What We are Learning About the Art of Teaching from the COVID Crisis

Education is facing unprecedented challenges by the rapid move to distance learning. The need for an immediate transition to a new format has, in many places, led to a less than ideal distance learning program. While such quick and decisive action is to be commended, these stop-gap measures have only allowed for a short-term solution to the problem. With these measures in place, now is the time to implement a more sustainable model of distance learning. It should be noted that education has been forever changed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Like it or not, innovative education is here to stay. As one superintendent put it, "This was a nice, swift kick in the ass to get out there and innovate." While the future of education will almost certainly not be entirely virtual, the "art" of teaching is forever changed.

• • What we've learned - Traditional models of "brick and mortar" classroom teaching cannot work with distance learning. Trying to replicate the classroom and its daily routines in a distance learning format is as effective as trying to replicate the experience of childbirth for a man. No matter how hard you try, it just can't be done. There is a laundry list of reasons for this incompatibility but one of the strongest is that it cannot be assumed that an at-home learning environment mimics that of a brick and mortar classroom. Circumstances at home can include any of a number of unknown variables. Consequently flexibility for asynchronous learning is critical to an equitable education. While there is a need for accountability through regular synchronous check ins with students, accommodating students through "any time, anywhere learning" is just as important for student success. Note that greater flexibility does not have to mean less rigor.

Take away - Flexibility in traditional schedules and classroom environments is essential (i.e. flex seating and beyond classroom learning).

• • What we've learned - Structured accountability is just as important for success in distance learning as it is in a brick and mortar classroom. The key word here is "structured." Students absolutely need to be held accountable for their own requirements, but all too often accountability is immediately dealt with punitively rather than through means of a formal structure that helps learners develop the skills necessary for success in school and life. I have personally witnessed students in distance learning classes become discouraged when they are immediately penalized for a late assignment when the cause of its tardiness was a lack of understanding of the assignment or a technology glitch. 

Take away - Accountability structures should be in place to help students learn how to pinpoint the source of the problem and communicate with a teacher who is willing to help rather than immediately assess a penalty. This requires personalized coaching with students.

• • What we've learned -When planning for a distance learning class, it becomes quite easy to pile on the busywork in which students are required to read page 50 and answer the questions at the end. I have seen students quickly become disengaged by this formula and fail to give their best as a result. We know that little, if any, learning can occur when a student is checked out. Furthermore, teachers compound their own work by continually having to grade menial assignments. This is an opportunity for both teachers and students to think bigger. Projects that incorporate critical thinking and creativity are ripe for the environment in which we are presently working. The other day, my son ran around the house shouting at 8 AM because one option for his science assignment was to build a miniature golf course in the backyard. His investment in the project has been incredible. He has put together multiple renderings of how it will work and searched through the household building materials available to him so he can create the best possible project. He is fully invested in his learning. 

Take away - Work smarter not harder. Thinking big by assigning projects that incorporate multiple skills can build student engagement and shift the role of the teacher more toward a coach to help guide learning. The rigor is not in the number of assignments given but in the investment a student makes in the assignments they receive (quality, not quantity). For most teachers this is a welcome change to the paper pushing work they have become accustomed to over the years (my sincerest apologies to those teachers who entered the field because they enjoy the paperwork).

Teaching is undoubtedly an art and teachers are the artists who can bring learning to life for numerous learners. Distance learning has become the catalyst for lasting change in education, a change which will focus on learners rather than business as usual. This is the type of change from which we can all benefit in the end.