Greetings WOL friends and colleagues!
It’s hard to believe that it is already almost December. As we record these episodes we are so grateful to have the opportunities to learn and grow at conferences, to meet new people and to see the amazing work that is happening in Pennsylvania, around the US, and beyond. At ACTFL Lauren and Olivia showcased our new French story of Identity in what used to be French 1. At PASCD we re-connected with friends from across PA who came to Altoona last summer to learn from Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Allison Zmuda. To see the streamlined stories of Elementary School and to hear the joy of the teachers’ whose classrooms are evolving - brings joy. And, at Learning Forward we are sharing how our WOL ongoing professional learning supports teacher efficacy and how that matters to the classroom experience.
In this podcast, two of our awesome Virtual Learning Facilitators (VLF’s) Emily Carlson and Courtney Bonino share their journeys from traditional brick-and-mortar teaching to becoming part of the World of Learning (WOL) community. Both educators transition to providing virtual instruction was influenced by their experiences during the pandemic. Both, finding their fit within WOL’s virtual teaching environment.
Emily, a certified German and social studies facilitator, discovered WOL through a professional Facebook group. She joined us after leaving a brick-and-mortar school due to COVID-related changes. Courtney also found WOL via a Facebook group for Spanish educators. She joined after deciding not to return to the classroom post-COVID, as well, embracing the opportunities WOL presented.
Their transition to virtual teaching allowed for what they view as a more efficient use of time. They also talked about the opportunities the virtual experience provided - to their surprise, more personalized interactions with students. Each emphasized the importance of modeling and feedback in nurturing student independence and engagement - in our unique LIVE SESSION model. They also talked about utilizing Canvas - by instructure, for our unique 6E model (engaging, exploring, explaining, elaborating, evaluating, and expressing) for assignments. They emphasized the value of giving students time to process information independently as they work through the 6E’s and then how the learners engage in richer discussions during live sessions.
Feedback for learners’ played a crucial role in the student experience as well. Both educators found that by prioritizing timely feedback, and highlighting strengths and areas for improvement, they saw relationships and language skills improve. They emphasized the challenges of helping students understand the importance of feedback beyond the connection to grades.
Their biggest surprises in the transition were the richness of professional collaboration and the ability to implement effective language teaching practices in the virtual setting. They appreciated the ease of sharing resources and troubleshooting issues within the WOL community, noting the positive impact on their growth as educators.
In summary, here are a few of the salient points from our time together:
Transitioning from traditional teaching to a virtual environment due to pandemic-related changes brought surprises - like building great relationships with learners.
Embracing the efficiency and personalization of virtual teaching - how using asynchronous virtual content supports student agency. (This could help in brick and mortar settings as well!)
Leveraging our WOL asynchronous 6E model for assignments to facilitate independent learning and meaningful live discussions - creates an authentic, relevant and engaging learning environment.
Emphasizing the importance of timely and constructive feedback for student growth - this applies in every learning environment!
Recognizing the richness of professional collaboration and the ability to implement effective teaching practices in a virtual setting.
Their experiences highlight the adaptability and opportunities for growth within virtual teaching environments, focusing on student engagement, independence, and personalized learning experiences.
A few older podcast that support some of the ideas we shared here:
A Students Perspective on engagement in Latin.
WE are grateful for all of our partnerships - AND, the MCIU MVP program holds a special place in our hearts - check out their newsletter that highlights seeing and hearing - we were so excited that our ASL class was highlighted. Check it out - MCIU highlights WOL ASL program.
As always, if you can’t find a teacher or would like to expand your offerings let me know. I am glad to have a conversation.
Best,
Pat
Our Biggest Surprise