Quick Wins for the Distance Learning Week

So grateful for the couple of colleagues who continue to come in to school to plan, teach, and assess online classes!

What do coffee, questions, and Google Classroom have in common? They all figured in my quick wins for the distance learning week. 

Week 5 of the new school year in Japan, and it seems like students and teachers are all approaching the end of the grace period for figuring out distance learning. Not that we can’t take any risks to learn any new things, but not, like, on a daily basis. Maybe once a week, but not daily any more. So I’m focusing on exploring the platforms we’ve already used, applying what I know is good teaching in any context, and practicing proactively seeing students and colleagues with appreciation and empathy. Here are a few of the good things that yielded this week:

(1) “Can you help me understand what’s happening?” It's the question that withholds judgment, presents facts, and exhibits curiosity. Yes, it’s time to start holding students accountable. Maybe they missed things earlier because they were figuring out technology and platforms and my classroom culture. Now I need to start filling in those gaps in the gradebook. So I’m presenting data—“I got this and this from you, and I’m not seeing this.” Then the question: “Can you help me understand what’s happening?” It not only reminds me that the conclusions I jump to are often incorrect, it also keeps me seeing students as people, keeps me curious, and allows students to respond with remarkable honesty so we can all win. Sometimes it’s an apology that they’ve been slacking with a promise to work harder. Sometimes it’s a thank you for the reminder. Sometimes it’s a true explanation: Half had been done on one device and half on the other, and the platform only accepted one input. Sometimes it leads to a better design of future assignments (see discussion below). Sometimes it opens a conversation: “idk” because you didn’t know and wanted to turn the assignment in doesn’t accomplish any of the thinking and learning that is the real goal here.

(2) Google Classroom Questions discussion: All I did was post the 4 discussion questions given for a reading on CommonLit.org as questions on Google Classroom. I posted them with the directions that students—6th and 7th graders—were to post original responses to 3 of the 4 and post responses to 2 classmates’ original posts. Responses that added value—not just “Yes.” This was partly in response to last Friday’s live online discussion which proceeded so quickly in the chat bar that some students were unable to think or type that fast. I was nervous introducing it. But everyone engaged in significant ways—including those who were unable to attend the live class and those who couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with the chat. The ultimate seal of approval came in the chat bar from a student who often thinks finishing is more important than learning: “hmm this discussion kinda thing is getting fun”.

(3) Google Classroom slot scheduling for writing conferences: I picked this up from a comment in an English teacher Facebook group, explored, and experimented with my 11th and 12th graders. We had a few glitches on the first try, but they were flexible, we figured out how to do it, and I’m really excited about the possibilities for setting up individual conferences where I divide a period of time into slots which class members can then sign up for. 
(4) Google Forms for writing reflection: In face-to-face classrooms, I always have students reflect on major projects when they hand them in. This Edutopia blog (“Teaching Strategies of Award-Winning Online Instructors”) pushed me to remember I could easily do it with Google Forms: What did you work hard on? What do you want to improve next time? What did you learn about the content/yourself/the world? What did you learn about writing/the process?

(5) Gratitude: I’m so grateful for the 2 colleagues who come into our office at school every day to do their planning and grading while most others are working from home. We can do this because we haven’t been in the kind of lockdown here in Japan than many have in the US and elsewhere, though we are teaching remotely. But being new to the community, I am so grateful for the collegiality they offer! I brought them coffee from the nearby convenience store for a Friday afternoon celebration, and we all had more energy to finish the day. 

Little steps, using what I know, practicing curiosity and gratitude—that’s the fuel in my tank this week. What’s yours?