Google Classroom Housekeeping Checklist

Is your classroom in order? Do you have...?

• A Naming Convention
• A Copy for Every Student 
• Initials for your Private Comments
• Yearlong Resources on the About tab
• A Late Submission Google Form

#001 Naming Convention:

The end of the quarter came and went.  Were you overwhelmed with the transfer of grades from Google Classroom to PowerSchool?   Did students come up and say "Hey, I need another copy of that one assignment thingy."?  

Keep it simple by implementing a naming/numbering convention for all your assignments.  Or at least your Google Classroom assignments.

I use Quarter + # + 3 Digit Number + Assignment Name.  It works great!  

E.g.  Q4 #001 Portfolio Project

A system like this (inspired by TeacherTech) will organize your Google Drive as well as your grades spreadsheet in Google Classroom.  With a glance you can see where you have left off transferring grades into PowerSchool.  (Or, there is the option of putting it all in as one Google Classroom grade as well.)

Now you & your students can have dialog that puts everyone on the same page.  

"James, You are missing assignment #007."

#002 Make a Copy for Every Student:

Never have your students start a Google Doc or Slides from scratch!   Always create at least a blank template for them to type on.  This allows you to watch the work from the first moment.  Click on the number "undone" to see their in-progress assignments.  Catch those who need redirected before you've spent 3 days in class working on it.  Feedback & turn around times are exponentially shortened with this procedure.  

This practice also avoids the "zero".  You know they have done something even if they didn't hand it in. 

#003 Initial your Private Comments:

One of the best parts about Google Classroom is the conversations you can have with your students regarding their work.  If you use a lot of private comments, it hard to notice who had the last word.  Students could have asked an additional question without you realizing that the conversation had continued beyond your feedback.

Eliminate this problem by adding your initials (E.g. SraT; JYT; MrsT; Teach) before your comment.  Then, with a quick glance you will be able to tell if any students were reaching out to you and if a reply is necessary.

Image By TeacherTech

#004 Yearlong Resources on the About Tab:

Are there links that your class frequently visits (online textbook; kahoot, online dictionary)?  Put them on the "About" tab for a quick resource.  This is also a great place for forms. I personally put a form for students to fill out when they have a question about a grade.  Make-up forms, bonus assignments, links to class albums & galleries can also be included on this tab.

#005 Late Submission Google Form: 

Another item that is appropriately placed on the "About" tab is a Late Submission Form.  Google Classroom automatically tags assignments as Not Done, Late, Done, Returned, Resubmitted etc.  There are also options for email notifications when an assignment comes in late.  These methods may work for some teachers, however others may find themselves going crazy checking for late & resubmitted assignments in a variety of places.

A Late Submission Form can put all  late and submitted assignments in ONE PLACE!  Students use this form to submit any assignment that is coming in late no matter the reason (absence, redo, optional assignment, etc.)  The form will create a spreadsheet that allows for student name, class period, assignment, reason for late submission, link to assignment & a place for you to put the grade.

The form could be attended to periodically by the teacher, then sorted and easily recorded into PowerSchool.  

Click here for an example form that you can remix and use for your classes. (You will be prompted to make a copy.)

Inspired by Tech&Learning 

Do you have other ways you keep your classroom in order?  Have you practiced any of the above recommendations?  

Share in the comments below.