My Humbling Experiences in Virtual Learning: Takeaway #1
Like many people, when I found myself plunging into the world of virtual learning at the end of February, I felt anxious. Anxious because, while I’ve always felt versed in using technology in the classroom, this shift would require a significant overhaul of my classroom planning. Because I knew that there would be a learning curve for me and my students as we explored new virtual platforms and protocols. Because I knew that my students’ world would soon become a little different, and their classroom experience would carry a little more weight in stimulating, reassuring, and inspiring them. We educators have all been adapting, along with our students, to new systems, and many people have been generous enough to share their most effective strategies in setting up meaningful virtual classes, which I have found both helpful and comforting (sensing the “we are in this together” spirit); after all, I tried many things at first that very much did NOT work, and I am learning something new and receiving encouragement every day from my fellow educators and my students. So, in that spirit, I will begin posting and sharing some things I have learned over these past few months teaching high school virtually:
Takeaway #1: Engagement is key, but students can engage with more than just each other and their teacher
Many HS teachers have become experts in facilitating Zoom breakout rooms or having students work collaboratively through Google Docs, Padlet, or other platforms. And these are all wonderful, and I can’t imagine tackling virtual class on a synchronous model without them. But, this collaboration is still, ultimately, virtual. So, one of my favorite things to do with my students has been to encourage them to engage with the people they are quarantined/socially distancing with - their parents, siblings, pets, etc. - through their coursework. Some activities I have had students work with in my classes:
Interviews and Hot Topic Discussions: If we are discussing any hot topic or thematic issues in class, I may ask my students to interview people in their family and bring back those insights to class. If my students are reading a war story, I may ask them to interview their parents on the subject of war and see if they notice any generational differences. If we are evaluating characters’ actions in a story, I may ask students to share their evaluations with their family to see if others agree with them and report back next class.
Reenactments/Performances: As a teacher with a background in the performing arts, I often find ways to bring performance into my classes. Reenactments have been a fun way for my students to show me their understanding, but also have been opportunities for my students to include their family members in their work. If we are reading a play, students may need to get creative and recruit their younger siblings or pets to play minor roles in reenactments of key scenes. If students are preparing for a presentation, they may do a practice run in front of a family member and collect/submit their feedback to me.
Family Book Clubs and Movie Nights: Reading a new text, or watching adaptations of a text? I may encourage my students to read/watch it with their family and have them give their reviews!
In the end, it has been wonderful to see students engage with their family members, both to give them that in-person interaction that can’t fully be replaced online and to bring their families into their academic experiences a little more.
