Whether you're going to be fully online for the '20-'21 school year, or some combination of virtual and in-person, it's going to be important that your spaces are clear and cohesive. One of the most essential aspects of being in a physical classroom is the way that the space lends itself to the various tools for and modes of learning. Anchor charts, communal space for peer work, hands-on access to materials and equipment-- all of these things and more work to bolster the connections in students' minds and elevate their learning. In times where it's dangerous to be in physical proximity, how do we access those same benefits, but virtually?
Establish Clear Expectations
Just as you likely have norms, rules, or guidelines for your classroom, the same should be established for the online world. Even though it may feel obvious that the same decorum we expect in person should also go for online, we need to explicitly outline-- or even co-construct-- these expectations for students. The good news is this isn't "another thing" you have to worry about covering early on; it's more of an extension of what you're likely already doing. This can be tucked in to the beginning of the year agenda, when you're performing other community-building activities. By laying this groundwork early on, you're communicating to students that virtual school is "real" school, and that their presence as students has just as much of an effect on the virtual learning community as it does on the in-person community.
Categorize
In order to ensure that you and your students stay organized, especially when switching between the physical and virtual classroom, lay out a master organizational paradigm. Come up with a master plan using approximately 8-10 categories that you see yourself using throughout the year. This could be based off of activities, skills, or topics that you'll use in class. Then, make sure that both the brick-and-mortar room and your online platform follow these categories. For example, in your classroom you may have a corner for your classroom library, a wall for vocabulary, and a shelf for useful handouts. Make sure that you have spaces for these same things in your virtual classroom, even if the contents are slightly different. You'll want to use the same terminology in both places as well. Even though it may seem logical that anything found on your "Word Wall" could be found in your "Vocabulary" folder, using the same language will help to clear up any doubts.
Conduct Scavenger Hunts
You'll want to get your students familiar with all the tools and materials they have access to pretty quickly so that you can dive into the main learning. If you're going to be in-person for any portion of your school year, you might consider breaking the scavenger hunt into two parts: the first, in-person segment can be done one of your first days in school together. The second could be that day's homework, in which they go home and explore your virtual site. Especially if you have taken the time to create categories consistent across these two spaces, the similar structure will help them reinforce their familiarity and preparedness in both settings.
Replicate your Room Online
You may have seen the trend many creative teachers have taken to over the course of distance learning, in which, using their Bitmoji avatars, teachers design a digital classroom that resembles their own. Especially if you're a fan of the little cartoon mini-me's, this might be a choice option. Examples can be found here, and there are many tutorials and directions, such as these.
Another option would be to use Thinglink. While the idea is similar, this option would allow you to have a more literal translation of your classroom, and approximate the space more closely. Here are the steps you could follow:
Take a 360 photo of your room.
Upload the photo to Thinglink.
Create tags for the prominent spaces in your room, and link relevant content to them.
This might be an especially attractive option for students who need more scaffolding for their executive functioning, and for whom the abstract nature of online platforms such as Google Classroom might pose an added obstacle.
Utilize Breakout Room Functionality
Another essential aspect of in-person instruction is the ability to work with small groups. The intimacy and customization of this time is invaluable. Luckily many platforms have functionality that mimics this practice. Zoom has many helpful features, breakout rooms included, and as of this summer, Google has committed to updating their Meets to include such functionality as well. Creating small, targeted groups that allows you the flexibility to execute some of the same differentiated work you would in the school building.
Personalize your Virtual Space
One of the obstacles many teachers faced during distance learning was student engagement, especially as the weeks crept on. There are many tricks to combat lack of interest and motivation, one of them being to construct your virtual space alongside your students, in a way that makes them feel invested in the space. Here are some ideas:
Have students vote (weekly, biweekly, or monthly) on what image they would like as the classroom background or banner.
Have a different student in charge each week of choosing the background/banner image.
Choose a student every day to post an inspirational quote or image in the common space (such as Google Classroom Stream).
Balance Routine with Variety
Students are going to benefit from dependability and consistency as we all continue to navigate major shifts in all sorts of areas. This is why you're going to want to make routine and familiarity a bastion in your class. At the same time, as previously discussed, engagement is also a major factor in a successful run of teaching. Therefore, looking for key points at which these two intersect can make for an effective combination. Some suggestions:
Broadcast from the same spot, but change it up depending on the activity. Example: read-alouds always take place in front of the geometric wallpaper, while grammar lessons take place at your desk.
Display a different book on a shelf in your video background each day.
Post a morning message and fun question each day at the same time.
Hide an Easter egg somewhere in your daily activities or announcements.
Remember: consistency is key. And you're already ahead, having learned so much during what we can now refer to as our trial run earlier this year. And your students will thrive thanks to your planning and conscientiousness. What other ways are you planning on making your virtual and physical classrooms more cohesive?
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