With so many adjusting and adapting to the virtual classroom in such a quick period of time, it has been difficult to take into account all the pieces we had in place in our physical classrooms. Establishing class rules, how grading and feedback can be given, how to teach something you always did with manipulatives, and so many more. So I wanted to speak to the classroom set up. How you set up your classroom does a lot for its management and student learning. It also has great impact on relationship building. So with those reasons in mind, let's brainstorm some ideas of how you can have a classroom set up in a virtual world.
Background Choices Tell a Story
I hate putting up bulletin boards. I love how they look and I would put them up each year. But then, they stayed just the way they were all year long. The only thing I might do is change out student work to highlight. I just didn't have time or the thought energy to do changes throughout the year. But now, if you are teaching over a platform and not in person, it might be more essential to think about your backgrounds.
For those like me who don't like the work it takes to change it up all the time, I would prioritize what students need to see on the daily. Perhaps your agenda, the standards you are focusing on, your classroom management system are the things you need to be able to bring to the forefront. And when that doesn't need to be displayed, how could it be removed from sight?
I really think wheels will be your best friend. If you have anything on a stand you can purchase these wheels that slip onto the feet of the stand (or even a small dolly) so you can roll it out of the way. You find ones like these on Amazon.Having a movable whiteboard and one hanging behind (or just two movable boards) would be my ideal. On the movable one I could even have an actual bulletin board-type background!
Either way having a way to communicate with students visually can help a student feel like they are in the classroom. You are creating your environment by your background choices.
Visuals Are Key
I think we use a lot of text in the classroom. And it's essential. Students need to practice reading and we know the value reading has. But in the virtual world, reading isn't as easy to work with as visuals. And visuals can have a great impact on your struggling learners. Smaller chunks of text and more visuals will make for a more engaging online lesson. It can also help you manage your class. Having a visuals you place on the board behind you can show what students need to be doing- whether that's listening to the teacher and their mic is muted, or if they are doing independent practice of a problem. Having some visual images to remind students will help cut down on some of the interruptions.
Student Grouping is Still an Essential Skill Set
We have all been there. Grouping students can be a nightmare. We want to group students in unique ways based on the activity. Sometimes it is similar skill sets and others a variety of learners need to be grouped together. Teachers also know their students and who really can't handle being in a group with certain other students. The mix can be volatile. So student grouping is still an important part of lesson planning. In the virtual setting though, we may need to think along additional lines in how we group students. For instance, putting a group of students together who all struggle with technology or the platform sounds like the ultimate fail. The work won't get done and the entire will be frustrated. So while we are masters in student grouping, we are now leveling up!
Cool Down Space
How on earth do we create a cool down space in the virtual setting?!? That is going to take some creativity and knowing your individual class and students. One, you may need to work out a system for that child or two who specifically will need cool down periods. You might just have a system for the entire class. Two different ways to handle this is a "pause" for the student. The student communicates in whatever format you develop that they need a pause and they walk away from the camera for a set amount of time. The student may need to use a timer or be nearby to hear a sound you play to know their time is up. The student might even have one of those sand timers that they physically use.
Another way is to create a breakout room for that purpose. The student still needs to communicate their need to pause, but then moves into a breakout room. When their time is up, you can drop a chat reminder to return. Either way gives the student space to breathe.
I hope some of these ideas have been helpful or at least got your brain juices flowing with ideas fo your own! What are some ways you have organized your virtual classroom to maximize learning and create an awesome environment?
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