Distance learning is new to me and most teachers in the world. Districts, schools and educators had to quickly figure out a plan to keep teaching our students and… we still are!

After all this time of distance learning, I have been able to analyze what is like to be a teacher from home. I have also read about other teachers who are struggling with teaching remotely. So I came up with 10 distance learning tips for awesome teachers like you!

I wish that some (if not all!) of these distance learning tips help you in the amazing job that you are already doing! Oh… wait! That’s exactly the first tip!

Tip #1 You are already doing an amazing job!

Yeah! Believe it! 

Our responsibilities as educators changed since the moment schools closed. And we have managed to be there for our students and their families. We might not receive all assignments each week, but we support them any day, any time from home. 

Weeks ago I read this “Letter to Teachers During COVID-19”. It clearly reflects my thoughts about this new challenge we are facing and how we are facing it. As the letter states: “Dear teacher, you are doing enough”.

Tip #2 Let parents know you are there for them

Distance learning has affected teachers, students and, especially, parents! Somehow, parents have become their kid’s new teacher: understanding homework, answering questions, logging in to different platforms, explaining the content and, on top of all… being a parent!

The first thing I did during school closures was sending a video to my students’ families. I wanted to tell them “personally” that I was there for them during this process, that I didn’t want them to stress over schoolwork, that I knew their struggles, that the most important thing is their well being… In summary, I wanted to tell them that I understand them.

Understanding their situations changes our regular expectations. And this leads me to more distance learning tips…

Distance Learning Tip #3 Be flexible (and patient!)

Families with no computer at home? No Wi-Fi? Students moving out of the state or country? Our own Internet is down?

We all suffer these situations, so we must be super flexible (and patient!) when teaching remotely. Our online expectations must be different from our in-person expectations. We can’t. The sooner we understand this, the better experience we will have with this distance learning adventure.

Are students turning in an assignment late? Be flexible. Students not turning in any assignments? Be flexible. Parents asking the same question over and over? Be patient! =)

Tip #4 Communicate daily with your students and families

During this situation, our role as educators has changed and communicating with our students and families is a vital part of our job. They need to hear from us, not only to explain lesson plans but also to check on how they are doing and how we can support them.

I consider this one of the most important distance learning tips: plan to communicate daily with the families (a blog post, a remind text…) and, at least once a week, with each student individually. This will make a huge difference.

Choose a platform to communicate with the families:

• ClassDojo – www.classdojo.com 
• Remind – www.remind.com 
• ClassTag – www.classtag.com 
• Blommz – www.bloomz.net 
• Phone

Choose a video conferencing platform.

• Zoom – www.zoom.us 
• Google Meet – www.meet.google.com 
• Microsoft Teams – www.teams.microsoft.com 

If you are not sure which one to use, you can read this article to decide which one is the best for teachers.

Choose a platform for homework.

• Google Classroom – www.classroom.google.com 
• SeeSaw – www.web.seesaw.me

Tip #5 Simplify your lessons

During my video conferencing, I usually follow the same class structure: I do, we do, you do. However, my lessons are shorter and the objectives are super-specific.

• I DO: no more than 5 minutes.
• WE DO: our practice time is limited to only one game or activity.
• YOU DO: students show their learning by completing an exit ticket. 

I often use Pear Deck for Google Slides to teach. This Google Slides add-on allows the students to see the presentation on their own devices. And the best thing is that you can include interactive slides in which students can draw, write, move icons and many more.

In these situations, I also simplify the content: one slide with one idea I want to teach, one interactive slide to check students’ understanding. They are super engaged! Aaaaaand… that’s the next distance learning tip!

Distance Learning Tip #6 Engage Students

Teaching in front of the computer might sound boring at the beginning, but it is not! As we do in our own classrooms, we need to be creative and find ways to engage students during our online lessons. I always ask myself the same question as in school: Are my students looking forward to coming to my (online) class?

My favorite way to build that expectation is by using Zoom digital backgrounds. Each day I choose a different landmark and students have to ask questions to figure out where I am teaching from.  This short “bell ringer” activity takes about five minutes and students love to use Google Maps to find me. Besides the obvious academic benefits of it, the activity gives that extra time for students to join the meeting. 

Other ideas to engage your students when teaching online:

• Use costumes related (or not) to your lesson.
• Play online class quiz games (check my favorite ones here!)
• Plan a scavenger hunt around the house or a specific website like Goose Chase.
• Use Pear Deck for Google Slides or Nearpod to deliver an interactive presentation.
• Play background music students like during their independent work time.
• Change your Zoom background and let your students guess from which remote location you are teaching from.

Tip #7 Provide Choices

What if instead of sending a fixed lesson plan to our students, we gave them several options? Wouldn’t they be more willing to complete them? 

My favorite way to provide different learning opportunities and to differentiate instruction is by using digital choice boards. I normally use them during my small group time and they are always a great success! Who doesn’t like to choose instead of being told what to do?

For distance learning, I complete each board weekly and assign it to their Google Classroom along with the expectations. Students choose throughout the week which activities they want to complete and how they want to submit them.

You can find different templates on my Teachers Pay Teacher store:

• Reading Digital Choice Board Template
• Math Digital Choice Board Template
• Science Digital Choice Board Template

Distance Learning Tip #8 Have Fun!

We all know teaching is fun! Those comments from students that make you laugh, that goofy lesson that you prepared, those little pranks you played on them… Being a teacher is filling your memories with anecdotes and unexpected funny moments each day!

Teaching remotely can be fun too! As I said, one of the things I am enjoying the most… I mean… THEY are enjoying the most is the digital backgrounds in Zoom. It is a simple tool that can change the mood during your lesson. 

Let yourself have fun in front of the computer as you do in your classroom: sing the songs the kids have learned, practice that TPR sequence they love, keep doing brain and stretch breaks… Let yourself have fun in front of the computer!

Tip #9 Find professional development opportunities

It is absolutely true that this change in education is a professional development opportunity itself. However, it is always a good idea to find the time to learn something new that we can add to our distance learning toolbox.

For example, read a new book (I just finished “Ditch that Textbook” by Matt Miller and it was full of great ideas!), explore the web to find cool class quiz games, give a new digital platform a try… Countless options are out there. If you can add one to your resources, it will be more than enough.

Tip #10 Celebrate yourself! Celebrate others!

I want to close these distance learning tips as I started them: You are already doing an amazing job! We know how hard, intense and beautiful our job is. New challenges arrive every year and we always overcome them together. 

This time is no different! 

We are in this together. Together with our grade level teachers, with our administrators, with our school staff.

And now… together with educators from all over the world!

Celebrate yourself for the amazing work YOU are already doing and let’s celebrate others!

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