Feeling Flummoxed by Teaching Online? Focus on Relationships

The start of a brand new school year always brings such excitement ... and nervousness, for all learners. Learners include the students as well as the teachers. We are all learners in a classroom community. Starting the year in a virtual classroom may create more nervous feelings than ever before. What do we do with all that uneasiness?

• Take a deep breath - and keep taking them
• Keep smiling - it helps others feel better and may convince you that you feel better too
• Remember that at its core, teaching is all about relationships

Relationships - probably what drew most of us to this profession was our desire to help others learn. Having interviewed candidates for a university elementary education licensure program for the past two decades provides a fairly large sample of people who answer the question, "Why do you want to teach?" with some version of the response, "I like children." (NB: Remember the greater challenge might be liking all children.) 

Relationships - think about how we form connections with the class as a whole as well as with each individual student. How can we model becoming a member of a new community? Getting to know one another assumes teachers will share things about themselves. We are usually pretty good at talking! Listening is even more crucial, so how will we focus on listening more and talking less in our virtual classrooms?

Relationships - flourish in caring and supportive environments. Consider the classroom community and how we can help students build rapport with one another. We know basic needs have to be met first, including physical health, mental health and safety. It can be easy to forget that belonging is a basic human need too.  Feelings of belonging are correlated with academic performance and motivation.  We must foster a sense of belonging for everyone in our class. We all want to know others care about us. 

Relationships - need constant attention and nurturing. We will have to focus on relationships/connections/community far beyond the first week of instruction or even the first six weeks. When most of us had to pivot to online instruction last spring, we did so already having developed strong relationships in our learning communities. We trusted each other. We were understanding of one another's needs. This year we are starting from the beginning. Expect that we will have to focus on building relationships ALL YEAR. It may be more challenging in an online environment and it is paramount that we continue to work at it. 

There are many sites focused on building relationships in virtual classrooms with learners of all ages. Here are links to a couple to get started.

How to Build Relationships with your Students Virtually and in the Classroom

How To Build Relationships Virtually: The Ultimate Guide

This post isn't focused on providing the answers. The answers are dependent on how each of us needs to differentiate for our specific classroom community. What is more important than the individual answer is that we remember to continue asking the question. How do we build relationships in virtual classrooms? 

What did you do today to foster relationships in your classroom community?

Still learning, Doc G.

Through the Eyes of Learners

It all started with trash cans. A discussion of where to store the trash cans, to be exact. Perspective is powerful. When trying to decide where to store the trash cans it probably isn’t uncommon to view them from the end of the driveway or even the street. The only way to recognize how others will see your trash cans is to take a look from their point of view.

This got me thinking about classrooms. Many first-year and veteran teachers are currently setting up their classrooms for the beginning of a new school year. I spend a couple days a week seated in classrooms as I supervise teacher candidates. Things look different from the students’ perspective. THAT is certainly an understatement. Let's just focus on the physical environment for the moment.

What might we learn about our classroom if we took a look at it from the students’ point of view? How many times have we sat in the students’ chairs and viewed the environment from their perspective? Even before we get to know our students it is powerful to think about how they will get to know us and the classroom we will share for the year.

Regardless of how much arranging and rearranging we do before the students ever set foot in their new classroom, let’s try sitting at desks and tables and on the floor at the gathering place to look at the view from the students’ perspective. Kneel down at the door and try to view the space through a student’s eyes.

What do you see?

Where are your eyes drawn?

What might distract you?

How does the view change when you change seats?

Will you look up above the board at all?

Is it too light or too dark?

Do you have enough space?

Looking at the classroom environment from the students’ point of view will help us be better and do better even before our students enter the classroom.

Still Learning, Doc G.

Three little words

Three little words…

they can be the hardest three words to utter

it can take time to muster the courage to say them

difficult to say but beautiful to hear

we can all get better at saying them

we can all work on listening for them

they can change our life

they can change someone else’s life

potentially life-altering words …                  “I need help.”

During this season of wonder, I wonder...

I wonder...

Why do some see possibilities when others see problems?

Why do some say, “Let’s try” when others say, “Yeah, but” ?

Why do some relish the challenge when others bemoan the obstacles?

Why do some build up when others tear down?

Why do some reflect on their part when others cast blame?

Why do some extend a hand when others look away?

Why do some forgive when others hold grudges?

Is it demeanor? Mindset? Choice?

What part do we as educators play in the development of which side of the “when” our students (and our colleagues?) end up?

How can we help our learners (and our colleagues?) end up on the left side of “when” in those “Why” statements?

How much of a difference can we make?

I wonder…

Still learning, Doc G.

Friday Fun

The end of a semester often makes me melancholy. Relationships have been forged and deepened over the course of the term. The deeper the relationships, the greater the melancholy. Fall term I usually have at least a couple sections of the second literacy course, often with students I have already worked alongside in the first literacy course. We have been learning and laughing together for 6 – 11 months. This December I find myself deeply melancholy. The things I will miss most about my Fridays include:

·      Weekly meetings with these thoughtful preservice educators

·      Their smiles

·      Inclusion in their caring communities of learning

·      Time spent inquiring together

·      Asking “I wonder why” about the really hard questions and following up with “I wonder if?”

·      Laughing  - with one another and at ourselves

·      Witnessing the growth of self efficacy and self confidence as they “become” teachers

·      Visioning possibilities together

To combat the feelings of sadness, I focus on the joy. My end-of-term reflections bring much joy -- my faith in these fledgling teachers and their process of becoming reminds me that there are many special people who commit themselves to teaching (plus the end of the fall term brings a break and a houseful of family). The privilege of working with preservice educators is so satisfying because I know their future students will thrive. The kids will be all right.

There are just a few final reminders to leave with my latest groups of future literacy leaders:

·      CARE – all humans want to know they are cared for. Trust your children. Smile at them. You have developed caring classroom communities with each other, replicate that in your own classrooms. When you are at a loss for how to respond, respond as a person.

·      TEACH CHILDREN –Teach readers and writers, not literacy programs or standards.

·      FOCUS ON LEARNING – keep the learners at the center, not the lessons.

·      BE A LEARNER and reflect on your own learning. Share your passion for learning with your students.

·      LISTEN MORE, TALK LESS – you have two ears and one mouth. Really listen when children talk to you. When you do talk, be thoughtful about the language you learn. There is no “I” in teacher.

·      Remember LEARNING IS SOCIAL – even MORE  TALK.

·      Remember ALL GOOD INSTRUCTION IS ASSESSMENT DRIVEN – You have to know what students can do to know what they need. Your job is to meet their needs. YOU will know best about them as learners.

·      QUESTION EVERYTHING – wonder- ask why? Ask what if? Teaching is inquiry.

Questioning helps you…

·      QUIT THE CRAZY – question why and what if when you find yourself doing things you know are not good for children. Be a rabble rouser when you need to be.

·      DO BETTER.

·      BE BETTER.

Thank you for embracing me into your learning communities.   LG