By now we’re all online, and whether we like it or not, it’s our only option for continuing to teach our students. In the spirit of support for best practices, 2e News has sought out perspectives and tips for teachers, students, administrators, and parents about learning in the virtual space. Below is some collective wisdom culled from several teachers across the country. Please contact us below with your experiences and advice.
1. This is hard. It’s not just that students are home. We are all experiencing a real-time historical event that has already profoundly changed the entire world. There has never been anything in human history as impactful to as many people as this has been. Mathematical formulas, scientific theories, and outlining essays may not be the biggest priority for students right now. But education has the power to distract some students from their anxieties, which helps them persevere over the long term.
2. Patience is a virtue and you do have the time. Students are dealing with a lot of emotions related to the weirdness of not going to school and being home with their families constantly. It will take time to find the right rhythm between schoolwork and this new life. Have your expectations meet reality. Less pressure, more nurturing.
3. Experimentation is opportunity. Teachers are like jazz musicians. They take a familiar melody (content) and make it their own (pedagogy). There are no mistakes, only new opportunities for improving (improvising) and learning. This is the time to go off book. And speaking of books, YouTube and websites are fine, but students might need a break from the virtual world and a return to that old technology of the written word. Consider books.
4. Students are willi...
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