This year has been a world of firsts for so many families, educators, and administrators. Personally speaking, August brought the need to shape shift from Science Specialist to Director of Burlington’s K-5 “ Remote Academy ,” a conglomerate of 40 educators from our four elementary schools and then some, designated with the task of educating anywhere between 380-400 elementary age students remotely for the entire academic year.
The first month of learning proved rocky. Teachers navigated new platforms of learning, discarding some (Google Jamboard) while embracing others (SeeSaw, Google Suite tools). Obstacles and failures were met with educator creativity and ingenuity. By October teachers and students alike had found a rhythm to their days and learning.
But only recently did the faculty have a formal opportunity to collectively exhale and share the benefits of ascending the remote learning curve: a richer toolbox of digital learning methods and the experience to use them expertly.