Let’s face it—you’re struggling. I’m struggling, small businesses are struggling, yet the world must continue. Where does this put our students? Picture yourself as a high school student during this time. These kids are waking up, (maybe) getting themselves ready for school each day behind a screen for at least 8 hours. They attend Google Meets/Zoom, see their friends through a small screen, and absorb lessons that are presented to them in an entirely different fashion that they are accustomed to. What is the result? Struggling students.
I have only been remote now for two weeks. My district was fortunate enough to have 13 “normal” weeks with students in the building. However, as the pandemic has progressed and cases have augmented, I am now sedentary, sitting at my desk, reminding kids to mute microphones and put their pets down. In ways, I have become a much better teacher; I am consolidating my words in my lessons to focus on key ideas, am embedding strategic technological mediums to enhance student learning, and promoting student agency with more “voice and choice” in their assignments/tasks. However, I would be ignorant to say that I have only improved. I constantly strive to make connections with my kids, but there are times where that social interaction piece is lost behind the screen. Plus, being remote makes it difficult to reach out to specific individuals who need more assistance than others. Personally, I feel that administrators and evaluators cannot make their traditional classroom observations mirror the evaluations presented during this period of remote learning in A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. Therefore, is it fair to evaluate students in the ways that we are used to?
With nearly all of my classes, we are at a point where I am approaching the final summative essay for our units (one for Of Mice and Men, and one for The Great Gatsby). I am doing everything I can to ensure that these students will have the resources needed to be successful, though I have came to the conclusion that, at the end of the unit, I am going to have to evaluate student performance on a unique case-by-case basis. It isn’t fair, nor equitable, to hold kids to the same expectations that we traditionally have for them in face-to-face learning in a setting where they are being taught through a screen. Many of my colleagues have offered ideas on utilizing student reflection, with the goal to have students defend their grade using their own generated justifications. I love this idea.
Kids are working hard in an incredibly difficult period of life. Yes, there are kids who still don’t do anything, but there are kids who are genuinely trying much harder to succeed in a remote setting, and are underachieving. It’s almost paradoxical: the social butterflies are struggling because they are in desperate need of social interaction—interaction that is hard to come by in a remote setting, and the introverts are thriving because they don’t feel the pressures associated with being in a room with 29 other students. While teachers still need to have high expectations of their students, there is a newfound certain level of compassion teachers must exhibit during this onerous time.
I was talking with my administrator about this topic today and our ideas gelled well together. He reassured me of my thinking and mentioned how, when it comes time to evaluate students at the end of the quarter/semester, to look at a collection of evidence that the student has produced. Focus on what the student has done well. Remember the challenges they are facing. For some, simply turning on their camera during class is a milestone to be celebrated. Consider those moments when it comes time to finalize grades.
Be stern, but fair. Be rigorous, but purposeful. Challenge, but understand. And, as always, GO FORTH AND CONQUER!
How are you evaluating kids during remote learning? How have you changed your approach to better suit a digital setting?
Thank you for reading!
Education Conquer 