Presentation School launches robust distance-learning curriculum

Sonoma Valley’s Presentation School last week launched a complete distance learning curriculum for grades K-8.

“Faculty and staff have been working around the clock to curate a curriculum that aligns with the national and state standards, is digitally interactive for each developmental stage of our grades, and authentic to our school and the magic of our classrooms,” said assistant head of school Lauren Miller.

Every K-8 student logged on to Google Classrooms starting at 9 a.m. on Monday for a live Zoom homeroom morning meeting.

Each class/subject was live with instruction using various digital platforms such as the teachers’ own YouTube lessons, live feed, interactive powerpoints, WebQuests, Flipgrid, and more.

“Most importantly students will get to connect with their teachers, their peers and their community throughout the day,” said Miller.

The day ends at 2:30 p.m. back in the Zoom homeroom with a closing meeting.

The school is holding its first school-wide Zoom assemblies starting this week.

Miller said that Presentation regards distance learning as an opportunity to look critically at what it teaches, why it teaches it and how it teaches it.

“Through these challenges, we will all be better teachers and students from this experience,” she said. “We can continue to support the learning and growth our students make weekly, it may just feel different.”

Miller believes that teacher modeling and support is really what students are searching for.

Other advantages, said Miller, are that students are able to work at their own speed without peers or schedule pressures, and that teachers are able to take daily and weekly assessments and cater to the pacing and curriculum for student needs.