A good teacher has control over all aspects of the classroom, from the seating chart to the edging on the bulletin board. However, even the best teachers can’t control what happens in a student’s home. The recent pandemic has led to an increase in distance learning.
With every student learning from their own home with its own unique set of distractions, maintaining that same control can seem almost impossible. That’s precisely why it’s so important to keep students interested in what they’re learning now more than ever. To confront this challenge, try these four creative remote learning options for your students.
Creative Remote Learning Options You Have to Try
- Create a Digital Classroom Bookshelf
Literacy is one of the best indicators of positive outcomes for children. Unfortunately, many people stop reading books once they get out of school. Teachers are beginning to curate their digital classroom bookshelves to keep students reading. Using a program like Google Slides or similar, educators can design a literal digital bookshelf complete with thumbnails of book covers and links to ebooks. You can also provide audiobooks for students who prefer to listen to a book. An added benefit of going digital is that you can easily incorporate an online forum or chat room where students can discuss what they’ve read.
- Assign Small Group Projects
These days, many kids miss out on the social interaction they typically get while attending a physical school. Small group assignments give students a reason to connect with their peers in a meaningful way. Small groups also allow students the opportunity to keep each other accountable. Besides the socialization and team management aspects, a group project can break up the day-to-day monotony of sitting in front of a computer for hours, ultimately keeping things interesting for the at-home learner.
- Use Online Resources
Thanks to modern technology, countless online resources help keep students engaged in what they’re learning. For example, museums worldwide, such as the British Museum in London, have offered virtual tours. Adobe Education Exchange offers several science projects for middle school 6th grade students. Even kid-friendly apps like TikTok and Bitmoji can be incorporated into fun lesson plans.
- Digital Spirit Week
Traditionally, spirit weeks have always been a tool to help foster school spirit. It’s also helpful in encouraging students to show up to school. However, you can still foster the same energy and attendance by moving spirit week to the online world. Dress-up days, such as pajama day or hat day, are easy to do in a home environment. You can also get creative by incorporating theme days that wouldn’t work in a traditional classroom, such as a “Show Off Your Pet” day.
Connecting Through Technology
Modern students are getting less face-to-face time with their teachers and classmates, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay disconnected. These are just a few ways teachers can enhance online learning to keep their students engaged.
