Positive Things About Remote Learning

I know sometimes it's hard to find a silver lining. When we got the message that we would be teaching remotely for the rest of the school year I was both excited and terrified. What would that look like with Kinder students? As time went on we figured out a way it worked for us and now I feel like an old pro. I don't feel like an effective teacher using online lessons. I wish more of my students would participate (I have about 7 out of 22 who sign on every week). But I do see some positives:

1) I have gotten to know my students better. Every time we connect online they show me their favorite toy, their pet. I talk to their parents. I feel like our relationship has grown.

2) Learning new technologies has been fun. There are systems in place now that I think I will actually continue in the future. I am actually going to use Zoom to tutor my 6-year old nephew who lives in another state. Each day I'm learning new features like how to share my screen or show a powerpoint.

3) It's allowed me to be creative. We still have our old curriculum to follow, but I don't feel like I have to follow that script. What we are doing is more like enrichment. We have had guided field trips to museums, did projects like inventing a new instrument and insect. I have gotten input from the students about what they want to learn about-so they are invested too.

4) Teachers are sharing all kinds of resources with each. Someone will talk about an activity that they did and my first question is how did you do that? There are step by step instructions on how to make a bitmoji or change your Zoom background. It's refreshing to see teachers sharing ideas and not charging for them.

5) We have been working with the students online in small groups. I feel like I can really target the skills they need help with and differentiate more easily than in the actual classroom.

So it's not all bad. Truly. Do I hope to continue that way of learning in the fall-not on your life! :) But I do think we are going through all this for a reason and maybe that reason is to make us less techno-phobic. :) 

What are some positive things you see about this whole situation?