Teaching From Home
Teaching from Home: The Virtual Way
If like myself you are setting up distance learning for your students due to school closure amidst the COVID19 outbreak, I understand that you are feeling overwhelmed by the technological use involved in online teaching. In fact, all teachers are now scrambling to adapt to these changes; but change is good, so don’t beat yourselves up about it. There is a plethora of online resources that can assist you in maneuvering teaching from home, meeting with your students virtually and continuing the teaching learning process. Albeit, the use of technology in teaching is not new, it is fair to acknowledge the fact that some teachers are not technologically savvy as others and as such they would prefer to just upload their planned activities via WhatsApp to their students instead of delving into other online platforms. I hear you, I see you, I understand and that’s why this blog post is geared towards helping teachers like you become more aware and educated at the same time. Then, I have my readers who are technologically driven and seek to learn more each time a new app is created; so you are now skimming through to ‘feed your hunger’. Technology is at the forefront of everything we do and it is vital that we continue to incorporate it in our daily lives while we aim to continue connecting with our students. In this post, I have outlined four tools that will guide you through the process of effectively using online resources to your advantage to assist your students at home.
The ZOOM App
This App has become a popular online tool since social distancing became the norm. It is easily accessible from the App Store and allows you to share lessons, conduct class meetings and share videos with students. It’s free to sign up using your email and once you are in and ready to deliver a 30 minutes lesson to your class you invite them to download the app and share the link so they can log in and join. You will be able to see all the students who have joined your class and for those who couldn’t attend; the zoom meeting can be recorded and sent to them. You also get to monitor their audio and video by muting them so they will all be focused on you with no interruptions. For class discussions you simply unmute when you are ready. Exciting isn’t it? It’s your virtual classroom link to teaching your students and I guarantee that parents will appreciate it, as some of them might be struggling to teach specific concepts to their child/children. This way your students get the opportunity to see and interact with you while they learn. Principals, Heads of Departments, Grade Coordinators and Guidance Counsellors can also use this platform to set up meetings for common planning in order to ensure unison for plans of action formulated. I’ve used this app twice already and I highly recommend it, so go check it out if you haven’t already.
Google Teach From Home
Google is a household name that is widely used regardless of age or qualifications. Google has compiled a temporary hub of remote learning resources for educators with online videos, tutorials and tools on all Google Education products to help teachers when they can’t be in the classroom. You can access the teacher help center for Google Teach From Home HERE.
YouTube Learn at Home
YouTube, yet another popular tool we browse daily. YouTube just launched a page for educators that highlight channels you can link in your lessons and students can watch at home. The channels are categorized by age group and include all subject areas. Many of these high quality channels you may have already been using in your classrooms, but now they are all archived in one place so you simply send links to your students using the Zoom app or any other of your choice. Click HERE to access YouTube Learn@Home.
Classroom 101
This website powered by Flow is now recommended by the Ministry of Education for teachers to use as their online platform. This too is easily accessible and allows you to upload the relevant content and YouTube links so your students can register and join your classes daily. The website link is sent to parents so they can register their child, from there you will be able to send the class code to each child registered and they will all see what you have set up for them to do.
All of these tools are good ways to support your lessons and provide additional ways for kids to learn at home. While there is always a learning curve when trying something new, once you get your platforms in place, teaching from home is easy. It’s not the same as being in the classroom, but the novelty for students makes it fun. Who knows when COVID19 will be placed under control for lockdowns to be lifted, so there’s no greater time than now to build you technological expertise.
If like myself you are setting up distance learning for your students due to school closure amidst the COVID19 outbreak, I understand that you are feeling overwhelmed by the technological use involved in online teaching. In fact, all teachers are now scrambling to adapt to these changes; but change is good, so don’t beat yourselves up about it. There is a plethora of online resources that can assist you in maneuvering teaching from home, meeting with your students virtually and continuing the teaching learning process. Albeit, the use of technology in teaching is not new, it is fair to acknowledge the fact that some teachers are not technologically savvy as others and as such they would prefer to just upload their planned activities via WhatsApp to their students instead of delving into other online platforms. I hear you, I see you, I understand and that’s why this blog post is geared towards helping teachers like you become more aware and educated at the same time. Then, I have my readers who are technologically driven and seek to learn more each time a new app is created; so you are now skimming through to ‘feed your hunger’. Technology is at the forefront of everything we do and it is vital that we continue to incorporate it in our daily lives while we aim to continue connecting with our students. In this post, I have outlined four tools that will guide you through the process of effectively using online resources to your advantage to assist your students at home.
The ZOOM App
This App has become a popular online tool since social distancing became the norm. It is easily accessible from the App Store and allows you to share lessons, conduct class meetings and share videos with students. It’s free to sign up using your email and once you are in and ready to deliver a 30 minutes lesson to your class you invite them to download the app and share the link so they can log in and join. You will be able to see all the students who have joined your class and for those who couldn’t attend; the zoom meeting can be recorded and sent to them. You also get to monitor their audio and video by muting them so they will all be focused on you with no interruptions. For class discussions you simply unmute when you are ready. Exciting isn’t it? It’s your virtual classroom link to teaching your students and I guarantee that parents will appreciate it, as some of them might be struggling to teach specific concepts to their child/children. This way your students get the opportunity to see and interact with you while they learn. Principals, Heads of Departments, Grade Coordinators and Guidance Counsellors can also use this platform to set up meetings for common planning in order to ensure unison for plans of action formulated. I’ve used this app twice already and I highly recommend it, so go check it out if you haven’t already.
Google Teach From Home
Google is a household name that is widely used regardless of age or qualifications. Google has compiled a temporary hub of remote learning resources for educators with online videos, tutorials and tools on all Google Education products to help teachers when they can’t be in the classroom. You can access the teacher help center for Google Teach From Home HERE.
YouTube Learn at Home
YouTube, yet another popular tool we browse daily. YouTube just launched a page for educators that highlight channels you can link in your lessons and students can watch at home. The channels are categorized by age group and include all subject areas. Many of these high quality channels you may have already been using in your classrooms, but now they are all archived in one place so you simply send links to your students using the Zoom app or any other of your choice. Click HERE to access YouTube Learn@Home.
Classroom 101
This website powered by Flow is now recommended by the Ministry of Education for teachers to use as their online platform. This too is easily accessible and allows you to upload the relevant content and YouTube links so your students can register and join your classes daily. The website link is sent to parents so they can register their child, from there you will be able to send the class code to each child registered and they will all see what you have set up for them to do.
All of these tools are good ways to support your lessons and provide additional ways for kids to learn at home. While there is always a learning curve when trying something new, once you get your platforms in place, teaching from home is easy. It’s not the same as being in the classroom, but the novelty for students makes it fun. Who knows when COVID19 will be placed under control for lockdowns to be lifted, so there’s no greater time than now to build you technological expertise.
Thank you for that
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