Supporting Students during Hybrid Learning

 

One of the bright spots this year is the opportunity to offer individualized help to students in a different format on a regular basis. It's called Student Support and runs four days a week after school. This is the chance for students to ask questions and for me to reteach concepts in a small group or individual setting on Zoom. I will regularly check for missing work or low grades on assignments, then either individually chat students that are virtual or email in-seat students to encourage them to attend (so as not to call students out in front of their peers). I have a decent amount attending most days. 

Students will sometimes attend because they say it's a good place to still feel like they're in school and work, even if it's in a breakout room. I encourage them to turn off other devices and set aside time for them to take care of school responsibilities. (Devices and other distractions are a huge issue, as you can imagine.)

I feel it's important for me to keep track of which students are and are not attending to have a record for parents and for myself, but I wasn't consistent about it--often writing attendance lists on scrap paper or keeping track mentally, when I finally came up with a solution that is really working well.

I printed out a blank class roster for each class (getting my attendance program to make a grid is honestly such a challenge that I just drew lines with a ruler). I chat or email students to attend Support and make a pencil mark so that I know who I've contacted. If and when students attend I write in the date with a marker.

This system has been very helpful in two weeks I've used it. These specific details are already beneficial for me as I clearly see who needs more intervention and who has been taking initiative to attend. I wish I'd thought of it sooner, but at least it's in place now.