9-1-1! Teaching And Learning Online - in an emergency!

Teachers are asking a lot of themselves right now. I can't say the school boards are asking for it, or parents are asking for it, or students are asking for it.

Teachers are asking themselves to become experts in online teaching in a short amount of time. Teachers are expecting they can continue on, as normal, under the most unusual of conditions.

Well, to them, I have one phrase that's been repeating through my mind the past three weeks: Settle Yer Kettle.

Stop.
Think.
Then react.

You're not going to turn into an online teacher overnight. Your students aren't going to turn into online learners overnight - if at all! Your students are being asked to do something they've never done, and they've never signed up for. So are you.

So be gentle on yourself. Be kind. Be patient. Be compassionate to yourself.

In fact, this website  has a whole section on WELLNESS. Check it out - there's some good stuff there for students, and for teachers - including resources on how to be self-compassionate.

I've worked with teaching and learning online since 2006, and one thing has always been true to me: nobody's designated school is the online school. Every student comes to online learning for a different reason. 

In March of this year, hundreds of thousands of students came to online learning as a last resort - as an emergency.

This isn't ideal. For you, or for them.

Recognize that. Be gentle with yourself, and realize a lot of what you're putting together isn't really great Online Learning - it's Emergency Remote Teaching.

This article has been linked on the COVID-19 page on our website, and I'm including it here for your reference.

The Difference Between Emergency Remote Teaching and Online Learning 

​click for article

There are lots of ways we can help support you be the best that you can be - and part of that is capitalizing on what you're already doing, and what you have been doing with your students from the beginning of the semester.

Making connections.
Building relationships.
Helping them be the best they can be.

COVID-19 hasn't changed any of that. I promise.

Take good care of yourself.
-M