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Keeping the Human Element in Your Pedagogy

Justin Toomer

Education Elements

jet@edelements.com

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Norms...

Mute when not speaking
Engage in the meeting
Be responsive to prompts
Have an open mind

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In the chat, drop your:

Name
School
Grade level(s)
Check in: what era would you escape quarantine and time-travel to?

Intros

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Challenges:

Online Work has shifted towards primary method of delivery
We are used to utilizing online tools as supplement to help overcome barriers + limitations of face to face instruction/communication
Teachers aren’t robots (never!); many elements of one’s pedagogy requires personal interaction, observation, and communication

Need:

Infuse human element into our routines for working virtually and in connecting with students and colleagues

Associated Challenges + Needs

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Reflect: What Human Aspects are Missing From Your Instruction?

Whole Group

Small Group

Indep. Practice

Collaboration

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My Perspective

How might we use elements of personal interactions to overcome limitations of virtual communication?

Voice + Personality
Individualized Experiences
Listening
Consistent Presence

What does Westworld do to maintain the human element?

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Westworld’s Human Element

View and treat your virtual meeting hub as if it were a “real” space for learning and the sharing of resources, because it is!

Ensure that students have choice and flexibility in their access to resources and engagement with materials

RULE #1

RULE #2

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Westworld’s Human Element

How can we keep students SEL needs at the center of our concern and also ensure that we build safeguards into our virtual hub?

Develop digital citizenship norms with your students and their families, ensure that everyone understands accountability measures

Your instruction + resources should be accessible to all students, prioritize role as mentor and supportive guide over keeper of knowledge

RULE #3

RULE #4

RULE #5

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Develop your low/no-tech contingency plan

Kitchen math + science, reading religious texts, tv show lesson plans, resource boxes + packets

Rule 1: No-Tech Plan + Schedule

Establish consistent time to engage with students and give feedback on progress

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Plan expanded assignments + student-driven projects into your Master Schedule

Student choice leads to increased likelihood of completion (ex. 3 daily assignments + 1 weekly project
Allows student to engage in depth of learning and receive consistent support (teacher office hours)
Teacher can be more responsive to individual and differentiated needs
Allows students to “tune in” to instruction consistently and when it works for their familial schedules

Rule 2: Flexibility

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Leverage opportunities for personal conversations and check-ins

Schedule individual sessions to build relationship, share data, and provide feedback

Rule 3: Check-In for Personal + SEL Support

Give SEL pulse-checks

What’s working? What’s not working well? What would you recommend?

HS Students: Struggling with extended synchronous sessions; modified sessions to be shorter + include breaks

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Compare + Contrast: the organization of resources and methods of support in your traditional classroom to what you provide in your online teaching

Rule 4: Invest in Building Intentional Virtual Learning Culture

Explain your norms and expectations in a digestible manner

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Focus on feedback + accept submission in multiple formats

Written, oral, video, student to student in breakout groups, asynchronous comments, emails, social media posts

Rule 5 - You Are Allowed to do What Works for Each Student (Feasibly)

Intentionally infuse CFUs into synchronous + asynchronous sessions

Thumbs up/down, yes/no, chat features, interactive lesson tools (peardeck + nearpod)
Share information
Give feedback on work
Have students reflect on progress/learning

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Additional Resources

Materials to Support Virtual Learning:

www.edelements.com/covid19-school-districts

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Questions or ideas...