Discover what’s worked and how educators around the country have overcome challenges to bring K-12 instruction online for distance learning. Use these insights to reflect and set yourself up for success in the future. Add new tools, systems, and methods to your teaching toolkit and incorporate them next year to boost your instructional flexibility and optimize your teaching.
2020 threw a curveball at K-12 teachers and students around the country. The unprecedented and uncertain times called for teachers and schools to adjust their structure and quickly adapt to teaching and learning from home. With everything in flux, educators stepped up, demonstrated their resilience, resourcefulness, and dedication to their students, and made education work.
What did that look like? Well, it varied from state to state, school to school, and teacher to teacher. At the drop of a dime, educators looked at what was available to them and made the most of it, adapting and adjusting as they discovered what didn’t work and what worked with each passing week. If that’s not impressive, tell us what is.
#DistanceLearningDay Online Conference
On Thursday, June 4th, 2021 seventeen educators shared feature presentations on lessons, insights, strategies, and tips for distance learning.
Available now, on demand, tune in for over 5 hours of presentations with our Distance Learning Day event. Topics range from app-smashing for remote learning, to fun social-emotional learning activities, synchronous vs asynchronous learning, collaboration tactics, and robust systems to track student progress from afar.
Through these presentations, you’ll discover new tools, strategies, and systems of learning applied by professional educators who are driving the education technology industry forward.
Watch all of them, some of them, or one of them – it’s up to you! View the full event here or read on below to learn more about the sessions and presenters.
#DistanceLearningDay Details and Full Schedule
Supporting High School Students with Distance Learning
Join us as four high school teachers share what worked for them during distance learning. From new #EdTech tools to creating fun real-life activities for their students, these teachers came up with creative ways to engage their teenage students. You’ll walk away from this one-hour session with tools, tricks, and new ideas to drive your instruction forward.
Distance Learning Activities for Social-Emotional Learning and Real-Life Skills
Identifying Zone of Proximal Development and Redirect to Guide Remote Instruction
Alicia Thompson High School Math Teacher Arkansas Twitter Handle: @alicia_rhae
When school closed down, Alicia Thompson realized that the most effective focus for her 11th graders would be social-emotional and real-life skills, rather than traditional classroom lessons. Discover the creative, fun, and practical activities she shared on a choice board; from finding a recipe and cooking it for the family to learning how to make a household budget, etc.
Dan McGovern 6th-10th Grade Math Teacher Ohio
Dan leaned on Edulastic to help him work through assignments during distance learning. While most students were already using it, his one class had to learn quickly and they jumped right in! Dan discovered different ways that Edulastic indicates ZPD, the power of the Redirect tool, and the importance of good workflow during distance learning with his students.
Finding Success Amidst Chaos and Struggle
Instructing Young Mothers During NTI Through Curated Asynchronous Instruction
Catherine Tang High School Montessori Math Teacher, MathCon Coach, NHS Adviser, District Math Teacher Leader Kentucky Twitter Handle: @tcfljmj3
What might the grading situation look like when classes are remote? What challenges must be considered when distance learning takes place? While Catherine Tang faced many challenges, what did work was one-on-one tutoring through Zoom, choice boards, math art, Screencastify videos, Desmos activities, Quizizz games, Edpuzzle videos and Edulastic assessments. Learn more and discover what she intends to carry over into the next school year.
Briana Arencibia High School Math Teacher, Google Leader Kentucky Twitter Handle: @ms_arencibia
Teaching remote at a school for young mothers means that instruction must be asynchronous to allow students to tend to the needs of their children. Briana Arencibia talks about how she navigated YouTube, Google Slides, Desmos, and Edulastic to provide instruction, engaging activities, and quizzes for students.
Supporting Middle School Students with Distance Learning
Working with middle school students means you have a new set of challenges thrown at you each day. These teachers tackled these challenges and more as they instructed, guided, and supported their students while teaching from home. Join us for four presentations that range from synchronous vs. asynchronous learning, streamlined communication, and using multimedia to engage middle school students.
Weekly Assignments, Videos, and Notes to Spark Learning in All Students
Streamlined Communication Systems and Mini-Mastery Quizzes
Holly Summers 7th Grade Math Teacher Indiana Twitter Handle: @mssmathgeek
When Holly made the switch to distance learning, she was lucky: her kids were already comfortable with using online tools to complete homework. During her talk, learn how she used Edulastic for weekly assignments accompanied with notes and videos. And for grading? “Edulastic made grading soooooo much easier for me!”, she says.
A streamlined structure of educational systems was key to the success that Latasha Roland saw at her school. Through weekly communications with parents via Remind, class meetings, and small-group instruction, Latasha managed assignments, bi-weekly mini-mastery Quizzes to inform instruction, and intervention groups. Discover her process, journey, and the tools she’ll be bringing with her into the upcoming school year.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning, EdTech, and Documentation of Communication With Students, Parents, & Admins
Engaging ELA Learners Online with Multimedia
Lance Key Instructional Technology Specialist and 8th Grade Math Teacher Tennessee Twitter Handle: @Lancerkey
Discover synchronous vs. asynchronous learning and why providing both are important with Lance Key. He’ll also chat about tech tools he tested during remote learning and the importance of communication with students, parents, and admins as well as how to keep documentation.
Samantha Shaffner ELA Teacher Ohio Twitter Handle: @SamanthaShaffn2
How does one make learning ELA from home spunky and fun? With multimedia. Learn how Samantha roped in borrowed multimedia or created her own to make remote learning take wing.
Connected #WithClassroom
Teaching from home requires intentional implementation of #EdTech, and often educators turn to Google Classroom. Join us to learn how these three teachers set up their classrooms to drive instruction from home. You’ll learn new strategies and inside tricks for integrating powerful tools into your instruction.
Squashing that Overwhelmed Feeling with Organization and Data Collection
The Swift Response and Journey of Training Teachers for Distance Learning Success
Nerissa Gerodias High School Math Teacher California Twitter Handle: @gerodiasn
After a 2-week cold halt of instruction, Nerissa Gerodias’s school encouraged educators to offer new lessons and allow students to make up tasks they may have missed around the time of school closing. While overwhelming at first, Nerissa developed and provided students with weekly learning guides through Google Classroom. To support students and reduce chances of frustration, she accompanied learning guides with video tutorials and Desmos activities. “anyone can easily get overwhelmed doing online teaching and to avoid being overwhelmed, teachers must be organized.” says Gerodias.
Katrina Golden K-5 Computer Literacy Teacher, MS English Language Arts Teacher, Educational Consultant Louisiana Twitter Handle: @Teacher_Trina75
Katrina Golden’s school experienced a swift transition and as the computer literacy teacher, she was tasked with creating Google Classrooms, and training teachers on EdTech (Edulastic, Zoom, Google Meet) within a tight time span. With all hands on deck, learn how her school made a successful transition to distance learning and the secrets to their success.
Creating Your Virtual Classroom
Barbara Zingg High School Math Teacher West Virginia Twitter Handle: @bzingg56
When so much is changing, why not literally bring your classroom online? A virtual classroom can provide the comfort of their formal physical learning space so students can feel somewhat at “home” when they enter the online school day.
Break Out Rooms, Group Discussion, and Collaboration
In the middle of the day (12 PM PT, 3 PM ET), we will break the entire audience into break out rooms on Zoom. We will provide guided questions to spark conversation.
You’ll have the opportunity to share your experiences, collaborate with others, and implement strategies for next year. The break out rooms will last for thirty minutes before we dive back into more informative presentations!
Optimize Science Instruction from Home
Hey Science Teachers, this thirty-minute block will be of particular interest to you! Join us to learn about remote labs and effective ways to use #EdTech to teach science. You’ll walk away feeling inspired, creative, and ready to implement new strategies into your teaching toolkit.
Flexibility is Key with a Sudden Transition to Distance Learning
Jen Lee High School and College Chemistry Teacher New Jersey Twitter Handle: @jenm42
When Jen’s high school started out thinking this was a very temporary transition, they asked for 6 hours of emergency assignments to be created. However, once it became clearer that Distance Learning was to be a more long-term reality, Jen had to adapt to the technological limitations of a low-income school district while maintaining rigorous standards for scientific learning. Learn what tools Jen used to continually adapt her chemistry classroom to online instruction.
EdTech, App Smashes, Tips, and More
From Zoom to Google Classroom, PearDeck to Screencastify, there are countless #EdTech tools available to educators. But which ones really work? More importantly right now, which ones really work when teaching from home? Join this session to learn this and more. You’ll discover new tools, strategies, and systems of learning applied by professional educators who are driving the education technology industry forward.
Adjusting Expectations and Simplifying Distance Learning
App-smashing to Create a Virtual Math Lesson
Mindy Newell 6th Grade ELA Teacher Ohio Twitter Handle: @integratetechno
Maintaining rigorous paced English instruction became an unrealistic goal, so Mindy Newell developed a plan to make -at-home learning a relatable, engaging, enjoyable experience. Her sixth graders showcased learning by making short videos with Flipgrid and they developed vocabulary skills while using Membean. Learn how these two easy-to-use apps empowered middle schoolers during distance learning.
Tina Kelly Middle School Math Department Head and 5th-grade math teacher Massachusetts Twitter Handle: @tinakelly01821
In order to deliver math lessons virtually with the tools available at home, Tina Kelly found some ways to deliver engaging virtual lessons that allowed her to provide and adapt instruction. Learn how she used Google Slides, Equatio, and Peardeck to prepare her lessons, how she uses Airplay and an iPad combined with Pear deck to deliver instruction, and lastly, how she uses Edulastic to determine which direction to go in her teaching and to differentiate instruction.
7th Grade ELA Team Collaboration for Teaching and Checking in on Families
Blended Classroom: Adjusting to the challenges of equitable access and the surprise benefits that might arise.
Karen Ford 7th Grade ELA Teacher Massachusetts Twitter Handle: @mrsfordhopms
Collaboration is key. Perhaps a common cliche, it’s hard to deny that communication between teaching teams, students, and families was evermore important during distance learning. Enter the world of Karen Ford’s 7th grade ELA team and learn what worked/didn’t work and how they managed synchronous learning.
Alison Cox HS Math Teacher Arkansas
Operating a remote K-12 classroom comes with its own challenges when dealing with rural internet and lack of equitable access to technology. Sometimes finding success means printing hard copies of assignments and EdTech as an option, and accomplishing your goal of creating flipped lessons!
Dealing with the Ups and Downs of Distance Learning
Karen Hernandez High School Math Teacher California Twitter Handle: @KarenRabadan
Even with 1:1 Chromebooks, distance learning poses the obvious challenge of lack of presence and interaction which can be key to reaching students and helping them achieve their full potential. That being said, Karen Hernandez discovered ways to layout her units and lessons for them to track on her website and work from there. Join live to learn more about what worked to overcome technological and distance challenges!
FAQ’s
1. This event is 5 hours long! Do I need to attend to the entire event?
We agree, 5 hours is a whole lot of learning and fun! While we encourage you to join in and soak up as much of the event as possible, there’s no need. Check out the schedule, see what suits your fancy, and pop in for the sessions you’re most excited about! It’s totally up to you!
2. Does this cost money?
We are excited to deliver this PD free of charge!
3. How do I register?
The event is over and we welcome you to watch the incredible presentations free of charge!
4. Is this a conference?
Some may call this a webinar, others might call this a conference, or it could be compared to an online version of an EdCamp! This event is essentially an online conference with an interactive component to provide the opportunity for you to share and connect with other participants online. Whatever you call this…. a webinar, online conference, broadcast, lunch and learn, etc. we hope you come away more confident in how you’ll tackle next school year.
5. I would love to see more inspiring and idea-filled presentations!
