What tools/platforms do you use? Are they effective?
For the past couple of weeks, I have been using Google Hangouts as an instant messaging service to answer queries from parents and students regarding the work they need to accomplish. Google Classroom has been my go-to tool since 2018, and this is where I post differentiated tasks that only selected students will see on their personal class streams. This is also where I put reference materials and links to their scheduled assessments, which they answer on Google Forms. For meetings, we use Google Meet. By tomorrow, I will start having live discussions using this platform.
These Google apps have been effective to some extent, but I have encountered certain glitches recently. Some of my scheduled posts did not pop up on students’ streams on time, which is why I’ve decided to schedule my postings around 10 minutes earlier than when they’re supposed to appear on students’ streams. Other than that, these programs by Google have been very beneficial for us all.
What difficulties are you facing now? Is there any way to overcome them?
Some of the difficulties I have right now seem to be out of my control. Usually, they have something to with my students’ home situations, which is why I learned to become more lenient to a diplomatic level when it comes to having them submit their accomplished work at a specific time. For example, I have a student who went to the province with her mother before the ECQ took place and cannot come back to the Metro to claim her school materials. This is just one of her struggles, alongside not having a stable Internet connection at her current location.
Some pupils—who need parental supervision—cannot have their parents assist them at a particular time given the drastic economic effects this pandemic brought. Many of the parents work from home and/or are struggling to keep their businesses running. More than ever, it is important to be in tune with students’ home conditions and their hindrances from being immersed in the shift to online learning. Through this, I have learned how it is absolutely essential to be more understanding and considerate during these trying times.