GenParenting

Parenting resources for all who love and care for children

Student Grading Considerations with COVID-19 School Modifications

Student Grading Considerations with COVID-19 School Modifications

COVID-19 pandemic surges continue to keep schools closed or programs modified. How will K-12 teachers support students, when they have limited time to work with them in class or through distance learning programs? What standardized testing programs have been altered or eliminated this year and how will it impact many college acceptances? [Read more…]

Online Social Activities for Teens

Online Social Activities for Teens

Students returned to school remotely in August. Since their return, our primary focus has been to ensure that all of our students are socially and emotionally ready to learn each day. Our elected student leaders meet afterschool to create creatively engaging activities for students throughout the school year. [Read more…]

COVID-19 Challenges for High School Seniors

COVID-19 Challenges for High School Seniors

As high school seniors prepare their college applications in these next few weeks, teachers are adapting their online services to effectively support their students at this very stressful time. Our teachers have expanded their services to include the following:

  • Small group senior seminars provide students with guidance on financial aid, how to select appropriate colleges based on interests and achievement, how to integrate testing data into the college application, and how to integrate community services and leadership into the college application process and essays.
  • Students continue to participate in early college classes online that are offered directly from the high school campus. Through this process, college professors teach by using the high school’s online platform to better meet the needs of students.
  • Students are registered to take the SATs and ACTs to add to the rigor for college acceptance considerations. While test scores will be considered by some colleges, others will not use these as part of their college acceptance review.
  • In addition to meeting with students regularly for college counseling and planning, teachers provide college planning tips online to ensure that students complete each step of the college application process on time.
  • Students continue to learn effective social-emotional skills through a school club to overcome the social isolation felt by many students forced to learn online due to ongoing COVID-19 health challenges and racism.

[Read more…]

Community Services Through Project-Based Distance Learning

Community Services Through Project-Based Distance Learning

COVID-19 Leadership Challenges for College Ready Students: Part 3 of 3

Students’ community service projects and grantwriting can support project-based distance learning activities. Teachers can advise students on how writing a grant for a new project satisfies specific common core standards in language arts and mathematics. For example, high school students must write fluently in fact-based research to meet language arts standards. Students must also master statistical analysis per math standards when justifying program needs statements and a program’s evaluation. And a grant project’s budget development and budget monitoring will satisfy various math standards. The Student-Engaged Assessment book by Laura Greenstein and Mary Ann Burke explains how students and teachers can document learning processes that meet academic standards through student owned assessment portfolios. [Read more…]

Students Can Partner with Local Nonprofits

Students Can Partner with Local Nonprofits

COVID-19 Leadership Challenges for College Ready Students: Part 2 of 3

Local nonprofit agencies can help students develop new programs and prepare for college and career goals through community service activities. A GenParenting blog on student grantwriting to develop student initiated community service projects (see https://genparenting.com/grants/#more-1244) provides a grant template and guidance on how students can partner with a local library, the Grantmanship Center, or other funding agencies to learn how to write a grant and research program funding options. Students can also meet with a local SCORE consultant to learn how to partner with another nonprofit or how to start their own nonprofit. And students can vet their completed grant templates with community partners who may be interested in providing students’ proposed services. [Read more…]