distance learning

How to Help Prepare Teachers to Thrive in any Learning Environment

September 17, 2020

As learning environments remain fluid at the mercy of COVID-19, it is important for teachers and coaches to have some tools that will facilitate instruction in any type of learning environment. One thing I always tell teachers – especially those that are technology adverse – is that good teaching practices will always be good teaching practices no matter the environment. It is important for teachers and coaches to remember their instructional foundation and pedagogy when transitioning from face-to-face to remote instruction and back again.

The same best practices that work in the classroom will continue to work online – you might just have to get a little creative. Here are five best practices for teaching and ways to address these instructional strategies in any environment.

Best Practice #1: Teacher Clarity

Whether teaching face-to-face or online, clarity of instruction is essential to good teaching. Anyone who has spent even five minutes in a classroom knows that as soon as the teacher finishes giving the instructions, students will ask “What are we supposed to do?” When facilitating learning face-to-face, teachers often have the lesson instructions posted in several different places. Teachers will verbalize the instructions, they are likely written on the board, as well as printed at the top of the assignment page. Teachers are taught to deliver instructions in a variety of ways to suit a variety of learners, in addition to the hopes of avoiding the dreaded “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do” after explaining the task for the seventeenth time.

As facilitators of remote learning, clarity of teacher instruction will be just as – if not more – crucial to the learning environment. The same multimodal instructional approach from the classroom can easily be adapted to the digital world. Teachers can post the instructions on the assignment or task itself, but can also include a video of themselves reading the instructions out loud. If students need to click on something or navigate to a particular page, teachers can make a screencast showing themselves following each of those steps so students know exactly where they need to be and what they need to do when they get there. Another advantage of video instructions is that students can go back and watch the video as many times as they need to accomplish the task. Many instructors have begun including video instructions even during face-to-face courses as it is easy to point students to the video, rather than having to repeat yourself all the time.

As an instructional coach, you can help your teacher navigate this process by showing them tools that would work for this type of strategy – Screencastify is one of my personal favorites. Maybe you create a video of yourself making a screencast so teachers have those instructions in their toolkit for reference later on. Additionally, you as the instructional coach can help teachers become more clear and succinct in the way they deliver instruction by viewing their videos and trying to accomplish the task. If you can follow the instructions easily, it is likely that the students will be able to as well. The ability to give clear, concise instruction is an essential element of teaching no matter what learning environment the students are in.

Helping teachers set up a folder in their learning management system or website for housing their collection of instructional videos creates a one-stop-shop for students to access coursework. This also allows instructors to have curated content ahead of time that can be reused in later courses. Over time teachers will develop a vast library of instructional videos that will make it easier to differentiate for the needs of each student.

Best Practice #2: Classroom Discussion

Another essential element of good instruction is the facilitation of classroom discussions. Many educators feel that when instruction becomes remote, the ability or opportunity to engage in meaningful class discussion becomes unreasonable. Though classroom discussions are an important element of face-to-face learning, they are increasingly essential during remote instruction. It does not matter if the class is meeting synchronously or asynchronously, there are many tools available that can help teachers provide these opportunities for conversation.

If your school or district allows or expects students to meet with their teachers at a designated time, facilitating a class discussion becomes as easy as it was in the classroom. Teachers can have students meet on a video-based platform like Zoom or Google Meet and facilitate a discussion through video.

For asynchronous learners, the discussion board becomes the most popular means to facilitate classroom discussions. There are several different types of discussion board tools available online that allow users to post content and reply to others. If your school or district uses a learning management system like Canvas, Google Classroom or Blackboard, a discussion board feature is already built-in to those programs. If your school does not have a designated LMS, there are a plethora of tools you can choose from (you can still use these tools with an LMS, too).

Flipgrid is one of the most popular asynchronous discussion board tools as it allows students to record their responses via video, and in turn, reply to their classmates via video as well. Flipgrid is very user friendly and was designed for educators, by educators. Other tools like Padlet and Linoit also provide opportunities for discussion, but in a more “parking lot” style. In these programs, students can type a response, or insert a video. Students can then like or reply to others using text or other multimedia tools. If external tools just aren’t your thing, using collaborative documents like Google Docs or Slides is another way to facilitate discussion. Teachers can pose a question at the top of the document and each student can reply on the same page. The downside to this method is that sometimes students start editing or deleting content that isn’t theirs, but that can be addressed in the teacher’s behavioral expectations.

Similarly to instructional strategies, each of these discussion board tools are applicable in all settings. There may be a time in the classroom when you have some students who are out for various school events – athletics, band, college visits, etc – and miss what discussions go on in the classroom. The teacher could record the discussion that occurs live and then post that video to one of these platforms, thus allowing those absent students to listen to the conversation and respond with their own thoughts. Too often when students miss school they just go without the conversation from that day, but digital tools have allowed for opportunities to keep them in the conversation even when they can’t physically be present.

Best Practice #3: Feedback

No significant learning has ever occurred without feedback. I cannot count how many times feedback is addressed in conversations with students, teachers, and administrators. In face-to-face classes, students get feedback from their teachers about their behavior, their thinking processes, and their academic work. It is just as critical for teachers to continue providing feedback to students even when working remotely.

While some teachers may find it easier to provide feedback in face-to-face settings, there are some tools that help provide feedback even in remote settings. Some teachers have started to integrate computer adapted programs into their lessons like NoRedInk.com or CommonLit which provide self-grading practice questions at the end of a lesson. Teachers can also use tools like Google Forms which has a feature enabling certain feedback depending on the answer choice the student selects.

If verbal feedback is what you’re looking for, there are tools that will allow teachers to record voice notes they can then link directly to the student’s assignment. Teachers could screencast themselves reviewing student work and share the video with students. Teachers can use the Talk and Comment extension to create voice notes that leave a link directly on the document or assignment being viewed. Teachers could even use their phone to record a voice note and email the link to students. Many teachers have found the ability to talk through their thoughts while reviewing student work to be more efficient and effective regardless of the learning context. These voice notes allow students to review the feedback multiple times as well.

Best Practice #4: Formative Assessment

In addition to providing feedback to students about their progress, teachers need to also collect data to determine how students are grasping the material. The best way to gather this data is through formative assessment. In the traditional face-to-face context of the classroom, this data can be collected via exit tickets, quizzes, written assignments, and other learning activities. Similar to the aforementioned best practices, there are a growing number of formative assessment tools designed specifically for digital learning.

Flipgrid can be used as a discussion tool, and a formative assessment tool. Many teachers pose questions at the end of the lesson like they would a traditional exit ticket. Edpuzzle is another popular tool that allows teachers to embed video content into a Q&A type platform so students are prompted to answer questions as they watch the video of the lesson. This is a great resource for teachers to record themselves facilitating the lesson and embedding some check for understanding along the way. Google Forms is a popular formative assessment tool, in addition to traditional discussion questions facilitated by tools like Socrative.

Many teachers typically opt for digital formative assessment tools because of the data they are able to collect and interpret from students. Many tools allow for opportunities to provide instant feedback to students, so both learners and teachers are getting an accurate picture of the learning that’s taking place. These formative assessment tools are available and applicable in both face-to-face and remote learning settings, and many will seamlessly integrate with your school’s learning management system to create a one-stop-shop for students.

As an instructional coach, you may spend a lot of time researching the best tools to elicit the data each teacher is looking for, in addition to providing instruction or resources on how these tools function. Oftentimes teachers need their coach to model how these tools can be used for learning in their classroom, so don’t be afraid to get creative. You can use Flipgrid in PE and Foreign Language classes, you can use Edpuzzle in athletics and math – remote learning provides you as the coach more opportunities to introduce tools to teachers who may have never used them before.

Best Practice #5: Metacognitive Strategies

The final best practice to remember, regardless of the learning environment, is to incorporate opportunities for reflection. As an instructional coach, reflecting on the challenges of our teachers and the strategies they implement is part of our practice. As teachers, reflecting on our lesson plans and student data is required. As a student, having an opportunity to reflect on your learning is essential.

During times of crisis like COVID-19, students need the chance to talk about their thoughts and feelings as well as their learning. Students are thrown into an unfamiliar environment and expected to succeed as they always have. Students do not innately know how to learn, learning is a skill that needs to be taught, especially in a new environment. Remote learning provides teachers with an opportunity to teach students how to manage their time, how to use the resources available to them, how to problem solve, and how to adapt to new environments.

Students, teachers, coaches, administrators, parents – everyone will be feeling anxiety during this time. Providing opportunities for reflection will help students understand their own progress through this journey, as well as provide teachers with a clearer perspective on their student’s learning. Too often teachers forget to build in these opportunities which does a disservice to the students. As an instructional coach, constantly encourage your teachers to reflect on their teaching and remind them to provide reflection opportunities for students as well.

No matter what this year throws at us, we can conquer anything. With your help as an instructional coach, teachers can be equipped to thrive in any learning environment. At the end of the day, good teaching is good teaching and remembering these best practices will lay a strong foundation upon which learning can occur.

Megan Purcell is a Digital Learning Specialist and Certified Dynamic Learning Project coach in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD located in Carrollton, TX. She enjoys working with teachers to help them elevate their teaching through the use of impactful technology tools and strategies. Megan holds a masters degree in Educational Technology, which she earned overseas at the National University of Ireland in Galway, in addition to being a certified Microsoft Innovative Educator and Apple Teacher. She is a former high school English teacher who loves learning, technology, and helping make life easier for her teachers. She believes that every student should have access to current technology in order to develop 21st century skills necessary for participating in a global society.

How to Effectively Coach in a Blended and Remote Learning Environment

September 9, 2020

The rapidly changing nature of the world is having a dramatic impact on society, the workforce, and ultimately education. Just a few months ago, educators across the country were asked to uproot everything they knew about teaching and learning to transition to a new form of teaching amid a global pandemic. Though the dust has not yet settled, educators are becoming increasingly more equipped to handle teaching in this new environment. As instructional coaches, it is our obligation to support our teachers through this difficult time and ensure that students are still getting the education they deserve. As teacher’s roles have, and will continue, to change, so will the role of the instructional coach.

While some districts may be fortunate to return to face-to-face learning come fall, even those environments will likely be vastly different from what has been the norm for decades. Some districts are offering a blended model of learning, and still, others are opting for complete remote instruction. Regardless of which circumstance you find yourself in, there are instructional coaching strategies applicable in all settings.

Here are five tips for navigating blended and remote instructional coaching.

Tip #1: Relationships Still Matter

Whether you are coaching face-to-face, in a blended model, or completely online, there is one thing that will never change – relationships matter! Regardless of the context, it is important as an instructional coach to establish a relationship with each of the teachers you are coaching. While remote coaching may make this opportunity a little more difficult, it is imperative to find a way to speak with each teacher live. You can set up a Zoom meeting, socially distance at school, or connect on the phone if all else fails, but it is important to start with that human connection.

Once that initial connection is established, the relationship needs to continue to build throughout the coaching cycle. Now, more than ever, teachers are feeling anxious about returning to school. Teachers are scared for their health and the health of their family. Teachers are worried about their students and the learning they will be able to provide them. Teachers feel isolated and alone in their feelings and often cope in silence. As an instructional coach, I have often joked that a significant element of my job is providing therapy to teachers and allowing them to vent their feelings and frustrations – but that is no longer a joke, it has become a job requirement.

As you coach teachers throughout the school year, and especially this fall, it is important to not only provide technical and instructional support, but moral support as well. Check in with your teachers often, ask about how they are doing, and how things are going at home. Offer to counsel and support them in any way possible. Just as teachers often worry about their students beyond the school day, you will find yourself as a coach worrying about your teachers.

Whether you are coaching face-to-face, in a blended model, or remotely – a trusting relationship is going to be essential. Things may not go smoothly, things may fail miserably, and things may not work the first time. It is important to be available to support teachers when things go awry, it is important to have troubleshooting resources available for teachers, and it is important to be someone your teachers feel comfortable reaching out to.

While relationship building is important in traditional coaching environments, it is imperative in blended and remote coaching models. Without a relationship, it is highly unlikely teachers will prioritize coaching – especially in the context of this pandemic. Building relationships will not only help teachers be successful, but it will help prioritize coaching.

Tip #2: Include Both Synchronous and Asynchronous Support

While many schools are offering both virtual and face-to-face learning options, instructional coaches need to follow suit. One of the good things that has come out of the COVID-19 pandemic – if you can find any good things – is the integration of both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Teachers have been saying for years that learning does not just occur in a classroom, and now is our chance to really prove that. In addition to broadening the scope of learning, teachers and schools are becoming more accepting of students learning at their own pace, on their own time.

It is no secret that teachers do not have much downtime throughout the course of a school day – that’s usually one of the reasons they avoid being coached at all costs. However, if coaches could provide both synchronous and asynchronous support to teachers, coaching not only becomes more accessible, but it also allows the coach to accommodate each teacher’s different needs. As an instructional coach, I encourage you to develop tutorials, handouts, or a collection of general tips that you can share with teachers. These instructional pieces should be easy for the teacher to understand and follow on their own, in addition to being accessible at any time.

In addition to offering support to teachers asynchronously, teachers can request help from coaches asynchronously as well. While some teachers may be teaching face-to-face, it might not be safe or comfortable to have additional bodies in the room for classroom visits. In this case, the teacher can record themselves facilitating a lesson and send that video to the coach to receive feedback. The coach can analyze the video and make notes or suggestions based on what they see, which would provide some talking points for the next coaching meeting.

Tip #3: Develop a Cadence

While flexibility will be the name of the game in 2020, it is still important for an instructional coach to develop a cadence for coaching. Typically coaching takes place in cycles and each cycle has a cadence for meetings and classroom visits. While meetings and classroom visits may look a little different this year, it is still important to develop some kind of coaching rhythm to keep yourself on track.

The first thing you should decide is whether or not you want to establish coaching cycles, how many, and for how long. Some coaches may want to stick to 8-week cycles, some may want to adapt them to 6 or 9 week grading periods, while others may want to rotate teachers by month. Once the length of the cycle has been determined, it must then be decided how many teachers will be coached. My word of advice – just because more teachers will need help during this time, that does not mean you have to serve them all at once. Decide what load is manageable for you, and enlist the help of some rockstar teachers when needed. Some teachers just need help setting up their Google Classroom, while others need more in-depth assistance. Determine what your teachers need and prioritize who gets your support.

Once you have determined how many teachers you will coach and for how long, the next step in the cadence is determining how to structure your weeks and your days. Depending on whether students are remote learning or face-to-face learning will have a significant impact on what you decide. Maybe one day a week is video conferencing with all of your teachers being coached, while another day is spent researching best practices and putting together resources. What is important is that you as a coach find and develop a cadence that works for you, and you stick to it!

Don’t be afraid to schedule things on your calendar to keep yourself accountable. In these uncertain times and unfamiliar environments, it is easy to get sidetracked and distracted from your goals.

Tip #4: Don’t Forget Pedagogy

While many teachers are celebrating digital learning opportunities, others are less than thrilled. As evidenced by the remote learning transition in the spring, many teachers went into survival mode and began posting worksheets online for students to complete at home. While this type of instruction was appropriate for initial crisis management, it has become increasingly important for teachers to rethink and redefine the ways they are approaching remote learning. As an instructional coach, it will be critical for you to keep pedagogy at the forefront. Many teachers will want to just post worksheets in Google Docs or have the students watch a YouTube video and answer some questions about it, but in these contexts that may not be the best facilitation of instruction.

As the environment changes, the instruction must change with it. It is important for teachers to engage their students just as they would in the classroom, despite the difficulties presented by distance. Some teachers will look for the latest and greatest tech gadget, and their students will end up playing with toys instead of learning the content. As the instructional coach, it is important to ensure that teachers are not throwing pedagogy out the window, especially in remote settings. Good teaching strategies will always remain good teaching strategies, and there is almost always a way to facilitate those same strategies remotely – you just might have to get creative.

At the end of the day, schools are asking students to return to learning because it has been deemed important, so we need to make sure we are providing a quality education for our kids. Don’t be afraid to hold teachers accountable and let them know when the pedagogy has been neglected, just be sure to have some suggestions prepared to provide support. Now, more than ever, your PLN (professional learning network) is going to be a great resource for new ideas, support, and growth.

Tip #5: Be Prepared for Anything

As previously mentioned, flexibility is the name of the game for 2020 and you must be prepared for ANYTHING! It is easy for me to sit here and prescribe suggestions or resources, but those may become obsolete in seconds depending on what happens with COVID-19 and government regulations. Teachers need to be prepared for face-to-face instruction, remote instruction, blended instruction, and for those environments to change at the drop of a hat. As instructional coaches, we need to be ready to support teachers in each of those environments as well as help them make the transitions between the platforms.

In addition to being ready for supporting teachers in all settings, you must also be prepared to perform job duties that are both new and familiar to you. Even though our job title is ‘instructional coach’ we all know that teachers are often asked to take on “other duties as assigned.” Do not be surprised if you get additional duties added to your plate, depending on your role in your school or district. These are uncertain times for everyone and school leaders are doing their best to provide the type of education students deserve. Teachers will be asked to wear many hats this year, and as coaches, we likely will too. No matter what gets thrown at you, it is important to be flexible, work to the best of your ability, and always keep a stash of chocolate around for emergencies.

How to Choose Your LMS: Canvas vs. Google Classroom

July 30, 2020

So here we are, in the midst of a pandemic, adapting as teachers do. In the last six months, everything around us has changed, and we must now redefine what it means to be a teacher. We’re overwhelmed. We’re stressed. A million questions are running through our heads. Where do you even start? Well, my gut says we should start by picking an LMS. You’re going to have to choose some kind of learning management system before you move forward, and most of your decisions from there are going to depend on the choice you make regarding your LMS, anyhow. So, why not start there?

In this article, I’ve done my best to layout for you the two main choices for secondary LMS, since I myself am a secondary teacher. We’ll talk about some of my favorite features of Canvas and Google Classroom, and the benefits that they bring to the table. Moreover, we’ll discuss the learning management system that I prefer, and the benefits of it that help me to be a more effective and unique teacher, even when teaching remotely.

Pros and Cons of Google Classroom

Google Classroom has been around since August of 2014 and has been well-loved by educators throughout its lifetime – as it should be. There are a lot of really great reasons to choose Google classroom, especially for teachers who are not experienced with technology. The LMS comes with an extremely simple set up, requiring only a course name and then you can easily select a premade theme that “customizes” your course to be different from other courses. There are also some things that make Google Classroom incredible, like the class-shared resources in Google Drive and a shared Google Calendar for all members of the course to mark due dates and important upcoming events. The LMS is also rather easy for students to navigate and understand, and when used across the board by all of their teachers it becomes even easier, as all google classrooms look the same and operate in the same way. The mandatory course home is a stream of activity where the teacher can reference work, post announcements, or even allow students to ask questions. When you switch to the classwork tab, you find that work can be very easily separated into modules and ordered exactly the way you want it to look. Google Classroom also sort-of interacts with popular LTIs (learning tool interoperability) like EdPuzzle, Kami, and Quizizz. Finally, there is also an app that both teachers and students can download on iOS or Google Play that allows the students to access the Google Classroom and turn in work, and allows the teacher to assign and grade work.

Like all things, Google Classroom has its downsides and limitations, primarily in the customization of the classroom itself. All Google Classrooms look exactly the same, and teachers aren’t able to do much other than add a picture and change the color settings to make it their own. The inability to customize is like the inability to decorate your room and express yourself as a teacher, and I find that to be a huge drawback, especially as this new school year starts and I will not have the ability to meet some of my students in person first. One complaint you may frequently see about Google Classroom too is that the assignments NEVER CLOSE. I had experience first hand with this over this summer as I was teaching online summer school, where a student didn’t realize that I was using a different LMS (because he didn’t check his email) and he completed two weeks worth of massively late work in his previous teacher’s classroom rather than completing the appropriate assignments for summer school. This can be frustrating because no one wants to get work 3 weeks late, let alone in the middle of summer. Also, many school districts have policies about late work and not letting students turn things in after a certain amount of time. My final downside was never really a problem before the pandemic, but now that we are where we are, it’s important to note that Google Classroom doesn’t log student activity or interactions within the course, something that is about to be incredibly important for attendance purposes.

Honestly, in short, I would say that Google Classroom could work for any subject, grade level, or student group. Most importantly: Google Classroom is extremely user friendly, making it ideal for young kids, basic clubs/groups/courses, or the not-so-technologically-advanced students and teachers as it doesn’t require much maintenance, upkeep, or training to get started. Personally – I use Google Classroom for clubs that I host or academic groups on campus because the stream is incredible for student officers to communicate with their peers, and I can assign permission slips, different things I’d like to give to the whole group before the next meeting, etc via the classwork tab. Google Classroom is also perfect for a blended learning environment, as a supplement to an in person classroom, where you have all the students in a single room and can teach them and communicate with them directly in person, and have students submit work online.

Pros and Cons for Canvas

I would wager to say that Canvas is like the older brother of Google Classroom. First launched in 2011, Canvas has grown and become one of the most widely used Learning Management Systems in the US. Since Canvas was used by my campus when I was working on my master’s program, I have had experience with both sides of the Canvas Classroom (Student and Teacher) and I still adore the program.

In perks, Canvas can do JUST ABOUT anything that Google can. You can create assignments, organize modules, have a class calendar, even create “Google Cloud assignments” which is just like creating an assignment on Google Classroom. Canvas, however, takes everything a step further. One of the things that I love about Canvas is the PAGES. You (and your students, if you let them) have the ability to create pages with content or information and can add these pages into individual modules. So if I wanted to tell a bunch of students about myself, I could create an “About the Instructor” page, referencing my biography and some interesting facts about me with my picture, contact information, and office hours for students. Essentially, a content page is whatever you want it to be, and I love that. Canvas also allows teachers to have their courses be completely unique. Other than some of the links being the same, teachers can edit the entire structure of the course, choosing if students can see only modules and announcements, or allowing the students to see and interact with other parts of the online system. A teacher can combine these two wonderful features to create their own homepage for their ‘website’, and tag it as the first thing students see when they enter the course. Canvas also has the ability to cross-list sections into one giant ‘shell’, so that you have all of your “Algebra 2” students in one course, and can have a separate course ‘shell’ for your “Algebra 2 Honors” students. Canvas also gives interaction and access reports to teachers, allowing you to see when students were last online and what they accessed while they were there – essential data as we are to move forward with online learning. If that wasn’t exciting enough, Canvas allows users to directly embed LTIs like EdPuzzle, FlipGrid, and countless other learning tools. Also, via either iOS or Google Play, there are different apps performing three different functions for canvas – Student, Parent, and Teacher allowing anyone to submit assignments, message, or view course content with their mobile device. The different apps allow the experience to be unique to the obviously completely different roles in the course, which is nice. I could go on and on and on about all of the amazon features of canvas, and WILL in future posts – I promise!

Unfortunately, I must reference the Peter Parker Principle (yep, Spiderman), and state that with great power comes great responsibility. Canvas takes a lot of effort to set up to be exactly what you want, and a high level of understanding of technology to be able to operate it at its fullest potential. You have to be patient with yourself as you move forward, and understand that you’re probably going to be tweaking things frequently as you move forward and updates for new features come out. Students also sometimes need an overview and explanation of the course structure, as it can vary so much from course to course. I usually do this with a quick screencast & EdPuzzles combo (more to come on that SOON!) to show students how to navigate the course, submit assignments, and check their grades. Canvas also lacks attention in the physical drive and storage capabilities. I really enjoy the fact that Google Classroom has a classroom Google Drive, where all students’ assignments are submitted and updated live, providing options for the use of other tools like Slip-N-Slide, which require other solutions if operated solely with Canvas.

Canvas is hard to set up, and it can be difficult to learn the ins-and-outs, but with the right support, Canvas is an appropriate tool for any grade level and any subject. I would say however, that I would not choose to use a Canvas course for a small group of students like a club or organization because of the high levels of maintenance and setup that the LMS requires. When used across the board by all teachers and students with the appropriate comprehensive training, Canvas can change the way that we all perceive remote learning.

My Recommendation

I’ve gotten to choose, and I’ve had the decision made for me by my district. Both times – the decision for my classroom was Canvas. I understand technology enough to be able to develop and maintain a pretty extravagant Canvas course, and I like the extra tools and settings that it provides me. For instance – I can message students directly to talk about their missing assignments or anything else I might need to chat with them about, without the need for a secondary app or email. Students and Parent observers can also message me directly about assignments, and I get the notification on my phone through the Canvas App so I can reply quickly and easily, almost like a text message! I also love to embed different activities and provide a wide variety of assignment options, and Canvas, with all its LTIs, allows me to do that. Going forward, my district has mandated that all courses will use Canvas as their structural LMS and as a supplement to in-person courses because of the settings and features that it provides.

All-in-all, your choice for LMS will likely depend on your district, what you need as a teacher, and what you want your course to look like. Both options are incredible, and either way, you are doing the very best you can to put forth an engaging and interesting learning experience for your students. You’ve gone above and beyond just by reading this article, and I respect you for that.

Keep your eyes open and blog notifications on as I can hardly wait for the next post in our Survival Toolkit Series, breaking down how to set up your courses to be effective, efficient, and to help you express yourself regardless of your LMS! In the meantime – Take that first step! What LMS are you going to use in the upcoming school year?

Coaching Chronicles: What’s Working During Distance Learning

June 2, 2020

One of the things I have heard the most throughout this time of COVID-19 is that teachers and coaches feel a sense of inadequacy. Defeat. Frustration. Hopelessness. Most of all, coaches feel a sense of overwhelm. In the transition to remote learning, instructional coaches – especially those with an emphasis on digital learning – have become the most sought after resources by teachers and administrators. While this is great for job security and satisfaction, it can feel incredibly isolating. Aside from these feelings, the other thing I have noticed is that many instructional coaches assume they are the only ones with these feelings. I am here to tell you that you are not alone. There are teachers and coaches everywhere who are feeling the same frustrations you are.

For this post, I wanted to do something a little different. I know I can sit here and tell you that you’re not alone, but what the heck do I know, right? I mean I’m just one person sitting in a room by myself typing on the computer – my viewpoint is limited to myself. For this post, I wanted to share someone else’s experience other than my own, so I reached out to a fellow Dynamic Learning Project Coach – Teresa Engler.

Teresa is an instructional coach in the McGuffey School District in Washington County, Pennsylvania. She was gracious enough to answer some questions for me about her experience during COVID-19, share what’s working for her and her teachers, as well as tips she has learned along the way.

Below you will find the questions I asked her, followed by her response; Teresa and I shared this exchange via email.

Megan Purcell: What has gone well during your transition to remote learning?

Teresa Engler: I’ve been able to field questions from my teachers instantly. When they need me, they send an email, they text, or they call, and I’m able to give them one on one coaching almost on demand. I’ve created personalized PD by using Loom or Screencastify to create tutorials and mini lessons on how to use specific apps or tools to help teachers troubleshoot issues they may be having. I hold office hours via Meet every morning, so I’m accessible to every teacher as they have questions or request help with their lessons. I actually feel like I am getting a lot accomplished by not having to travel in my car back and forth to each school. More quality time is devoted to working on researching a tool, setting up meetings with teachers, or coaching the teachers as they work through the remote learning process.

MP: What has been your greatest challenge during the transition to remote learning?

TE: Working from home has its own distractions. My husband is also working from home, so we are navigating around one another. I have a puppy who is also demanding my attention at times. It’s hard to be away from a physical work environment. I can’t just pop in to help a teacher or check in with how a lesson is proceeding. Sometimes you need that in person collaboration to work through the challenges. Holding meetings on Zoom and Meet are helpful, but they cannot replace the personalized meetings and the “ in the moment” classroom visits.

MP: What tools or resources are you finding most useful to you during this time?

TE: I love Loom. I’ve used it in the past, but I haven’t really appreciated how useful it is until now. I’ve been giving one to one instructions and tutorials to teachers by simply recording a quick Loom video. I send the teachers the links to the tutorials as they need them. I also cannot live without Google Classroom and Meet. I love that the office hours link is posted directly to Google classroom. No one has to search for it or ask me to send it. They just access it in the classroom. I’m also able to keep my resources organized by topic in Google Classroom. I post one or two tips a day and one or two tutorials a week directly to the Classroom stream.

MP: How are you setting boundaries for working from home?

TE: I have a schedule that I’ve shared with our teachers. Office hours are early in the morning and at the end of the day. This way, I am able to answer questions before teachers post lessons to their own classrooms each morning, and I’m available at the end of the day in case there were issues that need to be addressed before the next day. I’ve been offering #LunchOnLine PD sessions every Tuesday in order to keep offering meaningful remote learning opportunities for staff. The teachers are welcome to contact me via email or text before or after school, but there is an understanding that I may not respond until regular business hours the next day. Honestly, though, I feel like a doctor who is on call for my patients, and if someone is in a bind, I don’t mind helping, even if it is after hours. I don’t make it a habit, but as the coach, I feel a little bit of a responsibility to the teachers if they need me….now that we are all using some sort of remote working/learning schedule, I also have to be respectful of teachers and their time. They themselves may be working with helping their own children learn from home, there may be other adults in their homes working as well. The evening or the early morning may be the only time they have to contact me for help. Teachers can always make an appointment with me if they’d like to set up personalized coaching times.

MP: What is your favorite brain break or de-stressing activity?

TE: I take three breaks a day to walk my dog, to make a cup of tea, or to sit outside if the weather is nice.

MP: If you could give other coaches one piece of advice for navigating this challenging time, what would it be?

TE: No one is perfect and no one has a perfect way to handle the situation we are in. Do what is best for you. The one piece of advice is to make a schedule. In that schedule give yourself “me” time. Make sure you add a designated lunch break. Give yourself “normal” time at night to decompress. If you keep to a schedule, you’ll feel like you are maintaining control over your time during the day.

MP: Anything else you want to share?

TE: I try to look at all of the positives. My glass is always half full. That mad rush in the morning is gone. I love that I do not have to drive to work. I’m saving money on gas. I don’t stress over what I’m wearing or getting to work on time. I’m happy to connect with so many teachers right now. They all have access to me throughout the day, whereas before, I was scheduled in specific buildings every day and working with only a few teachers at a time. I love the on-demand personalized coaching I’m able to offer the teachers. I feel useful, almost like I am one of their lifelines. Everything is online now, so an instructional technology coach has a lot to offer in terms of helping teachers use tools in meaningful ways with remote lessons.

My hope is that this interview with Teresa has affirmed any feelings you have felt during this time. As I read through her responses, there were so many moments I was nodding in agreement or just thinking to myself, “YES!! I feel the EXACT same way!” I’ve said it before that instructional coaching can be lonely, especially if you are the only coach on your campus or in your district, but rest assured, coaches everywhere stand with you.

COVID-19 has been unexpected, it has been challenging and it has really pushed the limits of what we thought we were capable of. For every inadequacy, frustration or defeat, just remember that you are not alone. We are all navigating the same uncharted territory and we are all in this together. I’m sure you’ve heard that cliche more times than you’d like to count at this point, but the sentiment still stands. You are not alone.

Permission to go Rogue – How to Adapt your Coaching Cycle

May 19, 2020

If you’re anything like me, you’re a rule follower. I can’t help it, that’s just the way I was programmed. One of the things I love about being a Dynamic Learning Project Coach is I have a clear direction to follow in the ways in which I schedule coaching cycles and conduct coaching meetings. While some of you have been able to do this on your own, I wanted to address the rule followers in the room. You hereby have my permission as a fellow instructional coach, to go rogue. Now, if my credentials are not enough for you to feel comfortable throwing the Dynamic Learning Project coaching cycle out the window, I assure you I was given permission from Heather Dowd herself to let you know you may go rogue.

Though having a structure is a great benefit to being a Dynamic Learning Project coach, the other benefit of being part of this program is the network of support. Nearly all the leaders that have designed the Dynamic Learning Project and mentor coaches within the program have, or continue to be, classroom educators themselves. These leaders have been in your shoes so they understand the enormous amount of stress you are under. These leaders understand that, just as teachers do, we are sometimes forced to change our approach.

One of the greatest skills a teacher can possess is the ability to be flexible – we don’t lose that ability when we become instructional coaches. Coaches, like teachers, need to remain flexible and adapt their practices to suit the needs of their learners. In the case of COVID-19, flexibility will continue to be the greatest asset you can possess. Though I have two teachers request that I keep their cycle intact as much as possible, most of my teachers feel too overwhelmed for traditional coaching at this time. Some teachers will have different needs and requests, and as a coach you need to be able to be flexible and adapt along with them.

Now that you have permission to go rogue – seriously, please do – I wanted to share some adaptations you can make to your coaching cycle to better suit the needs of teachers during this time.

Tip #1: Host Webinars or Professional Development Trainings

Just because you aren’t meeting with teachers face-to-face anymore, doesn’t mean you can’t continue to help them grow. I am sure many of you have already taken advantage of video conferencing platforms to increase communication across your campus or district. You can use these video platforms to host webinars or professional development training for your teachers, and show them tools or tips that will help them engage in remote learning.

My district has hosted several webinars centered around the three main learning management systems available in our district. We had training for brand new users to help them get started, as well as training for high flyers in which we could show them the latest updates or hidden features. The purpose of these training sessions was to help teachers get up and running with remote learning and establish some level of continuity across the campuses and the district.

Hosting these webinars was another great way to connect with teachers and uncover issues or questions that may not have otherwise been addressed. You can discuss best practices for the tools you are using and troubleshoot any issues a teacher may have. It is also not uncommon for teachers to reach out to you at a later date asking for more tips and tricks that you may have, which is a great way to continue building relationships with your staff during this time.

Tip #3: Demo Slam

As instructional coaches, we all have our favorite tools that help make our lives easier. If you are unable to, or uncomfortable with hosting a training webinar, you can start small with a demo slam. Pick your favorite trick or tool and screencast yourself explaining or demonstrating why you love it so much. You can send that screencast to your staff letting them know that if they have questions about the tool or would like more training, they can set that up with you. Some teachers will be able to take your ideas and run with them on their own, but there may be some that need a little more support. Demo slams are a great way to show teachers the tools available to them, and allow them to continue adding tools to their own toolbox.

Tip #4: Check-In via Email

This one may seem like a duh, but I wanted to mention it anyway. I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time these days in my email. Email is the text message of the professional world. What I love about doing email check-ins is that I can send emails and respond to emails at my leisure. This is great for teachers as well. We know that many have additional responsibilities while at home, so email is a good way to leave a quick note for a teacher and let them respond when they have a moment.

Now, what I don’t want you to do is send an email to everyone on your campus at once and get flooded by 500 replies. Every week I reach out to a handful of teachers – literally a handful – and just let them know I am checking in to see how they are doing. I ask if they are healthy and if there is anything I can assist them with at this time. Short and sweet is best. Even if the teacher’s don’t need any support at this time, keeping the lines of communication open will go a long way in maintaining the relationships you have already developed with your staff.

I also wanted to add a note about email for my type-A coaches out there – it is okay to walk away from your inbox with unread messages. Just because you have an email, that does not mean you need to respond to it at that exact moment. Remember, email is a great tool because it allows you to respond when convenient – it’s like that answer message when you call the doctor’s office. Make an appointment when you are available and call 911 for emergencies. If a teacher has an emergency, they need to contact their campus principal or your district help resource. Emails can wait.

Tip #5: Celebrate on Social Media

One thing people need during a time of crisis is to be reminded of all the good happening in the world. If you are like me, remembering to celebrate your teachers was something you struggled to find time to do while we were on campus. Take all of those celebrations you saved up and use this time to post them to social media. You can highlight awesome things teachers have done, or are currently doing to support their students. These celebrations don’t have to be just about instructional practices or technology tools teachers are using, you can celebrate your teachers with a shoutout of kind words. Many of you have worked with a teacher previously this year and you just want to remind them how awesome they are – share that with the world. Teachers, now more than ever, need to feel appreciated and supported. During this time we have the opportunity to share with the world how amazing and valuable our teachers are.

Tip #6: Start Planning for Next Year

Another way you can adapt your current coaching cycle during COVID-19 is to use this time to plan for next year. I have had a few teachers already reach out to me and say something along the lines of, “Now that I know how to do _____, maybe next year you can help me with ______.” As teachers continue to grow and learn new things during this time, it might spark an interest in seeking out future coaching opportunities. Maybe there are teachers who were reluctant to coaching the first time around, but after this situation have recognized a need for it in the future. Maybe this crisis has illuminated some gaps in teacher’s knowledge and understanding of key instructional tools, which you can leverage as areas to focus on with the campus once classes resume.

Personally, my district was supposed to have been using a learning management system for the last couple of years. Naturally, not everyone was and that was okay at the time, but COVID-19 quickly changed that. I have often joked that when I facilitate training next year I’m going to refer back to COVID for the importance of staying ahead of the curve – or at least staying within the ballpark. My goal is for my teachers to not feel as unprepared as they did when schools closed. I know that’s a pipe dream, but I think it’s possible.

Even though COVID-19 has disrupted our ability to adhere to the Dynamic Learning Project coaching cycle as it was originally designed, it does not stop us from using pieces of it to continue supporting professional growth. Take this time to go rogue, to adapt to your needs, and to support teachers in the way that is best for them. If you have the opportunity to go back to the coaching cycle structure, that is great, but if you can’t that is perfectly fine as well.