Why use Google Classroom?

 ob and I teach several classes.  We keep records in Google Classroom.  (Rob keeps a separate spreadsheet for grades, too.  Several families use one email; the children are discouraged from using electronics.  Yes, it’s a pain.  However, the parents are serious about monitoring computer use.  Good job!). Why bother?  I like to post assignments to Classroom.  If a kid is out sick, the material is there.  I use Classroom as an organizational tool.  I can prep lessons in advance and save interesting ideas in Classroom.  

However, when I was home-schooling individual kids,  Classroom was even more useful.  I created a class for each subject and keep track of completed assignments.  You can take a photo and upload it to Classroom.  For example, snap a completed and graded quiz, open Classroom, select the class, and upload the photo under the graded assignment.  Better still, have your child upload the photo.  Everything is saved and organized.  It is so much easier to prepare digital portfolios for submission to online schools.  Google Classroom keeps a record of grades.  I take screenshots of these averages, too, for the portfolio or quarterly reports.  

Long term, Google Classroom is useful for transcripts, too.  I just received a request for a transcript from a Chemistry class held two years ago.  I archive each year’s classes.  It’s easy to reopen archived classes and retrieve the records.  Keeping records is more work up front and less aggravation in the long term.