Quaranteaching: Teaching in the time of Coronavirus

https://sites.google.com/view/21st-century-education/home

On Friday, March 6, I gave my students video assignments that were easy enough to do and wouldn't hurt their grade, as it was the last day before we let them loose for Spring Break. I was supposed to start dihybrid crosses because we would be testing once we got back, yet I knew I would have countless absences and low engagement. In their minds, they were already on break. So our team decided to give them a Bill Nye video and some questions. It was 20 questions long and I cut it down to 13. The bell rang, and as they turned in their paper on their way out, I handed them a mint, a smile, and a chipper "Have a great break, be ready for your STAAR review, be safe, I will miss you!". They smiled responded, kindly, and sprinted down the hall. My white board read, "0 days until Spring Break", "Genetics" "Sarah (3rd pd), please me me" "STAAR MAY 7!!!!!". My two Astronomy classes, dominated by seniors who's GPAs were locked and colleges decided, spoke of their crazy Spring Break plans. I would not see most of them again.

We rolled out Distance Learning the week after Spring Break due to the Coronavirus outbreak. I was tickled at the idea that I'd have extra time to enjoy my kids, but things got real when the number of infections began to rise. We had heard rumors from the East Coast that they were not returning and had resorted to Distance Learning to finish the year.

Immediately, our district spat out a plan to provide technology and Wi-Fi to as many students as possible before we could make them accountable for any assignments.

We were asked have 1 or 2- 20 minute lessons per week on Google Classrooms, the LMS that the district adopted. The problem: we had only trained them to log into their portal and Google Classrooms and click on a link that we added to their stream or newsfeed. Nothing more, nothing less. I had used Zoom for meetings before and I could share and record my screen. I used this to show students how to navigate their Stream, Classwork, and Grades. I uploaded videos to Youtube.com so that it was easily accessible and no one could say "Miss, the video isn't working". I designed all my lessons with the assumption that all students had a smart phone--the slowest and basic Android.

My goal was to make short, quality 20 minute lessons that had all the information on the assignment itself and to post it as an assignment. This meant that if I provided a Google Form, all the material to answer the questions could be found within the Form--no navigating elsewhere.

What I learned:

1. I was at my computer more than ever and the feedback I gave students was golden.

2. I was finally able to be creative

3. Student productivity was best at 2am, especially when all assignments were posted on a Monday and due the following Sunday.

4. Students like choosing when to do their work.

5. Teacher who used too many links, apps, and resources for one assignments had very low participation.

6. The less announcements, the better.

7. My special education population needed me more than ever and their needy emails warmed my heart.

8. I have felt more success engaging students with active, hands-on lessons.

9. Google Classrooms limited my creative abilities. Next year, I will need Google Sites to support my instruction.

If we continue Distance Learning, I will attempt more problem-based lessons to sum up my lessons and have a website for my students so that they are able to collaborate.

I hope this website will be a historical documentation of my experience teaching during a short-lived pandemic.

See original website. It is a work in progress.

https://sites.google.com/view/21st-century-education/home