7 THINGS I LEARNED FROM REMOTE TEACHING

​Years later, it’s easy to forget what having to go remote taught us during the lockdown. Some things may be better left forgotten, but I think it’s worth learning from the positive changes we adopted at the time. These are the things I’ll take with me.

1. Share Learning with Families: Families were more connected than ever to their kids’ learning during the lockdown. They were our co-teachers, and they looked to us for guidance. From now on, I will try to keep them informed. I don’t have much time, so I’ve streamlined my methods for informing parents.

I created this FREE one-page newsletter for you. It is fillable so that you can use it week after week!

If you don’t have Schoology, I recommend using another app or two for quick updates. I also used Remind for quick reminders about field trips, etc. Parents can message you during school hours, so you don’t need to share your phone number. Having a private Instagram account to share photos with families could also be fun. If you don’t have time, ask a parent volunteer to manage the account.​

​​2. Integrate Technology: Kids are fast learners of technology. During the lockdown, I used Seesaw and Zoom primarily. They figured it out faster than I did! Our technology tools should continue to be a resource for learning in the classroom. We only had two iPads in my classroom last year, but I found ways to integrate them daily for all students. 

• Seesaw: I created quick Seesaw activities for our math centers. Students learned how to access their accounts and complete the activities quickly. They correlated with our weekly topics, and the app gave parents a peek at their progress. We also used Seesaw to record our science observations. The kids loved to comment on each other’s pictures and drawings!
• Student Interviews: Students interviewed each other using the voice recorder for some projects. I made students write down their questions ahead of time. They loved partnering up for this activity! I created QR codes to share the interviews with families during our biannual exhibition.
• Tier 1/2 Intervention: I found some targeted math and phonics practice for students needing extra support. Free apps like Starfall and Bridges in Mathematics are great for math. I also used Starfall and Boom Cards for phonics practice.​

3. Safety Online: Whether you use a lot of technology in the classroom or not, students will likely use it at home. Sometimes, parents forget to reinforce online safety with their children by talking with them and limiting access to sites and videos.

I made it a point to talk with my students during Morning Meetings about what they think it means to be safe online. We discussed being kind on Seesaw when commenting on our classmates’ photos and drawings. We talked about finding kid-friendly YouTube videos. We also talked about not spending too much time online. The discussion can be fruitful!

4. Extra Practice: I always tried to offer additional academic practice when teaching remotely. When school was back in session, we had a policy of optional homework. Many times, parents asked me for extra practice on the weekends. It shouldn’t be hard to find additional practice without making it yourself!

• Handwriting Without Tears: I recommend these workbooks for kids who need extra handwriting practice. Their website also has some great apps for tablets.
• Daily Reading: I reminded parents that students should read every day! I recommended at least one book “to-self,” and one that a family member could read to them. I told the kids to make a go-to little collection of their favorite books that they could read to themselves. (And yes, it’s okay if they “memorize” the words!)​​

Daily Practice: Get my daily Practice here! Download a free week to try it out! If this format doesn’t work for you, many workbooks and worksheets are for download on TPT and elsewhere. 1-2 pages is plenty at a time!

I have First Grade and Second Grade sets.

5. One-on-One Check-ins: I felt disconnected from my students during the lockdown, so I planned to meet with each student one-on-one or in a small group every few days. I made a simple list in Google Sheets to record how often I had met with them. Now, while at school, I don’t usually make a list, but I try to make a point to interact with each student one-on-one every day. It could be as simple as a handshake at the classroom door in the morning, checking in during writing or math practice, or playing a game during choice time. It’s a small thing that can make a considerable difference regarding positive behavior and rapport.

6. Use Visuals: During remote learning, I used Google Slides every day. Last year, my school did not have Smartboards or big screens of any sort. We rarely used whole-class technology in the lower grades. However, I wanted to maintain the visuals that resonated with my students during the lockdown.

To keep our classroom walls and whiteboard clutter-free, I made small posters that were sometimes laminated and backed with small magnets.

​My kids were learning to read, so visuals were important, but everyone can benefit from icons and visuals over words whenever possible.

GoNoodle

7. Brain Breaks: I scheduled everything to a T during lockdown. It was the only way that I could meet with students individually or in small groups as often as possible. Yet, I also tried to maintain a class community. 

Our brain breaks became the highlight of the day for many students. Brain Breaks can be anything you want them to be, anywhere from less than a minute to 5 minutes. You can use a song that kids dance to, do a freeze dance with music, or have students get up and move with a quick activity. I recommend keeping students in one central meeting place and clarifying your behavior expectations at the start so it doesn’t get out of hand!​​