My daughter started Kindergarten this year. While a lot of my friends with similar aged kids expressed concern about the remote learning environment many students were forced into, I had (and have) the general feeling that kids are resilient and ultimately they will be just fine. Perhaps that’s wishful thinking (or just my perpetual optimism?)
At any rate, I think there are some interesting perks included for our distance learning students. The one I’m specifically interested in sharing today is what I call “permission to mute.” As I observed my daughter in a Zoom class the other day, she muted herself so that she could blurt out possible answers to the teachers’ questions. When I asked her if she was doing what the teacher asked, she just said “it’s ok, mom…I’m on mute.”
This made me pause. I began to think and reflect on my own student experience: I was the student who wanted to say the right thing, have the right answer, and be seen as “smart.” Because of that, I rarely raised my hand for fear of being wrong. But how awesome is this simple mute button?! If I had classes on Zoom I too could have tried out answers in the moment without fear! And this makes me wonder: what is the mute button doing for our students?
As a choir teacher running a rehearsal on Zoom, I often wonder what my students sound like. I’ve learned that I can correct a LOT of things when students are on mute. I can tell if a student is breathing well, if they have tension, if they are using proper jaw positioning, etc. But, I can’t hear their pitch unless I ask them to sing individually. And there are so many students who join choir because they love to sing but are terrified of singing a solo. So, maybe the “permission to mute” is just the tool? Perhaps this enables my students to sing their hearts out without fear of failure? Could it be helping them find more success? It’s an interesting thought. I’ll do some more research and let you know!
I wanted to reflect on my classes that I had this past week and the awe and amazement that I experienced after thinking about my classes. Learning truly can happen anywhere.
These have been some insane months lately: pandemics, protests, elections, illness, online learning, hybrid learning, fires, remember murder hornets??? I admit, when we made the move to online learning, I was stressed, reluctant, and longed for the times when I was in a classroom, with my students, in person and I was teaching and they were learning. I feared that with the online move, my students’ learning and progress would suffer. I feared that my students would not bother to log in the Zoom, and we would all be completely disconnected. Maybe this is the case for some, but as I’ve recently discovered, I am having quite a different experience…
This is a video of one of my Zoom classes where we were practicing prepositions and location with stuffed animals (and a Buddha)
Last Thursday, I conducted my Zoom class as I normally do, only to see that one of my students was participating in the Zoom from her car, and another student was participating while she was in Tahoe with her family. The week before, another student was in my “class” while she was in the passenger seat of her car en route to who knows where…I have had many students engage in my class from areas that I would not deem a traditional classroom or even from the rooms or a desk. At first, I was a little bit annoyed that these students were not participating from home or at a desk, and I worried that they would be distracted, or not really be involved in the lesson of the day. These students not only participated for the entire duration of the class, but they were active, and engaged, and volunteered answers to questions, more than they had in a traditional setting. Recently, I also had another student email me and say that she was not feeling well, but I encouraged her to at least have the Zoom open so that she could listen to the lesson and get the instruction, even if she didn’t feel well enough to participate. She attended the class and thanked me later for still being able to participate in the lesson even though she wasn’t feeling well. Instead of focusing on the negative that they were not following “protocols” I decided to take this as a positive, and here are some of my takeaways:
Students can attend class from any place. They don’t have to be limited by vacations, or sports tournaments that are far away.
Students can still attend class even if they don’t feel well enough to participate. In an in person setting, students would typically miss school, and have to make up all of the lectures and assignments and come to office hours to catch up. With online learning, students don’t have to miss the entire lesson, and still remain in the comfort of their homes.
Parents who are near their children (in this case, my student’s mom was driving the car) can witness all of the magic and dynamic lessons that are happening in their child’s classes. I don’t mind parents seeing what cool things we’re doing in class so that there is some transparency. This might be intimidating for some, and I agree, but I think that having a glimpse into what is happening in their child’s class is beneficial. So often parents ask their child: “what did you learn in school today?” and the kid typically responds with: “nothing.” This opportunity gives parents a window into what is happening in their child’s school day.
Teachers can collaborate and observe classes a lot easier, and less intrusively. I have had the opportunity to observe some colleagues on Zoom, and I find that it’s efficient, beneficial, quick, and perhaps not as intimidating as having a person sitting in a chair in the back of the room. I can unobtrusively observe a colleague and cause little disruption.
I was truly amazed to see how engaged my students are in my Zoom classes from literally EVERYWHERE. Learning is not confined to the classroom, nor the traditional environments from long ago; good education can happen in Tahoe, in the car, a dining room, classroom, Innovation Center, you name it. Some may disagree, and I still prefer to teach in a classroom and in person, however I think that online education opens the doors for so many students and families and teachers that a new way of learning is continuing to expand.
I will add this caveat: not all students have the same access to reliable internet and the online tools that other students have, however perhaps the roads will be paved so that more students have more access to quality education from anywhere.
Flash mobs are so yesterday. The new craze is Zoom parties. My friends and I have been zooming nightly. Send out an invite. Gather snacks and beverages. Join the Zoom party. We are zooming with friends from Pleasant Hill to Palm Desert. It’s really fun, and there is no danger of COVID-19 infection. Last night was highlighted with a lively discussion about toilet seat bidets. How do they work? Which are the best? How much will you save on toilet paper? Are there rental possibilities? Will you ever need to go to Costco and interface with complete strangers again? It does not get any better.
Zooming with my classes has also been an interesting experience. Three hours straight in the morning is a killer. Not even time to use a toilet seat bidet! I have been Zooming with four to six students at a time at 15 minute intervals. This is about right for them, but these back to back sessions are not working for me. This week I am going to try variations.
Students have been very punctual about logging on and off. They are attentive and engaged. I have even done a couple of late afternoon sessions. These are more relaxed. With these optional sessions students have really been getting into the assignments. Their thoughts and questions have been impressive.
I hope, as we all experiment and share ideas, we will be able to find a variety of ways to integrate Zoom into our curriculum. Many ideas are flying in my head but one never knows what will happen until these ideas are put to the test. This leaves me with one question, “If we all try to make the most of this lemon, will there be enough sugar left in the stores to make lemonade?”
