotely.