At this point, if you’re a parent, student, or educator, you’re all adjusting to a new normal for the time being, a normal that for education will entail switching to distance learning. Here in Minnesota, the governor gave a two week planning period to all schools as they grapple with this monumental task of transforming their craft of classroom instruction to online instruction. And let’s be clear: what we’re asking our schools to accomplish would take YEARS not WEEKS to pull off to the standards that educators themselves would hold themselves to. This is a period of grace and patience for all of us.
I’ve been in a lot of conversations with educators this week alone, and I’ve come up with a couple of things that I hope might be of use to you. Please note: I am in NO way a specialist in distance learning. Not at all! Not even a bit. These are just things that I hope can be helpful as you continue in this herculean effort.
Tiers of Distance Learning Rollout
It would be impossible to imagine hitting the ground with world class distance learning strategies. Ain’t gonna happen and we shouldn’t expect it. So here’s how my brain would organize this effort:
Tier One: Just Get Content Out and Content Back In
First make sure you’re simply comfortable with the most mechanical and mundane aspects of this. Do you have a manageable way to get content to students and collect basic work back from them? Don’t feel guilty if this feels like worksheets and reading quizzes. It is. It’s okay. Let’s just make sure we can at least start there.
Tier Two: Student-to-Student Collaboration
Can we get students to start working remotely with one another? If so, how can they really drive their own work?
Students could:
Set their own timelines
Figure out project leads and focus areas
Collaborate about how they want to present their work
Meet with their teacher via video chats to share updates and seek guidance
Self-assess their own work throughout the process
Go through multiple revisions and iterations of their work before turning it in
Connect their projects across multiple disciplines/courses
This Tier is how they’ll operate as adults in the “real world” so let’s go!
Tier Three: Independent, Multi-Discipline Deep Dive
Let’s say the Tier Two group project was studying a unique period of American history. From that, a student could extrapolate a narrow focus and go deep. How did the Pandemic of 1918 influence economics, arts, and sciences? How do we thematically connect social influences across all areas of civic life? Tier Three work would allow intense and self-directed learning, which is inherently cool.
Note: I present these tiers as a liberating framework for educators. Maybe you are comfortable starting in Tier One and want to dip your toe into Tier Two. I’m not suggesting on day one you have your Tier Three all ready to go. These are things you and your students can move toward together.
Which gets me to my next point….
Are the Adults Ready for Their Online Lives Together?
Just because your official planning days are done doesn’t mean you have to be done collaborating with your colleagues. Have video conference department meetings. Co-design Tier Two work with a colleague from another department. As much as possible, use video conferencing instead of email. If that’s newish for you, you’ll get used to it. It’s much more personal and takes away the feelings of isolation that are sure to creep in.
I just spoke with a principal today and suggested he meets via Zoom each week with each department. Check in. Say hello. Swap stories. Meet each other’s cats.
If you’re comfortable with it, hold regular “office hours” online so your students can pop in and say hello and ask for help.
Nothing is going to beat face-to-face interaction but we can still build culture, community, collaboration, and collegiality during these bizarre times.
I love thinking through these things and want to help. If an extra brain can be of use to you, just reach out: nathan@eklundconsulting.com. I’m here for you!