If you’re a new reader, my name is Ashley and I wear many hats. I am ½ of this blog that I write with Erin, co-own Burgh Blondes, am a sales consultant and marketing manager at Thurby Riverside Ford, and am a high school math teacher. This will be my 8th year teaching full-time.
I started out as an online teacher before I got hired full-time at my school district. Last year, at the end of the school year though, we all had to change what “in-class instruction” looked like and inevitably, become “online teachers” from March through June. Though I had taught online for 8 years (25 students or less at a time), this was a completely different ball game. I had 150 students who only knew “in-class” instruction and it was still my responsibility to make sure they learned.
If you know my teaching style, you know that I didn’t make it easy on myself, but I did what I had to do to make sure my kids got what they needed. These weren’t students who elected to go online; they were forced to go online– and they needed led through this new learning process. I didn’t just assign work. I didn’t just print out some packets. I still had new material to teach and they couldn’t teach themselves or figure it out on their own. So, I made daily agenda slides, notes videos, and held Zoom Tutoring sessions throughout the week. Can I say my students were 100% successful? No. They still weren’t right there in front of me. I couldn’t make sure they weren’t sleeping or daydreaming or force them to do the work. Can I say they were successful? Yes, because my students continued to LEARN.
My school is going back to traditional learning 4 days a week with online learning on Wednesdays. Some students have elected to go 100% online, but most of our students have chosen to return to the classroom. Some of our teachers, like me, have an online learning period built into their school day to teach the 100% online students.
I know this isn’t the same for all schools, so I wanted to share my the ways I had success with those of you who may be starting the school year teaching online and want to know how to better teach your students through a screen.
1. It is possible.
First of all, get it out of your head that it won’t work. Stop being negative and suck. it. up. I know it’s easier to name all of the reasons it will be difficult, but you’re also wasting precious time– which you’re going to need. Be the adult and the example your students need.
2. Be consistent.
Determine a daily plan for yourself and your students. How do you want class to look each day? Is your school offering synchronous or asynchronous learning? Make your students a weekly pacing guide when you create your lesson plans so they know what to expect and how to plan out their week. Just like in the classroom, they will expect consistency and a daily routine– and that’s exactly what they need.
3. Make it feel like the actual classroom.
Each month, my students get the opportunity to earn a few bonus points. I have a Steelers Math bulletin board in my classroom, so instead of just giving my students the bonus question, I created a virtual bulletin board almost identical to the one in my actual classroom that they can visit for the bonus question, just as they would at the school!
4. Create Lesson Videos or Livestream Lessons
Last year, l created lesson videos throughout the week by writing on my iPad with my Apple Pencil and recording my writing and voice with the “Screen Record” function in the menu. Be sure to turn the microphone on. I embedded these lessons in my daily Google slides. When I surveyed my students at the end of the school year, 95% of them said my lesson videos are what helped them learn through an online setting the most, being able to still hear & see me teach and being able to pause & rewind as necessary. If your school is doing synchronous learning, you can also do these lessons live.
5. Hold Live Tutoring Sessions
I held several tutoring sessions scheduled for my classes throughout the week, so they could logon to Zoom or Google Meet and talk with me about assignments and lessons. I also always had one the day before a test or quiz. I actually gave my assessments on Zoom, so I could see my students and their workspace while they tested.
6. Use Slides or Some Other Presentation of Daily Tasks
I had never used Google Slides before teaching online last spring. I had a set of slides for each day and used them to present my daily lessons to my students. They contained a welcome slide with the daily agenda and objectives and depending on the day some combination of the following: Weekly Plan, Lesson Notes, Homework, Practice, Homework Solutions, Assignment, Review, and Assessment Overview.
You can actually purchase the themed Google Slides I created from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. They can be customized with your own Bitmoji and material!
7. Make it fun.
Make it fun, just like you would in the regular classroom. I did a cross-curricular scavenger hunt with my English teacher BFF, I made a Bitmoji classroom of my students on Photoshop (see above), and tried to make learning fun through weekly themes like Star Wars week and Dunkin’ Donuts week! I probably embarrassed myself in lots of themed lesson videos, but it was worth it to see how the kids interacted and wanted to participate any time I did these fun, out-of-the-ordinary things!
The truth is we’re not going to be perfect when we’re teaching online. There’s no way to replicate the learning that goes on face-to-face in the classroom and when the students can collaborate. BUT you can make a difference and make learning happen as an online or part-time online teacher.
Don’t be a teacher that just sends work. Don’t be a teacher that just prints packets. Don’t be a teacher who complains. Don’t be the reason teachers get a bad name. Be positive and do your best and make learning happen despite the challenges we are all facing. It is possible and even if your kids don’t show it, they’ll appreciate the extra time and effort you put in.
In the classroom or online, we’re still teachers who are capable of great things, but our students need us. Please feel free to share this blog post with your teacher friends! ♡
xo,
Ashley
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