What School Leaders need to know about Distance Learning

Distance Learning is becoming the new normal. As schools and districts learn to adapt, we would love to share a few things school leaders want to know about transitioning to a distance learning model.  Below we’ve shared some highlights regarding what we know about how to successfully implement a distance learning or blended model.  In addition, we’ve included some things you might wish to avoid as you roll out your virtual or blended learning initiatives.

Do
✔️ Communicate clear and strategic professional learning goals and expectations to teachers, leaders, and staff

Don’t
❌ Leave it to teachers, leaders, and staff to wonder what it is they should be doing - or the "why?" behind it 

✔️ Meet educators and staff where they are, and create reasonable timelines to demonstrate competency and growth 

❌ Overwhelm teachers by trying to "boil the ocean" - or by expecting instant proficiency for all learners

✔️ Encourage educators and staff to personalize their learning in our platform when possible

❌ Require all teachers/staff to complete the same exact courses or learning pathways from start to finish

✔️ Reassure teachers and staff that we will all work through this challenging time together, and that imperfection is acceptable

❌ Allow the stress of our current climate to set a tone grounded in urgency, anxiety, and perfectionism

✔️ Consider incentivizing your top learners to share with and support others through this journey

❌ Immediately penalize those who aren't quite "getting it" without first offering support

Distance learning isn’t a prescribed formula, but we hope our recommendations help you get started on the right foot as we prepare our educators for a unique and potentially unpredictable 2020-2021 school year.

Click here to find our Distance Learning Resources for Google.