What would a day for distance learning look like for an Upper Elementary student? What will the online program look like compared to the in-class curriculum? How much time will be online?
Our distance learning program is designed to mirror our classroom teaching philosophy and schedule as much as possible. Online teachers will deliver both live and recorded lessons. Students will start their day with an independent work cycle, during which the online teacher will be available to answer questions through email and on Zoom. The online teachers will check each student’s work plan on a daily basis and discuss how things went. The online teacher will have discussions with individual students to facilitate the self-management of a productive work schedule. Online teachers will also give individual and level-based small group lessons during this time, just like we do in the classroom.
All students will come together for a 30-minute morning meeting on Zoom at 11:30 AM every day. The morning meeting will be hosted in a similar fashion to how the in-person morning meetings are held. From 12:00 to 1:00 every day, the online teacher will host a group lunch chat on Zoom, during which students can socialize with each other and play games. The online teacher will help facilitate opportunities for group participation and individual leadership during this time. Students will be able to design what happens during this time.
Students will return to their individual work in the afternoons, which will flow similar to the way the morning flows. Then the online teacher will host a group check-in at the end of the day, which will be similar to the group meeting we have in the classroom at the end of the day. There will be a time for students to socialize again at the end of the day, which will mimic the outdoor playtime students have. This time will be organized in a manner similar to the lunch meetings.
We will have class meetings once a week, structured like the meetings we hold in the classroom.
Students will have an opportunity to work on small group academic projects with friends, and we are open to discussing the addition of group lessons in the afternoon in the area of art, practical life (maybe cooking), and music appreciation. We will explore these options with students to come up with ideas together.
One of our main goals is to keep online students fully engaged in their educational experience throughout the day, which includes social and emotional aspects, as well. We want to make it as easy as possible for busy parents who may be working from home, and we are open to making adjustments, as needed. Accountability for the completion of work will be central to this plan. This is something we did not focus on during the spring out of respect for the challenges parents may have been facing during that time. Hopefully, we will all be ready for more accountability during the new school year!
How frequently will the distance learning groups gather via zoom or meet with teachers?
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Will at-home learners be able to stay on track for moving to the next level?
Yes! We are creating new opportunities to guide students through the cosmic curriculum in a digital format. Online students will work through the same curriculum for the appropriate level that they would work through in the classroom.
Will distance students be interacting with students in the classroom, for example, literature groups like last semester they did during zoom meetings? Yes, we will host weekly literature groups combining online students with students in the classroom. We will also host weekly homework-checking groups on Zoom. These groups will be facilitated by student leaders, just like we do in the classroom.