As 2020 comes to an end I would be remiss if I didn't get in at least one post reflecting on this crazy year! In my last post (Fall 2019), I wrote about a personal project, which I never fully was able to implement, when things got wonky in the spring! A lot has happened since! I will say, that I was able to set some ideas in motion and I still continued to work on some of my reading and writing strategies even with being virtual. Since we have been back I have been trying to keep with some of my ideas and plans! Everything was not lost...although it may have felt it at times...and I sadly fear its still not quite over.
My district opted to go back in the fall, but with a hybrid style of learning. The students come Mon/Tues or Thurs/Fri and then Wednesday everyone is out and there are zoom meetings with teachers throughout the day. I personally just returned in November because of maternity leave. So far there have been challenges, but I'm finding its not all bad. I'll highlight some postives just because we are inudated with negatives right now!!
Because of block scheduling my classes were divided "roughly" in half by alphabet. I see each class once a week and on Wednesday's on zoom. This had made very small class sizes. While some of the smallest (2 or 3) is a bit small it is a great way to really connect and almost indivudally tutor students! I think in just a month I have been able to really make progress with helping students increase their grades...and I don't mean just giving them points. I think I have truly been able to sit with them and help them learn content mastery. Its difficult for even the most engaged student to tune you out when there are so few in the room!
As a parent of two elementary students doing virtual while I was home on maternity leave, I learned so much that I believe will make me a better pandemic teacher and just a more understanding teacher in general. Seeing how it looks from a student perspective was englighting! It opened my eyes to how confusing and overwhelming they may be feeling. It also showed me areas my class could be overwhelming them where I would never have thought that before! I was also able to see how all of the strategies teachers put in place to help with organization are so needed at all levels! I plan to be extra intentional with trying to embed those skills into my classroom!
So...what have I done that has worked? In the spring when we were all virtual, I had my students complete a climate change research paper. For the students who followed the process and worked online with me I was able to really help them with the writing process! I currently am still working on using Claim, Evidence, Reasoning and I even just incorporated it on my Earth Science mid-term. Students were given and article on plate tectonics and the question "What is the current main theory for the movement of continents?" I liked it because while the claim, evidence and reasoning to answer the question was clearly in the article. It also drew on the big picture for the unit. As I have been reading through the responses, I can see that students really made the connection and were able to show me their understanding of how science ideas can be expanded on over time. And how new knowledge/technology can change what we know and our understanding of the world.
I wanted to quickly highlight something I was reminded of by my favorite education podcaster Jennifer Gonzalez "Cult of Pedagogy". It was an old post from 2013 but it popped up right when I needed the reminder. The main idea is that we often give students a paper, tell them to read it and then talk at them, giving them no time to process or actually do what you asked which was read the handout. I was thinking of this and in my head, put it in the context of information overload with online assignments. I think sometimes I have a tendency to try to get creative and make things "fun" or interesting. But what the students may really need is for us to keep things simple and consistent. With so many changes and upheavel in their lives, it seems the simpler the better may be the way to go! Check it out here, for more details and the original message instead of my pandemic interpretation.
As I plan for next semester I am going to continue working on utilizing drawing and sketching as a reading comphrension strategy. I'm also planning to do my timeline project but on canvas instead of the wall. I think there is so much negativity in the world right now, the students need some art to brighten their lives!
Until next time, take care, stay safe and healthy,
-Mara
