Teachers learning how to educate students online
HOUSTON - As schools get back in session, students aren't the only ones learning. Teachers are also being taught.
In this pandemic, we're all adjusting to a new normal. For teachers that means they now have to teach kids who are nowhere near their classroom but there is a course that can help with that.
"I do different online games that students can play,” explains Conroe ISD U.S. History Teacher Chase Coulter who realizes teaching the way he used to is a thing of the past, for now, while the only face to face with his students is more like eyes to screen.
“Every two or three slides they'll have to answer a question or they'll have to drag an icon so I can still make sure they're engaged”. Coulter has a few tricks up his sleeve to reach his kids even from an empty classroom.
“I have fun games and activities. I can have all the kids who are in my Zoom meeting enter a code and I can watch them play as a group and it's a competition to see who can get the most answers correct."
Coulter was actually taught these techniques in a Harris County Department of Education course that trains teachers to be effective online instructors by doing things such as "Making sure you're breaking things up into small bits so students are able to digest what you're trying to teach them,” explains Dr. Colina Poullard who is the Harris County Department of Education Curriculum Director for Digital Education.
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Dr. Poullard teaches the six-week course which includes the importance of establishing expectations with students while online schooling replaces the real deal.
"Set those norms and structure and that could be anything from making sure you are logged in at a certain time, that all of your supplies are near you. So students don't have to get up”. Dr. Poullard says students also need to know even online it's still school. "With my two sons, they were like wait a minute. We don't have to go to school. They thought it was happy free time."
Parents that's where you come in. Dr. Poullard says sticking to a schedule, writing it down and hanging it up will help tremendously.
“So they know this is when I can take a break, this is when I can listen to music, this is when I'm going to have a snack". And mom and dad, how do I say this nicely? She says don't hover. "Because you've all been in the house. Everybody's been together huddled up. Give them that school time to be with their friends and to be with their teacher".
The course, which is TEA approved, also teaches things such as how to best reach visual learners, audio learners and how to gauge if students are learning at all.
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The course costs $250, for now. Some districts are picking up the tab if teachers want to take this class.
To register, reach out to Dr. Poullard at cpoullard@hcde-texas.org.