5 minute read
TCEA TECH TAKE
In a remote learning environment, it’s
important to design lessons with choice.
Using tech to empower remote learners (and their parents)
By Diana Benner, TCEA director of professional development
Establishing 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.
Don’t forget to provide consistent feedback to both guardians and with students. Focus on feedback. Students will need to be assessed on how they are progressing with their learning. Feedback can have a powerful impact on student learning. Guide students in their instruction with regular and timely feedback in whatever way you find effective, whether in virtual meetings, through a learning management system (LMS), and more.
Establish norms with students (and revisit them)
Remember, remote learning refers to a class that intends to meet face-to face in a traditional format, but is transitioned or started online due to unforeseen circumstances. In our current situation, creating norms may provide a sense of normalcy.
Students are more likely to buy into the class norms if they have a hand in creating them. One way to do this is start with a list of what you consider bare essentials. Then, work together with your students to develop a set of norms.
In a remote learning environment, the learning might happen synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous learning happens in real time, whereas asynchronous learning occurs without real-time interaction. Developing norms for remote learning will help foster engagement and accountability.
By this point in the school year, you’ve probably established a set of expectations for students. But remember to revisit and review these norms often — even before each video meeting. This helps learners remember and apply these norms. Make a recorded video in Screencastify, Flipgrid, or elsewhere that outlines the norms and that students can watch at any time.
Keeping the big ideas in mind
As you choose tools, set expectations and keep up with families, it’s useful to remember your goals in remote teaching and the outcomes you wish to achieve. Though it’s an ongoing experiment, there are some emerging best practices to follow when it comes to remote learning.
Making sure that instructional materials are accessible for all students is a must. It is always a good idea to provide more than one way for students to interact with the material. In addition, many platforms offer accessibility features. Hypertext documents, Bitmoji classrooms and more are all great ways to offer multiple presentations and ways to access class content. In a remote learning environment, it’s important to design lessons with choice. Choice will help students stay engaged with the content, and it’s a great way to differentiate for students. Choice boards and learning menus are examples of activities that allow for them to be in control of their own learning.
Collaboration and communication should always be a central part of learning. Social interaction and collaboration is an effective strategy for learning in a remote environment. Students need social interaction. Allow them to complete assignments or projects where they can collaborate and connect with other students. Beyond the classroom, schools are the center of our communities and thus play a very important role in our students’ and families’ lives. As outlined above, when transitioning to or continuing in a remote learning setting, teachers should have regular and predictable opportunities for families and students to connect with them.
As we touched on when discussing schedules, time — and a lack thereof — can be a major challenge for teachers, students and parents. The amount of time students are expected to learn and complete work is different from the amount of time instruction is delivered in a face-to-face classroom. Students will not be spending the traditional hours or the same amount of time on school work as when they are in a physical classroom. Focus on the most important learning outcomes when designing your lessons.
Be flexible
Remote learning must be flexible. We do not want students to feel overwhelmed and become frustrated. Learning should be planned over multiple days to allow students to move at their own pace.
Forming and revising class norms and communicating often with families and guardians can ensure success and shape class culture in positive ways. However, be sure to be flexible and have realistic expectations. Remember, we are in a remote learning situation for a reason and even under the best circumstances, learning can be messy. n
