Learning to Adapt to a Virtual Classroom

-

Image by Mediamodifier from Pixabay



Our circumstances and the physical locations of where we teach our students may have drastically changed, but at the heart of this, we are still professional teachers. The main responsibilities of teaching through differentiation, making curriculum compelling, and cultivating relationships with students are still at the forefront. Here are a few tips to help you adapt to online learning.


1. (FAIL) First. Attempt.In.Learning!

You will most likely fail and make mistakes during your attempts at virtual learning. There might be feelings of frustration but ask for help from your colleagues and PLN. Keep an open mind, many of the platforms might be new for you and you may need to be constantly updating and changing your lessons. Learn from your mistakes, it's what we tell our students! And be your authentic self during this journey, it will be appreciated by your students and their families.


2. Simple and Engaging
Provide students clear directions and resources in your virtual lessons, this can include visuals, videos, and specific examples to make learning accessible. Share expectations with your students of how you would like them to participate, and set online norms just like you would in the classroom. Don’t forget to include activities that build community and relationships among students.

3. Catering to all your students
Keep in mind differentiating learning for your students. Every child will not be able to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, think about student engagement and ways learning can be accomplished offline. How can we get our students up and moving? Could they film themselves completing a task then uploading it? Might families and siblings work together in a group inquiry or project? The use of online choice boards, hyperdocs, and templates may alleviate some of the stress.
                                           
4. Overwhelmed by Information
In the last few weeks, you have probably read or learned about multiple websites, apps, chrome extensions, add-ons, and free education trials. However, trying to incorporate all of these tech tools into your daily lessons can be overwhelming and confusing, and not just for you but for students as well. When you introduce new virtual spaces do so when you feel comfortable and your students are able to effectively use it so that it enhances their learning. There will also be times when your students will know more than you and that’s perfectly fine, learn from their knowledge.



5. Your PLN!
Your PLN or Professional Learning Community is a way to globally connect and network with other educators via social media. Through creating professional connections, you are able to exchange ideas, ask questions, share information, learn tips on shared platforms, and find out about webinars to inform your teaching. Following educators, learning coaches and others in the education community on sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook is a great way to enhance your own professional learning.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Organization Tips for Students

-
Image
 Let's face it: being a student in today's digital age is a lot of work!        It's easy to get lost in all of the assignments , tasks and projects while studying in any type of institution or even self-taught methods. Being organized and efficient in the way you study is key to keeping all of your learning on track! Apart from studying, keeping yourself organized can also feel like a full-time job!      The first tip cannot be stressed enough: Keep a planner ! Whether you prefer a digital one like Passion Planner or a paper one, keeping a planner will make a noticeable difference in your organization! Make sure your planner is always easily accessible so you can write things down as soon as you learn them like deadlines and class dates. You can keep lists of supplies you need, questions you may have, notes along the day and so much more! Make sure you go back to your planner often so you never feel lost in your weeks of learning!    ...
Read more

Building Personal Connections in a Digital World

-
Image
Building Personal Connections in a Digital World Everything is changing. In the midst of that teachers have rolled with change possibly better than at any time. This isn’t a change to some random new curriculum or program, this has been a complete redesign of teaching. We are building the boat long after we set sail. With all the changes and potential changes on the horizon for teachers and education, we should have some idea of what the world of education could look like going forward. Most educators would agree that one of the cornerstones of successful education is building strong connections with kids. In this broken year, most of us had a chance to build connections in person. It has been part of the profession for a long time.  For many of us, however, the possibility of a hybrid model, being home for another year, or something altogether different presents a massive challenge. How might we build real, meaningful connections with our kids in a digital world? ...
Read more

Taking Flight

-
Image
 Taking Flight If I have learned anything from my time working with middle school students, it is that they have a strong desire for their work to actually matter.  As we continue to develop this new idea of school and what we can do while students are learning in different environments, there are countless opportunities to give students a chance to find some control over their world.   There are any number of ways in which we can give students a chance to make a difference.  With so many things being out of control, giving kids the ability to take control of something and make a positive change is an important part of helping them to grow.  One of the best ways to give kids ownership over their world is through study and action of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 SDGs that provide us with a variety of entry points to find an interest for nearly anyone looking for their work to matter.   So often we find ideas that are worth ...
Read more