What can we learn?

John Dewey said (1938) said, "We always live at the time we live and not at some other time, and only by extracting at each present time the full meaning of each present experience are we prepared for doing the same thing in the future."

I am inspired by this quote! In thinking about how the pandemic has upended learning time and what we might learn from this, indeed this quote can inspire many educators. 

We need to learn how to do remote learning right and well. No one could have wished for this pandemic, and silver linings only come with storm clouds. It is the time to re-evaluate archaic structures and approaches and move boldly toward mastery-based approaches that leverage both online tools and the unique human touch of teachers across expanded schedules and forms of learning. 

Indeed, once mandatory remote learning is over, we should capture the best of these efforts and incorporate them into our instructional repertoire. 

The simple truth is that remote and hybrid learning will be with us for the foreseeable future, as we continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. For so many students, the classroom is no longer just inside the school building. 

Teachers need to remember that relationships are key to resilience, so anything that teachers can do to help foster relationships should be a priority now. I invite educators to be crystal, crystal clear with students that you miss them and you care about them. 

Trauma takes power from people, so trauma-informed educators need to think critically about how they can empower students through shared decision-making and authentic choice. Empowerment applies to assignment as well. We need to give them tools to think about "How am I affecting the world around me?" Trauma is not destiny. Healing is possible.

During the summer, I have set up on Moodle Page two online novel studies; one novel with my Middle School students and one novel with my High School students. I have always held a deep belief that reading, both solitary and communal, has an impact on who we are and how we interact with the world. Indeed conversations about books tend to turn into conversations about being human.

Just as I do for my traditional classes, I bring a lesson plan to the online book chat. I provide a reading guide ahead of time and I let the students take the lead. Student-to-student conversation is better than student-to-teacher discussion, and the less time the teacher chimes in, the better. 

The overarching goal of my two online summer reading groups is to promote a love of literature in a positive, supportive environment. I use stories to cultivate connections and empathy. 

Teachers should also emphasize a cohesive, well-sequenced curriculum with lots of background information on different topics embedded within it so that no students are left hanging when they read. Background knowledge, both about the topic and about the world in general, plays an important role in helping my students make sense of a text because the things readers already know "work like a scaffold on which to build a more complete and nuanced mental model of the subject matter."

Background knowledge acts as scaffolding, so when a student builds on existing information they already know, they are better able to understand and remember the material. Background knowledge also helps students draw inferences, which develops critical thinking skills and makes reading more enjoyable. When they can grasp the material and link it to back their own experiences or existing knowledge, they are more likely to build a lifelong reading habit. 

It is important to improve their prior knowledge before dealing with the text. Assessing students' prior knowledge allows the teacher to focus and adapt his or her teaching plan. For students, it helps them to construct connections between old and new knowledge. 

I also use the knowledge Taxonomy: 

1. Remembering: Can the student recall or remember the information?
2. Understanding: Can the student explain ideas or concepts?
3. Applying: Can the student use the information in a new way?
4. Analyzing: Can the student distinguish between the different parts?
5. Evaluating: Can the student justify a stand or decision?
6. Creating: Can the student create new product or point of view?

This school year will be unlike any other: grace, empathy, kindness, teamwork, and support will be more important NOW than ever. 

Our heart and soul has a deep need to articulate love, kindness, and empathy through music, art, books, films, and teaching to help and connect with each other on our journeys. 

Teaching our students kindness and gratitude is how we are going to change our world.