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By George on Mar 25,
2020 03:00 pm
Not
only have educators been inundated with information on COVID-19, but they
have had to retool, refocus, and rethink completely how they are going to
connect with and teach their students. A lot is going on in our world
right now, and my first instinct is that we need to slow down and focus on
what is most important at this moment.
I
have been thinking about how best I can support others in this time.
Part of my “pause” is thinking about the importance of how do we get better moving
forward because of this situation. I went back to this quote I shared
in “Innovate Inside
the Box” from Donna Volpitta, EdD, founder of the Center for
Resilient Leadership:
Today,
resilience has a much broader meaning. For researchers and professionals
working with kids, it’s not just about “bouncing back.” It’s about “bouncing
forward.”
Resilience
doesn’t just mean getting back to normal after facing a difficult situation.
It means learning from the process in order to become stronger and better at
tackling the next challenge.
In
Katie Martin’s latest post, she acknowledges the importance of recognizing
that although “each teacher, school district, family, child, and
community has its opportunities and challenges,” we also have an opportunity
to create something compelling in education at this moment in time:
“I
keep thinking necessity is the mother of all invention and
this is the time to invent new structures, tear down ineffective ones and
awaken hidden talents and passions in our children. Let’s think about how we
can focus on connection and learning instead of
recreating ineffective structures and routines of school that breed isolation
and disengagement at home. Let’s not focus on how to cover it all remotely
when we would have probably been spending the month (or more) prepping and
taking tests anyway. Instead, could we see it as an opportunity to focus on
what learners need and what they want to learn instead of what is in the
pacing guide or will be would have been on the test, especially
since they probably won’t remember it anyway?”
What
I see moving forward is that people will start viewing what is essential in
education, which is what the majority of educators have been advocating for
since I started in the profession. There is more of a focus from the general
public on the importance of creating meaning right now rather
than solely focusing on what can be measured.
So
as we temporarily move the majority of education in the world to these online
spaces, there are two things to consider, that almost seems counterintuitive.
One
of the most common questions people asked me was, “How do I convert my
face-to-face course into an online course?”
The
truth is, you can’t convert it. Learning isn’t like a file that converts
between a .doc and a PDF and a Google Doc. We can’t simply substitute new
tools and do the same exact activity.
The
second consideration is that although our “teaching” may not look the same,
the principles and focus on what is essential, should stay the same. In
“Innovate Inside
the Box,” I identified the “Core of Innovative Teaching and
Learning,” and these ideas hold in any educational setting.
I
would like to share some thoughts on each principle and some ideas for how
they apply to an online environment. As Katie mentioned, everyone’s
context is different, and I am hoping to provide these ideas for discussion.
Still, ultimately, you have to figure out what works best for your unique
situation.
1. Focus on Relationships
Although
it is harder to “connect” in an online space, right now, it is more important
than ever, that is where we start with our focus. For most students right
now, “school” is the least of their concerns, or their family’s.
How are you doing?
Do you need anything?
The
idea is no different than greeting kids at the door in the morning to check
in how they are doing, only the delivery.
Every
morning since we have been “social distancing,” I have been posting funny or
warm videos to help people start the day. They might not provide
much “educational value,” but they can have an impact on
learning.
2. Focus on Creating Empowering Learning Experiences.
Here
is a simple shift to consider right now in online environments. Are you
focused more on your teaching or their learning? The two are
intertwined, but when we shift our thinking to first focus on what our
students will learn, it is more about what they will create through their
learning. I have witnessed people wondering how they are going to
“teach” for hours on end in an online environment. No one will be able to
lecture for massive lengths of time and is probably the reason why Ted Talks
are limited to twenty minutes.
Can
we share small portions of information, that can be delivered in synchronous
or asynchronous formats, and have students spend the majority of their time
doing meaningful creation (to them) to share their learning? Videos,
podcasts, or any type of media that students can create to show their
knowledge, in my opinion, will provide for much more in-depth learning than
merely consuming information.
My
assumption here, of course, is that if students are doing online courses,
they have access to technology. I know this is not always the case, or it can
be minimal. This is why we must embrace flexibility while also doing
our best to figure out solutions to support our communities. In a
conversation with one district leader, she shared that their school community
had focused on providing not only devices but WiFi to ensure access to all
students during this time. I appreciated her focus on creating opportunities
for all students at the highest levels.
Households
with limited technology might not be able to complete or do something on the
same timeline as others. We also have to be considerate that some homes
will have no access to technology to kids during the day, which is why it is
crucial to check-in and understand what supports our school communities can
provide.
The
more we can have our students creating, reflecting, and connecting their
learning, the better. Content is still valuable, but the more we can
empower our students to create their learning, the better.
Are
you focused more on “doing school” or “learning”?
3. Focus on Learner-Driven, Evidence-Informed Practice.
It
is easier to identify what we don’t have, as opposed to what we do. This is
true of our situations and in those that we serve.
Now,
more than ever, we must identify what our students bring to the table and the
strengths they have.
Have
time to connect with your students and figure out what works best for them to
highlight their strengths. This will be beneficial beyond school.
The
reason that “evidence-informed” practice is important is to understand that
students can share their learning and provide evidence in multiple
ways. If we are going to highlight and tap into strengths, we cannot
standardize assessments.
The
questions below can be modified easily to support an online environment.
Please feel free to use them, remix, and change, how you see fit.
4. Focus on Educator as a Learner First, Teacher Second
I
have heard the words “unprecedented times” more in the past few weeks than I
have heard in my lifetime. There is a lot of uncertainty and doubt right now,
while there is an expectation of changing everything immediately. We
need to slow down.
Referring
back to Michelle Baldwin’s earlier tweet, the
“pause” is essential right now. It is not feasible to say, “we will be
back in a few months” with a program. That is not what I am saying at all
because it is not realistic for many communities. What I am saying is
that educators don’t need to do everything right now, and our focus should be
more on the experience of online learning through the perspective of our
learners first.
This
is a question that I often ask; are we jumping straight to the teaching
without doing the learning?
As
educators, can we ask our students to share some reflections on their
learning in meaningful ways, while also doing the same? Starting a vlog or
blog right now could not only be valuable to grow as a learner but to have a
better understanding of the potential impact it can have on student learning,
and how we can make it better.
With
a focus on learning first, we not only become more empathetic to the
struggles of our students, we learn how we can grow through the process. We
can go through it or grow through it. Embracing the role of being a learner
first can ultimately lead to becoming a much better educator.
The
ideas I shared above are important in teaching online or face-to-face. The
strategies might change but what truly matters and is important should stay
the same. I also love this advice from
Rich Kiker:
The
reason I have provided these thoughts is because a) I want to give some ideas
to support and hopefully spark some conversation, and b) taking the time to
reflect and connect my learning provides me some purpose and meaning each
day.
For
any or all of these ideas to be successful, one thing matters more than
anything else—your health and well-being. There is so much going on in
our world, and if we do not take care of ourselves, it will be impossible to
help others effectively.
Please
take care of yourself.
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