Learning Goals + Standards in Google Classroom

Learning Goals in Google Classroom

We had a new staff member join our team during the summer. She wasn't too familiar with Workspace tools, so I added her to the Classroom I created to orient people to Google Workspace. While I was poking around, I found something new (or at least new to me).  I don't get to look at Google Classroom too often anymore as a teacher, so some updates I learn about later and this is one of those. Now you can use Learning Goals in Google Classroom. There are national and state standards available for the US, but also standards for Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and the UK (broken down in England, North Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). This is a huge step forward for Classroom. I'm happy to see this addition to Classroom and I hope they will continue adding national curriculums to the interface. I know many Korean teachers would love to have the Korean national standards available.

 

Closing the Academic Year: A Clean Slate for Your Google Drive

Created with Gemini

As we approach the end of another academic year here at St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, the physical hallways aren't the only spaces needing a refresh. While we often focus on packing up classrooms and finalizing grades, there is a digital equivalent that is just as vital: closing out your Google Drive.

Over the past ten months, our Drive accounts have inevitably become digital junk drawers. We’ve accumulated countless iterations of lesson plans, shared documents from collaborative projects, and those "temporary" files that somehow became permanent residents. Failing to organize these now is just borrowing trouble from your future self.

Think of the "Drive Purge" as an essential part of your pedagogical hygiene. Start by archiving your "2025-2026" folders. Move them into a structured sub-folder system, ensuring that your current workspace is clear and ready for the inevitable influx of summer professional development materials and next year’s curriculum planning.

Don't just delete—curate. Ask yourself: Did this resource support student learning? Is it worth migrating to next year’s master folder? If not, let it go.

By taking an hour this week to audit your permissions, clear out redundant shared files, and organize your core assets, you are doing more than just decluttering. You are setting the stage for a more focused, efficient start when August returns. A clean digital workspace clears the mental bandwidth required for the innovative teaching we strive for.

How are you prepping your digital environment for the summer break?

The Taming of the Spaces

 

All those Spaces in Gmail driving you crazy? Here is some help to tame the madness.

Google Drive Notifications in Chat

 

Some of my teachers started complaining about a new feature in Google. Now you can receive notifications about Google Drive in your chat and some folks think this is a very unwanted thing. If you are someone who simply can't deal with receiving notifications about Google Drive through chat, you can mute or uninstall them. Go to the chat window and look for the Google Drive chat. By using the three dots on the right side of it, you can select mute or uninstall. Enjoy!

GEG Seoul Event -- Level 1 Exam Jump Start