by Angie Briceño | May 5, 2020
We all remember our last year of high school: a moment in each of our lives full of all kinds of different emotions like stress, anxiety, excitement, and happiness. High school seniors experience many feelings and emotions. That last year is a culmination of a stage in life, the line between starting to live an adult life and leaving behind the life of a teenager and high schooler. That is why it is such an important time in life to have unique experiences and create lifelong memories.
High school seniors around the world are living in a unique moment in history, and our seniors are no exception. This pandemic has completely changed their senior year in terms of tests, deadlines, and the uncertainty of what will happen next. Aside from academics, they are also experiencing a social change in their senior year with their friends, eating together, doing activities that would leave a lasting impact on their lives and on the school as well. Have you imagined what it would be like to be a high school senior right now?
Here is what 12th graders Alejandro Mora and Maya Reolon have to say about their experiences during the pandemic:
“For me the transition to online learning has been very difficult. It’s hard for me to stay motivated and concentrate on my work. I started doing schoolwork from home, but there were so many distractions like the TV, cell phone, etc. Things got easier once I had a good Internet connection, because I was able to contact my teachers more, and get my questions answered, but I still find online classes to be more difficult than in-person ones. What I miss most from being at school is socializing. I miss seeing my classmates every day. One good thing about this situation is that I can develop more self-discipline, which I have made an effort to do. I try to take more responsibility for myself and my things, and without counting on anyone to constantly supervise me, I can be more independent.”
– Alejandro Mora 12°
Life as a student, particularly as an IB senior, has been interesting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Us students, as well as teachers, are learning how to continue our academic lives by virtual means. Classes are now directed by Zoom meetings, presentations are now shared by videos, and so forth. This is all not as one would expect their educational year to be, but so far, it has gone well! When online learning began, all of us students in IB were worried if we would not have the motivation to continue our learning at home. Well, so far it has been over a month, and we have been working harder than ever. I am so proud of my IB peers and for the rest of the students, keeping the motivation up and working very hard during times like this. I am also very proud of the teachers, who are working very hard (if not harder) during this time of online learning. Personally, so far this year has been a learning curve. I am learning not only academic material, but I am learning patience and I am learning self-discipline. The teachers have been very supportive with us students, especially in IB. I am thankful for them, and I am thankful for my peers. I know that when school comes back, everybody will feel more at ease and happy to be in a classroom! Even though we are all physically apart, we are all united. Thank you Futuro Verde! Go class of 2020!
by Angie Briceño | Mar 29, 2020
Futuro Verde has an amazing and unique bilingual program. As the language specialist at our school, I get to work with students in all stages of development of both Spanish and English, from pre-K to 12th grade. In addition to receiving instruction in both languages throughout the day, language development has several layers here at Futuro Verde. The base layer that all students receive is a course in which they study multilingual and multicultural themes. This course, called Comparative Language Study at the elementary level and World Languages for our middle-schoolers, also helps students develop important language-learning strategies such as identifying cognates (words that sound or look the same in two or more languages), or using prefixes to infer meaning. The second layer of our language development program involves supporting specific groups of students who could benefit from extra instruction in either Spanish or English.
So what do both components of our bilingual program look like during online learning?
Delivering language support virtually can be a challenge, but we are finding ways to help language learners at all levels! Our Comparative Language Study course continues with online mini-lessons that I record myself teaching (for the younger grades) and assign independent work for (in the case of upper elementary). I have also been working with CREW teachers and other specialist teachers to have instructions for all assignments translated so that students and families understand how to complete each task. Additionally, we have provided video supports and modified assignments as added help for certain grade levels and assignments, not only to explain instructions more thoroughly or to guide students in completing certain tasks, but also to adapt the assignments to the needs of language learners. Videos are key here, so that we can convey meaning and content through gestures, images, objects, etc.
Parents, please feel free to reach out if your child is having difficulty understanding their assignments at anika@futuro-verde.org.
Online Special Education Support
by Alannah Anglin
Futuro Verde is lucky to have a multicultural and multilingual student population. The Support Team focuses on serving the population in a multidisciplinary manner, guiding and supporting students from preschool through twelfth grade through three different but related approaches: social, emotional and academic. Since our learning has taken a temporary turn towards virtual learning, the team has taken on the task of continuing to support students, working together with both teachers and parents. We have taken the following initiatives:
Create set schedules for online learning, seeking to bring balance, well-being, family cohesion and academic structure to homes.
Proposed Online Learning Schedule for PreK – 2nd grade
Proposed Online Learning Schedule for 3rd – 6th grade
Create virtual support ¨chats¨ in Seesaw or Hangouts, where we seek to maintain immediate communication with students and parents or guardians who wish to do so; providing guidance and answering any questions about the assigned activities.
Keep in touch with parents about their children’s progress, making sure to provide the support required by the students to facilitate the understanding and performance of the activities.
We have continued to give the Writing and Reading Workshops, taking into account the needs and objectives of each individual student.
by Angie Briceño | Mar 29, 2020
Futuro Verde cuenta con un programa bilingüe increíble y único. Como especialista de lenguaje del colegio, trabajo con estudiantes en todas las etapas del desarrollo del español y el inglés, desde pre-escolar hasta el 12º grado. Además de recibir instrucción en ambos idiomas a lo largo del día, el desarrollo del lenguaje tiene varias capas aquí en Futuro Verde. La capa base que todos los estudiantes reciben es un curso en el que estudian temas multilingües y multiculturales. Este curso, llamado Estudio Comparativo de Lenguas a nivel primaria y Lenguas Mundiales para nuestros estudiantes de secundaria, también ayuda a los estudiantes a desarrollar importantes estrategias de aprendizaje de idiomas como la identificación de cognados (palabras que suenan o se ven parecidas en dos o más idiomas), o el uso de prefijos para inferir el significado. La segunda capa de nuestro programa de desarrollo del lenguaje implica el apoyo a grupos específicos de estudiantes que podrían beneficiarse de una instrucción extra en español o en inglés.
¿Cómo se ven los dos componentes de nuestro programa bilingüe durante el aprendizaje en línea?
Ofrecer apoyo lingüístico de forma virtual puede ser un reto, pero ¡estamos encontrando formas de ayudar a los aprendices de idioma en todos los niveles! Nuestro curso de Estudio Comparativo del Lenguaje continúa con mini-lecciones en línea que yo misma grabo (para los más pequeños) o asigno trabajo independiente (en el caso de la escuela primaria superior). También he estado trabajando con los profesores de CREW y otros profesores especialistas traduciendo las instrucciones de todas las tareas para que los estudiantes y las familias entiendan cómo realizar cada tarea. Además, hemos proporcionado soportes de vídeo y tareas modificadas como ayuda adicional para ciertos niveles de grado y tareas, no sólo para explicar las instrucciones más detalladamente o para guiar a los estudiantes en la realización de ciertas tareas, sino también para adaptar las tareas a las necesidades de los aprendices de idioma. Los vídeos son claves para que podamos transmitir el significado y el contenido a través de gestos, imágenes, objetos, etc.
Padres, por favor, comunicarse conmigo si su hijo/a tiene dificultades para entender sus tareas, mi correo electrónico es anika@futuro-verde.org.
Apoyo en línea para estudiantes con necesidades educativas especiales
escrito por Alannah Anglin
Futuro Verde cuenta con una población estudiantil multicultural y multilingüe. El Equipo de Apoyo, se enfoca en atender a la población de manera multidisciplinar, optando por guiar y apoyar a los estudiantes desde preescolar hasta doceavo en tres enfoques distintos pero que a la vez están relacionados: social, emocional y académico. Dado que nuestro aprendizaje a tomado un giro temporal hacia el aprendizaje virtual, el equipo se ha dado a la tarea de continuar apoyando a los estudiantes, trabajando en equipo tanto con profesores como con padres de familia. Las iniciativas que se han tomado son las siguientes:
Crear una propuesta de horario para el aprendizaje en línea, buscando traer balance, bienestar, cohesión familiar y estructura académica a los hogares.
Horario sugerido para el aprendizaje en línea de PreK – 2do grado
Horario sugerido para el aprendizaje en línea de 3ro – 6to grado
Crear ¨chats,¨ virtuales de apoyo en Seesaw o Hangout, donde se busca mantener la comunicación inmediata con los alumnos y los padres o encargados que así lo deseen; brindando guía y abarcando posibles dudas sobre las actividades asignadas.
Mantenerse en comunicación con padres de familia sobre los avances de sus hijos(as), asegurándonos de proveer los apoyos que requieran los estudiantes para facilitar la comprensión y realización de las actividades.
Se continúa impartiendo los Talleres de Escritura y Lectura, tomando en cuenta la necesidades y los objetivos individuales de cada estudiante.
by Angie Briceño | Mar 27, 2020
As of today we have been in online learning for a few weeks now, which as everyone knows is necessary due to the difficult situation the world is currently in. However, we want to take this moment to congratulate all teachers, parents, but especially students who have maintained such an excellent attitude through this transition. None of this would be possible without the positive and energetic attitude that students have shown in response to this emergency.
Futuro Verde was able to quickly mobilize all of this online learning thanks to the constant training that teachers and administrative staff have received. We’ve had the opportunity to be part of an organization called Principal’s Training Center (PTC), an international organization that specializes in training, coaching, and sharing tools and guidelines with schools around the globe. Thanks to this connection we have been able to respond quickly to an emergency like this one. We have experienced a supportive environment where we receive resources that are being implemented in other schools in Costa Rica and around the world.
The resources and guidelines that we have implemented are adapted for online learning; that is, we have adequate rubrics and assignments, and have implemented tools so that the educational process of the students is not affected. Teachers are adopting and using these tools. Both parents and teachers will be receiving technology tips that will help continue this process. We invite both students and parents to take the initiative and use these tools to connect with classroom teachers.
Despite the difficulty we have encountered in switching to online learning, it brings certain benefits that will stay with our students for a lifetime: the development of skills such as self-discipline, patience, effort, and time management.
by Angie Briceño | Mar 27, 2020
Al día de hoy, ya tenemos algunas semanas con el aprendizaje en modalidad en línea el cual como todos saben ha sido provocado por el momento difícil que el mundo está pasando, sin embargo queremos aprovechar este momento para felicitar a todos los profesores, padres y madres, pero en especial a los estudiantes que han tenido tan excelente actitud con esta transición, nada de esto sería posible sin la actitud tan positiva y energética que han tenido como respuesta a esta emergencia.
Futuro Verde pudo movilizar rápidamente todo el aprendizaje en línea gracias a las capacitaciones constantes que han recibido los profesores y el personal administrativo. El tener la oportunidad de ser parte de una organización como PTC por sus siglas en inglés, las cuales hacen alusión a Principal´s Training Center, el cual es una organización a nivel internacional que se especializa en entrenar, asesorar y compartir herramientas y pautas con colegios y escuelas alrededor del globo. Gracias a esta conexión hemos podido responder rápidamente ante una emergencia como la que estamos viviendo. Hemos experimentado un ambiente de mucha ayuda en donde nos han colaborado con recursos que han implementado en otros centros educativos en Costa Rica y alrededor del mundo.
Los recursos y los lineamientos que hemos implementado están adecuados al aprendizaje en línea, es decir hemos adecuado rúbricas, trabajos y hemos implementado herramientas para que no se vea afectado el proceso educativo de los estudiantes. Los profesores están adoptando y utilizando estas herramientas. Tanto padres como maestros estarán recibiendo consejos de tecnología que ayudarán a continuar con este proceso. Invitamos tanto a los estudiantes como a los padres de familia a tomar la iniciativa y utilizar estas herramientas para conectarse con los profesores de clase.
A pesar de la dificultad que se nos ha presentado al cambiar a modalidad en línea, esta trae ciertos beneficios que quedarán con nuestros estudiantes para toda la vida, y es el desarrollo de algunas habilidades como la autodisciplina, paciencia, el esfuerzo y el cumplimiento de tiempos.
