Tag: online learning

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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.