
The other part is fear of the unknown - and fear of failure. Part of it is interacting with people they don’t know. This is the part that gives teachers anxiety the most. I list six places to find virtual guests and field trips in the section below this one But before we do that, know this first … Start targeting a list of potential guests. Think of the kind of expertise and experience you’d like your guests to have. But when you know the type of people you’re looking for, you can do something with that. You don’t have to know the people you might get on a video call. Brainstorm the kinds of people who can help. Curiosity topics that connect to contentĢ.Topics with a thread throughout several units.There’s a variety of ways to find topics: What are you curious about? This is a great question to brainstorm with students. As easy as communication - even global communication - is anymore, the phrase “better together” comes to life more and more. Plus, collaboration will be increasingly important. It’s constantly surging up the lists of important job skills for the future.

Why was it important to do this video call? For me, it all starts with the importance of communication.

Learning a little bit about classmates' daily lives - or the traditions that their families practice - can build relationships and help students know each other better. This keeps learning going, but it also helps the class get to know their fellow classmates - and their families. Let fellow students ask follow-up questions. Have them ask a few pre-determined questions, and try to stick to a time limit. Even the children around them have something to teach others! Let a few students bring a guest on camera with them. The adults surrounding them have vast experience to share. No matter where students are when they participate in class video calls, there are likely others around them. A class book talk via video call encourages students to read new titles - and establishes voluntary reading as a cool thing that is done in your class! 4. Check out this post from Stacey Roshan for more ideas for keeping classes connected with Pear Deck.īut what will students read? Suggestions from fellow classmates can get them excited about a new book. Use another app like PearDeck, which lets you deliver slides that students can interact with. Ask them for a thumbs up to the camera if they're with you. Giving students a way to engage with you can maintain this momentum, too. With children or adults, when it seems like the speaker is spinning his/her wheels, it's easy to lose focus. Keeping a steady pace means that you're more likely to end the call on time. Check-ins like this mean you don't have to "take roll" in front of everyone. Answering a fun question, like "What's your favorite superhero?" or "What did you have for breakfast?" can put an engaging twist on it. Students can do this through the chat window with a simple "hello". This helps the teacher know who is present - and lets the students know who else is in the call.

Give everyone an easy way to check in when they log on. (Adults like this, too!) Even a very basic agenda can help them keep track of how much is left to do.

They like to know how long they must maintain their attention and how much is left to cover. This is helpful for students - and for parents.
