First diary here in probably a decade, so please forgive any lapses in DKos etiquette for this old-timer, but I’ve been getting calls from all of my educator networks to post these hints & tips widely, so here are some quick guidelines for educators, families, and kids who suddenly find themselves pushed into the deep end of the pool with distance learning. Full permission to share, Creative Commons license BY NC SA
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Digital learning, virtual school, flipped classrooms-- all are wonderful ways to use technology to connect students to learning.
That’s not what’s happening now across the country. What’s happening now is an emergency survival program; kind of like the difference between watching an Olympic swimmer who has trained for years and watching someone who fell unexpectedly off a boat get tossed a life preserver. The former involved preparation, practice, coaching, and performance, and the latter is just trying to survive after suddenly finding themselves in an unfamiliar and even hostile environment-- they didn’t sign up for this, they didn’t ask for this, but unless they reach out for help, the water is going to close around them pretty fast.
But we can borrow some of the best practices in digital learning in order to help teachers everywhere who are now dealing with a remote learning situation. Digital learning has its own pedagogy, and helps with “3 Ps and T”
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Place: Learning is no longer restricted within the walls of a classroom.
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Path: Interactive and adaptive programs allow students to learn in their own style, making learning personal and engaging.
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Pace: Learning is no longer restricted to the pace of an entire classroom of students.
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Time: Learning is no longer restricted to the school day or the school year.
I reached out to Teryn Odom, who was named North Carolina’s 2018 Digital Teacher of the Year to ask for her best advice. “The time required to complete work online vs. in person is different. It’s also highly variable based on the content delivery and learner. Most teachers first transitioning aren’t able or well-versed enough to create a multi-modal approach to instruction and also allow for varied submission types. It’s important to be cognizant and considerate of each learner’s ability not only in the content, but reading comprehension (since there is usually a lot more to read vs. hear - unless videos are provided) and digital literacy. While we consider most young people digital natives, some are stronger than others and any new tool has to be learned. Also, remind teachers that time has to be provided for kids to go through the content (read/watch) (sometimes multiple times) in addition to time estimated to complete and submit actual work.”
So as teachers begin to adapt to this new learning environment, here are some quick tips to adopt as best practices for teachers, for students, and for families. :
Teachers:
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Stick with the familiar. As much as possible, use the same platforms you were using in school, and set a schedule. Routines are your friend. You can add new apps and platforms gradually once you and your students have the basics down for daily work.
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Less is More:
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This is more of a tutorial situation. Think about how much time you would reasonably expect your students to sit still with a tutor each day!
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Most students working from home will need about half as much time in online instruction as they did at school. Here’s a good rule of thumb:
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About 1 min of new content (video lesson, article to read) per student’s age (so about 5 min for a kindergartner, about 7-8 min for middle school, and about 10-15 min. for high school)
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About double that for an independent activity (ex: a sophomore could watch a 10-15 min video and then spend about 30 min. writing a response)
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And about as many daily assignments as half their grade (1-2 daily lessons for primary grades, 3-4 for middle school, and 5-6 for high school)
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Add in expectations for students to read, create, and move
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Remember FEEDBACK is even more important in remote learning situations; don’t assign more than you can reasonably respond to!
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Provide Feedback
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Respond to student and family questions asap
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Grade or at least check in work asap (longer/more detailed feedback can wait bit, just like it does in traditional school)
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Call home if students are not appearing online or not completing work
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Stay Connected
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To your team: you need the peer support as well as the pedagogical stuff
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To your own family: set regular hours for yourself with breaks built in. Have “fasting” times from all screens throughout the day
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To your students and families: consider adding a scheduled “office hour” when you will be available on line for questions, phone calls, etc.
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Be Flexible
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It will take time for all to adjust
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Be gracious with letting everyone (including colleagues and administration!) adjust to the new paradigms
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Be reflective: what’s working and what’s not? Make adjustments as needed
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Be Proud
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You are learning and teaching new skills everyday
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You are doing your best to provide quality instruction in an entirely new way
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You are helping provide a stable relationship in the midst of uncertainty
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Be On Camera
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Where possible, connect through video with your students. Seeing your face & expressions, body language, hearing your voice-- all will help them better process your lessons. Pre-record videos and/or set up online meeting systems
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Remember you are still a mandatory reporter. If you see/hear something concerning while online with a student, contact admin. and/or counseling.
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Be mindful of your own video presence. Minimize background distractions and stay professional (don’t film in front of your liquor cabinet, for example!)
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Be personal-- it’s okay to have your kids, pets, etc make an appearance, and your students will probably love seeing that side of you
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Use good video practices-- put your camera at eye level, make sure lighting is in front of you (never behind), etc.
Students:
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Pick a place that will be your “classroom.” Stock it w paper, pen/pencils, and any school books or materials
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Set a schedule for yourself about when you will be online
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Check your T.E.C.H. Tabs closed, Electronics put away, Cell phone off, Headphones in
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Schedule your breaks and rewards either by task (“when I finish ___, I will____”) or by time (“every 15 minutes I will stand up and stretch.” )
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Stay connected! Ask questions, send emails, participate in group chats and video meetings
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Organize your work
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Make a file for all the emails & communications from school
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Make a calendar about what is happening and what is due when
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Keep track of your passwords and log ins
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Reach out. Having trouble with tech? With a school topic? With managing life at home? Send a note to your teacher and/or a trusted adult
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Save time each day to:
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Read!
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Create! (make some art, build something, play some music, dance, etc.)
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Move! (get outside, do some yoga, set up your own workout routine)
- Online Etiquette
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When joining digital meetings, keep your mic muted and unmute only when you are speaking. This cuts down on background noise
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Avoid side chats-- they distract yourself and others (just like in class!)
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Don’t eat on camera-- it can be noisy and some people find it unappealing.)
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Dress for class! School dress code applies online, too!
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It’s okay to just use audio and not appear on camera, if you prefer. (It also uses less data if you’re not on wifi.)
- THINK before you post/send. It’s one thing to say something inappropriate in class, but online, there's a record and many more people can see your words. Stay on task and on topic.
For Families:
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Help students choose & use a consistent work space
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A solid schedule will be your best friend
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Balance work and break time for all
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Try to keep normal bedtimes and morning routines
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Use timers to help keep track
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Help, but don’t hover.
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Stay connected to teachers and the school
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Please respect teacher working hours and where possible, avoid contacting staff after “school” hours or weekends.
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It’s okay to ask for help with tech, with emotional support, with academic questions
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Avoid getting overwhelmed by options.
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Yes, there are wonderful websites and platforms out there
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No, you don’t need to know/sign up for/use them all
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Take care of yourselves so you can be there for your kids
The sudden shift to remote learning will be challenging for nearly every student, family, and educator, but it does hold some great promise. I have found in my seven years of using a flipped approach to language arts that although sometimes as the teacher I feel less connected to my students, because I’m not in front of them to see their facial expressions, body language, and other non-verbal feedback to my lesson, on the other hand, the students often report feeling more connected to me; without the distraction of two dozen or more other students, I become much more their personal teacher, their “teacher in their pocket” who seems to be speaking directly to them. I found students who didn’t speak up much in class often seemed much more participatory in online comments and discussion forums. And of course, families also felt more directly connected to the classroom and lesson, since the physical walls between us no longer existed. There’s a real possibility that these changes will also change our entire teaching paradigms and open new ways to educate that didn’t seem possible before.
In the end, through these next several weeks, we should focus as educators on three goals: keeping connected to our kids, helping them stay connected to each other, and keeping them connected to learning. If we can manage to keep alive curiosity and the joy of discovery, we may find stronger connections that will carry us through until we’re all back in class, together.
Author:
Deborah M. Brown is a 30 year educator, 2017 North Carolina Charter School Teacher of the Year, current middle school principal at The Exploris School and member of the founding staff at Research Triangle High School, which opened in 2012 as the first fully flipped high school in North Carolina. She is a frequent presenter and seminar designer for NCCAT, the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. B.S., M.A., NBCT ELA/AYA
PRONOUNS: She, Her, Hers
TWITTER: DeborahBrownNC
