AAG’s Hybrid Learning Program uses a combination of two platforms: an electronic platform Google Classroom for the (elementary, middle, and high school) and in-person (traditional) learning setting are used to educate our students. The Pre-K through grades 2 are taught via the (traditional) learning setting and they attend school every day. The Pre-K also uses the Zoom electronic format when needed or students are absent from school. For grades Pre-K – 8th grades our classes are no longer than 45 minutes and for the high school the blocks are 50 minutes. Also, all teachers have office hours at the end of the day. Students and parents can contact the teacher to set up an appointment if needed.
Grades 3 through 12 use a hybrid learning platform, all grades are divided into two groups: A and B. When group A is learning via the traditional setting, then group B will be required to be virtual. The two groups will then switch on the next day, where group B will be learning via the traditional setting and group A will be virtual. When the groups are virtual attendance is mandatory! The group who is virtual will be able watch the teacher giving instruction and the next day they will already have an idea about the subject matter the teacher will teach. Also, it gives them a chance to write down questions, practices what they learned, and be able to apply it when it is their turn to come to the school.
For the elementary grades 3 and 4 use a modified “flipped classroom” type of learning, meaning we send “instructional videos” made by our teachers who upload them to the shared drive for the students to watch before they attend class. The instructional videos are a way to provide the students with an idea of what will be taught in their next class. It is a chance for them to grasp or get an idea of the subject matter in advance, so when they come to class they have more time to learn how to apply the information. The instructional videos are the teachers teaching the material to students demonstrating and modeling how the lesson will be when the students login for their virtual class or attend class in-person. This will give the students a chance to re-play, slow down, etc. as many times as needed to better understand the subject matter. Also, we hope it will give students who do not understand the ability to say specifically which part they do not understand during their next class with the teacher. Lastly, the students have assignments to complete after watching the videos.
Our Hybrid Learning Program is always evolving as situations dictate the need to change. Our overall goal of the Hybrid Learning Program is to make it as accessible as possible for the students and parents to navigate their way through these trying times. As the Hybrid learning format is new to most parents, we have to educate them as well about what is Hybrid Learning. We have tried to create a time schedule that is not stringent on the students or parents, as we keep in mind these are unprecedented times we live in and they can impact individuals’ psychological well-being as well. That is why we have implemented Social Skill/Psychological well-being days (check-ins) weekly as part of our curriculum. Lastly, we try to be as flexible and as understanding as possible when making changes to the program by ensuring our students’ safety and best interest always comes first.
