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A New Twist on Lesson Delivery

Photo by Juan Camilo Navia on Unsplash

How can we put some pizazz into our online lessons? Good teachers are always on the lookout for new and better ways to engage their students. But, in the virtual classroom, creativity is essential.

Get…and Keep… the Kids Involved

Lack of student involvement is one of the major criticisms of online learning. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

First, the teacher has to project his/her enthusiasm for the content. Show them why it is important that they really learn what you’re teaching them. Your excitement will be contagious!

Lengthy lectures or explanations by the teacher just will not cut it in the virtual world. Plodding through the textbook won’t either. Hands-on exploration is the name of the game. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Bring the content of your lesson to life with a variety of fast-paced activities, including games, demonstrations, friendly competitions, or an occasional video.

After this “hands on” time, direct your students to record what they have learned in their learning logs. The learning log is key, because this is where you drive home a new skill or concept.

What About Textbook Assignments?

Photo by Romina BM on Unsplash

You may be using online Reading textbooks or online resources for your Reading series. Then you know how engaging and effective these tools can be for improved Reading fluency and comprehension. (More on this in a future post.)

But in the content areas, try reading the textbook together after they have learned the content as a review strategy. Also, teach your students how to use their texts as reference books to look up something they forgot how to do.

Don’t feel the pressure to assign workbook pages just because the school provided workbooks. If there is an interesting page with an authentic task, use it . But choose wisely, and keep “seat work” assignments short.

Toys Are Not Just for Playtime

Math and Science lessons can be super fun when kids use their own toys to complete a learning task. Photo by RoboWunderKind on Unsplash

When students are learning from home, they probably don’t have fancy classroom manipulatives to use. Not a problem. Have your students bring some blocks, toy cars, dolls, action figures, dinosaurs, playing cards, balls, Play Doh, or whatever is available, to class. Incorporate these items into your lessons and let the learning begin!

Use the “Jumbo-Tron”

We know students learn from each other. But how to accomplish this in a virtual classroom? Use the the “spotlight” feature in your online platform. Ask volunteers to show and explain what they are doing as their classmates watch them on the “big screen.”

Just Dance, Dance, Dance

Kinesthetic learning is an excellent way to keep your students actively engaged. And it is even more effective in a virtual classroom.

Students cannot be expected to sit constantly glued to a computer screen throughout the school day. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

Get them up and out of their chairs. Have them moving throughout the day on various tasks and during frequent breaks.

Use pantomime and Pictionary to review vocabulary. Sing and dance to music while memorizing the times tables or learning the parts of speech. Use toys to apply a concept in Math or Science.

A Great Ending to a Spectacular Week

At the end of the day, you’ll be sending them off with smiles on their faces and an eagerness to return. Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

For a special treat at the end of the week, try hosting a five minute “Dance-A-Thon” with your students right before dismissal. Play a favorite song and let them show off their signature moves. You can even use the spotlight feature to highlight individual dancers.

Next time, we’ll take a look at those pandemic learning deficits we have heard so much about and find some strategies to combat the problem.

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Teaching in a Global Pandemic 2.0

Whether you are teaching in a school, in a hybrid classroom or fully online, this school year is like no other. The stakeholders continue to debate what we should be doing to successfully educate our children.

Parents are being told their children have fallen behind. Teachers are being misrepresented as lazy, selfish, and uncaring.

Photo by Deleece Cook on Unsplash

Even though it is tough to focus because of all of the negativity, that’s exactly what teachers need to do. So let’s forget about the craziness and get back to the job we love!

Be Prepared for a Return to Virtual Learning

Earlier this summer, online learning was off the table. But that is changing quickly as the Delta variant continues to sicken teachers and students in many areas of the country.

If, or when, online learning becomes a reality at your school this year please check out my post, “Teaching Online This Fall? How to Make Day One Spectacular” in this blog.

Next, take a look at some more ways to help your students succeed online this year.

Reach Each Student in a Special Way

A virtual classroom can be a very personal medium. As a teacher, students and families are welcoming you into their home. You are interacting with your students “full on” face-to-face…up close and personal.

Make eye contact with each student. Smile and really listen to their ideas. Show the children you are having a blast teaching them this year! Establish a relaxed and happy, yet productive, atmosphere.

While teaching online, you can be that much needed ray of sunshine, a lifeline, for your students during a very insecure time in their lives.

A First Day Tradition: Discuss the Rules

Students need to be reminded of what is expected of them in the virtual classroom. So explain, and then practice, proper online behavior.

Rules should include logging in on time, staying logged in, staying seated in front of the camera, raising hands to speak, (or using the hand emoji), returning promptly from lunch and bathroom breaks, and no logging off until you dismiss the class.

No more sweet treats or trips to the treasure box for good behavior. You’ll have to think outside the box to find new grade-appropriate ways to reward students. Stickers and fun videos work for younger students. Older kids appreciate free time to draw or socialize with classmates. Photo by Amit Lahay

Creative Approaches to Behavior Management

Having a set of rules is one thing. Enforcing them online is another. Parental support is key here. But there are several things you can do to ensure your class runs smoothly.

Keep Things Moving, Literally!

Children have a very hard time sitting glued to a screen, (unless it’s a video game.) So build as much movement into the school day as possible. Find ways to incorporate movement into your lessons with songs, games, competitions, hand jives… Use your imagination!

If you notice someone is squirming, make that your cue to take a quick break to do some stretching, jumping jacks, or jogging-in-place.

Allow for a generous, ten minute bathroom break. During this time they can also drink water and possibly get a breath of fresh air before settling back to work.

Keep Your Feedback Positive

Disciplining students online is tricky for the teacher. We need to maintain order, but we don’t want any hurt feelings either. That means no embarrassing online reprimands. Redirect in a positive way, with patience and a genuine smile. Use humor when appropriate.

If a problem continues, call in the parents to help fix it. Above all, realize that this year your students really need kindness and compassion.

Next time we’ll look at ways to craft exciting lessons for online delivery.

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Creating a Rich, Colorful, and Motivating Learning Experience … Online!

Yes! We can make our virtual classrooms vibrant and exciting no matter what grade we are teaching.

While not the best situation for all students, online learning is a great alternative during this scary and uncertain time. So let’s make the most of this wonderful opportunity to relate to our students and their families in a new and rewarding way.

Just like in-person learning, all of the “best practices” in teaching still apply in the virtual arena…only now they are even more crucial. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

A Solid Morning Routine Is Key

Working online can have an impersonal feel, especially to a child. So greet each student with a cheerful hello as soon as they log on each morning. Allow students to join before class starts. You need time to interact with them and they usually have a lot to tell you!

Build community in your virtual classroom by encouraging your students to say “hi” to each other too. Insert a couple of “social breaks” into your daily schedule to give the children opportunities to talk to each other. (More on this in a future post.)

A “Good morning! How are you?” message makes each student feel welcomed, valued, and accepted . Turn on your doorbell notification so you won’t miss anyone as they join the class. Photo by Annie Spratt / Unsplash

After morning prayers and Pledge of Allegiance, conduct a fun and fast- paced morning meeting to set the tone for the day. Have them write the day and date in their notebook or on a post-it. As simple as that sounds, writing and posting the date really helps students to orient themselves in an online environment.

What Is the Weather Today?

A weather report is another great way to help them mark the passage of time. Each student can create a colorful weekly weather calendar from a template you provide.

The weather calendar also offers lots of opportunities for Math and Science conversations, vocabulary acquisition, and student sharing. Have intermediate students find the daily temperature online and plot their data on a graph.

Younger students will enjoy making a home made calendar. For grade 3 and up, use a monthly format.
At the end of the month students can create weather bar graphs or show weather trends in a line graph.

Music and Videos Bring the Day Into Focus

I love to start the day with a song, so I have a “happy” playlist with of a variety of upbeat tunes most kids have never heard before. We enjoy listening to, and sometimes singing, one of these gems a few mornings a week.

Another way to put a smile on those little faces each morning is to play a lively music video like “Taco Tuesday,” (on Tuesday of course!) Or a bright video rendition of the “Days of the Week,” or “Months of the Year.” Just make sure to change it up, so the songs/videos are always fresh and never boring.

Get Them Involved with a Classroom Job

Students love to help their teacher, and there are lots of ways they can assist online. Try to involve as many students as you can with some creative, age appropriate, tasks they can choose from each week.

Some ideas: prayer leader, flag holder, weather reporter, scribe to model the day/date, bell ringer to start class, textbook manager, and the catch-all “teachers helper.” A student may even serve as the “Bathroom Break Reminder Person!”

As the year progresses, new jobs can be added for variety…such as Spelling Checker or Reader-Of-Directions, or whatever you can think of! Jobs give students a feeling of belonging, which is extremely important in an online setting.

More to Come

Next time we’ll explore even more ideas to make the virtual classroom a wonderful place where children can learn and make new friends.

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Where Do We Go From Here?

Photo by Sebastian Hietsch

Summer is almost over and soon we will all head back to a new school year. What can we expect to see on that first day? We are hoping for a return to in-person learning. But with late summer Covid surges in nearly every state, we may be faced with a temporary round of online or hybrid schooling.

No matter what happens, we will be ready! But before we can move forward and start writing lesson plans, let’s take a quick look back.

A Challenging Year

The 2020-21 school year was stressful for sure, because of its many twists and turns. First, a return to the classroom…then back online…then the hybrid. Teachers had to adjust to each of these scenarios without any lead time.

Add to that the pressure of making sure the students were social distancing and wearing their masks. There was the very real possibility of catching the virus, and then the scary decision regarding vaccination.

Take Time to Reflect

As teachers, we want our students to reflect on what they have learned. So let’s make some reflection time for ourselves. Think about your own experiences teaching online and in a hybrid classroom. What worked? What didn’t go so well? What are the take-aways from last year and how can we build on them this fall?

In my next post, I will share some lessons I learned from my incredible experience of the last school year. I plan to incorporate these ideas into my teaching this fall, and I’ll explain how!

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Teaching Online This Fall? How to Make Day One Spectacular!

For students, the first day of school creates nervous anticipation mixed with joy and excitement…new teacher, new class, new books, new things to do and learn.

Back to school won’t look like this if you are teaching virtually. But we will still feel those “first day jitters.” Photo by note thanun.

This year there will be plenty of all that, and more! Along with getting to know everyone, students and teachers will also be getting to know how to navigate the virtual classroom, (2.0 version. ) Before the first student logs on, here are a few ideas.

Expect the Unexpected

Inevitably, there will be “technical difficulties.” There always are. Let your parents and students know ahead of time, that there might be a tech glitch or two.

If this does occur, be flexible. Figure out in advance what you can do on your end to get things back up and running quickly.

Welcome Back! I’m Glad You’re Here

Make sure to greet each student one by one, as soon as the student logs on. It’s so important to recognize each person individually. Remind them to turn on their video so you can see their faces.

Students will be nervous about meeting the new teacher, especially online. A warm and friendly greeting for each student will help the child relax.

You may want to allow classmates to have their mics open at first, so they can also say “hello” as students arrive. As you interact with each student upon entering, you will also be taking attendance.

Depending on the size of your school, the students might not know each other. A virtual “getting to know you” game or activity is a great way to introduce the children to their classmates.

Teamwork Is the Name of the Game

Team-building is super important this year because we are distance learning. So, do whatever your can to foster the notion that they belong to your special class.

Teach them a class song, or rap. Brainstorm a nickname for the class. It will take time for the class to bond. But it starts on the very first day.

Whatever welcome-back-to-school activities you are using, make sure everyone gets a turn to speak or participate. Choose a game that is quick and fun. If they lose interest…move on.

Establish Comfortable Routines and Outline Your Expectations

This year, more than any other year, you want the students to be excited to come to class. However, you will need to explain the rules and behavior expectations.

With your grade level team, put together a detailed plan, based on what we learned last spring. Begin unfolding that plan during the first week of school.

Encourage parents to set up a well-lit workspace for their child away from distractions. Photo by Unsplash.

Set firm deadlines for assigned work and consequences for late or missing work. How will you handle bathroom breaks? Describe what supplies students will need to have “at the ready” during class. Remind them, it’s ok to be comfortable, but be seated, not laying down.

In an online classroom, you will also need to discuss things like: using the hand raising button to contribute, not wearing pajamas to class, and, (for the older students), not using those distracting virtual backgrounds or avatars.

Let Your Students Know “the Sky’s the Limit”

We need to make this online environment as welcoming and stimulating for the children as possible. Whet their appetites by describing all the cool things they will be doing and learning. Show them how excited you are to be be part of this “online adventure.”

Oh, and don’t forget. For the first day, here is tonight’s homework: Write down three or more things you want to learn about or learn how to do virtually this year. See what they come up with. They will surely surprise you.

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Back On Track With Virtual Learning

Teaching online last spring was a wild ride. With no time to prepare, and believing it would only be for a few weeks, we jumped right in. Photo by Stephen Hately

March 17, 2020, St. Patrick’s Day, was the day our school closed its doors and went virtual. We had sent our students home with their books the day before.

But in the crazy rush that afternoon, some kids left behind a book or two. With overflowing bookbags, many went home that day without their crayons, rulers, etc. They just couldn’t carry it all.

Still, we went ahead with our lessons the very next day. Who knew we would be teaching online through the end of the year?

Fast Forward to the Opening of This New School Year

For many of us, school this fall will be either “hybrid” or “online only.” Teachers did a great job adjusting to a new set of circumstances last spring.

Now we can use that experience to guide us in formulating an even better online product for our students. Here are some ideas to consider.

Have a phone conversation or video chat with each parent separately. A good parent-teacher partnership is essential in an online learning environment.

Before school begins, take the time to speak individually with parents/guardians of each of your students. Discuss their concerns about the upcoming school year.

Find out if their child needs anything that the school can provide. With many parents out of work, they may not be able to purchase even the basics. Find out who will be home with the child during the school day.

Go over log-in procedures and make sure you have the latest contact information for every parent.

Create a Productive and Creative Work Space For Yourself

If your school allows you to work from home, you will need to set up a mini office set apart from the rest of the family and the tv. A guest room is ideal, if you have one.

Make sure wherever you place your home office, you have reliable access to the Wifi signal in your home. (If necessary, you might consider moving the router.)

What not to do: Many of us set up shop on the dining room table last spring. My workspace was neat and organized, but it was too close to the family room and the tv, so I had to relocate to a spare bedroom.

How about decorating your mini at-home office just like a classroom? Put up some colorful borders and motivating posters. You and your students will feel more like you are there to do some teaching/learning.

Some teachers prefer to use a virtual photo background when they are teaching. But welcoming your students into your personal “office” may have a more authentic feel for them.

Build a Schedule That Meets the Needs of the Teacher and the Students

When you are setting up your daily class schedule, remember to work in some time for yourself. It is so easy to fall into the trap of working non-stop when you are working online from home.

Slip in a few minutes here and there to walk away from the computer and stretch or use the rest room. Don’t skip lunch.

Since the kids will be online all day too, why not schedule a quick break for the whole class to exercise or to try out a few dance moves. Music is such a great stress reliever. Or, maybe incorporate a little mindfulness practice.

There’s not much time left to prepare and so much to do! Next time, we’ll take a look at how we can make the first day of virtual school as smooth and exciting as possible. Talk soon.

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Is There A Way to Make Online Learning Really Work?

Given the right tools to work with, students can be successful and will actually enjoy learning online. Photo by Annie Spratt

As a teacher, I used to think that bypassing the classroom in favor of an online learning environment was something I would never even consider doing. I’ve always been a proponent of the “hands-on, minds-on” approach with lots of manipulatives and activities.

It’s so important for students to work together and interact with their teachers. What if all of that is taken away, and the only thing the student has to work with is a tablet or computer?

Whether we like it or not, that is the situation we are currently facing. It was thrust upon us last spring when schools had no choice but to close and turn to online instruction. But now, a few months later, and a whole lot wiser, I have changed my mind about online learning.

Despite All the Noise, There Is a Bright Side to Online Learning

Our students grew up with technology and they just naturally gravitate to it. Photo by Mckaela Lee

For one thing, students enjoy technology and feel more engaged when using it. Picture sitting in the classroom, reading from the text and taking “jot notes” versus participating in an online scavenger hunt/race for information.

Or, how about laboring over a page of Math computation problems versus competing in a fast paced online Math computation game? We have been doing these kinds of activities in the classroom and we can easily adapt them to a remote setting.

Making learning more “fun” isn’t the only consideration though. Eventually, our students will be graduating into the world of work.

As we know, to be successful in that arena they will need highly developed technological skills, no matter what job or profession they choose to pursue. Social media posting and video gaming alone can’t prepare them for purposeful online work.

Will We Still Be Able To Reach Students Who Need More?

Online assignments can be tailored to the individual student’s needs easily and without embarrassment. Photo by Sharon McCutch

Not everyone learns at the same pace or in the same exact way. It makes sense to differentiate our instruction.

While we often struggle with this in the classroom, in an online environment, it is easier to accommodate individual students. Students can be working on completely different assignments without anyone even knowing.

The teacher can form small groups for remediation without the stigma of being in the “low” group because no one will even know.

Helping a student who is struggling with a particular assignment is also more effective in an online setting. In the traditional classroom, students are often embarrassed to admit they need help. They feel uncomfortable if the teacher comes to their desk to assist while other students are watching.

Regular office hours are a great way to interact with your students one-on-one. Parents will also appreciate being able to reach you with their concerns at a time that is convenient for you.

But a student who is too uneasy to come to the teacher’s table for extra instruction just might think it’s cool to visit the teacher’s online “office hours” for assistance.

Students don’t have to come to a classroom after school to seek help, (which feels a whole lot like a punishment.) And parents don’t have to worry about arranging for a late pickup.

These are a few of the reasons why I have changed my mind about online learning. But with the opening of school coming so fast, I want to change gears.

In my next post, we’ll consider what we can do to prepare for that all-important first day of online school. Talk soon.

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Back to School…Virtually, That Is

Teachers across the country are busy planning for a virtual classroom.

Yes, it’s that time again. Time to get back to planning, back to meetings, back to creating rosters, and decorating classrooms.

But wait! Maybe we aren’t decorating classrooms just yet. Maybe we are starting the year just like we finished up in June…virtually. Really??!!

It’s looking like a lot of us will be teaching remotely, at least for the first few weeks/months, depending on how things go with the coronavirus.

“I miss my friends.”

Most kids look forward to seeing their friends again and are disappointed
about not returning to the classroom.

The Downside of Virtual Learning for Teachers and Students

Yes, it will be very hard not to have that “in person” contact with our students and our colleagues. Online learning poses a huge challenge to those of us who incorporate a lot of hands-on experiences in our lessons.

More importantly, not all students have quality devices, reliable internet access or adequate data speed. (I’m hoping school systems and administrations can use whatever monies they can get their hands on to correct these inequities.)

Look on the Bright Side

But, hey… we’re teachers! We are used to adapting to changes and finding a way to make things work.

Professional development is in our DNA, which led most of us to get some additional training in online teaching this summer.

Call me crazy, but I actually believe online learning can be as effective, (more effective in some cases), as teaching in the traditional classroom. I’m basing my opinion on my brief experience teaching middle school remotely this past spring.

In upcoming posts, I’ll tell you why I think that. I’ll also offer some fresh ideas on how we can make virtual learning a win-win for teachers, parents, and especially “the kids.”

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Let’s Get Creative!

A well-crafted unit of learning is a work of art.
photo by Sharon McCutcheon

We have a few weeks left before school starts. Some teachers will be dragging out last year’s lessons plans and doing all the same things the same way they did last year. Ho-hum. Why not prepare an awesome unit or two of learning that will wow your students. And that you will enjoy teaching.

No more “same old, same old”

Ditch the TE…or better yet, keep it as a reference for your learning objectives and to drive the curriculum. Once you’ve identified your objectives, (standards-based, of course!), it is time to go online shopping.

Shopping for resources is an exciting part of this creative process. There is so much online material, just waiting to be used! And much of it is free. To start with, you will want to check YouTube and Google. See what’s out there that applies to the content you are teaching.

The Fun Factor

Make sure whatever resources you decide to include are factually correct and up to date. But don’t ignore what I call “the fun factor.” Look for videos, music, games, etc. that your students will enjoy interacting with. If it’s boring or over their heads, don’t use it.

Variety is the spice of life

Remember learning modalities? Include something for everyone: the readers, the writers, the dramatic, the musically inclined, the artists, the hands-on learners, the kids who like to move, (sports, dance, etc.) What we are striving for is a variety of looks and experiences with the content that gradually escalate in difficulty to keep the students challenged and engaged.

Whole group vs. independent

If you haven’t already, check out Nearpod. Using this website, you can create a fun series of lessons that include videos, songs, surveys, contests, and shared responses, drawings, etc.

Try putting together your unit on Live Binders. Students can work their way through the content on their own, at school or at home. Give them a research project or scavenger hunt, and let them “have at it.”

So there you have it. Everything you need to get started creating one-of-a- kind learning units the kiddos will love! Got any more ideas for creating dynamic learning units from scratch? Please share…we’d love to hear more!

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Surprise your students every school day!

image by plush design studio

You know that feeling you get when you are about to open a gift? First, you examine the wrapping. Then you try to guess what’s in the box. You might even shake it. Finally, your excitement gets the best of you and you tear it open!

Wouldn’t it be great if our students could approach each new unit of learning with that much curiosity and excitement? While the teacher may enjoy teaching the unit, and muster some enthusiasm, that’s not enough. Students can be a tough crowd. But it is possible to capture their minds and hearts.

When the going gets tough…

The tough go online shopping! No, not that kind of online shopping. Not a new workbook, or another teacher’s power point. I’m talking about selecting online resources I can use in teaching skills and content. With just a little time and effort, any teacher can create an exciting unit tailored to his/her own students. There are soooooo many online resources at our fingertips and much of it is FREE.

When I am putting together a unit, I love searching for websites, videos, games, music, art/crafts, etc. which will bring the topic to life for the children. The challenge of having access to all of these resources is in putting it all together. Think of the unit like a “package” for them to open and explore.

Go with the flow

In designing the unit, choices have to be made. There has to be a “flow” to the unit, a progression of activities. My students will work their way through a variety of “looks” and experiences with the same content and then move on to the next thing. Each layer of learning contains a surprise nugget or two for the students to discover. It’s all about the joy of discovery. That’s what attracts them and keeps them engaged.

I know what you are thinking. Who has the time to do this? I have too much to do already. Isn’t that what the TE is for anyway? True. But if you have some teaching experience under your belt, you are probably ready to crank things up a notch.

It is still summer. Why not try to do something special with just one of your units before school starts? One unit. That’s how I got started. When you have the time, you can create another one and then another. Before you know it, you’ll have a laptop full of fun and creative learning units you can use and build on each year.

In a future post I will share some of the resources I have used to design my own teaching units, (tied to the established curriculum and CCSS, of course.) Feel free to share any thoughts, ideas, or experiences you may have. I’m always in the market for something new to try!