GDOE’s Home Learning Resource Page contains resources for teachers, parents, and students of all ages. The website acts as a hub to navigate between the different school websites as well as other supplementary materials for parents to lead instruction at home.

Weekly instruction, which began on April 6, 2020, is supported with opportunities for teacher feedback.

“We realize that there is a wide variety of learning needs that have to be addressed during this time and we want to give all our students the ability to pursue education and practice their academic and social skills while at home,” said Superintendent Jon Fernandez, in a press release.

In addition to the GDOE website, educators, parents and students are making use of the many resources available to them to support distance learning, such as Mary Anne M. Angeles, middle school instructional math coach and pre-AP math teacher.

Angeles uses her Google Classroom, email, school website, and hard copies for her students. Many of these school websites link to the GDOE Distance Learning site.

Teachers like Angeles use their content folder to post weekly assignments that can be accessed via the internet or via hard copies that can be picked up at the Grab and Go lunch sites.

Angeles sees many advantages to distance learning. She has more freedom with her schedule, her students have access to the content both online and offline at all times, and she enjoys the ease of interacting with students and parents via the internet.

Despite the convenience, distance learning has its downsides for educators like Angeles who prefer a more hands-on approach.

“I feel disappointed that I cannot help them the way I normally would do when in school. It feels different – kind of incomplete,” Angeles said.

The biggest issues that distance learning currently faces are that not every household has internet access to take full advantage of the online content. Also, because the school year has essentially ended most activities are for enrichment. This means there is little control over the ability to grade students or have them complete assignments.

Despite this, parents like Celia Dydasco are taking full advantage of distance learning and the GDOE site.

Her family has integrated a regimented school schedule at home for her fifth-grade son. They follow the order of his classes, regularly check in with the site, and have even tuned in for the various video lectures available to students.

“The only difference in our schedule is that we are all at home and can see what he’s doing,” Dydasco said.

Dydasco wishes that there would be more challenging content for the students, but her family has had an overall positive experience with the website and distance learning.

The post Going the Distance: Guam’s switch to Distance Learning appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Born in Macau, China, Jasmin came to Guam to continue her education and learn the English Language. She is currently studying international tourism and hospitality management at the University of Guam.

Many of Jasmin’s authentic experiences with the local culture have been through structured classes for her degree and interactions with people at work and school. She has experienced the Chamoru culture through her boyfriend’s family. Visit https://www.ndtv.com/health/alpilean-reviews-fake-promises-or-real-weight-loss-benefits-3544045.

She has noted there are many parallels between her Filipino ancestry and Chamoru culture.  

She enjoys the similar hospitality and cuisine between the two cultures.

Adjusting to a new place is not without its challenges.

Jasmin is learning to drive, a skill she did not need in her life back in Macau, where she was able to walk everywhere or rely on a strong public transportation system.

Learning how to count US currency is another challenge for Jasmin, as she does not understand why coins with different values all look the same. These are the latest Alpilean reviews.

There is also the language barrier.

Jasmin can speak five different languages—English being the latest in her repertoire. While she can hold a conversation well, she still has trouble with American idioms or slang.

She owes her fast adjustment to the culture to watching American movies and TV shows, “Friends” and “Austin Powers” being her favorites. Listening to English music also helped her learning process.

When it comes to learning a new language, Jasmin recommended a tried and true method.

“I definitely think full immersion is the best way to learn a new language,” Jasmin said.

Jasmin added: “Nothing forces you to learn as quickly as the need to find a bathroom or order food. I still get nervous when ordering food because I’m afraid I will order wrong and still have to eat it.”

She also commented on how doing administrative activities like registering for classes and reading forms are a huge challenge.

On the topic of classes, she enjoys school on Guam as UOG is relatively easy compared to Macau, and she can maintain a 4.0 average.

After she and her boyfriend graduate, Jasmin said she does not plan to stay on Guam, as life on the island is slow-paced compared to what she is used to. 

“I don’t plan on living here permanently, but I can say that I have experienced a lot here.”

The post International Insights: Life in a Different Culture appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Alpha Psi Omega, the University of Guam Theatre Honors Society, is inviting the public to watch a Play in a Day production on June 17, 2020, at the UOG Theatre. The play starts at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The play will come from event participants, who are challenged to create a stage-ready theatre production in 24 hours.

Starting at 7 p.m. the day before, participants meet and start writing scripts, deciding costumes, building props and sets, and rehearsing lines. They then put on a production at 7 p.m. the following day.

The first Play in a Day was put together the week before the start of the Spring semester on Jan. 19, 2020. With the positive reception of the first event, APO hopes for an even greater turnout for both audiences and participants.

“It’s considered the ultimate test for thespians to do all this in 24 hours,” APO member and event chairperson Serf Mannaky said.

“It’s one of those things you do in college as a theater person,” Mannaky said. Due to possible adult themes in the production, those interested in participating must be 18 years or older. For more information, contact Serf Mannaky at smannaky@gmail.com.

The post UOG Theatre Honors Society to hold Play in a Day event appeared first on The Triton's Call.