Unboxing Education

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...

  TL;DR: Prioritizing social-emotional health in the classroom is crucial for teachers and students, with a focus on health over grades. Teachers should take care of their own well-being to effectively support their students, as they cannot give what they haven’t mastered themselves. Poor social-emotional health among teachers negatively affects student outcomes, emphasizing the need for schools to prioritize teacher well-being, leading to better staff retention and improved student outcomes. SEL for Educators: Teachers are people, too. In the practice of social-emotional  health  in the classroom, school leaders and teachers need to prioritize social-emotional health before learning. We have a saying at my school that a student is a person first, and our priority is always health over grades. Teachers need to take care of their  own social-emotional health  before they can address that of their student s. It is often said that you cannot pour from an empty cup,...

  Supporting students in a virtual environment goes by many names. Coaching mentoring or shepherding are all programs that have been instituted to provide the virtual student with that one key person within the virtual program that can offer them support and guidance. I often liken the mentor, as it is called in my program, to a guidance counselor as it is a person that can see a student's whole schedule and has regular contact with the student and the parents to communicate important information about the virtual program and to answer any questions that the student has. The mentor also communicates with the teachers when a student has an issue such as an extended illness that might impact their ability to work in their classes. Without a mentor, a student can get lost or overlooked in a program. Teachers may know a student is struggling in their class but may not realize that they're not working in any classes or may miss key information about that student's personal life....

  Partnering with community resources can be a great way to expand learning opportunities for students. Schools throughout Michigan partner with businesses and community leaders to offer opportunities such as job shadowing, learning applications, and more.  Businesses often embrace opportunities to work with schools to give back to the community and to ensure a qualified workforce. Inviting business leaders into the school to design career academies is just one way to create a bridge beyond graduation. Another way to create community connections is through applications of learning. Schools can partner with local businesses to expand PE offerings, for example, by using swim lessons at a local facility if the school does not have a pool on campus. Other opportunities include partnering a PE teacher with a fencing instructor to bring a new course offering to the high school. This community involvement can involve other content areas as well, from music to performing arts to outdo...

               Adjusting teacher captivity in an online school is tricky. It is difficult to “see” when the classroom is “full.” However, schools can consider several factors.  First, define all of the jobs a teacher is responsible for. Remember that teaching online and writing an online curriculum are two jobs and should be factored in as such. Then, define what “full time” would look like for each job.  If teaching Algebra 1 on a certain platform is full-time, on its own, at 120 students, create a formula that factors the portion of full time that a teacher has in that category. Repeat for each category. Remember that the number of different jobs reduces a teacher’s efficiency. If teaching 120 students in Algebra is full time, teaching 80 students in 6 classes may be comparable. This will vary by school. Lastly, identify the sweet spot for teachers. 100% capacity would indicate a completely maxed out teacher and this is not an ide...