The pandemic is still raging, and most schools are offering classes remotely or using a hybrid/remote model in which many students, sometimes the majority, are still choosing to learn remotely while other students sit in a classroom. This means teachers, for all practical purposes, still need to hone their remote teaching skills. Here are 15 tips I’ve seen being used by great teachers that make a difference.
Have one unified group of students in the hybrid/remote model, not a group of students who are in the classroom and a separate group sitting at home. And don’t just teach the students in the classrooms, the ones you see. Ask an equal number of questions to the students at home as you do to the students in the class. If doing group work, mix the groups.
Slow down. Everything is slower in remote learning. Speak more slowly. Chunk the information in small parts. Use longer wait time when answering questions: your voice has to go through the internet, the student has to process it, the student has to unmute, the students has to answer, and then the message needs to make it back to you through the internet.
Do more to check for understanding. Constantly. It provides feedback and makes the lesson more engaging for students. Work in digital tools like Kahoot, Mentimeter, Padlet, and Nearpod (which is filled with highly engaging, interactive learning options). Or have the students answer in the chat box. Call on them to answer, especially those who might be struggling.
Be efficient. Teachers feel stressed to teach the standards as quickly as possible. Just covering the material doesn’t mean the students are learning it. Instead of rapidly covering vast amounts of content so quickly the students can’t retain it, teachers should prioritize standards, use pacing that helps students digest and retain the content, be relevant, be rigorous, check for understanding, and do everything they can to be more engaging.
Start with “a hook.” Do an opening activity that gets students engaged. Ask a highly rigorous question where students have to evaluate a situation or create a unique personal response. Make it relevant to their lives. Make the lesson interesting. Be less linear. We often scaffold up to the most interesting part of the lesson, which often means the best part of the lesson comes 20-30 minutes into the lesson. That’s too long to wait in remote learning. Try to move it to an earlier part of the lesson.
Break up the direct instruction. Yes, direct instruction is still vital, but stretches of it beyond 10 minutes tend to lose engagement. Do something different every 7-10 minutes. Check for understanding, show a short video, have the students post something. Then go back to the direct instruction. And break it up again.
Be clear in the objectives. As students are sitting at home, they are looking at screen surrounded by distractions. Let them clearly see the intent of the lesson.
Remind students of the class rules. Show them a list of the expectations early in the lesson. Do it daily.
Provide visual directions. At key points, hold up a sign in front of the camera that says, “Mute” or “Unmute”, or “Thumbs up or thumbs down!” Some teachers have the names of students on cards, and they hold up the card of the student they want to answer as they call on the student.
Call on the students to answer questions. Call on them by name. Call on students early and often. If you wait until 15 or 20 minutes into a lesson before you begin to call on students, students will be less likely to answer.
Culture counts. Establish relationships with students. Encourage them to take risks. Smile. Turn your camera on and show your face to the students. If they feel comfortable in the virtual room, they are much more likely to participate and stay engaged.
Mix the activities. Don’t use the same routine, or same apps, every day. Deepen your toolkit.
Use breakout rooms. Let the students talk with each other. Have them solve problems and do group projects. Don’t forget to move pair-shares, small group discussions, and jigsawing into breakout room activities.
Differentiate. If using Zoom, use private messaging to answer questions. Assign students to breakout rooms based on their needs.
Adjusting lessons doesn’t stop with moving classroom lessons to remote learning. When asked how they have adjusted to remote teaching, many teachers say, “I’ve really had to use how to use the technology.” Sometimes this means they’ve just taken their classroom lessons and moved them from presenting on the big screen of the classroom to the small computer screen in the student’s house - without adjusting the pacing, checking for understanding, engagement, and variety of activities used.