The New Beginning of the End

You’re nearing the end of the school year and summer is just in your reach. Your students have finally began to mold into their daily routine and boom. Everything has been flipped upside down. You’re forced to teach all of your kiddos from home…. now what? You’re forced to face new technology struggles on top of tending to your family as well as teaching your children and their parents how this is all going to work.  It’s a hard and difficult time filled with many emotions and struggles. Challenges will come but like usual, we will overcome them. Teachers are important. Teachers are heroes. Teachers can do this!

Routine

The first and most important thing that as a teacher you need to do is get into a routine. Treat this time as you would the beginning of a normal school year because it kind of is. Your kids are entering a new virtual classroom, a new learning dynamic, etc. A routine can be the foundation of your peace of mind. When your home becomes your classroom it can become quite overwhelming to get everything done. Make schedules a day or

even a week in advance to give yourself time to fully prepare. Most importantly when creating your routine don’t forget about mealtimes and self care. If getting up early, getting ready like you would for a normal work day and getting to work makes you feel better, DO IT! If sleeping in a little and wearing comfy pants with a nice top to your virtual meetings and classes feels good to you, DO IT! It’s important that you can get the hang of your routine so you can give your kiddos the best virtual education ever. It’s a learning experience for us all. Break it down, day by day. It’s important to remember that we’re all going through this and learning together. Below I dropped a link that provides tips and tricks to establish an online routine:

https://www.connectionsacademy.com/the-monitor/tips-for-establishing-online-learning-routines

 

Teaching from Home

Teaching from the comfort of your own home can be both rewarding and challenging. You get to snuggle up in your favorite sweats and blankets while working but you don’t get to see your kids and for some of them be their safe place. It’s okay though. We will all get through this together. We are far from perfect but we are trying and our kids know that. Below I’ve provided multiple resources to help ease your transformation from classroom to home.

Setting Up Your “Classroom”

How to Set Up Your Digital Classroom for Success

Spread the loveWhether you teach entirely online or have a physical space, your digital classroom needs to facilitate successful learning. There is no one right way to arrange or present education to your students. However, there are markers and go to ideas for a healthy digital learning environment.

 

What to expect

Peer advice for instructors teaching online for first time

Seventeen instructors offer guidance for colleagues teaching an online course for the first time (and for those seeking a few new ideas).

Getting Started With Distance Learning – The TPT Blog

The practice of distance learning is new territory for many teachers. Here are seven tips from experts in the TpT community to get you started in supporting student learning from afar.

Resources to continue learning

16 Ideas for Student Projects Using Google Docs, Slides, and Forms

Your students probably already use these tools to write papers or create presentations, but they could be doing other projects you may not have thought of.

Talking to your students

Your students are young. They currently are struggling to understand why they can’t see their friends, family, their teachers, etc. Help your students by discussing their feelings, discussing the world and its turmoils. You, as their teacher, are where their knowledge and understanding is driven. Help them understand. Some students come from a relatively poor background and struggle with emotions, hunger, inability to access technology from home. They all need you. Below are links provided to help you build a solid foundation to begin a conversation with your students.

Staying in Touch: Why Kids Need Teachers During Coronavirus School Closings | KQED

While some schools remaining closed with no distance learning options, teachers find ways to stay in touch with their students through much-appreciated phone calls, video conferences, emails, etc.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/talking-with-children.html

How Teachers Are Talking to Students About the Coronavirus

As the coronavirus spreads across the United States, teachers are put in the hard spot of educating students about prevention without scaring them.

The ultimate kids’ guide to the new coronavirus

“Will school be closed?” and “Should I be worried about getting sick?”

 

 

Additional Resources

Distance Learning: A Gently Curated Collection of Resources for Teachers

An overview of the nuts and bolts of distance learning, including general tips, advice on tech, and troubleshooting some common problems.

Teaching Through Coronavirus: What Educators Need Right Now

We asked educators what they need, and we listened. We hope this message-and these resources-offer some help.