Planting Inspiration
This week my students will be planning a virtual garden, these students will need to pick their plants, and then create a garden. They could use google slide, or another platform. While I am planning this material for my student to be working on this week, there are a few questions going in my head.
When we were in the classroom there were questions asked by me, the students would get about 10 seconds to think on the question then I would ask for responses. I am having a really hard time doing this virtually, I have been using google forms as part of their classroom experience. If I could tell that the students were not putting in the brain power to answer the question the way that I expected I would ask another question until we got a better class discussion.
When we were in the classroom there were questions asked by me, the students would get about 10 seconds to think on the question then I would ask for responses. I am having a really hard time doing this virtually, I have been using google forms as part of their classroom experience. If I could tell that the students were not putting in the brain power to answer the question the way that I expected I would ask another question until we got a better class discussion.
It is really hard for me to have class discussions virtually.
I think that with everything happening around them can they work clear minded on their school work? probably not, I mean I can't. I keep wondering how much longer our lives are going to be this way.
I am going to try some virtual field trips this week. stay tuned to see how that goes for me (non tech savvy person).
Am I still inspiring them to do their best work? How can I tell?
Now there's a question: "I think that with everything happening around them, can they work clear-minded on their school work? Probably not. I mean, I can't. I keep wondering how much longer our lives are going to be this way."
ReplyDeleteI think you've hit a really key point that will be something to take into your teaching when this is all over. Namely, what can and should we expect of our students on a daily basis? The pandemic makes Maslow's so much more real for us, because we have so much less of it we can "control." How do you virtually account for those base needs? Which weren't yours to take care of in the first place that you're feeling even more?
With it being so much more obvious that basic needs aren't being met, and the challenge of providing the "belonging" we usually start with over remote delivery, how do we inspire students to bring their best? What if what we know students are capable of doesn't match their best right now? What if, what should be much more, is simply all a student can muster?
What's important about what students get from remote teaching? How important is it they master garden planning/plotting if they're taking care of younger siblings, don't have enough food, can't access a device, or are helping provide for their family? I'm guessing it's not that important, unless the context is incredibly clear.
Sorry to answer your question with more questions, but odds are good you're still inspiring their best work. Unfortunately (or not), given the circumstances we're in, "best work" looks like a lot less than it did four weeks ago. And you can't tell if it's their best if all you're looking at is the work.