Virtual Classroom Management When it comes to virtual teaching and learning, classroom management may look a little, or a whole lot, differently. Maine Educator compiled some resources to help support you during this time.
Digital Resources
Timer If you’re in need of a timer as students work, Online Clock includes digital timers, countdown clocks, sounds and more. You can pull the timer up on your screen and share your screen as students work so they can see the clock too.
Online Classroom Practice
Establish a Routine The same way you have routines in your physical classroom, you should set routines and norms in your virtual classroom as well. Keeping a process of how class will operate will help students behave in a way that will allow you to teach and other students to learn. The same rules that would apply to your physical classroom should apply to this virtual learning as well. Have a routine for the beginning of your class and the end of class. For example, take two minutes and allow each student to say hello to each other in the beginning of the lesson and at the end of the lesson reserve another minute to allow for virtual hugs. These are visual and auditory cues for students that teaching will begin after everyone says hello and it will end when virtual hugs are complete.
Noise Control Virtual classrooms can be noisy, but you can set a visual noise level for your students. Bouncy Balls uses the increased agitation of multicolored and sized objects to indicate sound level. When the system detects noise, the feature you choose, emojis, bubbles or another option, will jump with the sound. You can control the tool’s sensitivity as well. 16
Maine Educator • COVID-19 Special Edition
