Narrative     

     Over the course of my student teaching experience, I have taught both remotely and in-person. Both of these teaching situations have involved the use of Google Classroom and Synergy. These programs serve different purposes but sometimes overlap in their function. While Google Classroom serves as a platform for communicating with students, posting assignments, posting lesson materials, and managing grades, Synergy serves the purpose of taking attendance, communicating with parents, entering report cards, and managing grades.

     In Google Classroom, there is a classwork section for each of the respective classrooms: Social Studies, Science, Writing, Reading, Math, and Homeroom. In the classwork section, assignments are listed, learning and teaching tools are displayed, and textbook pages are linked. All of this, along with students' individual grades are visible to the student. When a student receives an assignment or an assignment is returned, this is made known to the student through an email. Each assignment has a section where notes can be written by the teacher and student; they are an excellent resource for communication between teacher and student. Most often, I have written positive comments, expectations for when the revision must be turned in, and other feedback for the student. 

     Synergy is a program used in the Rochester Community School District that tracks student attendance, serves as a medium for communication with parents, takes lunch counts, and tracks students' grades. I have recorded students' grades, including assignments and summative assessments in all content areas in this program. In addition to these assessments, I also give a formative assessment at the end of each lesson, and this data drives my instruction for coming lessons. Additionally, I recorded all trimester 2 report cards for my 5th grade class in Synergy. Each of the students received comments from me on their report card in addition to their grades. These comments contained the student's academic strengths as well as a focus area or goal for the student in the trimester ahead. The feedback obtained from these comments can substantially guide students' learning.

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Reflection

     Both Google Classroom and Synergy serve as great programs to organize and analyze student learning both for teachers and students. By accessing their grades on Google Classroom, students can learn to develop an internal locus of control and become intrinsically motivated. For fifth grade, these are important skills to learn, as they will be increasingly responsible for their own education as they grow older. My experience during student teaching, however, has also taught me that access to all of this feedback can serve to discourage students if they receive too much of it without personal communication or an encouraging nudge from their teacher. Remote learning is hard for young learners; they need guidance, grace, and help with things like time-management and limiting screen time. As a teacher, I have learned that it is of utmost importance that I always keep in mind that there is a child, not a robot, not an adult, on the other side of the screen. Digital record-keeping systems such as Google Classroom and Synergy continue to be an asset for both teachers and students, and my experience with them over the past few months has taught me about both their imperfections and their advantages. I will be able to utilize these systems with skill in future classrooms, remembering to always keep a personal touch with my students. 

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