Written by Sean Dolcy, AP STEM and Wellness
- Create a Clear Expectation of a virtual Day Schedule
Students respond by structure in all scenarios. Your school template of a day should mimic your normal school day with an abbreviated schedule. For example, 80 minute classes, now 40 minutes each. Create the schedule period by period. - Share Your Vision with your staff Through Expectations
Set your expectations as a list. Giving your colleagues concise, clear directions is an easy way to set the tone for remote Learning. Any conversation and discussion can evolve once you’ve set the boundaries. Just as students, set a teacher schedule. For example, if a teacher has periods 1,2, 5 and 7 each day, then their resources or live meetings with students should be prepared and shared at those start times each day, remotely. - Make Concessions and Agreements Instead of Arguments and Demands
Teachers have the expertise, let them guide the glows and grows. Your job is to facilitate this content execution. Identify your experienced technology teachers and allow them to lead and offer advice. Support your teachers that feel uncomfortable and apprehensive by giving them small, short, easily attained goals. Offer support in their planning. - Model Remote Learning Expectations
Run your meetings with remote access and while addressing the new changes point out the facets of your Professional Development that are useful pedagogical tools in live teaching/streaming. Your teachers, after all, consistently prove their abilities to be flexible and adapt every year. - Offer Your Availability and Require a Mode of Feedback and Positivity
Ask your teachers reflect on positive moments in their remote learning in a google doc or google sheet accessible to an entire department or staff. Monitor the sheet with an admin column where once a day you give comments, positive feedback and highlight the work your staff is engaging in. This immediate feedback instills confidence that you are managing a new system, virtually, and want to actively support your community.