Virtual teaching demands new routines

After a week's vacation, I was a bit sluggish about returning to virtual school. I feel the same way when I return to school as we know it. It's never your first choice to leave a week of doing what you want to a week that's more tailored and demanding, but it doesn't take long for the children to arouse your spirit and get you back in the game of school whether it's in a school building or virtually--their spirit is contagious like that.

So as I got ready to start back to virtual teaching and learning today, I recognized that it is time to update my routine to meet this new reality of teaching and meeting online throughout the school day. What updates will I make?

With a theme of healthy living and maximizing the silver linings of virtual school, I'm making the following updates:

• Replacing water for coffee most of the day
• Making time to get outside and learn, move in nature
• Creating assignments that get students outside
• Making short term goals for myself and students similar to Coach Bill Belichick's theme of chunking it. 
• Spending each day looking over student assignments and efforts to date.

I'm sure I'll think of more ways to update the schedule for me and the students as we move on with this next eight-week, virtual chunk of the school year. Now it's time for the first class of the day.