Note: The following email was sent on July 14 as the district was trying to determine whether or not to reopen our schools during the pandemic. At the time, I was too afraid to publish it, but now I regret not sharing it with the education community. Please enjoy my actual sent letter (district removed). If anything, we should all be writing our superintendents so they know firsthand how parents feel.
Dear Dr. Superintendent,
Thank you for your communication to parents regarding the school reopening. I appreciate your willingness to invite public comment as you make the weighty decision to reopen schools.
I should begin by revealing that my children are not returning to in-person classes this fall. I know that you have given students the option to attend hybrid classroom instruction. However, your guidelines presented at the parent meeting give me great pause and little confidence that X Unified can protect my children. With that said, I’d like to speak a bit about my expectations for online education.
I have been an online educator since 2009, and I know excellent online schooling when I see it. I know the components of a robust online classroom environment, the strategies that engage students, and the lessons teachers should create to build an effective online program. Unfortunately, I know that this program does not exist at X Unified.
I also understand that remote learning is vastly different than true online learning, so I am willing to give this recent attempt a pass with great grace. Moving forward, however, I want to be confident my kids will receive a quality public education, and that starts with you.
My statements’ purpose is not to criticize instructors but to make you very aware that my expectations for online education are high. With that said, I want to make sure you are fully prepared to support teachers as they move to the online environment.
Below are a few items I would like you to consider as you redesign online education at X Unified:
First and foremost, Teachers NEED support. In working with teachers and technology, from K-12 to higher ed, this is a constant in my work. I am not, however, talking about front-loading professional development. While helpful, PD alone will not make any teacher a great one. Please consider consistent support, and here is what that could look like:
- Use Models: Teachers need to see expected models of online coursework so they know what great online courses should and should not look like. Models will also help educators understand how to create an intuitive experience for students. The worst online experience is one that is not easy to navigate. Provide an agreed-upon example of how to organize information on google classrooms in a way that is coherent to students.
- Recreate Rubrics for Modules and Live Sessions: What worked for on-ground instruction does not necessarily work for online courses. The rubrics you may have been using to evaluate teachers need to be dusted off and replaced. Redesigning these rubrics will help teachers understand new expectations for a quality online experience. The Quality Matters Rubrics are a good place to start. Of course, admin will need to be trained on this, too. Using recorded teaching sessions will help admin get up to speed, and asking them to create PD in google classrooms will also help them understand the workload it takes to create an effective course.
- Assign teachers a coach: Admin who know online learning should coach teachers on a bi-weekly basis to start. However, it is also ideal to utilize your strongest online teachers who can serve dual roles. For me, this means reviewing modules in google classroom and providing feedback, especially at the beginning of the year. It also means conducting observations during the live sessions once classes begin. Teachers will need time and space to talk through their teaching methodologies. They will be frustrated and will want to quit. In fact, you may have already seen this in the spring semester. However, the key to retaining your teachers is consistent feedback to unpack modules and live sessions. Many teachers are still learning how to engage learners in online discussions, and their initial attempts will fall flat. Fidelity of Implementation takes time – loads of time. With feedback and an opportunity to unpack, they can get there.
- Create weeks of content: This is a huge lift, but one I have to mention. Teachers should consider creating up to 8 weeks of content at one time. Building the content before school begins and organizing their Google classrooms with all the directions, assessments, and curated content frees the instructor’s time to focus on the weekly live sessions. I know this method is highly unusual for teachers, but in online learning, this is how we do it. If teachers create instruction every week, assignments and assessments rarely align with the intended outcomes, and learning falls flat. If teachers are asked to develop content and teach live sessions, you will see burnout sooner than you can imagine. The time teachers take upfront pays off in dividends once classes begin.
- Provide opportunities for colleague feedback. At Hybrid High and at the universities I work with, we set up PD at the beginning of each course build for instructors to share their content with colleagues. In a trusted environment, we use the tuning protocol or conduct “dogfooding” sessions in which teachers move through the content like their students and provide feedback on the experience. The feedback is an immense support system that helps teachers get better.
- Consider changing the schedule: I wouldn’t usually suggest this, but in these circumstances, it is necessary to consider this for your teachers’ sake. Give teachers time to plan between quarters. At Hybrid, we stopped instruction for two weeks after eight weeks of instruction. The time it takes to prepare an online course is DOUBLE. Teachers not only have to curate the content, but many also create videos, include extensive directions, write rubrics, and then organize that information into the LMS; it can be daunting. Giving teachers time to pause, re-assess and write online lessons, was the single best idea from Hybrid that spoke to our support of teachers in this new environment,
- Set expectations for technology integrations: Teachers are going to be bombarded with technology options. Ask teachers to select 3-4 core integrations and STOP there. Teachers will want to try new things. However, introducing too many technologies to students can hamper the intuitive nature of the course. Imagine being a student and being asked to learn a new tool on top of new content. Many teachers think that students are technology natives. Believe me when I say, they know Instagram and Snapchat, but beyond that, they will require explicit instruction. Being cognizant of student’s cognitive load is a must.
Dr. Superintendent, I know this is a lot, and there is likely much more I could add. Shoot, it took me years of trial and error to figure out blended and online learning, and I am still learning. This Spring, I watched the slight train derailment and chalked it up to a rainy day (and COVID). But moving into the fall, I expect a different approach – one that will ensure my teens learn. I hope you will consider my ideas as you prepare teachers.
I write to you as a concerned parent first, and an educator, second. However, I will be watching the content as it unfolds this fall, and I will give you additional input if needed.
Primarily, I want you to know that I care about the health and welfare of your teachers.
My work has always been about supporting teachers, and I hope my email reflects that concern.
Best wishes for the 20-21 school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Christine Levinson
College Collabs 