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Tag: teach from home

  • Lockdown Learning: Benefits to Teaching Remotely

    Lockdown Learning: Benefits to Teaching Remotely

    Over the course of this time of remote learning, where students are at home, teachers are at home and we’re delivering some form of curriculum to them via a range of methods, usually online, there are a great deal of struggles that make this form of teaching undesirable. There is of course a reason why we continue to deliver widespread education in these places called schools.
    Of course, it’s not for everyone, and homeschoolers across the country are all laughing at us right now!

    But I have to admit, there are SOME benefits to teaching from home – not that I’d ever want to see this style become the new norm!

    1. Not having to announce to the class that you’re going to the office (when you really need a bathroom break).
    2. Snacking.
    3. Muttering under your breath without the fear of students hearing your frustrations.
    4. A wider spread appreciation from parents who now understand the immense task you have dealing with not only their child’s learning, but 29 others as well!
    5. Voice strain nearly non-existent.
    6. Not spending money on things for my class that I really don’t need!
    7. Not having to wait for the microwave.
    8. Not having to think what the weather will be like so you can dress appropriately.
    9. Not having to dress appropriately.
    10. Having bacon and eggs in your dressing gown during a fitness lesson.
    11. Being able to eat a lolly without being snapped by your class. I used to always sneak one back to class when they were on the table in the staff room and then try eat it without the kids noticing!
    12. Having the choice of drinking anything other than water at ‘school’ if I want.
    13. Starting AND finishing a hot coffee.
    14. Being able to check your phone whenever you like.
    15. No lunchtime duty or road patrol in the rain.
    16. Lunchtime doesn’t get filled up with meetings or medical emergencies.
    17. Sleeping in until 8:55 before you start school!
    18. Not having “Classroom” smells.
    19. Not spending all afternoon sorting out a fight that happened at lunchtime.
    20. Not having to constantly remind student’s of their excessive noise levels while working.

    Comment with your own below!

  • Lockdown Learning – List of Resources

    Last week I posted that I would make a list of resources, apps, software, and programs that would assist you in providing remote learning.

    I regret mentioning it. Because I have decided that this is counter-productive for two reasons.

    Firstly, others have already started doing the same thing. Most notably, the Ministry of Education.

    Secondly, due to reflecting on this over the last week or so, I’ve determined that actually, the saturation of these apps and free trials of products is overwhelming and unproductive for many teachers, and actually, Teachers will be better to stick with what we know. It will not only help us to keep our remote learning plans programme manageable (and therefore sustainable) for us, but also will be familiar and accessible to our students who are learning from home and don’t really need to be learning how to use software at the same time. If we know they can already use it because we used it when we were at school together, then we’re more confident that they’ll be able to complete the tasks we’re asking of them.

    So, in short, this is us saying we’re not going to be adding a list of notable software, products that have been made free, or recommended apps for different tasks.

    Use what you’re familiar with. Use what you know works for you and what works for your students.

    If you’d like a list of software, apps, and ideas that can be used to assist you in delivering your remote learning plans, please visit these two sites:

    Learning from Home – learningfromhome.govt.nz

    Teach from Home – teachfromhome.google

  • COVID-19 Lockdown

    Hi all,

    As I’m sure you can appreciate, I’ve been flat out busy focusing on my class and getting remote learning up and running. I’ve been trialing different things and trying to set up a system for learning that works for the students, and works for me as their teacher.

    Because of this, I’ve been somewhat negligent of updating and posting to Unleash Education. I apologise.

    Over the next few weeks I am planning on collating a wide range of resources that might help teachers with remote learning while the country is in lock down.

    Do remember, that we all have different skill levels, especially when it comes to technology and ICT. The expectation is for teachers to do all that is practicable to continue teaching remotely. For some, that might be engaging with all the bells and whistles, video conferencing with students, recording online lessons and opening interactive whiteboards and creating presentations. For others, practicable might just be sending out a weekly plan of some activities students could do at home this week.

    The important thing to remember is to look after yourself.

    Don’t fret if you’re not up with the play and doing all these awesome things technology allows us to do in this day and age. Do what works for you, personally. Don’t compare yourself to others or put yourself down because you feel like you’re doing less than what your colleagues are doing. And if you’re feeling like you’re doing too much and possibly creating unreasonable expectations of yourself, then feel free to scale it back. The chances are if you’re feeling overwhelmed by doing everything, then your students will be feeling the pressure to do everything too, which might be overwhelming for them in this uncertain time.

    So, over the next two weeks during the ‘school holidays’, take some time out for yourself. Get yourself into a routine at home. Figure out how this lock down works for you and your family. Focus on getting that right. Then towards the end of these holidays, just before Easter, begin to work out what remote learning is going to look like for you and your class. Check back here at Unleash Education for ideas or resources. Check out a few of the other key sites about online learning, especially those put out by the Ministry of Education here in New Zealand, such as Learning from Home.

    Stay safe. Stay home. And look after yourself.