TCEA TECH TAKE Using tech to empower remote learners (and their parents) By Diana Benner, TCEA director of professional development
In a remote learning environment, it’s important to design lessons with choice.
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stablishing connections with families during remote learning is so very important. But those connections look a little different now due to physical distance limitations. One thing that helps is being as consistent as possible. Consistency will help develop routines and form habits so that the communication becomes second nature. As the school year progresses, teachers in your district may be looking to refocus and renew their communication with parents. Please share with them the following ways they may want to use tech to create consistent, positive communication with parents and families.
Hold digital office hours Establish office hours and let families know when you will be available. Share if you will be available by phone or through video conferencing or both. If your schedule permits, try to provide a morning and evening time to help with family work schedules. Consider your school or district’s capacity and existing tools, too. You likely have services such as Google Meet, Zoom or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) that can help.
Share your schedule Share your schedule, including both your teaching schedule and your communication schedule. When you developed your schedule, you likely made time for planning, meetings, recording lessons and, most importantly, your own self care. Stick to this, even when considering ways to share your time with parents. Giving them access to a virtual calendar can help parents reach out even when parent-teacher meetings aren’t scheduled.
Send newsletters Send a newsletter to families to keep them abreast of what is going on in your remote classroom. You can include upcoming events, share success stories or provide links to resources for how families can support their child at home. You can find a variety of Google Doc template designs online.
Anticipate questions and provide information More than likely, your students and families will have some of the same questions. Consider creating a Q&A document or website that will help answer those questions. Make sure families know how their child is progressing. Provide them with ways in which they can access their child’s grades and any feedback you are providing. It’s also important to keep a document or spreadsheet so you can keep track of your communication. You might not always remember when you communicate with families, so making note of it will be helpful. This way, you can identify those families that you have and have not had any contact with. 32
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