Our first day back was deemed a Superintendent’s Conference Day so as to assess the impact of Covid not on our ability to teach, on students’ ability to learn, nor even on anticipated student attendance as per current infection, quarantine, and isolation numbers.
Rather, it was on our capacity to staff the building.
My English teacher brain is going haywire with metaphors, but for this blog’s sake, I’ll stick to one: we’re almost quite literally falling down on the job, and thus unable to keep the wheels turning. Thus, we’re back to remote instruction for the week.
I could say a lot about what this implies for the state of education today. But I won’t. I’m boundlessly, boldly, and bravely going to focus on the pedagogical moves I will make this week that served me well previously, instead.
Daily check-ins to start the class period.
These sometimes prompt conversations, sometimes not. Either way they’re ways to let my students know I see them, care about them, and have time for them. Here are some staple favorites for a 1-2 word check in:
- How are you feeling / doing today?
- What was the best part of yesterday for you?
- This or that (i.e., Reeses or KitKat, sleep in or watch the sunrise)
- Last movie watched / show you’re binging
- Last book you read and would recommend
Google Forms to survey for actionable information.
I wouldn’t use all of these in one form, and generally use forms sparingly and for easy-to-answer questions. Some go-to questions include:
- What technology / books / paper / pens do you not have at home that you need?
- Would you attend an extra help session if it were offered?
- Are you well? Is your family well? If not, can I help connect you to resources that can help?
- Are we moving too fast? too slow?
- What are you reading right now?
Questions on Google Slides for a more significant check-in, and to build connections.
I love Slides for this, because I can make comments as replies. Docs works well for this, too, if you make a table they can fill in. Here’s the most recent one I used at the end of 2021, and two student responses:
Whatever you do to help you get through this time and provides meaningful experiences for your students, I say go for it. We’re all human first, and we appreciate being seen for it.
Best wishes to us all for a fulfilling pedagogy in 2022!