Webinar with Catlin Tucker + A.J. Juliani. Now Is the Time to Redefine Learning — Not Recreate Traditional School Online. It’s a common refrain among the change-resistant: “We’ve always done it this way.”
But in a difficult year, where charting the unknown has become a daily occurrence, it’s a tough argument for a school to make. We’ve never done things this way—meaning it may be the perfect opportunity to do them differently. In our work with schools and districts from across diverse geographies and demographics, the Institute for Teaching and Leading has seen first-hand the incredible hard work of leadership teams and educators to adjust to this new and ever-changing landscape. Our organization works with schools and districts across the country to create more student-centered learning experiences, which gives us a unique view to the changes that are, and are not, happening at scale.
While the possibilities for flexible, innovative learning models are myriad, stories from across the country make it clear that as a nation, we are largely missing this opportunity. What’s Changed? Moving Past Substitution. Taking School Online With a Student-Centered Approach. Due to the recent school closures, many schools have shifted to online and distance learning.
In these schools, educators are navigating new technologies and ways of teaching during an immensely challenging and uncertain time in our communities, when students’ (and teachers’ own) social-emotional needs are just as critical as academic goals. These resources are also available for download as a printer-friendly PDF: Table of Contents Facing History and Ourselves is here to support you. Be sure to sign up on our Current Events page to receive our weekly newsletter with resources, strategies, and helpful insights as we navigate through this uncharted territory. Teacher Checklist This checklist includes various considerations as you move your teaching online. Planning What guidelines, infrastructure, and support are available from your school or district?
Communication.
Synchronous Online Discussions: Preparation, Facilitation & Wrap Up. Discussion is a cornerstone of any learning community.
Students construct and confirm meaning, in part, through dialogue with their peers. Online discussions offer an avenue to connect students online and facilitate knowledge construction; however, many teachers are frustrated by a lack of student engagement online. Too often, a teacher’s questions in a video conferencing session are met with long silences.
In training sessions, teachers often ask, “How can I increase engagement and participation in synchronous online discussions?” First, it is important to remember that participating in a real-time discussion is scary and feels like a risk for students who are shy, anxious, or need more time to process the questions. Top 30 Education Sites and Apps of 2020. It’s that time of year of year for my annual top sites and apps.
Over the past few years there have been lots of tools for flipping a classroom or lesson. However, this time around you will see a wider variety of tools, especially ones that can be used for remote/distance learning due to the worldwide pandemic. Top 30 Sites/Apps of 2020 EssayPop - EssayPop is an innovative cloud-based writing platform that makes it easy for students to create essays. Best of all are the vast amount of features to help students become the best writers they can be, such as guided learning, sentences starters, and framed-writing system. whiteboard.fi - A fantastic new interactive whiteboard that allows educators to create student accounts and have them sign-up via a URL.
Escape Classroom - Uses game-based learning in an “escape” environment to help student’s learn. Vocab Victor - Features game-based learning to teach vocabulary and is also ideal for working with ESL students. Top 30 Sites/Apps of 2020. TLC2020 Presenter Jane Kise Shares Strategies for Engagement in Distance Learning » Instructional Coaching Group. This year has been unlike anything else, and educators and students alike have been forced to adapt some of the most fundamental pieces of learning to stay safe during the pandemic.
Today, TLC Presenter Jane Kise explores several strategies for students to stay engaged in the new virtual learning environment. Jane Kise is the founder of Differentiated Coaching Associates. For the past 20 years she has worked as a consultant, specializing in team building, coaching, and professional development. She is also the author or coauthor of over 25 books, including Holistic Leadership, Thriving Schools (2019); Differentiated Coaching: A Framework for Helping Teachers Change, 2nd ed.; and Unleashing the Positive Power of Differences: Polarity Thinking for Our Schools. She holds an MBA in finance from the Carlson School of Management and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Dr. One Differentiation Imperative for Distance Learning.