Every now and then, someone refers to me as "just an online teacher." It might be said with curiosity, confusion, or even subtle dismissal. It’s a phrase that seems small, like my work is somehow less than what happens in a traditional classroom. But here’s the truth: I’m not just an online teacher. I am an ONLINE Teacher. I remember a quote about Ginger Rogers that says she "did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels." Online teachers do everything but on a computer and in a different location from their students. Online Teaching Is Real Teaching Let’s get this out of the way: online teaching isn’t easier, simpler, or less demanding than face-to-face teaching. It’s not an escape hatch from “real” education. In fact, it often requires more intentional planning, more data-driven decision-making, and more individualization to meet student needs. I don’t just post assignments and hope for the best. I analyze engagement data, craft personali...

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What Does a Virtual Instructional Coach Do?

October 02, 2024

Have you ever struggled to explain to people what it is you do all day? At the intersection of virtual teaching and instructional coaching, I feel this. Many of the excellent resources for instructional coaching are geared toward in-person classrooms. What does a virtual instructional coach do? The same thing they encourage their teachers to do: Borrow, Adapt, Innovate. Here is a graphic I made to explain my role to my teachers. Click here to view in Canva This graphic adapts the 5 coaching approaches in Jill Jackson's book, How to Coach Teachers to Teach (almost) Anything.