CHALLENGES DURING REMOTE INSTRUCTION 

Consider a few scenarios: 

• Inadequate bandwidth or some other unforeseen technical glitch causes the virtual class meeting to crash. 
• Class procedures or lesson activity instructions are too complex or unclear. Student-submitted questions seeking clarity come fast and furious, and an organized class structure becomes disorganized quickly. 

Teachers and online instruction experts have spent the past few months working to solve these challenges and others. We’ve reviewed their recommendations and compiled a set of categorized tips to help educators become more comfortable with online instruction and help ensure that their experiences with remote teaching and learning are successful.   

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL/AFFECTIVE CONSIDERATIONS 

• Remember, even in a remote learning scenario, teach the student, not the subject. Each member of the class will have a unique combination of strengths, weaknesses, talents, and vulnerabilities. Keep this in mind by providing positive feedback and encouraging a growth mindset. 
• Don’t expect introverted students or students with social inhibitions to reach out for help – even to members of their study/collaboration groups. They likely won’t. Keep tabs on them and be available for them. 
• Flexibility should be the watchword. Students will likely be sharing workspaces and possibly devices with siblings and even parents. Be sure to consider students who may be unable to attend virtual sessions or need additional support. 
• Consider appropriate use of humor to humanize the remote learning experience with memes, gifs, music, etc. But take care, just as in a live classroom setting, not to let things get out of hand. Few things relieve anxiety-like laughter. 
• Remain conscious of the toll the virus has taken on society at large and possibly on students and their families. Invite students to share their experiences within a safe space and what they are thinking. This could be through chat, a shared virtual board, a class blog, etc. Encourage optimism. 

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY 

• Digital Native is a myth. Spend at least the first class meeting reviewing your district’s virtual learning technology and students’ familiarity and facility with it. Don’t assume students will be prepared for online learning or understand the technology or procedures… Answer questions. Time spent early on covering technical questions will pay off down the line. Consider a student/family guide and sharing before the first class. 
• Test video meeting/instructional software in advance of each class if possible. 
• Check shared links to make sure they work. 
• For those teachers and students who are “tech geeks” and find the prospect of remote learning exciting, use caution. Don’t lose the other students by making instruction too technically based.