If I had to pick my favourite thing about Occasional Teaching online the answer would easily be the students I meet each day. This picture was a screenshot from one of my supply days right before the winter break. “I love school” a student commented, randomly and unprompted in the chat box of Google Meet. Needless to say this reinforced my realization of how resilient students are. Comments like this keep me grounded during increasingly challenging times.
What is it like to supply teach in an FRL classroom?
I’ve put together some ideas in hopes to paint a picture of what it is like for my fellow OT’s out there.
Classroom management: Google add ons are helpful to download to view students who are using the ‘raise hand’ or ‘nod’ features. In FRL settings, I have found it important to emphasize many of the same things I do in the classroom, such as reminders to be respectful if someone else is talking or coming up with hand signals when students want to talk, agree, or need to use the washroom during a lesson. Each classroom teacher has different ways of doing this, so I find checking in with the students at the beginning of each day to be the most helpful.
Social and emotional learning: Expect to enjoy some time each day for sharing, community circles and brain breaks.
- Jamboard (https://jamboard.google.com/) is a Google app that allows for an interactive whiteboard to be used by all participants. This is a great tool not only for academic use, but for student check ins on their thoughts, feelings or a space for sharing ideas and answers to open ended questions.
- Classroom Screen is a great tool to use for random name generators (for turn taking), timers and interactive dice https://app.classroomscreen.com/wv1/abc7b168-ede8-49f4-aeac-f984b75358d0.
- You will become a master of screen sharing. Here are some great sites for brain breaks in the FRL classroom. These are my favourite tools so far to keep students engaged and their bodies and brains ready to learn.
- GoNoodle (https://www.gonoodle.com/)
- Cosmic Kids Yoga (https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga)
- YouTube with channels from Jack Hartmann (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcQH8A634mauPrGbWs7QlQ)
- UJU Videos ‘Brain Break’ series (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRODV6fu2um37gKAMGnCafA)
- Storyline Online (https://www.storylineonline.net/)
Academic learning:
- Screen sharing is helpful for both you and the students to show exactly what the other person is experiencing. It allows you to more accurately answer questions, guide student learning and troubleshoot problems.
- Scratch Garden (https://www.youtube.com/user/ScratchGarden) includes videos on a variety of subjects and ideas for primary students
- Interactive Hundreds Chart (https://www.mathplayground.com/interactive_hundreds_chart.html)
- Art for Kids Hub (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5XMF3Inoi8R9nSI8ChOsdQ) for guided drawing activities
- National Geographic Kids (https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/)
- Mystery Doug (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPRCRM3JKm3sw55lB_427qg) for science inquires
- Padlet (https://padlet.com/) for an interactive space for student collaboration
Yet again as we head back into the unknown, remember to find what grounds you… find your favourite things.
