Surviving Online Learning

    As many teachers would agree, we were not trained or prepared to teach students online during a global pandemic. In March, we had to search for resources to help us finish the year online. For some, it was hard but manageable. While for many others, it was a difficult transition. Many felt lost and confused about where to go and what to look for. They were struggling with teaching online. What I have discovered during this pandemic and "new" normal is that as teachers, we always roll with the punches and make things work to the best of our ability. What works for some teachers may not work for others. What everyone needs to do instead of judging what others are doing is we need to give each other grace during this time. If you are struggling to survive, do not worry, I am too. I am in survival mode. Below are a few tips on how I have learned to survive during this time.

    First, I did some research and found many teachers on TpT that I have gotten resources from have social media and blog posts. Many have worked tirelessly to turn their products into Google Docs, Nearpod, Boom Cards, and Seesaw resources. They have also posted how to use their resources and share ideas of what they are doing in their classroom. I found this extremely helpful in discovering what works for me. As teachers, I believe we are one of the most generous communities out there. There are many teacher sites that share ideas and resources for free! There is a group on Facebook that shares Google Classroom Ideas. But, my absolute favorite is Bitmoji Classrooms!! You may have to request to join these groups, but they share awesome resources. The Bitmoji Classroom group shares tons of Google resources that you can use with your students!! I teach kindergarten and they have many phonics and reading resources. They are willing to share as long as you give the creator credit and make a copy of their document. This is a game-changer and has saved me time and energy of creating my own resources! They also have teachers that share Wonders and Eureka Math resources, you just have to search for them. I use a Wonders Google Doc every morning with my students. It does take time to look through these resources, but I promise it will be worth it!

    Next, collaborate with your grade level team. This will save you time and energy. If each member shares what is working for them and what is not working, you can encourage and support one another through this. Building a community with your grade level team will not only help each other but your students as well. Use each other as a resource! They can help you if you are struggling with ideas. I understand that not all grade levels work this way, but at least try to find one person you can go to. I have that person and I talk to her daily through text and email, plus we Zoom as often as our schedules will allow us to. She has been my lifesaver! She has been there to offer support, vent to, and to plan with. She has had great ideas and kept me from falling apart. I have also returned the favor and given her resources, ideas, and support when needed. 

    Finally, give yourself a break! No one knows what is expected during this pandemic. None of us have ever been through a pandemic and switched from in-person to online learning in the blink of an eye. There are no exact guidelines on how this should work and what we should be doing. We have no control over it. However, we do have control over how we respond to it. We can overly stress about it and let it take control, or we can just breathe and take it one day at a time. You are not the only one going through this. To quote High School Musical, "We're all in this together!" Take breaks when you need them. Go for a walk, exercise, read a book, talk to friends and family. Don't let this stress take over your life! This too shall pass. I have discovered that watching reality tv and playing with my new Siberian Husky has given me that much-needed distraction. I have learned that I am not going to be as amazing as some other teachers I know and I am not going to be 100% great at this, but at least I am trying daily. I am not giving up, I am doing the best I can, and most importantly I am there for my students. I bet they are having a much more difficult time than I am with online learning. As long as my students are learning, they are engaged, and they are having fun on our Zoom, that's all that matters right now. Remember, you are their break from their home life and you give them something to look forward to every day. Give yourself time and grace during this time! It will be alright. 

We Got This!

Marcy Mesa

Keeping Engagement Alive!

Teaching kindergarten in a global pandemic presents its own challenges: many students do not have the acquaintances of their  new classmates and the fact that they NEED to have hands-on academic experiences.

My kindergarten team planned all summer for these challenges. We decided to provide supply and material boxes for each student that would be filled each week with the necessary materials for instruction.  Each student has 2 boxes; one with them at home that has the current materials, and the other filled with the next week's materials to be exchanged at the school each Friday.

A Donors Choose grant helped me purchase my boxes and some supplies. Below is a photo of this current week's materials: a new writing journal (our second one), our current sight words, a sight word grid, our current letter/sound cards, a project for each of those sounds, a Scholastic magazine reader about leaves, a counting reader, a Fall leaf recording page, a papier-mâché leaf art project (with a small container of starch and paintbrush included), a 20 Rekenrek we will build together, and a weekly calendar and asynchronous work log. Most of these items will stay with the student, but some things I request returned, such as the small container that can be reused.

The students return their empty boxes on Fridays and exchange them for their new ones.  The boxes are left on the kindergarten patio so parents can come at their convenience during the day.  If a box is left over at the end of the day, I will deliver it to their doorstep that same day.  It is important that my students have their materials ready for the next week. It is rare that I deliver a box.

Over the course of the first trimester, students have collected materials that we use often during our virtual learning sessions.  They have a math tool kit (left) and an ELA tool kit (below).

Daily, I record a video and post via Class Dojo in our Class Stories the materials they will need for that day. I post it about an hour before our session begins. My students always have their materials at the ready.  I tell them they should be watching it themselves to be prepared for class (Be Responsible). I keep my own set of materials just like my students so I know exactly what they have and I model where to return each item so they can find it in the future.

I have received numerous comments from parents about how they appreciate the organization and materials that keep their child engaged online.  My students are always excited to get their new boxes to see what we'll be doing.  We even do painting projects every other week (the paint goes home in the small containers).

Here was a "Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate" STEM Challenge and below is our culminating project of carving our pumpkins with shape features after a whole week of pumpkin exploration (measuring, comparing, describing, sink or float, writing about, counting the seeds, etc...)

This is definitely A LOT of work with planning and preparing, but my team and my parents make it work.  Not once have I had a parent complain about having to come get their box. 

Our students deserve it!  I surely hope this post has inspired to think outside of your proverbial box on how you can keep the engagement alive with your students during virtual learning/teaching!

Happy (Virtual) Teaching!

Erin Grebel

SWBST in Kindergarten

     

     A few years ago, my colleagues and I attended a professional development training at my school site going  over the summarizing strategy called SWBST -Somebody Wanted But So Then. We did a few practice summaries, using different points of view for the "somebody" part.
    As my fellow kindergarten colleagues know,  we often have to  improvise new strategies and  tailor them for the kindergarten student when we receive professional development that we are encouraged to  use in our classroom.
   My team and I came up with our own version, including icons.  The first few times I implemented this strategy in my classroom we did it whole group with familiar stories, and eventually the students write their own summary (Springtime-ish).

Here is the SWBST strategy:

                        S-somebody; who is the main character?

     W-wanted; what does the main  character want?

                B-but; what is the problem?

                S-so; how does the character try to solve the problem?

                T-then; how does the story end?

As teachers of young students (or parents of young children) have experienced,  summarizing a story can take twice as long as it should, with way too many insignificant details.  This is a great strategy to teach students how to summarize in one or two sentences.  When  will you try this in your classroom?

Here is a link  to the document I made:  

SWBST One Page