Digital Learning Part 2: More things that worked

 

I have a kid who comes to class regularly. He always turns in his work, sometimes participates in the discussion through the chat and once has let me hear his voice. He was in my class last year, so I know what he looks like, know he likes math and know that other kids really like and respect him.

In recent weeks, he had been a little less chatty in the chat (although he did comment that I was dressed as an avocado at Halloween and NOT a banana) and last week I had to ask him to refine his project before I graded it so that it would match his prior excellence. He complied within thirty minutes. I have suspicions about what was going on and I am fairly certain this dip in engagement had more to do with the content and flow of class than it did with anything the kid may have been facing. This I know for certain, the problem was more on my end than on his.

Evidence of this theory came yesterday when he wrote this statement on this classwork: "also, it's fun doing this." I was charmed by his use of the word "also" - a personal favorite of mine - but mostly by his sentiment that class was fun.

In real school, I take pride in the feedback I get from kids that math is fun. We joke a lot, we solve fun problems, we make goofy sketches to show how we are thinking and there is a fair amount of ribbing. This goes both ways as the kids are allowed to tease me which lets me know it's OK to tease them back.

In virtual school, this sensibility is hard to create. Some jokes fall flat, some lessons are just bad and it's really hard to share your goofy sketches via Google Meet. We are getting better at all of these but I think the underlying reason that class is improving is that I am getting better at managing the content and flow of learning. Allow me to explain.

When virtual school first started, I had silly expectations for what would work, for the stamina of kids and for everyone's ability to be "together" virtually for sustained periods of time. In hindsight, I wonder what the hell I was thinking, but I am working on forgiving myself for that.

Here is a brief and incomprehensive list of the stupid things I did:

• put kids into small groups without their consent
• assume that kids who needed help would ask for it
• get offended when kids didn't do the work/show up for class/ask for help
• not provide time to play with numbers and ideas as a means of getting to know eachother
• try to cram too much into a class
• move so slowly that more than half of the kids were falling asleep
• give confusing directions

Kids provided some loud feedback on all of these problems. There was the kid who kept leaving class but always turned in his work, the kid who had to be "right" all the time and interrupted everyone, the moms who reported that their kids were going to THEM for help and not me, and the kids - like my superstar math student - who just became disengaged.

It helps in these moments to have a public element to one's failure. I have a student teacher who bore witness to all of this plus the moms who kept calling me. The students themselves had a different method of communicating their displeasure, but an effective one.

What I learned - again - was that teachers need to invite kids into the learning. That's not always easy, because what we think is fun or will work is not what is fun or works for students. But as with anything in life, nothing is fun unless you get invited to join.

Another thing I re-learned was agency matters. Humans need options and choice. Do you want to work with me? Great! I am here for that. Do you need to work alone? Sure thing. Come back at 11:15 so we can go over this. Do you like Jamboards over Desmos lessons? No problem, I have both. Do you want to tell me what you had for snack? Awesome, I will listen. It takes time and planning to provide this environment for kids, but it is worth it. The levels of engagement, camaraderie and fun that we are having in class have increased tenfold. That that goes for me, too. I find myself waking up really excited for class to start - at a level that rivals my in-person experience.

The final thing that brings all of these together and makes any of it possible is to know kids. I am fortunate to loop with my students. All of my 6th graders - who are in class with my 5th graders thanks to multi-age classrooms - I know from last year. This has created a sense of community that we would not have had otherwise.

Getting to know the 5th graders was more challenging. Some kids want to be vocal and known, some kids need more time to feel comfortable. Every time a kid turns on their camera for the first time, types in the chat or says something outloud is a moment to be honored. It's a sign that kids are accepting the invitation and ready for a new invitation to do the next thing. Teachers need to take note and celebrate these small wins because they can easily be capitalized upon.

Each day of class this week and for both of my classes, I have noticed a shift. New people are sharing, over-sharers are respecting boundaries, work in being completed and kids are having fun. We're in this for the long haul, folks. It is essential that we make class a positive experience for our kids and ourselves (and also for the families who need to get their own work done and not be pestered by their confused kids). 

The most compelling reason to make this work, however, is the kids. When they are invited into the learning, they show up, they try, they learn and they make school - even virtual school - a really great place to be. Also, it's fun doing this.