Holding on to the Lessons of Remote Learning

For the last several months, students, parents, families, and school leaders have had to adjust to a whole new reality. Due to the coronavirus, more than 98% of districts had to shut down to keep students and staff safe. The majority of districts have moved to some form of distance learning. What lessons will teachers and school leaders take back to the classroom this fall? We’ve been talking to teachers and administrators across the country about their remote learning experiences. In part one of this series, we explored the challenges of moving to a distance learning model and the elements that make remote learning successful. This time, we want to explore the silver linings. What elements of the remote learning experience went especially well? Are there lessons learned that might change how we approach teaching and learning when we all return to the classroom in the future?

Focus on Relationships First

Teachers report that they are getting to know their students in a whole new way, with virtual glimpses into their home lives and guest appearances by siblings, pets, and parents. Students have loved seeing their teachers at home, too, and have responded positively to all of the creative and fun online activities that teachers have created. Many teachers say they hope that they can keep this more personal connection alive with their students when they are all back in the classroom. That might involve scheduling home visits by teachers or administrators to meet families in their own space. It may also mean being more intentional about inviting families into the classroom or creating assignments that invite family participation or encourage students to share their interests, background, and heritage. Some teachers also mentioned finding a new appreciation for journaling with teacher feedback as a way to build a more personal connection between students and teachers.

Focus on mastery, not grades.

Learning in the virtual environment has accelerated a trend in many schools to focus more on mastery of standards vs. completion of assignments and grades. It’s a trend some educators would like to see continue next year, regardless of where learning takes place. What might that look like? In the virtual world, teachers are rethinking which assignments are essential for learning and which may just be busywork—and cutting out the latter. They are also leaning towards providing written feedback rather than a letter grade and giving students lots of opportunities to redo work in response to feedback. Finally, they are looking for alternate ways to demonstrate mastery and understanding (such as Thinking Maps!). These are all strategies that would easily translate back to the physical classroom.

Make sure students are prepared for anything.

Many epidemiologists anticipate that schools may have to be closed again at some point during the school year—assuming they are even able to open in the fall. While most schools are planning for a return the classroom in August or September, they are all aware of the possibility that they may face additional closures in the 2020-21 school year. These could be localized and temporary, or once again widespread and extended, depending on the trajectory of the virus. Most schools are preparing for that possibility now. Administrators say they need to make sure that students and teachers are both ready for a smoother shift to virtual learning next year. They also recognize that they need strategies in place to ensure that students can continue learning and mastering new standards while at home. For many, that will involve greater reliance on technology, including online programs that deliver personalized instruction and assess student progress towards standards. They also stressed the importance of developing familiarity with the platforms and programs students will need to access at home before another closure takes place. That includes video conferencing platforms like Zoom, learning management systems, and instructional programs. When students and parents are already used to using these programs, it is easier to transition back and forth from a physical to a virtual environment. Teachers also stressed the importance of making sure that students are familiar with Thinking Maps. The Maps support independence with learning, whether students are at school or at home. Using Thinking Maps can help teachers ensure that students are successful with rigorous thinking and complex ideas. (Read more: Maintaining Academic Rigor At Home.)

Keep the creative energy.

Distance learning has forced educators to think outside the box—and many of them don’t want to go back in the box when schools reopen. Virtual field trips have opened up new ways to bring learning experiences to students, whether they are at home or in the classroom. Fun activities that kept students coming back on Zoom could work in the classroom, too. Megan Uribe, a 4^th-grade teacher at Granite Point Elementary in Bakersfield, CA, says she plans to take a more creative approach when she returns to the classroom and find more ways to keep families involved. For example, her students submitted pictures of projects they are completing at home that involve life skills, such as putting in a garden, taking care of baby chickens, or painting a picnic table with the American flag. Many students and their families also participated in a school-wide Getty Museum challenge, in which families recreate a famous piece of art with materials around the home. She plans to incorporate more of these fun, creative activities into the classroom next year. LaTanya Greene, Principal of Parkway Elementary School in St. Lucie County, FL, also wants to see her teachers maintain their creative energy. “It’s about being creative and not being afraid to step outside the box,” she says. “Right now, I’m constantly asking, ‘what would you be doing if you were in the physical structure?’ But next year, we may find ourselves asking, ‘Remember how you did that in the virtual environment? How can we recreate that here?’ It’s ok to be creative, as long as we’re still teaching to the standards.”