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  A Blog from the Heart

Tips & Tricks for the New virtual Teacher

3/25/2020

2 Comments

 
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Many of us recently moved to virtual teaching for the first time. Teaching in a classroom is very different from teaching online. We are used to engaging students in person, but can we still be engaging through a laptop screen? Some of the ideas I will share to accomplish this come from my 15 years teaching experience in the classroom and the online platform, VipKid.
​(Click here for more information about VipKid- a web based platform for teaching English to Chinese children)

Here are 2 things you must do to be a successful online teacher.
​
​#1: BE PROFESSIONAL
#2: BE ENGAGING


Let's dissect those two tips to understand what I'm talking about...
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#1 - Professionalism

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  • First, make sure you have scheduled and communicated your meeting information in advance. Your students and parents miss you, so make sure you are ON TIME.
  • Next, be presentable. "Dress Up from the Waist Up". It doesn't make a difference if you wear shorts and are barefoot because no one is going to know.  Wear a smile and a nice top and you're good to go. If you work at a school that requires a uniform shirt (like mine), then wear that.
  • Then, make sure you're prepared with a pen and notebook or Communication Log. (get FREE log here) Keeping a Communication Log will put your time with the student on record. You can always refer back to it - which is important when tracking student progress. Schedule time between your meetings. This allows you the opportunity to complete the Communication Log. Otherwise, it will be difficult to remember what was covered after having several meetings back to back.
  • Also, don't forget about parent presence. You may not be able to see them in your window of vision on the screen, but that doesn't mean they are not watching and listening nearby.  Just as you are inside and outside the classroom, be cognizant of your demeanor, tone, and attitude. Always be respectful.

#2 - Engagement

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  • You did this in your classroom and you're going to do the same online. Teachers are award winning Actors and Actresses. Even on our rough days we can go to class and "put on a show" - making sure the learning never stops. Smile!
  • Now, set the stage for your performance aka your backdrop. This is important because your backdrop will help connect them to the classroom they're missing. The wall could include learning posters, a calendar, maybe a white board, etc. Students should not be able to tell you're sitting on your bed with a laptop and your feet up. Also, remember to "stay ON stage". You lose their attention when you leave the frame, so make sure everything you are going to use is within reach without you leaving their sight.
  •  Next, use props! Your props are the manipulatives you want to use to grab their attention. Some of my favorite props include colored glasses, a pointer, magnetic letters, base ten blocks and puppets.
  •  Lastly, keep your audience focused on the performance. In other words, Classroom Management. Yes, you still need to manage their behavior during their lessons online with you. Communicate your online classroom expectations and provide incentives for paying attention. Maybe throughout the lesson they earn stars that you draw on the board or they get to pick a prop they want you to use.  Need an assist? See the Top 3 Tips to use and improve Classroom Management online and offline.

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I hope these tips help make your transition into the virtual teaching world a little easier. To my fellow Educators, thank you for continuing to empower our children. Your dedication is MAGNIFICENT. Happy Teaching!

2 Comments

Three TIPS to Improve Classroom Management

7/1/2019

8 Comments

 
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Before I began teaching 14 years ago I imagined sweet little boys and girls who would hang onto my every word and do everything I asked…was I ever wrong! Student behavior challenges are happening in classrooms across the country. Learning what I like to call the “Three Rs” changed me, my students and the classroom atmosphere.
 
Number One - Routine
Classroom management begins with routines and procedures. You must have a routine in place from the moment your students walk through the door. But it only works with consistency, consistency, consistency. Just as GPS helps navigate us to our destination, routines help you maintain order and help students navigate through their day. Disruptions are minimized when there is an activity in place for every part of the day. Down-time is wasted learning time and an opportunity for kids to “be kids”.
 
Number Two - Relationship
Get to know your students. Ask them questions and show interest. Knowing what they care about, what their hobbies are, etc will reveal valuable information that you can use to inspire their learning. It lets your students know that they matter to you. I remember having 60-second conferences with each student, every day. It usually took no more than 20minutes and I allowed the student to share whatever they liked with me. We made a rule that no one could interrupt a conference. The students loved it and will love having you all to themselves. That  little bit of undivided attention made all the difference. Students work hard for teachers they love and building a positive teacher-student relationship will make classroom management that much easier.

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Number Three - Reward
Recognize and acknowledge good behavior. Praise and rewards keep students alert and looking for your “shout out”. Give it to them and acknowledge positive behavior when it happens. High fives, class chants, and SMILING… yes smiling, make all the difference. I frequently keep a bag of mini marshmallows with me in the classroom. You’d be amazed at how hard a student will work for a marshmallow, seriously. Whenever I pulled the bag out and set it on the front table, chairs pulled up to the desks and backs became a little straighter, and their eyes followed me like a hawk. The delivery of the lesson flowed because I had their undivided attention. The power of a marshmallow, who knew?
 
The goal is to instill positive behavior and so the reward should not always be tangible. We want students to behave because they are supposed to and not just because they may receive a material (or edible) reward. There are plenty of Non-Tangible rewards to provide students to inspire their best self… extra tablet time for example, eating lunch with the teacher, a homework pass, and more. You'll find twenty-five of my favorite non-tangible rewards to pull from that you can Download Now for your reference.  Need a personal behavior chart to help your student set goals and track their progress? Check out these Individual Behavior Charts.

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lease comment below to share what has worked for you! I’m always looking for new and fresh ideas to put in my bag of classroom management tricks. ​

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    ​Author

    I'm Simone. I am a wife, mommy, and educator. I believe in teaching from your heart and not from a book...

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