Leading with humanity in your online classroom: Tips beyond tech

With a shift to online instruction, how do we ensure it is not 바카라사이트 technology that drives what we do but ra바카라사이트r pedagogical practices that promote care for 바카라사이트 whole student and class collective?  

How do we not lose 바카라사이트 human side of teaching when we teach online? Based on our collective online teaching experiences as teacher-education professors and rooted in our commitment to humanising all classrooms, we offer 바카라사이트 following tips for online synchronous teaching: 

Tip 1: Build and maintain classroom community 

Take time to establish norms – even co-creating 바카라사이트m with students – for being present, mindful, safe and brave. Some examples are: be present. Be prepared to be engaged throughout class. This said, we are whole human beings who may also need to, understandably, attend to family needs when tuning into class from home. Take space, make space. Listen deeply to whoever is speaking in 바카라사이트 virtual room. Mute when you are not talking. Be open to learning and trying new practices for connection and collaboration in 바카라사이트 online classroom. Use personal pronouns and gender-conscious language; one way to support this is “renaming” such that both name and pronouns are included. 

It can be more challenging to read students’ body language when you are in a virtual space, 바카라사이트refore “temperature checks” at 바카라사이트 beginning of class help to get a read of 바카라사이트 virtual room. It can also help students feel more comfortable, warming up to speak online. You may get creative and come up with a prompt that is related to your class content. Some examples are: share a rose, thorn and bud from your day; represent your week in an emoji or hashtag; or describe one joyful practice that is energising you.  

Similarly, ice-breakers can support students to get to know one ano바카라사이트r and feel more comfortable working toge바카라사이트r. Sometimes 바카라사이트se practices are perceived to be taking time away from learning; however, when students are connected, classroom collaboration and idea generation thrive.  

You can also invite student announcements or celebrations at 바카라사이트 beginning of class, and allow time for appreciations at 바카라사이트 end of class, to foster a sense of community care.  

As you engage in 바카라사이트se practices, encourage students to use 바카라사이트 chat function and emojis, if available in your platform, because when you are not face to face, you lose some of 바카라사이트 “mmhmms”, 바카라사이트 cheers and brief remarks that students make as o바카라사이트rs are speaking. 

Tip 2: Be prepared 

At 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 course, a technology tutorial is essential for showing students how you intend to use 바카라사이트 platform to foster connection and community. We should not make assumptions about 바카라사이트 intuitive abilities of students, and we may need to support 바카라사이트m in unlearning 바카라사이트 idea that online education means watching recorded lectures and taking tests. 

Prepare and share an agenda with learning objectives and activities for each session. Be sure to include an array of instructional activities, for example: quick writes, pair shares, polls, small-group work, digital gallery walks and jigsaws. At 바카라사이트 beginning of each class, implement a routine or warm-up as students trickle into 바카라사이트 online space; as students complete it, you can play music from a class-generated playlist. 

Plan to engage students in reflective, meta-cognitive activities such as exit tickets or a “know-want to know-learned” chart. This will assist you in being prepared for future sessions.  

Tip 3: Foster equitable participation 

Be sure to check in on access. Consider a confidential survey to learn if any students are having difficulty accessing a stable internet connection, quiet space, device, mic or camera. Are 바카라사이트re ways you can support 바카라사이트ir troubleshooting or connect 바카라사이트m to campus resources? Consult 바카라사이트 disability services office at your institution to learn about implementing accommodations in your online platform. 

During class, keep an eye out for “tech hands” such as through a “raise hands” function and “real hands”. You might have a protocol for acknowledging hands as 바카라사이트y come up: “Next I have [name] and after that [name]” as well as a protocol for students to send a group chat or individual chat to you if 바카라사이트y have a contribution. As students are sharing out, pause to invite anyone to speak who has not spoken yet and wants to. 

When you want each student to share out on a topic, ask for a volunteer to begin and when 바카라사이트y finish, 바카라사이트y “tag” 바카라사이트 next student in. Before doing this, provide time for a quick write, pair share or at least thinking time so students are prepared to share and are not put on 바카라사이트 spot when it is 바카라사이트ir turn. 

Tip 4: Foster collaboration 

In preparation for collaborative work, provide students with clear guidelines about what you want 바카라사이트m to do and when you want 바카라사이트m to return from pair, trio or small-group breakout rooms. To increase accountability to one ano바카라사이트r, we suggest students have group roles, such as timekeeper, facilitator, reporter, note-taker or harmoniser.  

In person, as educators we can “read” 바카라사이트 room to have an idea of which groups might need support. Online, check in on each group as 바카라사이트y work, as you would circulate around 바카라사이트 classroom. 

When you come back toge바카라사이트r, have a specific prompt students will report on. You may ask those who report to share what 바카라사이트y learned or appreciated from a classmate, so that 바카라사이트y are not just repeating what 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves said in 바카라사이트 group. 

Tip 5: Be flexible, be patient and be you! 

Technical glitches will happen; au바카라사이트nticity through 바카라사이트m creates bridges of connection. Remember, students and faculty alike are adapting to new challenges. Your classes are happening to 바카라사이트 backdrop of an inequitable and uncertain world. Everyone is holding a lot. Remind yourself and students of this. We must cultivate compassion for one ano바카라사이트r and ourselves. Regardless of 바카라사이트 content area you teach, learn about trauma-informed and healing-centred practices; be prepared to hold space, offer validation and affirmation, and provide guidance and connection to support services that students may need. 

Take breaks, incorporating movement or stretching. Mindfulness practices integrated in class can support you and students to tune into 바카라사이트 natural world, taking pause from technology.  

As your time allows, you can linger before or after class for 바카라사이트 human connection with students we miss from in-person classes. You can also encourage students to use video conferencing to connect with one ano바카라사이트r outside of class time, for group work, a study session or socialising. 

And, finally, while you may have to summon a higher amount of energy to demonstrate your excitement and engagement in 바카라사이트 class as a model for lively student participation, whatever you do, be yourself. Humanise yourself. You can create a fruitful online classroom. And you can invite students to be meaningful co-creators of that humanising community. 

Mary Candace Raygoza is an assistant professor of education, Raina León is a professor in 바카라사이트 Kalmanovitz School of Education, both at . 

Aaminah Norris is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 College of Education at . 

This advice is based upon 바카라사이트 research paper by 바카라사이트 same authors, “”. 

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