We’ve entered the final stages of the school year. Depending upon your part of the country, you are either finishing at the end of May and have a few days left, or you’re in session into June and you’re courting the weeks. Either way, it’s been a brutal slog through this first bout of remote learning. These two months of distance teaching have felt like a 15-round heavyweight match. It’s been sweaty, bloody, painful, and not very pretty.
I sort of know how hard it’s been for teachers. I’ve been leading virtual webinars and virtual coaching sessions, and I’ve had my share of Zoom meetings. I’ve found my foray into remote learning to be EXHAUSTING. And I’ve had it easy – I’ve been teaching adults! I can imagine how hard it must be for teachers who have spent all this time teaching young people while the teachers had their own kids at home, their spouses wandered around in pajamas, their dogs barked at whatever passed the house, and their cell phones incessantly pinged and rang – and all while trying to keep that Gen Z or Gen Alpha kid engaged on the other end of the Chromebook camera.
Wow. Here’s to the teachers and administrators who’ve given it their best shot.
But we’re not done. We’re only in Round 12. Three more rounds to go, and time to dig deep. Ding, ding!
I did a webinar recently for a district that asked for a few tips on finishing the 2019-2020 school year strong, the year of the COVID Spring, the year of Closure #1, the year our high school seniors checked out even earlier than usual. Here’s what I told them.
1. Use the KISIM concept if you’re finishing in May: “Keep It Simple In May.” In a normal year, we often finish with projects in May and don’t introduce a lot of new material. Same thing for remote learning but even simpler. Take virtual field trips with them. Give them more choices. Just try to get them to focus. Let the students have fun with creative work around something relevant. (For people finishing in June, it’s KISIJ!)
2. Don’t lose the parents. They’ve been in the ring for 12 rounds, too. Don’t overwhelm them. Send them a schedule of the last weeks of school so they can see the end and what’s coming. Be sure not to give too many assignments that require heavy lifting by the parents. We want them to finish strong, also!
3. Convert end of the year celebrations into virtual celebrations. Have Zoom parties. Celebrate student successes. Send them award certificates. Thank the parents. Praise students and parents for their work and tenacity. Let the closure be positive for everyone. And don’t wait until the very last day to start saying your goodbyes to students; you might not get to all of them. So start a few days early with the virtual hugs.
4. Don’t forget to celebrate your fellow staff members, not just for work done during remote learning but the entire year. Has someone does exemplary work? Helped a lot of people? Commit to recognizing at least one person with whom you work. Let them hear about it. And don’t forget to honor all the support staff who help the school run. One of the greatest things about working in schools is being surrounded by positive people. Let the internet ring with praise at the end of the school year.
5. Reflect on your work. Ask three questions about your own growth: What do I need to keep doing? What do I need to stop? What do I need to start? Look back at this odd period in history and say, “That was hard time, but I was able to _____________.” Be prepared to proudly tell your story when this is all done.
Hopefully, all teachers and administrators will have some time this summer to find their favorite beach, lake, cabin, or quiet corner of the den. And take long naps. And sleep late. And actually have the energy to stay up and see what’s on late-night television. Until those days get here, we have three more rounds to go. Finish strong!