Throughout their careers, teachers cultivate a toolbox of instructional strategies, resources and tricks. They add tools while discarding others. Some are used frequently while others are there for specific lessons or units of instruction. Many of those tools are common while others are stumbled upon as they try to find the right experiences for a particular group of students. Others were gifted to us by colleagues.
The list of digital tools and resources available is incredible. In Surrey, the Microsoft Office 365 platform provides teachers and students with a treasure trove of apps and tools. Then there are the third-party programs (platforms outside of Office 365) that can be utilized in the online classroom. For the teacher, the challenge is finding the tools and resources to support their curriculum and meet their students where they are.
In the last year, we have worked tirelessly to adapt our toolbox to the online classroom. For some, they had already begun to add digital tools and resources. For all of us, the pandemic accelerated their adoption and implementation. We have transferred many tools to digital spaces, but not all. In some cases, we have been able to find an alternative and, in others, we have created something new.
What works for one teacher and their classroom may not translate into another. What works for one group of students, falls flat with our next class. In this way, the toolbox offers options and possibilities. Each year, a select few evolve into routines and traditions. They are familiar to both us and our students. When we face challenges, these tools are the ones we draw upon first, confident that our own knowledge and student familiarity with the tool will support their success.
Teachers draw upon their knowledge of their students, their interests and learning intentions when selecting tools. We are like craftsman - the right tool in the right hands.
The success of a tool is complex. Some tools cannot be successfully implemented until community and trust are established. Other tools help establish norms and expectations. Some bring calm to a storm. The prettiest tool doesn’t always have the greatest impact. For some classes, the routines that become traditions are the most powerful tools at hand.
Before we add or discard a tool, we often put it through trials. For teachers, it can take 7-10 attempts with an instructional strategy before we are confident in its use. This is the same for our learners. As we approach the one-year mark of this pandemic, it is a reminder that our digital toolboxes are in their infancy. We are still in the process of discovery and exploration. The tools are only just starting to feel familiar.
Whether in the physical or digital classroom, teachers know when they found a tool to store in their toolbox. Like many other aspects of the digital classroom, the right tool brings the same sense of optimism and joy to the learning.
What’s in your digital toolbox?
