Let’s face it, teaching digitally in any form is hard work. Especially when it is not the way you envisioned your teaching profession heading. Both teachers and students were not ready for distance learning and even now it seems that there is not an end to this type of learning environment as we move into flu season.
One side effect of teaching in an online or hybrid model is not getting to know our students personally. This task becomes harder the longer we are in a virtual environment. Daily interaction is greatly missed.
While teaching remotely, we are seeing faceless, black screens with a student’s picture or avatar. As the days move on we get less and less interaction during class time and the connection gap between classmates becomes wider and wider.
How Do I Build Community?
One way you can build community in your classes is to assign classroom jobs. These jobs are meant to be for the virtual environment while being in-person is not an option. Assigning online jobs keeps a flow to the class, students on task, and takes some responsibility off of the teacher. Some jobs will actually translate into in-person jobs in hybrid or face-to-face.
Here are a few jobs you can incorporate in your virtual classroom to build community.
1. Classroom Greeter
Designate a student to greet everyone by name as they come in to the virtual classroom.
2. Tech Support
Let’s face it. The students can solve a tech issue long before you and I can. And if they don’t know, they will love to figure it out and impress you.
3. Chat Monitor
Take some pressure off you. Assign a student to monitor the chat. They can keep you informed of questions being asked.
4. Brain Break Coach
Make 1 or 2 students in charge of finding brain breaks and reminding you when they are supposed to take place during the class period.
5. Eye Rest Coach
I just learned of the 20-20-20 rule of online teaching. Every 20 minutes you take a 20-second eye break by staring at the wall or ceiling 20 feet away. It is supposed to prevent eye fatigue and headaches caused by starting at a screen. You’re welcome.
6. Classroom DJ
We may not love music or we may not even hear it, but kids like it. Select someone to play music at the start and end of class and maybe even during the brain break. Students can submit the lyrics to you before the class starts so you can approve them.
7. Time Keeper
Set the times for your activities on your agenda and have a student be in charge of keeping time of the class period and keeping everybody on time.
8. Attendance Clerk
Some schools are not OK with this job so check how your school feels about it. Have a student check off who is in class.
9. Link Master
Assign a student to be in charge of putting the links to assignments on the agenda in the chatbox during the class period.
10. The Notetaker
Assign a student to take down the daily agenda and notes for absent students or students who need notes taken for them. Post them on your daily agenda.
11. Joke Teller
Everyone needs a laugh during this time. Let the students bring in a good joke to tell.
12. Fitness Coach
Have a student stop class at a specific time and lead a stretch or two halfway through the class.
13. Match Maker
A student randomly places students in groups or partners for digital tasks.
14. Social Media Master
One student writes and photographs and aspect of the class period for you to share on your social media post.
There are so many jobs for the classroom. Which jobs will you assign in your virtual classroom?
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