W is for Wonder

Many days we can't help but wonder if we are doing all we can to meet the needs of learners in our care. Maybe more days are filled with self-doubts than not. Our students wonder if they have done enough to be proficient in their courses and eventually on the mandated exams and college entrance tests. As we know, parents wonder if students are working enough hours and doing the right things, a concern at every age, including when the child goes away to college.

The good thing is, while we can and will always wonder, we do have tools to move from speculation to proof. We can watch student work via automatic grading systems and grade books. We have emails and phone calls, time shown on learning management systems, student notes and webinar scripts. We are able to look for improvement, weaknesses, and consistency. We can make sure the students are keeping tabs on their own progress and completion. Students are reassured when they know we are watching over their growth, learning, and involvement. They build confidence when we mentor their work and their dreams. They stop wondering if they can be successful because they believe they can.

Detractors and skeptics of online education most often aren't fully aware of how it works. Naysayers wonder if this type of education is rigorous enough, consistent in delivery and content, and a place where teacher and student can engage. Teachers need to assess and share how they are engaging with their learners virtually. We know the proof of how we are engaging with learners, how the learning management systems actually work, and we need to offer transparency to build that assurance and understanding.

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Online learning is an economical choice in many ways. No bus rides, fewer hardbound textbooks that are outdated long before a district can afford to replace them, no need for particular wardrobes, packed lunches, or opening day school supplies. While admittedly we must educate our students on the responsibilities of working on the Internet, they are removed from drugs, gangs, and violence.

It's one level playing field - everyone has an equal opportunity to learn and, for us, to teach - with security and confidence. We deliver an excellent, researched curriculum in an engaging format with sound objectives and criteria. Technology and learning platforms are constantly innovating and improving. The programs are rigorous and afford different levels of involvement to meet each student's interests.

Do you wonder if you are effective, perceived as effective, or have utilized every tool needed to allow you to be effective? Used properly and thoughtfully, online education provides an excellent and supportive teaching and learning environment. Use your colleagues as a sounding board to remain current and engaged. Don't work in audio isolation because it "looks" different than years past. Team teaching has never been easier and can produce some remarkable outcomes. We have always known teachers and the teaching profession make a difference. That fact hasn't changed except to improve.

Reflection:  When was the last time you teamed with another teacher to reach a student? Or worked with a colleague or two to preview presentations and online course work? And do you attempt daily to think and work outside the box in this innovative model?Continue to wonder, always wonder.