Usually by point in the school year, there's Play Days, Talent Shows, Popsicles and a Fun Friday feel to every afternoon. June in an elementary school has an energy that is a lot like the Grand Canyon: one has to experience it to truly appreciate it. It can be hard to create that excitement and anticipation in a digital classroom, but we're trying. There's so much out there in the media about what students aren't getting right now. In my class, I'd like to think my students are still making gains. It's not time wasted. There is plenty of purposeful, life-long learning.
Making the most of our instructional time together, trying to bridge gaps in learning from a disrupted school year, building relationships and finding ways to bring that June feel to a digital space: those are the goals right now. We're doing the heavy stuff before lunch and keeping things a little lighter in the afternoon. With more movement breaks and the occasional "Moustache Morning" thrown in for fun, my hope is that students will continue their hard work and dedication to their success.
I admire and appreciate how the kids in my class have found their way through all this. We've established new routines and learned many important skills that aren't part of a typical grade three curriculum. For example, did third graders know how to share their screens prior to all this? Did they understand the difference between an editable and non-editable document ("Mrs. M, you shared the link, but you haven't made me an editor.")? Did they know that it's courteous to offer an explanation or apology upon return when one abruptly leaves an online meeting?
Just like an in-person environment, there is very much a place for leadership, initiative and community in an online classroom. I think there's an even bigger place for effective communication and old-fashioned good manners. I love how so many of the classroom policies that would be in place in person: use a person's name before speaking to them, wait until someone is speaking before raising your hand to share and show effective body language while listening and learning are still a priority in the Google Classroom. Overall, my students have become very mature and flexible in terms of coping with tech problems, lessons that don't go as smoothly as I'd hoped or moments where I can't get into my own Google Meet. They've become outstanding digital citizens this year and there is something to be said for that. Grade three is not the last time they'll be learning and meeting online. My hope is they've learned skills to help them to be successful for life.
As teachers, we wear many hats throughout the day; tv show host wasn't really one of them prior to this. I'm getting better at my tv producer/writer/lighting/sound/hosting skills and that's a win for everyone. There's definitely been some heavy-duty life-long learning happening for me too (a ring light...what a wonderful invention!).
Long before June, a classroom feels like a family. We were well on our way to this when we left the school back in April. Although we're now meeting in a digital space, there is an undeniable "taking care of each other" happening in our Google Meet each day, and that's a reflection of the people I spend my day with, and their families.
As that last day gets closer and closer, I will continue to look for creative ways to bring that "Popsicles in June" feeling to my classroom. I think we need that now more than any other school year. We are, after all, a little family getting ready to move on after a year where we journeyed together in such a unique way. Someone said that for teachers, the transition from teaching in person to online (with no training or funding whatsoever, I might add) is a bit like building the plane while flying it. I couldn't agree more. My heart is full of gratitude for my patient, courteous, supportive and engaged passengers. We've done this together and like the Grand Canyon, you just have to experience it first hand to appreciate it.
