How to teach while working from home

Sylvia King, Senior Education Lead at SSAT, provides key points and helpful tips and resources for teachers to keep education going for their students while schools are closed

Teaching is a profession built on relationships and communication, both of which are difficult to maintain ‘long distance’. Teachers are faced with new challenges as they try to ensure that students’ learning continues even when the school gates are shut. As always, the teaching community is working together to identify the best ways to achieve this – and I will gather together some of that information so teachers can access it more easily.

First, some key points to remember when embarking on this new way of working:

• Make sure that you are still getting the students to do the work – they need to learn.
• Keep marking/assessment within normal limits – you can’t assess everything that they do.
• Keep lessons simple – you are not creating an online course for publication; you are helping your students to continue their learning.
• Tweak materials that you would use if you were in the classroom – the students will like the familiarity, and it will reduce your workload.
• Share materials with colleagues – decide which topics you will each cover.
• Make the internet your friend – there is lots out there, don’t reinvent the wheel.
• Remember that you are not on call 24/7 – just because you are online doesn’t mean that you are available!

To get you started, I have collated some hints, tips and resources from around the web:

• How to use the tools that exist in Google and Microsoft 365 for distance learning
• Organising distance learning for ‘the long haul’
• Getting started with online learning – ‘start slow and build up’
• Practical tips for preparation and delivery
• Making YouTube videos
• Using Google Meet
• How to use WhatsApp in Education
• 14 tips for online learning
• Create online quizzes and tests

Wishing you the best of luck in this new endeavour – you are not alone!