After a year of emergency remote learning, more and more districts started their own well-planned online and hybrid schools. While launching a new online or hybrid school comes with a unique set of benefits and challenges, there are also similarities with traditional brick-and-mortar schools.
It’s still PEOPLE FIRST!
The most important element in (online) learning is one that’s been in classrooms for centuries. That element is teachers. The real potential of online learning comes not from the digital tools themselves but from what the teachers can create by leveraging these tools. Technology is a TOOL, not the solution. It has the ability to AMPLIFY great teaching, not replace it.
Best practices for student learning are just that, best practices.
Overwhelmingly, research shows that the best practices for students are the same, whether they are learning virtually or in a brick-and-mortar setting:
But the “how” and “when” of those best practices will look different in a virtual setting.
Virtual teaching and learning require additional and specialized skills. While highly qualified, in-class teachers have the potential to be successful in a virtual classroom, additional support and training are needed so that they, and their students, can excel in a new environment. Members of TeachUNITED staff know this first hand – our CEO was a founding Principal with a K-12 hybrid school, and several staff members have worked for and with large, state-run, established virtual schools.
THAT’S WHY WE’VE LAUNCHED THE NEW SCHOOL ACCELERATOR PROGRAM: VIRTUAL TEACHER PATHWAY!
TeachUNITED is pleased to offer professional development and coaching to support schools and districts with virtual learning programs. Whether your district is new to virtual learning or looking to refine an existing program after a year of change and growth, TU can help support you. Our program combines best practices for virtual schooling with best practices for professional learning to get real results for your students. Rooted in the same research as our other programs, we help teachers build capacity and implement best practices for student success in their virtual classrooms.
Is your school or district launching a virtual learning program? We can help! Contact us at partnerships@teachunited.org.