Secondary English and Creative Writing Teacher at the Virtual Secondary School
What have you tried that has worked this year?
I teach English and Creative Writing in the Virtual Secondary School and what I have tried that is working well for me is using the Google Meet breakout groups, even before Google Meet officially added that feature into meet, I was using multiple Google Meets to create breakout groups. The key to why I think the breakout groups are working well for me, is the students are distributed into the same group every day, and as a result, they have formed relationships in those groups. With that consistency of the same group every day, the, they could start making friends in the virtual space. They even started turning on their cameras, and you know how huge that is for teenagers! In those breakout groups, they were working on a variety of collaborative tasks together: jamboards, escape rooms, working from a collective brainstorm template together. So I’m really pleased to have the social aspects of a in person class creeping back into the virtual classroom.
What isn’t working…yet?
We need to lower our expectations as educators, this is the first time through this model of teaching and it is hard on ourselves as educators and as humans. I do see essential level students really struggle in this space, from managing the technology and digital organization (sharing docs, for example). In a virtual space, reluctant learners disengage and it is harder to give them real time support. It is easy for them to turn off their screens and not participate and frustrating for me as an educator to not be able to give them the support I would normally be able to in a face to face setting.
What is one tiny victory you’ve had?
I have been trying to do more one on one with students by scheduling them into class time, so I’m not synchronous with everyone all the time. I am trying to meet with them and turn on camera with one on one. By making space for that one on one connection, I’m getting to know my students a bit better.
Words of encouragement and love for educators and staff
Realize we are all learning and we are feeling very isolated, we can’t meet in workrooms, pop into each others’ rooms, at lunch. We also see amazing work educators are sharing (on Twitter etc.) and we can fall into the trap of feeling inadequate, but we are all doing the best we can the first time around. Educators helping educators has really helped as we are in the state of new uncharted waters together. But because we can’t connect in our usual ways in a school building, let’s make a point to intentionally reach out to each other in other ways. It really makes a difference.
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? With whom?
My mother and I have had the tradition for the last few years of going to the spa and having a spa day, just the two of us. It started when I moved out as a way for us to have one special day that keeps us connected. We relax, we get pampered, we reconnect just the two of us. We got to a beautiful spa called Grand River Spa out on Six Nations, where we can get lunch, go for a swim if we want, there are often deer nearby. It is lovely. COVID has interrupted that tradition. At this point, I would love nothing more than to make COVID disappear and I could go to the spa with my mom. I think we all need a little extra pampering right now.
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? Why?
If I were to go anywhere, to any place, I would choose to go back to 1990. My paternal grandmother died when I was quite young of cancer… I think I was 7 when she passed away. I have heard such great things about her and heard that she was a lot like who I have become: she was feisty, a go-getter, a ball of energy. She was also a fabulous chef and baker, but she didn’t write her cooking secrets down. We can try a recipe she did, but it just doesn’t turn out the way she did. So I think I would love to go back in time to spend time with my grandmother, cook and bake with her, while furiously taking notes about the magic she puts into her cooking. I’d love to visit with someone who I hear was so much like me and just have a chance to connect.
