I am grateful to teach in a school where we care about safety so much so that we have thoughtful, clear, consistent, and concrete rules and policies, along with adjusted facilities and processes during Covid. We are flexible enough to change things up when we need to, and we have resources to provide a safe learning environment for all students & faculty. I am grateful we have students and families who care so much about education that they support us in the work we do. I often say, It’s a Great Day to Be a De Smet Jesuit Spartan. And it is! Especially, during class. Here is what has worked (and why) in my classroom this year during a pandemic. Written Agenda Before each class, I post my detailed class agenda in our MSTeams meeting notes. This agenda is more thorough than usual and though this agenda can change, students have access to this agenda prior to class – they know what is coming. Perhaps this access to our daily agenda helps alleviate anxiety and stress. The agenda is clear and consistent communication for students. Routine Students in my junior English class know what to expect when they walk into class because there is a formal and regularly followed routine for class. Though we may not cover as much material and we may deviate from the material when we need to, students know there is a routine that is generally the same each day. Students come in, immediately sit down in their assigned seats, and get class materials ready. When class begins, I take attendance noting those in-person and remote. Gentle reminders about seating, staying masked up, using protocols, remaining seated and physically distanced, and participating during class assure students and call them to task. Maintaining routine is a trauma-informed practice. Two Minutes Each class, we begin with two minutes of silence and practice our breathing. The lights are usually dimmed. Students close their computers, shut their eyes, and empty their brains – in preparation for our class. This time is characterized by total silence, breathing practice, internal reflection, stopping, resetting, and preparing for the coming class. There is a beautiful sound to communal breathing during a quiet class. Most importantly, silence and breathing practice helps lower levels of stress and raise levels of consciousness. Announcements After two minutes of silence, I begin with announcements that include the following:
In-Person Student Liaison for Remote Learners I am thankful our school has the technological resources and training to offer class for both in-person learners and remote learners – at the same time. One tool that helps me manage both types of learners during class is an in-person student liaison for remote learners. His responsibilities include logging into our MSTeams meeting space, where remote learners are required to be logged into. The in-person student liaison updates our class notes in the MSTeams meeting chat, as well as advocates for remote learners when they have questions or need help. Assigning in-person student liaisons offers the in-person learner a leadership responsibility during class and offers remote learners resources toward a more equitable learning environment. Community-Building Reflection Question or Prompt Each day, after announcements, I offer a community-building reflection question or prompt. For example: tell a brief story about someone you admire and love. The best questions or prompts each day challenge students to reflect on their own personal experiences as they have tied or will tie into the material. The task for this particular prompt mirrors what happened in a recent TedTalk about Indigenous people, when the presenter told stories about people she admired. After students write their personal responses to the question or prompt, we have an opening conversation. Such reflection questions and conversations allow us to get to know one another, connect our lives to the course material, and help us build community during a time when we all feel high levels of stress and perhaps isolation. Participation Each day, in-person and remote learners know what participation looks like during class. Students understand they must be prepared for class, have their materials out or readily available. Students must be actively taking notes in OneNote (where I am able to check their notes), and they must be contributing to the conversation of the class. Regardless of their status as in-person or remote, I try to call on each student each day. Students earn participation points, which are 15% of their overall grade in the class. Through participation, students understand they can positively affect the learning of their classmates by being prepared and by offering opinions. Everyone’s work matters when we come together as a class, even though that work might look different for each person. We all contribute to building a viable community by participating. Finally . . . Use of Specific Language and Verbal Repetition Verbal queues and repetition of specific language is important during class. Repetition of key words and learning new words as part of our spoken language supports routine. Repetition gives the class a sense of community and connectedness. Some phrases I use each day include:
1 Comment
Ken Luecke
11/4/2020 08:16:53 pm
Very insightful and educational. It is nice to know that there is some part of life in these days which is clear, recognizable and reassuring.
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Pete MussoAssistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction Archives
May 2022
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