EDIT 760 Fall 2020

The school year 2020 has definitely had it's challenges. With a global pandemic hanging in the air, literally, school communities all over the world have been forced to reimagine what learning will be like. For those teachers who have had experience with online tools and blended learning styles, the shift to virtual teaching was probably not too difficult. After all, knowing the tools of your trade is half the battle. But for most teachers, learning the tools of the trade, along with trying to align a curriculum which must now completely be taught in a virtual setting, this felt like a heavy weight.   However, those of us who are teachers are used to having to be flexible. It is part of why we probably enjoy teaching. It was not long before we hunkered down, learned how to use Zoom, Google Meet, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Canvas, Schoology, and the rest. We did it because we love our jobs and we wanted to find a way to reach our students. As teachers and teacher leaders, we help...

  It is clear that online learning can be extremely beneficial for students. Online learning provides the learner the chance to self-pace and interact with the teacher in a one on one platform. It also provides the student a chance to interact with other students in a non-threatening environment when digital citizenship rules are followed. While students are expected to be self-motivated and disciplined, this always isn't the case. Therefore, online learning teaches these skills which then cross over into the work environment. It's a two-for-one deal! It is important to note that students who elect to take online courses are different from student who do not elect to do so. This poses a problem for teachers now while trying to engage learners during the pandemic when most schools are learning in a virtual platform. Students who are new to online learning do not always have the parental support needed to stay focused and disciplined. In these cases, a mentor who works along with...

I have learned that online learning is different for everyone. For those who are self-disciplined and enjoy doing work on a computer, it can be fulfilling. I have also learned that not all teachers are good at teaching online and using online tools. For some of us older teachers, I think this is especially true. Online learning offers choices for students whose schedules may require being someone else during the normal school day. It also offers choices for students to take a wider variety of classes should scheduling of specialty classes in the brick and mortar be an issue. For all FCPS teachers, there has been much time spent just learning the platforms for which we are to use to teach online. It has been time-consuming and frustrating for most. We then must adjust how we present and teach the curriculum. In addition, we have been required to complete hours upon hours of professional development courses online ourselves. With virtual learning now, it is important to be flexible and o...