The Teachers Lounge: A Respectful Ways HELP Guide
Part 1: Getting Started
Welcome! We hope you enjoyed your onboard training. We know it can be a lot to take in. We've designed these Help Guides to make it easier for Respectful Ways Educators, with refreshers, guides, tips...and even a little "self-care" section for you, the hard-working teacher. In this installment:
A Guided Walkthrough to logging in, gathering Course Materials, and navigating courses.
A closer look at the wealth of provided Course Materials
Personal Self Care: A 5-Minute Meditation you can do anywhere!
Quick Start Guide
Everything you need to teach your modules is online at RespectfulWays.com:
- In your web browser, log in to RespectfulWays.com with your provided username and password.
- Click the My Portal link to access all subscribed courses.
Click the desired course to open. - Gather your Course Materials & Resources. We provide all the supplemental class materials you need on one convenient page. Open course, then access this page anytime via the Menu, top left, or the Course Materials link, top right. Learn more about the available resources below. (Spoiler alert: we've done the work for you!)
Guided Walk-Through
Username and Password:
You've been provided with your school's login information. If you've forgotten it, contact your school's web administrator, or email Staff@RespectfulWays.com and the RW team will assist you.
Logging In:
In Google Chrome (or any browser), go to RespectfulWays.com.
Open your Course:
Your Portal contains links to all the course subscriptions for your school. Click the desired course -- it will open in a new browser tab.
You'll be greeted by RW Ambassador Riley Ways (aged to match the Grade level, of course!)
Before you teach, we recommend you first familiarize yourself with the Course Materials and Resources that come with the module. Materials include turnkey teaching guides, student worksheets, progress surveys, parent materials, Student-driven courses for individual learning, and much more.
Gather your Course Materials:
Within the course, go to your Course Materials page anytime from the either the Menu, top-left, or the Course Materials link, top-right. You can also access it from the Welcome Page.
**The large bar across the top of the pop-up window hosts all your materials! Other helpful links and easy access to social media sites is also available, so when you're ready to share your students' projects and art work, it's as easy as a click of a button.
Get ready to teach in the classroom:
Connect your computer to your classroom screen projector, and when it's time to start the lesson, just click the Begin Class button on the welcome screen. (You'll see it above, right under the Course Materials link.)
Courses begin with a few introductory slides:
--"Quotes and Signage" slide with 3 relevant sayings to encourage classroom discussion on the topic.
--A "Win the Award" slide to inspire students to do their best.
--The Activity Menu lists the 5 course Activities, each to be done in its own class session.
After showing Quotes and Award slides once, in future sessions you can use the Menu to skip directly to the Activity Menu.
Navigating the course
Navigating an activity requires more than just clicking the ‘Next’ button at the bottom of each slide. Each slide is uniquely designed, and some have clickable icons that reveal more information or other activities. Please interact with ALL the clickable icons on each page before clicking ‘Next’ to move to the next slide.
Here is a live demo of one of our PreK-Grade 2 courses that will show you exactly how to navigate an RW course!
Get To Know Your Course Materials
From turnkey teaching guides and classroom aids to student assignments, family materials and more, Respectful Ways has done the work for you. Before teaching your course, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the supplemental material provided, so you can choose the resources best suited for your class.
See a sample "Course Materials & Resources" (CMR) webpage.
All courses include the following:
Click to see a live Course Materials page
- Course Overview Guide
The complete guide to teaching and navigating the course, including classroom suggestions and topical insights for the educator. - Activity Lesson Plans
Step-by-step teaching guides to each of the 5 activity lessons within each course. - Activity Worksheets
Many activities have related worksheets that can be done in class or as homework assignments. These are available in Google Slide, interactive PDF and print formats. - Awards & Certificates
Incentivize and reward your students for a job well done with our customizable certificates. - Promise Pledge
Every activity ends with a Promise Pledge recited by the student. You can print and distribute the Promise to your class to reinforce the positive message. - Fulfilled Standards
A list of the Educational Standards the course meets: Common Core, ASCA, etc. - Student Surveys
Our Pre-, Mid- and Post-Course Surveys help you monitor your students' understanding of the material, and provide a demonstrable record of their progress. Surveys are available as interactive forms and Google Slide format. - URL Link to Student-Led Course for Individual Learning
Since SEL is best achieved in a hands-on learning situation with guidance, insight and sensitivity, RW courses are designed primarily as Educator-led classroom courses. But for times when a classroom experience is not possible, each of our courses come with a related Student-driven version modified for individual learning. ***It is important to note: Do NOT give your username/password to students! They are to receive the URL weblink that's located in your CMR page. That URL link will bring them to the Student Version of the module. Have them fill out a mid-course survey to gauge retention. - Expand your Knowledge: Further Reading
Suggested readings to expand your understanding of the topic at hand. - For Parents & Caregivers
"Home Connects" (available as printouts or sharable Googe Slides) show families what students are learning, and foster character development at home via suggested games, activities and fun Q&A. - Recognition Awards for Educators, Counselors, Administrators and Parents
Recognize them for all they do for the betterment of their students.
Don't Forget to Take Care of Yourself!
Teaching takes a lot of energy. To reach our children effectively, we have to stay centered and whole ourselves. Here's a 5 minute meditation from Goodful that you can do anywhere that will help you start -- or reset -- your busy day.
Let's Stay In Touch
Have a Question? Need Help? We're here to be of service!
Email Staff@RespectfulWays.com or call 404.955.8882 anytime you need guidance.
More from the Teachers Lounge:
Part 1: Getting Started with Respectful Ways
Part 2: Tips and Reminders