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.”
