{"id":17996,"date":"2020-08-21T11:12:55","date_gmt":"2020-08-21T15:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.successacademies.org\/?post_type=education_blog&p=17996"},"modified":"2023-04-17T18:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T18:41:29","slug":"10-tips-for-building-community-in-the-remote-classroom","status":"publish","type":"education_blog","link":"https:\/\/www.successacademies.org\/education-blog\/10-tips-for-building-community-in-the-remote-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips for Building Community in the Remote Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"

At Success Academy, we know great teaching and learning can only happen when students feel connected and part of a strong classroom community. For new scholars and new teachers, remote learning can feel overwhelming \u2014 how can we feel together when we\u2019re so far apart? We asked teachers who excelled at remote learning in the spring for their advice on building community in the classroom. Here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

Create Opportunities for Scholars to Talk to Each Other <\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I can\u2019t stress this enough. You have to find time to let your students socialize, as well as pivot your lessons around group discussion. In the spring, I designed a collaborative group project that required all of my students to participate.  I also incorporate ice breakers so scholars can get to know each other. The Zoom breakout group function is fantastic for encouraging group work, too! As long as systems of accountability are in place, my scholars can simultaneously get to know each other while mastering new content. This kind of interaction is critical to our students.   <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>\u2014Michelle Jackson, SA High School of the Liberal Arts<\/b><\/p>\n

Have One-On-One Conversations <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t sacrifice individual conversations with your students. It\u2019s so important to<\/span> intentionally<\/b> build individual relationships with kids. Start your day with a conversation in a small group, invite students to have lunch with you, or start a snack video conference just to talk with them. Importantly, schedule individual touchpoints to check in with students \u2014 especially if you can tell a student is struggling or misbehaving.<\/span>           <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>\u2014Dominic Kaltenborn, SA Fort Greene <\/b><\/p>\n

Be Enthusiastic, Even When It Feels Silly<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a pretty animated teacher, but teaching remotely makes it more difficult to translate those enthusiastic vibes to my scholars. So I tried to maintain the same \u2014 if not more \u2014 excitement and energy during all of my lessons. At times I felt silly, for instance, doing Call and Response when I couldn\u2019t hear responses, or singing the Friday song for the whole class. But embracing the silly was worth it and always put smiles on my students\u2019 faces! <\/span>         <\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n

\u2014Paige Story, SA Crown Heights<\/b><\/p>\n

Celebrate Your Scholars\u2019 Wins \u2014 and Incentivize Them! <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

One of my colleagues, Danielle Scindian, and I created fun ways for scholars to earn points using the application called Class Dojo. Every morning, we pumped up scholars by reminding them how they could earn points \u2014 the more \u201cDojo\u201d points they earned, the bigger the prize they\u2019d get at the end of the week! It was a huge hit; the kids were super stoked whenever they heard that little <\/span>bing! <\/span><\/i>that signified they\u2019d earned a point. Learning should be fun! Find ways to keep that at the forefront of your teaching, and joy will be the center of your classroom, even remotely. <\/span>                 <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>\u2014Tia Whiteman, SA Bergen Beach<\/b><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be Afraid to Get Personal <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I found that scholars responded well to me just being myself! I wasn\u2019t afraid to show off my pets (My scholars LOVE animals!), do a scavenger hunt around my house with various personal items, and ask my scholars about their lives, too. These quirky moments of authenticity were a real source of joy for my scholars. <\/span>     <\/span><\/p>\n

  <\/span>\u2014Alison Bergman, SA Harlem 6<\/b><\/p>\n

Utilize Social Media<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I made a class Instagram account where parents could tag me in scholar talent challenges, science challenges, and other project-based learning projects. This was a great way for my class to stay updated on what everyone was doing \u2014 and it gave them something to talk about in class the next day! Every morning, I was sure to share the pictures and talk about them for scholars who hadn\u2019t had a chance to see them. <\/span> <\/b>        <\/b><\/p>\n

\u2014Naomi Snyder, SA Harlem 3<\/b><\/p>\n

Incorporate Daily Shoutouts <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of each day, I asked five students to share something positive about another scholar. My kids shared such thoughtful and kind sentiments. This was a time to celebrate each other, and it really helped foster joy in my classroom! <\/span>    <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>\u2014Taylor Gordon, SA Hell\u2019s Kitchen<\/b><\/p>\n

Ask Your Kids What They Want <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Kids respond to feeling heard, and I really wanted to give them a little bit of ownership during the remote learning process. Feeling stuck on how to foster community in your classroom? When in doubt, just ask! My kids told me they wanted to try new technology with their friends online, so we used applications like Jamboard and Kami to play games and do group work. I never would have known if I hadn\u2019t asked! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Toni Donohue, SA Williamsburg <\/b><\/p>\n

Ask <\/b>Parents<\/i><\/b> What They Want <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Parents know their kids best, right? Why not reach out to them for suggestions and ideas about how their scholars socialize and learn best? Through parent tips, I did a workout class with my scholars, had snack-and-chat time, and provided time for my scholars to \u201cpaint\u201d on their devices and screen share to talk about what they were drawing! The recommendations I received were so valuable and really helped foster community in my classroom. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Paige Story, SA Crown Heights<\/b><\/p>\n

Laugh \u2014 A Lot! <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I love to laugh with my kids, and I even created a meme competition for what was going on in class. They had to make a meme about something that happened in the section of the book covered in that day’s class, and submit it to me via email before the next day. All memes submitted were then posted on a Google slide for all to see to start class the following day. It’s creative, hilarious, and a great example of storytelling! <\/span>  <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Ryan Long, SA Ditmas Park Middle School<\/b><\/p>\n

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