General Guidelines for Distance Learning @ AVCOL 2020

Teacher Guidelines for Distance Learning @ AVCOL 2020

Your work with your classes over the time of Distance Learning must include:

Teaching & Learning: 

 Learning Objectives – what will students learn over the week
 Clear outline of tasks & activities that students need to complete and success criteria related to their learning
 Any tasks / files should be clearly labelled
 Information about how to submit tasks and activities for checking and/or marking
 Guidance around how long work should take students
 Clear instructions about when work is due, or when you require a particular response.
 Consider an ongoing ‘extension task’ or ‘personal interest’ task for students, where they might have a degree of choice in their learning.
 Do not set tasks that depend on group work, although you may wish to encourage collaboration between students.
 Be wary of providing ‘too much’ work, based on the work pace of a few students, as this may leave some students overwhelmed or feeling that they can’t keep up. This is another area where a generic ‘extension task’ for fast workers, or those who have more time, may be of value.

Communication: 

 All communication should be through school communication channels. Do not use personal email, Facebook, Instagram, text messaging etc.
 The frequency of your communication with students may vary by class. In the first instance or with junior classes you might send / post information every day that you would normally teach a class. For seniors you might communicate or put something on Teams every couple of days.
 Over the first few days of Distance Learning clearly establish your expectations of your classes, and also the ‘rhythms and routines’ that you will be using – just as you would in a classroom at the start of the year.
 Be clear to your students around your availability eg, are there particular times when you will be available to answer questions via a Teams Q+A, or Video Calling? How will you help them if they get stuck or don’t know what to do? Will you send a weekly email on a Monday morning or over the weekend with the weeks learning? Whatever you choose needs to suit your class and your personal context.
 If using the Teams forum or Video Calling (or Zoom) limit this to a maximum of 1 or 2 times a week with each class, and for up to about 40mins. Try to schedule these times during one of your usual lesson slots, so that teachers do not end up with ‘clashing times’ (probably not period 1 for teenagers!). Do not meet with students 1:1 – make sure there is always a group of at least 2 or 3.
 Only video call if you feel comfortable doing so. If you do not have an appropriate space to video call from, or if you are not confident using video calling then keep to written communications through email or Teams.
 Make sure students understand it is a video call, so they can consider what/who is in their background. Do not allow students to record video calls.
 Liaise with your Director regarding communication with parents. They may provide a template for a weekly email.
 If you have any concerns about a student please inform the Dean, Guidance or DP as appropriate.

Email communication 

 Manage your time on email carefully, or there is a danger that it will become all-encompassing.
 Keep emails brief and to the point, and try to email groups of students, parents and staff.
 Only make a response to emails if you need to, or if you are asked for a response – try not to ‘clog up’ colleagues or students inboxes.