A New Take on Retakes #MTBoSYuleBlog

 It's Christmas Break!

I'm pretty certain I will not get 12 blog posts done for #MTBoSYuleBlog, but I do have a couple of things I want to reflect on while I have a few days to reflect. 

This particular post has been simmering in my brain for a while, but I haven't had time to compose it.

As I have blogged about many times before, I'm a big believer in students having the ability to improve their understanding of a concept, demonstrate that to me, and then earn points back on a test grade.

Several years ago I implemented a broad retake and redo policy. It was a great policy, but there were aspects of it that were challenging to manage.

In the last couple of years, I have done test corrections. Test corrections are a little easier to manage than the full-scale retakes, but there are things about them I don't like.

1) They are a PAIN to grade. I'd rather grade a full set of original tests than a small number of corrected tests.

2) It is hard to get students to correct tests in a way that demonstrates to me that they really understand the concept and why they missed it the first time. "Write a sentence explaining your mistake" often gives shallow answers. "New" work can be copied from someone or somewhere else with no real understanding.

This year I came up with a different way, and I like it better.

Students who wish to make corrections to a test must come before school (I facilitate the school's Homework Help each morning) or stay after school. They make corrections, and I am there to assist if and when they need me.

I get to be there with the students while they work, so I know what they are doing and how they are doing it. I can reteach and re-explain. I can see and hear and then correct misconceptions. I get to KNOW why students missed something the first time.

The best part of this method of test corrections? When students leave my room, their test corrections are graded! I know they got the problems they reworked correct, and all I have to do is refigure their points.

There's been just a little bit of push-back on the requirement to come to see me before or after school, but the ones who have complained mostly don't want to make the effort to do so.

And I'm OK with the opportunity to make test corrections requiring a little bit of effort.

A Flipped Classroom Evolution

 It's been a hot minute since I've made a blog post!

We transitioned from hybrid to full in-person learning; we've now transitioned back to hybrid learning.

I have had a couple of things I want to blog about but just haven't had or made the time.

One of the biggest things that has happened in my classroom is a change I've made in my flipped lessons.

I realize I am extremely late to the party, but I began using Edpuzzle!

While there are always students who "click through" a video and simply copy things down without any thought about the material or engagement with the instruction, it seems to have been worse or particularly bad the last couple of years. This year I am especially dependent on flipped instruction, and it is more important than ever that students actually understand and absorb what is being presented in a video.

Students this year were sharing with me how they were just "clicking through" videos. I could tell by the difficulties students were having with practice material in class that they were just "clicking through." A few students began asking for a way that would "make them" watch - and pay attention to - the video, and a few of them mentioned Edpuzzle.

So, after our Fall Break, I took the plunge. As I have recorded new videos, I upload them into Edpuzzle and add questions.

I L-O-V-E adding questions. Where I used to say, "Pause the video here and do ________" (few students actually did), I now put a question where students have to try the problem and enter their answer before they move on. Then the video shares the answer, and they can make any necessary corrections to their work. I'll ask students to make predictions about things or tell me what connections they see between topics. At the end of the video - this has become my very favorite - I ask for a summary or a "in your own words, tell me how to do this" or for any questions they might have or for some other sort of reflection about the video.

I don't grade the Edpuzzle questions, but I do read through them. I can tell if there is a particular problem students found challenging. I enjoy reading the answers to the summary/explanation/reflection questions.

There has been a little bit of complaining about the videos being moved to Edpuzzle; it is taking more time for them to complete video notes (this, of course, is expected and sort of the point). Overall, though, I am a huge fan, and students say they like it better. They say they are "actually" paying attention to the videos and understanding material. I can tell by the way they interact with material in class that their understanding is better.

The one feature I wish Edpuzzle had is the ability to watch the video at a faster speed. I, myself, like to watch YouTube videos at a faster speed, and I know not every student needs the material at a slow pace.

I also upload my videos to YouTube when it is time to get ready for a test. This allows students to use the videos to study at their own pace, skipping and watching faster as needed. (This was also a suggestion from a student.)

I've been flipping my classes in some capacity for...7 years...now??? And this is the first big update I've made in a long time. I'm so happy I did!

Student Thoughts about Hybrid Learning

Week before last I asked students some feedback questions about hybrid learning. We are pivoting off of hybrid this coming week, so I really should have written this post last weekend, but the information I received is still relevant, as I will continue to use some of the things I implemented for hybrid learning AND I feel it is very likely we will have to move back into hybrid learning at some point.

I've said it before, but I love gathering student thoughts. Yes, they think and communicate like young teenagers, but I always get good information and ideas from them.

I asked students about four aspects of hybrid learning: how it was going for them, Zoom sessions, the Weekly Planner, and lesson videos.

The Hybrid Experience

Students enjoy the slower pace of remote learning. They only had to Zoom for academic classes, so they had periods of time during the day that had no official obligations. They like being able to sleep a little later. They like moving at their own pace.

Their favorite aspect of being at home? Being able to eat what they want when they want it.

They don't like not having direct access to teachers while doing their work. They don't like having to deal with sometimes-glitchy technology. They feel they are more distracted at home and have a harder time completing their work (I would agree).

Zoom Sessions

I specifically asked about the Zoom sessions for my class, because every teacher did it a little differently.

In general, they liked the length of my sessions. Since I flipped lessons, I took attendance, did some sort of warm-up/introduction, and then explained the day's tasks/assignments. Students were free to hang around and work on their assignments while still on the Zoom session, but they seldom did.

I didn't realize how much Zoom lagged for many of them. Many mentioned they missed things that were said due to glitches.

The Weekly Planner

The Weekly Planner is a huge hit. One student said, "I live by the planner." I was talking to a group of students about continuing the use of the Weekly Planner, and one student asked, "You haven't always used the Planner?!?"

They like the Planner being organized and being able to find their assignments all in one place. They like knowing if they have completed everything they needed to do for a particular day.

Several asked for due dates to be listed in the Planner. The due dates are on the assignments in Google Classroom, but it is probably easy enough to also add that information to the Planner.

Lesson Videos

I must admit, I was a little nervous asking about the lesson videos. I just wasn't sure this group was "jiving" really well with the videos.

My fears were unfounded. They like all the aspects of videos that are the reasons I use videos: going at their own pace, being able to rewind, having the videos available to watch again later. Yesterday a student wanted to ensure that I would still be doing videos even when we are not following the hybrid model.

Interestingly, several mentioned wishing there was a way to encourage them to watch and engage with the video instead of "clicking through." One class actually asked me to play a video from the board so they could watch it as a class. I think EdPuzzle would do what they're asking for, but then they lose the ability to watch the video at a faster or slower pace if they want??? I'm still thinking about it. The fact that they're self-aware enough to know they're doing something that is not in their best interest is positive.

I can say I am seeing growth in their use of the videos and the notes they take. I sometimes forget the learning curve for how to use an academic video.

-------------------------------------------

Overall, I thought the feedback I received from students was positive. Most of them are doing what they can given the circumstances and are rising to the challenge. Most of them feel I am adequately meeting their needs.

This coming week I will get to see all of my students at the same time and watch them all work on the same assignment. Things are still not "normal," but I am thankful for any amount of time I get to be with them all together.

This school year will continue to require frequent reflection and adaptation, and we will all continue to take one week...one day...one class period at a time.

The Sound of Silence

 Students started school about three-and-a-half weeks ago (it feels like it has been much, much longer). Of all the things that can be said about this school year (and there are many), one of the biggest surprises to me is that it is the quietest school year ever.

We are currently on a hybrid A/B schedule, so we have roughly half of our students in the building at a time. Of course it would be expected to be quieter than "normal."

But it's not just "quieter." It's quiet. Sometimes silent.

The halls are quiet. Our counselor has been playing music between classes to inspire some energy. And noise. Yesterday was the first day I actually heard students while they changed classes.

Part of it is the masks. Students can't whisper or talk quietly to one another, so they don't talk.

Part of it is the synchronous live class + Zoom format. Students on Zoom don't want to talk at all. Students in class are beginning to participate some, but not much. I bribed a group on Zoom yesterday with candy if someone would unmute and answer a question.

I have never been a "quiet classroom" teacher - teachers who had those classrooms always amazed me (and freaked me out a bit) - but this year, it's a quiet classroom. I have one decently chatty group right now, and they feel much noisier than they really are because of the extreme quietness of other groups.

I played a couple of games this week, and they were eerily silent. Zero response from the group who played Bingo. A few reactions from the groups who play synchronous Quizlet Live, but not many.

This coming week I am going to do a digital breakout, and I hope it spurs communication and collaboration. We'll see.

Students seem a little hesitant to even ask questions when they have them. A few will raise hands. I try to make sure I circulate and look over shoulders and comment on what they are doing so they will hopefully feel comfortable asking me something if I am in their vicinity.

I am finding that personal, digital means are the best ways to communicate with students.

I do a daily "Attendance & Bell Work" Google Form and ask students if they have any questions or comments for me. I don't get many, but a few ask how I'm doing (that is always touching), and one girl asks me a "Question of the Day," trying to get to know my favorite things. I love it. A couple of students ask questions about assignments or procedures. And one student reached out for help with current material. If a student makes any sort of comment whatsoever, I try to respond.

Thankfully, students seem to be pretty comfortable reaching out through Google Classroom or email. The distance learning of last spring probably helped develop that habit.

It has been much more difficult to establish that ever-important connection and relationship this year (and I can't even imagine how it is for those who are completely virtual), but we are getting there.

I've always been a huge believer in the importance of "checking in" and seeing how students are doing and how things are going, but if students are currently not comfortable speaking out loud, it is more important than ever. I will be even more intentional about trying to break the deafening silence.

Working the Plan

 A month ago I described my rough, untested plans for structuring my classes and assignments for the not-yet-started school year. Wow...it's hard to believe that was a month ago! It was a few days before teachers started back to school and a couple of weeks before students started.

In that post, I described my ideas for the use of a Weekly Planner template by SlidesMania.

Students have been in school (in a hybrid format) for 2 weeks. We've had devices and in digital instruction for a week.

So...how's it going?

Short story: I like the planner.

Issues I've had:

Time: Creating the planner takes a lot of time. Linking to assignments takes a lot of time. Each class has its own unique link for an assignment in Google Classroom, so I create one planner, make copies of it, and then link individual assignments throughout the week.

When I can, I link directly to websites (like IXL and Quizlet). I'm considering linking directly to Google Forms instead of posting Google Forms as assignments. I would lose being able to look at an assignment in Google Classroom and quickly see who has or hasn't completed the Form, but it would save me a few links (and, believe me, they add up!)

Student Understanding of the Planner: I began "training" students with the planner from almost Day 1, before students had devices. The ones who understand the planner seem to like it (I need to ask for specific feedback). But others seem to be a little lost. I've explained the numbers above each day. I click through the numbers each day, mentioning "Activity 1," "Activity 2," etc. A couple of students admitted yesterday it took them a while to understand what the numbers were for. For funsies, today I put a picture of this week's planner on a Weekly Quick Check and asked, "How many activities are planned for Friday?" Several students missed the question.

Where do I go from here?

I continue using the planner. Students need more training. I need to find out exactly what the confusions are and address them. I think I'm going to do some warm-up-style activities about the planner.

I wait for the lightbulbs about how to streamline the creation process. I'm already doing a lot of copy-and-paste, so that's good, but I have a feeling I could be more efficient.

I still believe the planner was (and is) the way to go. I like that everything students need is in one place. It is a great vehicle for lesson organization when approximately half of my students are in my classroom with me and the other half are on the other side of a webcam. It will be a great vehicle for lesson organization if we are ever forced to be completely virtual. The planner continues to hold great potential, and I will continue to try to figure out how to best use it.

Feeling Productive #MTBoSBlaugust

 Today was our first remote learning day for the entire brick-and-mortar student population. Students don't have devices, yet, so we sent assignments home with them. Teachers had a faculty meeting this morning and then had time to clean and plan and prep for next week's full-on hybrid learning.

I accomplished everything I hoped to accomplish for the day and felt quite productive.

I mapped out my plans for next week and prepared materials and activities last weekend. This morning I printed out those materials and made copies. Keeping up with what needs to be copied and how many copies need to be made for which group is quite a chore! I took 4 post-it notes to the workroom with me to make sure I copied the right things in the right numbers, and then I labeled the many stacks with post-it notes so I might have a chance of giving groups of students the correct things on the correct days. It'll be a miracle if I did it all correctly.

After lunch, I recorded four videos. I have not recorded videos in a while - and this was the first time I recorded classroom videos using Screencastify - and I feel a bit rusty. Learning the new tech led to some re-dos and start-overs, but I eventually got them all recorded. I ended up pretty happy with all but one of them.

I messaged with a parent and sent reminders to students about their assignments.

At the end of the day, I had time to organize the stacks of copies, place the originals in my class binders, prepare my board with tomorrow's date and activities, and straighten up my room so it is ready for tomorrow.

If anyone ever proposes teachers getting a plan/prep/grade/organize day a week, I will be a huge supporter!

aaaaaand We're Off! #MTBoSBlaugust

 

Students are in the building! I said I wouldn't actually be convinced we were having school until teachers and students were actually in the building. And it happened!

I have felt that if I got to meet my students and lay some sort of foundation, it would make any time we have to resort to full distance-learning (if/when it happens) much easier. I am SO thankful we have been able to start in person!

It was the weirdest and quietest and longest start ever.

Kids are in masks and 6 feet apart most of the day. They - so far - seem a little inhibited all of it (that might change over time).

We are doing a hybrid A/B schedule, so the halls are relatively empty and quiet. The classroom is quiet.

One of my students expressed her mild frustration: "We haven't been here in 5 months, and we have to come back in masks and can't sit close to our friends!"

Group A had the first day of school on Thursday and Group B began on Friday. I said a lot of the same stuff about 12 times. As I was beginning to wear down on Thursday, the thought of repeating the day over again on Friday about did me in. But Friday's energy was good, and hopefully, Group B had a similar Day 1 to Group A.

We don't have devices, yet, so next week's hybrid learning cannot be accomplished virtually. I sent some review work home with Group B to bring back on Thursday. We'll see how it goes.

This coming week, even without devices, I hope to introduce the Weekly Planner so students begin seeing "the routine." And, best of all, we'll dive into some math!

It feels really good to have started. None of us has any idea what this year will look like when it's done, but we will take each day as it comes. While there are still a lot of "what ifs," I am glad we've moved past a few of them and are actually doing school.

Trying to Hit a Moving Target #MTBoSBlaugust

 Today brought another slight change to some guidance about the upcoming days. After I had "finalized" plans and "knew" what I was going to be doing.

It's all good; I'm going to be able to use what I planned. But I'm finding that, even though I KNOW to expect change, I still have that brief, mostly-internal, panic moment. And today, in the moment of frustration, I had the thought, "The target keeps moving."

As I thought about that statement, I realize it is true for EVERYONE trying to make plans and decisions throughout and because of the global pandemic.

As more data is collected, new trends are seen, and departments of public health update guidance. Updated guidance results in school leaders revising plans. Revised plans trickle down to the classroom teacher, causing changes in the plans of the classroom.

Plans continue to change because the target continues to move.

I continue to remind myself that everyone is doing the best they can given the information they know at any particular moment. Being aware of this doesn't always prevent the momentary freak-outs, but it does allow me to take a deep breath and extend grace and understanding.

And regroup and take aim at that target once again.

We're All in This Together #MTBoSBlaugust

 Educators everywhere are experiencing rapid changes. Start dates, the format of instruction, and health recommendations and procedures are all fluid and - at times - revised daily.

Teachers in my district returned to school last Friday and were met in the first fifteen minutes that our start date was being pushed back a few days (again) and that students who chose "traditional" (in-house) instruction would now receive "hybrid" instruction, with half of the students receiving instruction at school for two days while the other half attends classes remotely. One day a week is a "deep clean" day.

The administration is deciding exactly what this looks like, and as various aspects are figured out the new information is shared with us.

Almost invariably, after each new piece of information, teacher groups of various sizes gather (socially distanced, of course) to discuss, brainstorm, and plan. Teachers pop in and out of each other's rooms to see what each other is thinking.

This afternoon we did a mock hybrid lesson; some teachers were in a classroom as the "in-house" students and others were in their rooms joining the lesson remotely. Teachers from both secondary schools in the district participated. We asked questions and shared ideas.

I've been so thankful for the extra days to process the changes. I'm also thankful for the time and opportunity to discuss with others what might work best for us and students.

"We > Me" is probably more important now than ever.

Desk Tetris #MTBoSBlaugust

 Thanks to the help of a friend and colleague on Friday, I figured out a fairly simple way to arrange my desks so that students are 6 feet apart. I have 27 desks in my room, and I put them in pairs; one desk in the pair will not be used. I had 14 desks that were properly spaced.

I looked at my rosters to see how big my two groups would be for our new "hybrid model," and one class period had 16 students in Group A while another class period had 17 students in Group A.

After the initial thoughts of, "PANIC! This won't work! My rosters need to be changed!" I realized I needed an extra set of eyes to look at the room and see what options I have. So I called in the big guns. I asked my husband to take a look.

This is the guy who goes behind me after I load the dishwasher and declare it full and fits another 20 dishes in it. This is the guy who fit luggage and beach gear for 6 adult women in our vehicle. He's really quite amazing (but don't tell him that; it will go to his head).

He was actually a little excited about the idea of figuring out the classroom arrangement. He said, "It's Tetris!"

We went to the school last night so he could measure all the furniture and get an idea of what he was dealing with.

He came home and drew a model of the room and all the furniture and decided where it would all fit.

(This is not a great picture, but I find it way funnier than I probably should that he used toilets to represent student desks.)

This afternoon we went back to school, and he moved all the big stuff where it needed to go. We arranged the desks in their proper locations, and we put tape on the floor so desks can be easily put back in their proper locations.

My room is not student-ready, yet, but having this very big task - making sure I can fit the correct number of students at the correct distances - off my plate feels really good.

The Times, They Continue to Change #MTBoSBlaugust

 In the middle of July, dates on the school calendar - most notably, start dates - began to change. We had a couple of changes within a few days of one another. I tweeted:

"I have a feeling this is going to be an 'only use pencil in the planner' year."

While this was not an earth-shattering revelation to anyone involved with a school in the coming year, I can claim I was right.

Today was the first day back for teachers, and one of the first things we learned was that the calendar will be changing again, along with how we plan to have students in the building and follow the state health department's guidelines for schools.

The student start date has been pushed back three more days to give us a little more time to plan and prepare for everything that is new and different in this unprecedented (there's that word again) school year.

Our model for students who have chosen in-house school is now what we are calling "hybrid." We will see half of our students on Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday will be a "deep clean" day, and we will see the other half of our students on Thursday and Friday. Learning will be synchronous, so students will be learning the same thing in a day whether they are at home or in school.

I think this will work pretty well with my rough plan for the year. I'll have to adjust my ideas for the "weekly handout packet," but I think I almost have it figured out.

Next week we'll have department meetings and more information about what the hybrid plan should look like, and I will begin revising and refining my plans.

Stay tuned!

Self-Care Day #MTBoSBlaugust

No reflections, no plans, nothing particularly school-related today. A few teacher-friends and I met at a friend's pool and enjoyed one of our final days before we return to the classroom.

We talked about school, of course. But that's just part of what we do when we get together; we can't help ourselves.

After being in the sun for several hours, I am relaxed and increasingly sleepy. I plan to veg out in front of the TV for a while and then head to bed at a decent hour.

No school work today.

It's been a self-care day. They are always needed in the life of a teacher, and in our present circumstances, they are even more important.

I hope we all remember in the coming school year to take time to do something else besides school and laugh with friends.

The Best Laid Plans #MTBoSBlaugust

Every person remotely connected to the upcoming school year knows that plans are fluid. My district is set to have teachers return this Friday (3 days from now) and students in 13 days.

And I'm not sure I'll actually believe it's happening until we're in the building.

A good portion of summer is usually spent planning lessons. This summer, however, I haven't known how to plan. For a while, we didn't know if our start date would be adjusted (it was) or if we would decide to begin classes completely online (we're not).

But SOMEthing needs to be planned. I need to have SOME idea of how I'm approaching my classes this year.

I knew early on that I wanted a plan for lessons that would work whether we are face-to-face or virtual. In the spring, it took a lot of effort to "train" students (and parents) on how to "have school" in the virtual world. Yes, we did digital activities in face-to-face school, but not to the extent that had to occur once we transitioned (quickly) to distance learning.

I knew I wanted to "train" students from the beginning.

I also had the thought that some form of self-pacing would be good for the coming year. I have tried small chunks of self-pacing - individual days, a unit - but my class has not been widely self-paced.

I had a few ideas rolling around in my head but nothing I felt able to solidify.

Then @roxygirlteacher (Rockstar Math Teacher) shared her plan for her classroom, and things begin to click.

I want each week to follow the same format, whether we are in school or at home. I'm thinking (and hoping) the routine will mean we can transition back and forth (if it happens) with few hiccups.

I found a Google Slides template on SlidesMania that I decided to use.

Each calendar day links to activities for that day. Each activity has instructions and can link to an assignment in Google Classroom or a video or an online practice site.

My plan is to also have a "Weekly Handout Packet" with things that require paper and pencil. My reasoning for the packet is to reduce the number of times papers are being passed out and turned in.

In a perfect world (::grin::), I will have each week's activities posted on Monday morning and give students their Weekly Handout Packet.

Each day will have a specific lesson and objective and some whole-class activities, but if there are assignments posted ahead of time in the weekly planner - like videos or practice - students are free to work ahead whenever they have time, whether that is when they finish early in class, in a study hall, or at home, if they like.

I would not post things like quizzes or "Quick Checks" (mini-quizzes) ahead of time.

I'm considering have one "due date" a week: all online assignments are due and the weekly packet will be turned in each Tuesday. That will give students further flexibility in completing assignments.

I'm going to (attempt to) share a Week 1 Template here and would love feedback.

Weekly Plan Example

It is not linked to anything in Google Classroom, yet, and I haven't made the videos that I will link to video activities. You can test out the navigation through the slides by clicking "Present." From any slide, there is a "home" in the upper right corner that will take you back to the first slide.

If you choose to look at the Slides and share any ideas, thank you! I would also love to hear how you are formating classes this year.

Looking Back #MTBoSBlaugust

I've said it before, but I love student reflections. I like checking in with students to see how things are going and if there is anything I need to tweak.

I give a few "big" reflection surveys throughout the year. One of my favorites is the End-of-Year Reflection.

I typically blog about the End-of-Year Reflection at...well...the end of the year. But that didn't happen this year. So I've opened the Google Form up to read back through the responses and see if I can remember what I gleaned from them in May.

I was a little concerned about giving the reflection at the end of the spring distance learning. I was afraid students' views of the entire year would be marred by how it ended. That didn't seem to be the case.

When reading responses to reflections, I look for trends. Not every 8th Grader takes such questionnaires seriously. There's always that student or two who don't like anything. So I look for thoughts that seem to be common to a number of students.

Here are a few things that stood out to me from this past year's reflection.

Seating/Groups/Partners: Nailed it! I swap up seats a LOT. Sometimes daily. Some days students get to choose where they sit. They work with a partner or in a group more than not. For the majority of students, this was a highlight of being in my class.

That makes me sad for my upcoming students. Desks in rows, facing the front. Group work as usual - heads together, sharing thoughts and supplies - is not possible right now. I heard one health expert - I don't remember if it was a state or national one - recommend students have the same seating arrangement every day so it is easy to see if a student is not there.

I don't know exactly how I overcome these particular challenges and keep the positive social aspects of my classroom, but I have a few ideas to try.

Activities: Many students requested more competitive activities. I admit struggling with competitions in class. Managing teams and time, enforcing rules, ensuring fairness, controlling the occasional inappropriate outburst...I find days with competitive activities challenging. But I will continue to work on it. Online competition options will be a good option this coming year.

Testing Format: In my Algebra 1 classes last year, I primarily used 10-question assessments. I loved them. They didn't take students forever to complete, they were thorough enough to let me know what students did or did not understand, they were quicker to grade and return to students. Students were frequently given the opportunity to correct the assessments and earn back some points.

Some students hated them.

I never counted an assessment for more than 50 points - I think most of them were around 30 points - but a handful of students were stressed out by the fact that there were "only" 10 questions on a "test."

I liked the short assessments well enough to continue using them. But I'm thinking of using the term "quiz" for any assessment instead of "test." I hope that a "quiz" will be less anxiety-producing than "test." We shall see.

I continue to believe in the importance of getting student input. I'll need a lot of it this coming year as I try to meet student needs within the parameters of teaching in a pandemic.

For Such a Time as This? #MTBoSBlaugust

Two days, two blog posts. Wow!

Today I want to look back and reflect a bit on teaching during the quarantine.

When I first learned that we would be teaching remotely and virtually, I thought, "I've got this!" Having been a "flipped" teacher for many years, I was familiar with cranking out videos. My students were familiar with watching instructional videos (although not as many this past year, due to various circumstances).

THIS is the type of situation for which I'm prepared!

Umm...maybe not.

One place where flipped lessons shine is in face-to-face time with students in the classroom. They've watched the video in their personal space, so we do the work in our shared space. They explore. They collaborate. They practice. I circulate, assisting and encouraging and stretching where needed.

This all looked very different in the virtual space.

For one, I allowed my students to have their video off (I would do this differently, now). I was looking at a screen full of names. No facial expressions, no body language to let me know who was or wasn't understanding.

Not every student watched the videos ahead of time, so I had to use the first chunk of our Zoom time reteaching the lesson.

Ways for students to explore and practice material via Zoom were limited.

I felt like our time together (virtually) was a lot of me, me, me, something from which I had gotten away in my flipped classroom transformation.

There was little interaction and no back-and-forth. I missed it so much.

As we moved through the quarter, I got better with ways to make a virtual class more interactive, and that helped. But it still wasn't the same.

The move to virtual instruction in the spring was sudden with little preparation time.

It feels likely we'll have to do at least some of this coming year virtually.

I have a few ideas about how I'll do things differently next time. And I attended a couple of virtual PD sessions that modeled ways to make the most of remote instruction; I will definitely implement those if/when we have to teach from home.

But the learning curve was surprisingly steep for virtual teaching, and - to my dismay - I was not near as prepared as I thought I would have been.

Thankfully it's an opportunity for growth of which I can take advantage the next time around.

Is It Really August? #MTBosBlaugust

Talk about a blogging hiatus! My last blog post was around Labor Day of last year.

I have had thoughts of blog posts and the desire to do some blogging, but nothing ever materialized. The start of a new MTBoS Blaugust was the motivation I needed to crank out SOMEthing.

While the first semester of last school year was pretty typical, and the first half of the second semester was, too, we all know what happened in March.

As the coronavirus and COVID-19 entered and started spreading throughout the US, it felt like a snow forecast. Will it happen? Will it get to us? Will we get a dusting or a foot (a large amount for Alabama that would shut us down for a while)? Will we shut down?

It did come, and we did shut down. Like, really shut down. Things are mostly open again, and movement is a little freer, but numbers continue to rise alongside uncertainty.

The 2020-2021 school year was (and still is) in danger of being done from home. For many, it has already been decided that it will begin that way.

My district kicks off next Friday (8/7) with the return of teachers. Our superintendent says we are going to do everything possible to begin "as normal" - as normal as it can with masks, social distancing, lots of sanitizing, and some students choosing to do school virtually - so that we can build those crucial relationships with our students.

I appreciate that.

But it seems surreal that it is August and time to go back to school. Time has been in some sort of weird warp where months have seemed to last for years.

It didn't feel like August would ever get here.

While I did some normal summertime things, it did not feel like a normal Summer Break.

And now my brain is trying to shift into school mode for a year that will be unlike any other.

So...hello, August. I have no idea what you hold, but I've (mostly) quit trying to predict. I'll take a day at a time, do what I need to do, and try to create the best year I can for me and my students, regardless of what comes our way.