The spread of COVID-19 has led many schools to move to online or hybrid learning for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The widespread adoption of virtual learning environments has led many teachers to ask how they can maintain effective interactions when they are not in the same physical space as their students. It’s true that shortened class sessions, audio lags, and children’s lack of familiarity with technology present challenges for the frequency, duration, and depth of teacher-child interactions.
As an educator, you will be looking for new ways to connect with your learners, manage their time, and provide them with cognitive challenges, but effective teacher-child interactions remain essential for children's success, even in virtual learning environments. This document uses the lens of the CLASS tool to help teachers identify some effective teaching strategies to try when conducting classes online. What’s most important to remember is that interactions still matter, maybe now more than ever. The skills you have already built around connecting with, supporting, and stimulating children will continue to serve you as you head into your virtual classrooms this fall.
Download this new reference guide to understand how meaningful interactions might look in virtual classrooms.
We hope this information is helpful as you work to deliver meaningful interactions despite recent limitations, but we recognize that circumstances differ across the education landscape.
Please use the CLASS Learning Community as a way to get feedback and dialogue with others about their approaches in this COVID-19 world. If you have thoughts you’d like to share or would like to consult directly with us, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at interactions@teachstone.com.
