I have been regularly documenting what’s been working and what hasn’t been working, along with my fears and concerns for the future.
Now that the semester is ending next week, I thought it would be useful – for both readers and for me – to share some practical reflections.
Before I do that, however, here are some of my past pieces (that have appeared here, at the British Council, and in The Washington Post, in case you’re interested:
Distance learning and English Language Learners
A teacher’s deepest fears about 2021: Students who disappeared, covid-19 myopia and six more
First Quarter Report On What I’m Doing In Full-Time Distance Learning & How It’s Going
I’m Worried About My Students – Very Worried. And Here Is What I’m Planning To Do About It
Personal Reflections On My 2020 Professional Experiences
Okay, now for some key recent practical realizations and changes I’ve made related to teaching online:
1) Don’t require homework outside of Zoom classroom time.
This has been my policy all year with my English Language Learners classes since I teach them five days a week. That’s because I voluntarily teach four extra classes each week for no pay. I point that out not to demonstrate how “wonderful” I am, but to point out how empty much of the rhetoric from our district leadership is about equity and justice. Our school’s ELLs are thriving with this extra support, and it’s CONTINUE READING: Five Key Lessons I’ve Learned About Distance Learning This Semester | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...