Closing Down First Semester Courses and Setting Up for a Successful 2021 (LMS Tips/Tricks)

 As 2020 comes to a close, now is the time to reflect. This year has posed more challenges than any of us could have imagined, but those lessons have provided growing experiences. Part of closing down any semester involves submitting final grades and closing down learning management platforms. With remote and hybrid learning being the primary learning modalities, teachers and students have become reliant on digital platforms and learning management systems to push out and submit content. Even the most tech-resistant teachers have embraced new technology levels to create engaging digital learning environments for students. 

These past two weeks, my instructional coaching duties have encouraged teachers to close down their first semester courses and set up their second semester. Here are a few takeaways and common themes that teachers with successful class setups have implemented (or plan on implementing next year). While we may be returning to learn in person more and more this spring, being ready for anything and maintaining an organized digital classroom can increase engagement and ensure access for all students, no matter the modality of learning. 

Start by closing down your previous semester course. 

Before beginning a new course:

1. Take time to clean up and finalize the first course.

2. Delete extra assignments and resources that were not used in the semester.

3. Make sure dates are accurate and sort materials in a logical manner.

4. Look at the naming convention and organizational practices used.

5. Reflect on what worked well and what students found challenging.

Renaming, reorganizing, and restructuring a course at the end of the semester can help for subsequent semesters. If the material is imported into a new course, it is ready to go. Taking time to clean house also prepares a person to better structure the next term even if no material is shared between courses. 

Once the first-semester course is closed out, start by building the new course framework.

 

COVID aside, I like to share content with students in weekly chunks. Breaking down units of study into weeklong modules gives students a clear direction and purpose for each week while keeping them focused on the most important tasks before them. Setting up my semester in weekly modules also help to keep coursework consistent. Students know what to expect and understand how to access the content. Using Google Slides, I craft a daily agenda with hyperlinks to critical content and current assignments. Students can interact with the material and find all resources as they work on my course during and outside of class. Establishing clear and specific naming conventions also creates a logical organization system that makes accessing course content easier. Using emoji images within those naming conventions can also establish a pattern and make locating important information more manageable. Regardless of how a teacher chunks course content, creating an organized and clear framework provides a strong foundation for a course that will inevitably adapt and change as the course progresses. 

If your district or school has a template or pre-made framework - use it! Consistency for students is powerful. Those templates can always be personalized and made to work for you. Templates make great foundations.

Consider what you want students to see first. 

Once a framework has been established, consider what students will see when they first open your course. Will students open a course homepage or weekly agenda first? Once you've determined what will be on the homepage, consider the first images that students will see. Teachers can utilize banners and headers to create a welcoming environment. Many people have started using Bitmoji classrooms or interactive sides. With interactive slides, information can be easily updated, and images can be personalized to students. Matt Miller, the amazing educator from Ditch That Textbook, gave a talk at his Ditch Summit about capitalizing on ways to personalize your LMS. One of the points that he shared was changing that banner often to celebrate students and remind students what they are working on in class. By the way, he's incredible. Follow him!  

Personalize your pages.

 

Beyond the homepage or banner, there are many ways to put one's personality into the course. When creating online courses, we tend to focus on navigation and organization, but what we can lose sight of is creativity. What do students hear and feel when they enter your physical class? How can we recreate that digitally? One way to do that is to consider color, font choices, and images. Find ways to use common phrases and expressions, too. My students often hear me say, "Make good choices" on their way in and out of my classroom. To remind them of this phrase, I created a banner that would remind them of this phrase, and of course, remind them to make good choices. Adobe Spark and Canva are great tools for customizing buttons and banners!

Use video when you are able. 

We can also further infuse our

personality with videos. Screencasting directions or navigation tips can make students feel like they are interacting with their teachers, even when remote or engaging in distance learning. Use embedded video when possible so that they can see facial expressions and nonverbals. While I have often avoided using embedded video, I realize that I need to check my ego about how messy my hair might be on a given day and realize that my students want to see me; they want to know me better. Using video is a small and static way for them to have the opportunity to engage with me. 

Creating video directions for summative assignments also supports students when they might not be in the classroom. Showing examples, explaining rubrics in detail, and providing further context for students in this manner can make instructions easier to follow, support students who may need to hear directions in smaller chunks, and ensure that all students hear the same message. Absent students won't miss critical information, and when students ask questions about the directions you just explained, you don't have to answer those questions for the tenth time in a row. No, no. With videos, you have to ask the question back - did you watch the video? 

Ask for feedback.

Throughout this process, it is important to elicit feedback. What works for a teacher may not always work for students. Gathering feedback, looking for suggestions, and gauging student engagement with a platform can better support learning and enhance the classroom experience. Feedback can be gathered at any time. Opening the door to feedback also creates a dialogue and reminds students that their voices matter. Their experience is our priority. I often ask for students to tell me what I can do to support their learning (aside from giving less work - we all have to work, friends), and I have always appreciated their insights and suggestions. Learners evolve, and luckily the edit button on my LMS allows me to do the same. 

Now that this year is finally coming to a close, it's time to reflect on our lives and our courses. As with any ending, keep the good, learn from the mistakes, and work to make next year (and next term) just a little brighter!

Rewriting the Narrative and Remembering What We've Gained

With a zero second commute time from my kitchen to my new work-from-home dining room, time should be in abundance. Yet the minutes have been filled to the brim with laughter and laps around the house as my daughters chase their little brother, who is now convinced that he is a reindeer.  

Today I came home from school where I can sequester myself in the rebranded in-school suspension room I like to call the InSpiration Station, only to realize that Jordan has a clinic again - his quarterly check-up at Lutheran General Hospital. This visit will be the second visit that I cannot attend and mark approximately nine months since the first shutdown and the last time Josh and I were both able to attend his clinic on March 12th. This regularly scheduled visit had become a joyful ritual for our family in which the children would find the indoor train upon exiting the children's hospital as I reviewed the dozen or so questions about his growth, enzyme dosage, and treatment times in my head. 

Most people would not say that they find joy in frequenting a hospital. Still, my family has found great solace in the incredible care that Jordan receives and the habits that have continued to allow him to thrive despite the challenges that are sure to catch up to him one of these days. The more I learn about Cystic Fibrosis, the more my faith is strengthened - not because I believe that everything happens for a reason. I understand why people casually use this phrase to show empathy or diminish the pain of difficult situations, but I do not agree with its sentiments. There is no reason for illness and suffering. Instead, my faith is strengthened because I am able to witness incredible people making reason out of the obstacles placed before them. I am able to witness the positivity in people and the drive to make medical advancements that improve the quality of life for countless people. 

When Jordan was diagnosed in the fall of 2017, our favorite nurse grabbed my hand and told me that CF people shine. People with Cystic Fibrosis possess a unique quality about them that cannot be explained by science, although perhaps there is a genetic mutation that has yet to be discovered for cuteness. When all of my worst fears as a parent seemed to become our reality, Jordan's care team was able to help me reframe my mindset and stop focusing on what he lost the day he was diagnosed and start to celebrate what he had gained. As a family, the diagnosis of this chronic and often terminal illness gave us a deeper sense of appreciation for every moment and the understanding of how to continue to create meaning in our everyday lives. 

As Jordan continues to grow, I am in awe of this silly little boy who laughs at everything and is unaware that he has spent over 30% of his life in quarantine. We started quarantining Jordan in January of last year because of a particularly rough flu season that seemed to be circulating in our community. A common cold had previously led to a bowel obstruction that landed him an overnight stay in the hospital. While we remain optimistic and want our son to experience every aspect of life to the fullest, we have to social distance during times of the year when people are sick. Cautiously we have to survey our family and friends about colds or any sign of illness before we attend playdates and family functions. These practices are part of life for our family. 

Enter the pandemic of 2020 - a time in which everyone is told to social distance and avoid any type of exposure to illness. Welcome to the life of a person with Cystic Fibrosis world. The idea of wearing a mask in a crowded space or avoiding public places during flu season seems foreign to most but have been constant thoughts and precautions we have taken since Jordan’s birth. 

After Jordan's initial diagnosis, I remained paralyzed on my couch with fear. I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and most importantly, I didn't live my life. I allowed myself time to grieve for the boy I thought Jordan was and the life I thought he'd have, and then I began to imagine the beautiful person he'd become.  While I still jump when I hear a cough and worry about his digestive health daily, I am not consumed by his illness. When I need to be anxious, I am, and then I move forward. With the coronavirus looming over us all, we, unfortunately, have to be hard to lockdown as a family. We don't go to restaurants, we barely go to stores, and we don't see our loved ones in person. Bringing COVID-19 to Jordan would surely result in a hospital stay and would most likely decimate his organs, the organs that we work so hard to keep functioning properly on a daily basis. His body reacts in extremes to any illness, and the consequences would most likely be more frightening than I want to acknowledge. Despite what we are missing, however, I do not believe my family is losing anything (Sans seeing and hugging our loved ones in person, but technology and creativity have made that situation better). 

While quarantine fatigue can be overwhelming and every day seems stuck on repeat, I refuse to allow myself to perpetuate a narrative of loss. My son has friends, he loves everyone he (digitally) meets, his vocabulary is more developed than his sisters were at that age, and he is constantly running, playing, and laughing. Lately, he thinks he's a reindeer and spends a great deal of time growling, but I am told that is "normal" behavior for a three-year-old boy. 

As a society, comments have been made about the lost generation that the coronavirus is creating, but I challenge us all to rewrite the narrative. When we tell people they are lost, we permit them to disengage and to become paralyzed by the list of what they are missing. Our children look to us to understand how to cope with life's joys and hardships. We should always acknowledge and embrace our feelings - especially feelings of sadness and loss, but we cannot allow ourselves to become consumed by them. Instead of focusing on what we've lost, we should discover and celebrate what we have gained. Reframing the narrative does not deny our pain and our struggles but rather allows us to move forward - stronger - with them.

My mission as a mother is to ensure that my three beautiful humans have equally beautiful lives. While Jordan's journey is one that I did not expect, his life will be full. Someday, I'll release him from his bubble wrap, and when that happens - look out world.

On this giving Tuesday, if you're looking for a cause to donate to, check out Jordan's (and my) Great Strides Page. You can donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which has directly funded and researched several great advancements in treating and one day potentially curing Cystic Fibrosis. Because of medicine like Trikafta, there is more hope than ever. Want to read more about Jordan's journey, check out these past posts.

Every Student Has a Voice (We Just Have to Ask Them To Unmute)

The silence of Zoom or Google Meet is deafening. I miss noisy classrooms and side chatter about the latest high school event. What I once tried to redirect into conversations about course content is the very talk I miss the most. As we oscillate in between remote and hybrid learning and remote again, students feel dejected and disheartened. They need to be empowered and given their voice, and they need to feel in control of something. How do we encourage them to use their voices and feel as though they were heard amidst uncertainty?

Focus on social-emotional learning. 

Let students ask questions even to the questions to which we don't have answers. Validate their feelings by acknowledging uncertainty and how we feel about it, too. Let them know that the line of communication is always open - whether it be through an email, private message on a chat, a Flipgrid response, or a one-on-one conversation. Encourage students to share how they feel with teachers, peers, and families, but then redirect those feelings into a positive outcome. Model reframing emotions and provide ways to cope. 

Pear Deck SEL Slides

Get students into small groups. 

I have recently been exploring different ways to break students into groups or give them opportunities to collaborate. Since the beginning of the semester, I have been using genetic templates and randomizing students into groups using Flippity.net. I am now trying to find more opportunities for small group work through digital station rotation. Creating breakout room templates or work through station activities encourages collaboration and communication. Students are far more likely to unmute when they have a clear task and are in a smaller setting. These stations may be individual work or group work, but the flexibility and the sense of movement encourage students to participate and actively engaged. 

Focus on the positives. 

Let students ask questions even to the questions to which we don't have answers. Validate their feelings by acknowledging uncertainty and how we feel about it, too. Let them know that the line of communication is always open - whether it be through an email, private message on a chat, a Flipgrid response, or a one-on-one conversation. Encourage students to share how they feel with teachers, peers, and families, but then redirect those feelings into a positive outcome. Model reframing emotions and provide ways to cope.

Encourage students to write, speak, and communicate verbally AND nonverbally. 

Students can share their voices in multiple ways. While many struggle to unmute themselves on Zoom, they are often willing to engage in other modalities. While writing or participating on a tool like Pear Deck may feel passive, students are far more likely to open up and engage in self-disclosure when they feel safe. Online students can be anonymous - to share their voices and perspectives in what seems like a low-stakes way. Building a community and environment that feels safe and inviting each day will lead to an increased level of engagement over time. They will start to share more. Using a tool like Pear Deck has allowed me to give every student a voice. I can track who hasn't participated or responded, and I can problem them further. Repeatedly completing a weekly check-in on Flipgrid has become a habit. Students know what they will be asked to do, and they are familiar with the types of questions they will be asked. As a result, they speak longer and in more detail. 

Not only do students communicate with the words they speak or write, but they also communicate nonverbally. Their expressions, gestures, and even the emojis they drop in a chat convey strong feelings and emotions. Encouraging students to use their nonverbals intentionally can teach students that they are constantly communicating and have the power to send strong messages without even realizing that they are sending messages. By observing themselves and others on digital platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, they can even learn how to better control and communicate nonverbally with intentionality. 

Respond and provide feedback. 

Each week, my students complete a social-emotional check-in via Flipgrid. They know that I watch every single video (on x2 speed) and respond to each one. It's time-consuming, but it is a labor of love. They email me with responses to my follow-up videos; they appreciate that I respond. While these videos cannot fully replicate constant banter in the classroom that occurs face-to-face, this feedback creates connection. Students feel heard, and they know that they matter. 

In large group discussions or presentations, students need feedback, too. Noting their nonverbals, encouraging students to drop messages in the chat, and replying specifically to public comments or anonymous comments on tools like Pear Deck validate students' ideas and contributions to the class. Every little piece of feedback matters and is an opportunity to forge a connection. When students feel like they matter, they work harder and are more engaged. 

The red slash through the microphone is like a slash to my heart. My classroom's quietness does sadden me, but I am reminded that even though the fruits of my labor might not always be visible, the seeds are still taking root. A great deal of our communication is nonverbal; a majority of our messages lie in the moments we are not speaking. As teachers during a pandemic, we need to reframe our minds to what learning looks like and also reflect on how we can create more opportunities to amplify student voice. While circling the wagon may not be possible right now, we can still rally our students and empower them to use their words in private and public ways. Our students' ideas matter; we just have to find ways to open the channel of communication so that their messages are heard. 

Ready for Anything: Lessons after a Week of Hybrid Learning

 

Alright, roomers and Zoomers. Is my internet connectivity working okay today?

Teaching during a global pandemic is no easy feat. After the first week of hybrid learning, I must say that I am left feeling frazzled and tired, but I am hopeful. Submersed underneath some technical hiccups and feeling that there are one too many spinning plates in the air is a sense of accomplishment. While our skills are being tested, they have also been sharpened. No, this situation is not okay. Yes, teachers, it is perfectly normal and acceptable to be feeling tired, defeated, and emotionally drained. 

Our students hunger for learning opportunities and human connection; they appreciate what was once considered mundane. They want to collaborate, and they have developed patience. What they have learned could never have been taught in a "normal circumstance." While we are far from being out of the woods in this global pandemic, we certainly can begin to recognize what we have gained.

Here are my takeaways from the first week:

Students are resilient.  

Students are resilient and will rise to new challenges - especially when they have strong relationships with their teachers and community. Leveraging those relationships can help create a more comfortable environment as everyone faces uncertainty. They ask questions when invited, and while it may take time to hear responses, they are doing the best they can. Students want to follow safety protocols and understand that those protocols are what make any in-personal learning possible. Even though switching from a four or five period day to a nine period day can be exhausting, they will rise to the challenge and adapt quickly. 

Remember, students are drained. 

While schedule changes that allow for more in-person opportunities are exciting to most, these changes are exhausting. Even for the most optimistic and self-sufficient students, new pacing to the day is problematic. In-class activities and more direct instruction are replacing the time they once had to do homework independently. Flexibility to choose the pace and place for learning has been taken away in many instances. There are benefits and drawbacks to all learning models, but the biggest challenge is acclimating to the present reality. Talking more, following safety procedures, and trying to remember what comes next takes a toll. 

Remember how you feel on the first day of school. Multiply that feeling by 10. Students are experiencing that exhaustion, too. We have to give our students opportunities to breathe, recharge, and work to establish clear routines to ease this drain as much as possible. Even in an ideal situation, students will be tired as they transition from remote to hybrid. 

Teachers are drained, too. 

Don't forget the classic analogy that we have to put on our oxygen masks before we put on the oxygen masks of others. Burnout will happen easily and quickly if we do not try to close the computer, relax, and recharge. There are many moving parts in this learning environment — students on Zoom, students in the room, and students who are always remote who need us. Remember, lead with relationships. Find energy from the connections we have with students. Give yourself grace, and when the day doesn't go as planned, simply try again tomorrow. It is okay to be drained; it is okay to say that it is too much. Sometimes admitting that is freeing and life-giving. 

Avoid overplanning. 

Teaching in a remote block schedule meant teaching 75 minutes. Now, class periods are 40 minutes every day, with students attending in person every other day. Instructional time in most models is down if teachers keep the in-class groups synchronous and the out of class group asynchronous. Factor in the drain and exhaustion of adapting to a new schedule, and 40 minutes feels more like 30 minutes. Students are trying to manage their feelings, and we need to embed time for that. Doing social and emotional check-ins can yield much better results in students than that extra practice activity. Providing work time can even open students up to engaging in self-disclosure or sharing how they are doing in school and in life. Cutting down on content, the number of practice problems, or even extending deadlines can lead to more productivity or strong final products. 

As teachers, we have a tendency to want to follow carefully crafted plans, but the best laid plans often go awry - especially in a global crisis. It is okay to let go. Not every learning activity or experience may work in a hybrid learning model. Debates, group activities, and Socratic seminars need to be adapted or even cut for the time being until in-personal learning can return. These changes can even happen in real-time. It is okay to revise; it is okay to create new activities and find innovative ways to collaborate. While students may not get the exact same experience as students in years prior, simplifying and alleviating activities that may not work in the current learning environment can save time and protect us from overplanning or overwhelming our students. 

Be ready for anything. 

According to the IDPH, my county's positivity rate has been upwards of 12%. We are at a warning level, and mitigation might happen to local businesses. If that is the case, the schools might also move from hybrid to remote. Some may be quarantined for exposure outside of school, which would lead to adapting to another instruction mode for all parties involved. Other teachers are permanently remote, like me, because of health issues. Anything can happen at a moment's notice. It is important to be ready for these changes. 

While this year will easily be the hardest year of many educators' careers, learning is happening. Creativity is being tested, and collaboration is creating great opportunities for better instructional practices for all. Despite technical failures or unexpected challenges that arise, we are powering through. We will make it through this pandemic, and we will be better for this experience. Keep finding ways to connect with others, but don't forget to pause for approximately 30 seconds when Zoom tells you that internet connectivity is low. 

Empowering and Engaging: The Professional Development Strategies that Teachers Deserve

Teaching through Zoom has its challenges, but we have adapted and changed during the past few months to a new learning modality. Within this new teaching environment, I have learned to think about education as more of an experience than a single segment of time. That experience can extend well beyond a single 45-minute period and has infinite possibilities for pace and space. While having several choices can feel daunting or overwhelming, I also believe that this flexibility is empowering and can lead to the innovation that we have been reaching for in our education system for the past several years.  

My school district is about to switch from a remote block schedule to a hybrid nine-period day, with students coming two to three days a week. Approximately 40% of students will be in the building on a given day. Teachers are shifting from 75-minutes blocks every other day to 40 minute periods daily with three groups of students either in the classroom or remote. During passing periods, teachers will be responsible for wiping down desks, setting up technology, tracking where students sit and preparing to connect with those three groups of students. Again, these factors are overwhelming, but teachers are resilient. This impossible list will somehow get done.

 

As we prepare for this significant shift in a week, I have an opportunity to lead three different professional development sessions on multiple occasions at various times throughout the week. Working with my vice principal, we crafted a schedule to give teachers optional professional development topics that will empower them to make the impossible possible. Those times are staggered with the hope that everyone will have the opportunity to attend at least one session. By reflecting on how best to deliver professional development and ease my colleagues' and friends' anxieties, I have drawn a few conclusions about the future of professional development and how to inspire teachers who, in turn, inspire their students. 

Keep sessions small. 

When possible, keep professional development more intimate. When there are large numbers of participants, people are less likely to speak up. It is easy to get lost or hide in a crowd. It is easy to start checking emails, grading, or surfing the web. When there are fewer people, there are more opportunities to get involved, share, and ask questions. Once the questions start rolling with one person, the metaphorical ball is in play. More questions can be asked, and again, with a small group, the professional development leader will have more time to answer questions in depth. Creating a safe and open environment makes everyone feel like they are seen and have a voice. 

Consider the people in the audience ahead of the session. 

A common misnomer about public speaking is that the speaker is the most important person in the room. In fact, it is the opposite. The people who matter most are the audience members - the ones in which who are receiving the intended message. If a speaker wants to be successful, they should encode their message to most effectively meet the audience's needs and expectations. That process starts with tailoring the message to who is in the room. As an instructional coach who works in a high school, my adult audience is composed of content area teachers who seek instructional strategies that relate to their disciplines. How a math teacher approaches instruction differs significantly from an English teacher or a physical education teacher. The examples that I provide colleagues based on their fields can draw them back into the conversation and imagine how a specific instructional approach or tech tool might enhance their students' classroom experience. As a speaker, my message may change to meet my audience's needs at each session - just like my instructional approach varies with my students each year. Again, finding ways to make your audience seem seen and validated through personalizing the message goes a long way with audience engagement. 

Make learning active. 

When we craft lessons for students, we often design lessons that ask students to be active. Professional development should take the same approach. When teachers can experience tech tools and instructional strategies from the student perspective, they will be far more likely to use them in the classroom. If teachers see that an approach works, they will incorporate it. Making learning active is also another way to engage educators. We are busy, we are tired, and if we are not drawn in, we won't listen - or we will check our email. Active learning leads to powerful results both with our students and when working with our peers.  

Differentiate strategies and create challenges for more advanced users. 

I tend to pack a lot into a short amount of time. While I may move too fast for some, that is my style, and I always admit that upfront. Teachers know that they will get a mental workout with me. Still, I find ways to level my training and differentiate with intention. In my slides, I embed resources and videos that can help newer users. I have started making gifs to demonstrate processes and model strategies to help visual learners, and I now have several slides with stopping points for questions in the beginning, middle, and end of my presentations. Also, I find time for teachers to play and experience, allowing them to imagine how they might use the strategy or tool. Teachers who are more advanced tech users can run with that strategy while I am answering more specific questions with teachers that may need more support. My other ploy for moving fast and leveling all teachers' experiences encourages them to follow-up with me. I want to work one-on-one with teachers so that I can move at their pace and meet them at their skill level. The best way to promote future collaboration and individual meetings is to allow teachers to dream up the possibilities during the session. Following up with handwritten cards and small prizes (mostly stickers or pencils) helps re-engage and reminds them to book a future appointment with me. 

Start with the takeaways. 

This past week, I had a revelation. At the end of my sessions, I typically create a slide with statements or ideas that I hope my colleagues take with them as they walk out the door - typically with a homemade cookie or sticker (pre-COVID). Why would I end with those takeaways when I could use those statements as a framework for our entire professional development conversation. When I say takeaways, I am not talking about objectives or learning targets. I am not referring to the use of educational buzzwords or theory-specific goals. I am addressing the "Look, dudes, this is what I actually mean" or the "Honestly, friends, this is what I truly hope you apply in your classrooms" statements. Instead of ending with these important ideas, I started with them, and it was another way to get the questions flowing and kept the conversation more charged. Professional development, like any speaking situation, is not about the speaker. It is about the audience. If the audience is actively participating and critically thinking, then the conversation is work. 

Teachers are rock stars who make the impossible possible every day. They DESERVE all the praise and love in the world - even though they often don’t receive it. My colleagues deserve quality instructional and technology support, and I am humbled daily by the notion that I get to partner with them and provide that love and (instructional and emotional) support. Bring on this next phase of instruction. No matter the outcome, we are in this together.  

Empathy, Compassion, and a Little Communication

 In such a tumultuous time, compassion and empathy are critical social and emotional skills that can open doors to better understanding, stronger relationships, and deeper connections to course content. Collectively, we have been caught in a storm that stretches farther than we can see right now. When will we be able to return to a greater sense of normal? Will we ever revert to a pre-COVID existence? And what aspects of this new normal should we embrace for the long haul? When attempting to answer these questions, many feel despair rather than hope. Depression, anxiety, and fear are all too familiar emotions that cast doubt and uncertainty on teachers and students alike. 

I have always used the “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” as a hook for both my first and second units in my senior speech class. This year, I wanted to emphasize the importance of using communication skills to listen and empathize with the people we encounter each day. To feel heard, I wanted my students to realize that we must first stop and listen to process our grief and understand what others are experiencing. This unique ordeal has provided us with opportunities to be quiet and stand still. This semester the silence often experienced on Zoom has been disheartening, but using webtools like Pear Deck, Flipgrid, and Zoom breakout rooms has helped keep students active and engaged. We are finding new ways to make student learning visible by using shared Google Docs or Padlets. 

Time to reflect has made me realize that we need to be intentional with our communication, and as a result, I have worked to emphasize the importance and power in each word we say and the nonverbal messages we share. Over 70% of our communication is nonverbal. It is conveyed through our tone, our movements, and our posture. Whether we are on Zoom, in-person, or a hybrid of the two, we may use these communication elements to engage our students. On a camera, every subtle movement is exaggerated, and our communicative exchanges are on display for many people to see. As such, we need to be intentional with the messages we send, and we need to teach our students to utilize these new platforms to amplify their voices. 

To achieve these more intentional communication goals with my students, I adapted my first two units to work in this remote setting, and I began to reflect on and shift my learning targets, too. How do we promote authentic communication in the times of Corona? How do we teach students to use our listening skills and empathy to navigate a still uncertain future? 

Challenge students to first engage in self-disclosure.

For a long time, my introduction speech has been called “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.” This speech asks students to use a pair of shoes and their favorite quote to identify where they have been, where they are, and where they hope to go. An introduction speech marked with important events, people, and activities - this speech is used to introduce students to each other but, more importantly, to remind students to stop and see the world from some else’s perspective. Students are encouraged to avoid listing facts and use their time to tell stories that reflect their passions, their character, and their values. This year, students held on to each other's stories, especially as they reflected on what they have missed the most during the past several months of quarantine. What I loved about this experience is that not only did students learn about their classmates, but they also learned more about themselves as they have all faced struggles and obstacles during this quarantine.   

Reflect on the messages we don’t intend to send.

With any communicative exchange lies messages we do not intend to send - the nonverbal gestures, posture, body language, and tone. Being on camera all day, every day has forced us to look at ourselves. We notice how we sit, how we react, and how we sound. Leveraging technology to challenge students to reflect on their nonverbal messages can lead to powerful learning experiences. When we don’t see ourselves, we are completely unaware of the messages we send and how we are perceived. Now with Zoom, I can literally roll back the tape and challenge students to assess what they are saying when they are not talking. To understand the importance of body language, students participated in two online discussions that asked them to reflect on “The Importance of Listening” and the power of body language. To further understand the importance of body language, students participated in two online discussions that asked them to reflect on Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk, “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are.” Highlighting the importance of listening and nonverbal messages allowed students to reflect on how they use both skills every day, and its impact on the communication exchanges they have daily, both on-screen and off.

Have students reflect on the stories of others. 

To empathize or feel with others, we must first walk in their shoes. Textual analysis, reading literature, and sharing stories are all ways to practice this critical walk into others' perspectives. By reading and analyzing diverse stories, students begin to recognize the struggles and obstacles that people face. From health issues, LGBTQ topics, to race - these are stories that some students have not encountered because they have only lived in one neighborhood or have not experienced as much life as an adult. No matter where students understand voices that are not the same as their own, they can always learn, explore, and experience. During my second unit, I have students select a short story, poem, dramatic monologue, or speech that speaks to them. These scripts are saved and archived with representation from all walks of life. After students select a piece, complete an empathy journal to reflect on how the story's meaning has changed their insights or understanding of the world.

Ask students to amplify powerful stories.

Once students have consumed and analyzed stories, they need to be taught to amplify those voices. Students are assigned oral interp speeches every year in class, but this year, their performances were unparalleled by any previous year. Whether it be because we were on Zoom or because we had spent so much time intentionally thinking empathy, their performances significantly impacted them and me. Without fail, every reflection touched on how they learned more about the world and how to empathize through this exercise than they ever imagined they would. When we truly step inside the experiences of others, we can more fully embrace and support others. 

Ask students to provide feedback. 

Students learn from doing, but they also learn from listening. Students complete a peer review exercise for each speech that they write using Flipgrid. Through these experiences, they learn to critique others while also providing support and finding strengths. Their words are powerful, and the critical thinking process conducted during peer reviews deepens their ability to empathize and view the world from unique lenses.

While Zoom silence can be deafening, we should not underestimate or minimize the potential for listening. As the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, stated in 60 A.D., “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” May we take to heart his words, lead with compassion, and find new ways to empathize with the people and stories we encounter along the way.