Building a Learning Community

Tips for onboarding students and creating a learning community in the hybrid classroom

(Special Thanks Anne Navazio providing framework)

Building a Learning Community

Relationships are foundational to learning. Intentionally building community and a safe space to connect and learn is critical to providing a culture for learning.

• Greet students individually as they enter class
• Start the first few classes with an icebreaker so students can get to know their classmates. LOW STAKES
• Check in with the whole group at beginning of each class
• Provide time to meet with students individually or in small group during class.
• Use feedback to connect with students

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Building a Learning Community

Sharing behavioral expectations as well as routines and rituals for learning assist in creating an engaging culture for learning

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• Share & teach behavioral expectations from the start
• Establish routines for how you want students to perform daily tasks such as responding in a class discussion or turning in their work. OR SAFETY!!!
• Figure out how students who are on-line are going to be able to ask you questions: Chat Box, Google doc
• Set your expectations high and monitor student behavior consistently

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Building a Learning Community

Start each class with whole group concurrent instruction to create a sense of community

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• Introduce new ideas or content where you can solicit input from students and encourage interaction
• Model a skill, process, or concept
• Provide time for questions and answers
• Remind students of important deadlines or tutoring sessions/office hours
• Teach a mini-lesson
• Review previous learning

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Building a Learning Community

Create intentional time to connect and provide feedback to learners as well as provide students time to collaborate with each other

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• Provide time for 1:1 check-ins
• Use small group instruction and breakout rooms
• Train students in providing peer feedback and then create time for it.
• Work with students on setting goals or intentions for learning.
• Use Schoology to provide feedback as students work on their assignments.

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Building a Learning Community

Personalize learning by guiding students through a variety of learning activities

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• Use playlists or hyperdocs that students can work through at their own pace
• Give choices when possible, ex. Choice Board
• Use the station rotation model with one station being time with the teacher
• Use videos, articles, practice activities for learners to engage and go deeper on a specific skill, concept, or practice (Or personalized Screencasts)

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Building a Learning Community

Maximize face to face time with students while other students are working on playlists or assignments

• Small group pull-outs for direct instruction, remediation, or feedback
• Individual, or small group direct instruction such as reteaching, formative assessment, in person discussion
• Small group discussion

Building a Learning Community

Plan engaging, hands on lessons that follow our CTE power standards

• Start with whole group instruction
• Move to whole group and/or split group instruction, independent or collaborative work time engaging students with builds, screencasts, playlists, discussion boards, project preparation, formative/summative assessments, etc.
• Finish with whole group closure, review, formative assessment, reminders, etc

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Building a Learning Community

Design these standards-based lessons with balance in mind

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• Online vs. Offline
• Independent vs. Collaborative
• Teacher Voice vs. Student Voice
• Teacher Paced vs. Student Paced
• Practice vs. Creation
• Teacher Feedback vs. Peer Feedback

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Building a Learning Community

MBE Reminders from Tom Sherrington, author, teacher, and research translator on Reestablishing Teaching Routines following Covid-19:

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• Students have been missing: Discussions, Questions, Checks for Understanding, Guided Practice, Face to Face time with their teacher and friends
• The more school feels straightforward and normal, the better it will be
• Focus on making it as “un-weird” as possible

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Building a Learning Community

Key MBE Priorities: Consider this the biggest reset of all time! Reset Classroom Interactions

• Reestablish routines: Rehearse & reinforce them
• Positive framing of directions: warm, friendly, “so happy to be back!”
• Recognize that students are out of practice in listening & talking, asking & answering questions
• Reteach listening signals: “We are not moving on until everyone is listening.” Then affirm with, “This is great! Let’s go!”

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Building a Learning Community

Key MBE Priorities: Reset Learning Goals

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• Look Back: What learning experiences have students had since they were last in school?
• Look Forward: What should they know by the end of the school year?
• Check for learning gaps through formative assessment and then reteach, review and plan and adjust instruction accordingly while still moving forward in the curriculum

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Building a Learning Community

Key MBE Priorities: Use Principles of Retrieval Practice

• Involve everyone
• Make it easy and interactive; have students explain concepts to each other
• Use a variety of questioning techniques to check for understanding
• Use guided practice during the time students are present
• Make students feel secure

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Building a Learning Community

Take care of yourself!

Concurrent Instruction in the Secondary ELA Classroom

Helpful Resources

Schoology Virtual Learning Resources

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The Hub

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Resources for Hybrid Instruction

Summer 2020