The first day of school comes with a mixture of excitement and anxiousness for both students and teachers. This year, students and teachers are facing even more uncertainty on their first day of school. For many, the first day of school will be online or at least partially online. Below is a list of techniques that teachers can use for a strong start to an online school year:
- Create a community of learners: Provide students with the opportunity to meet their peers. Host a Zoom meeting to provide students with the chance to interact synchronously with their classmates.
- . Learn students’ names: Respond to student posts in discussion boards, and be sure to start your response by using the student’s name, just as you would respond to a student by name in a face-to-face classroom.
- Model respect and engagement: Demonstrate for your students, as early as the first day of class, how to be respectfully engaged in an online classroom.Create guidelines for discussion boards and online interactions in order to keep the conversations respectful and productive.