At the beginning of the school year, we as teachers routinely discuss our expectations for how students will behave so that we can  create a safe and respectful classroom environment.  Learning flourishes when students understand what they need to do and feel safe taking risks and trying new things.  This sets the tone for a classroom culture that supports learning.  Classroom norms provide structure and give students real tools for success.

This is just as important in remote learning as it is in a traditional classroom.  These are challenging times for kids and families.  Clear and explicit remote learning norms and routines provide consistency and help students engage with learning with confidence.

In the district where I teach, all of our students have devices.  We have some students who are in-person learners and some who are remote.  Our teachers regularly integrate technology into instruction at school.  This seems like a great idea because if we have to switch to virtual learning school wide, students will be ready to participate right away.

Student Participation in Choosing Remote Learning Norms

When I develop norms with students, I typically begin with the things that I feel are absolutely necessary.  Then I like to get my students involved in a discussion where all students can contribute their ideas for class norms.

Remote learners may contribute ideas in a synchronous setting when we are all meeting at the same time or in an asynchronous setting where they can post ideas through an application that can be used for brainstorming.

This might include:

• Padlet
• Google Jamboard
• Google classroom:  The teacher poses a questions and students respond.
• Flipgrid
• Google docs (students can contribute to a list)

If you are opting to use these tools, be sure to pre-teach them so that all students have the opportunity to contribute.  In remote teaching, we should strive to be equitable, providing ways for all students to contribute.

When we have developed a list of ideas, we then work on narrowing the list down to the things that are really important.  Students may vote or the teacher may seek consensus through a really good discussion with kids.

Background Noise

Background noise can be a real problem during a Zoom meeting with en entire class, so it’s important for students to learn to mute themselves when it is needed.  We typically ask students to mute themselves when they are not talking during any kind of instruction or class meeting.

Zoom has a setting that will allow you to suppress background noise.  I click on the arrow to the right of the camera icon in the toolbar at the bottom of the Zoom player, then choose video settings.  You can then choose to suppress background noise.  I typically use the auto setting.

Taking Turns

When teaching remotely, it is important to work out a procedure for deciding when students have permission to talk.  Students may raise their hands or use the hand-raised icon on Zoom.  When a child wants to talk, they can choose reactions at the bottom of the Zoom player, and then select raise hand.  The teacher will be able to see this, and may then call on the student.  The student can also choose lower hand in the same way.

Respectful Behavior

Mutual respect in the classroom builds a spirit of collaboration and reminds students that they are learning together.  The same is true of a remote learning community.  It may be a bit more awkward and messy, but the same spirit can flourish in students.  Students who show respect to each other also learn to trust each other.  This encourages them to takes risks and try new things.

In Visible Learning for Literacy, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie discuss the importance of positive relationships.

“Positive relationships are fostered and maintained when teachers set fair expectations, involve students in determining aspects of the classroom organization and management, and hold students accountable for the expectations in an equitable way” (pg. 13).

The authors also discuss the importance of trust between students.

“The optimal relationships also include when the teacher establishes high levels of trust among the students.  When students ask a questions indicating they are lost, do not know where they are going, or are just plain wrong, high levels of peer-to-peer trust means that these students are not ridiculed, do not feel that they should be silent and bear their not knowing, and can depend on the teacher and often other students to help them out” (pg. 13).

If anything, relationships are even more important in a remote learning setting.  I know that I personally sometimes feel a sense of inhibition in Zoom meetings.  It seems like a few people tend to do a lot of the talking.  For me, it feels awkward because I can literally see all the people who are watching.  With kids, the teacher must encourage participation from all students, calling on the ones who don’t tend to volunteer information.

If we build trust, promote equity, and develop shared procedures, we can build a community that works for all learners.

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Resources:

• The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12:  Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie
• Connecting with Students Online:  Strategies for Remote Teaching and Learning by Jennifer Serravallo
• 10 Netiquette and Remote Schooling Norms Families Need to Know
• Remote Learning Resource:  Setting Norms from openscied.org