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I teach from home with 100% of my students joining online.

Discussion Thread

Emi Demir
Emi Demir October 31, 2020, 9:37 am

I teach from home with 100% of my students joining online.

I am struggling with making connections with my students. Students are very reluctant to participate. I am trying a variety of instructional strategies and tools but even the best students are not motivated to participate. It is very hard to gauge to their needs due to lack of their feedback. How is everyone dealing with these issues? What do you do to increase class participation?

Alea N.
Alea N. October 31, 2020, 4:24 pm

Hi Emi, I don't know what grade level you teach but something's I've done is have students create a virtual room that represents them. We do a check-in question at the beginning of every week students can choose to answer in the zoom chat or unmute themselves when I call on them. (I also give participation points for this and track it on classroom dojo.) My question has nothing to do with the class, for example, I ask them what their favorite anime or cartoon was/is or what's their favorite candy? I utilize the chat feature on zoom a lot. I teach high school math and use google sides and google classroom. I'm able to see their work live and ask them questions on chat. They can also ask me questions through chat too. When I see a student hasn't touched the slides I'm able to ask them if they need help. Or if students are struggling with something I'm able to see that and bring the students back together to go over that element. Hope this helps.

Emi Demir
Emi Demir November 2, 2020, 1:13 pm

Thank you for your response! How do they "show their work"? Do they submit pictures of hand-written work or do you have a special platform that enables them to do so? My school does not use google classroom. We use Teams.

Emi Demir
Emi Demir November 2, 2020, 7:10 pm

Thank you for your response! How do they "show their work"? Do they submit pictures of hand-written work or do you have a special platform that enables them to do so? My school does not use google classroom. We use Teams.

Emi Demir
Emi Demir November 5, 2020, 9:25 pm

Emi Demir Thank you for your response! How do they "show their work"? Do they submit pictures of hand-written work or do you have a special platform that enables them to do so? My school does not use google classroom. We use Teams.

Norma Becerril-Drapikowski 1
Norma Becerril-Drapikowski 1 October 31, 2020, 8:41 pm

My district also uses Google Classroom. While my students are working in on their slides, I tell them that I am going to eavesdrop on their work. I often leave them quick comments and/or emojis.

Emi Demir
Emi Demir November 2, 2020, 1:12 pm

Thank you for your response!

mrGoetz
mrGoetz November 4, 2020, 5:08 pm

This is tough. Minimize lecture. Allow chat. Use Jamboard. Introduce as many ways as possible to communicate with students and for them to communicate with each other. It’s tough. I teach high school audio video.

Emi Demir
Emi Demir November 2, 2020, 7:10 pm

Thank you for your response!

mrGoetz
mrGoetz November 4, 2020, 5:26 pm

We use google classroom. I teach audio video / animation / digital audio at the high school level. "Showing your work" is often communicating something in any media or making something in any media.

Emi Demir
Emi Demir November 5, 2020, 9:28 pm

Thank you! I tried to respond to the math teacher who also commented on my post. Somehow I messed it up. Regardless, I appreciate you sharing. Your subject sounds like one that would make the best out of this digital craze ;)

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