SPED in the Time of Coronavirus - Introduction
E-learning. Distance learning, Virtual learning. On-line learning. No matter what you call it, the face of education has changed in light of the coronavirus pandemic. This crisis provides an opportunity for teachers to reflect on the heart of what it means to teach and instruct students. And this reflection can lead to a long list of questions without easy answers.
What is the difference between teaching and assigning work?
How does completing assignments contribute to learning?
What are the essential parts of teaching?
How can a teacher feel the connection and rush during distance learning that occurs in the classroom when students understand content and all those little light bulbs start to go off around the room?
Nowhere are these questions more front and center than in special education. At the center of special education is explicit, individualized instruction that focuses on the needs of each unique learner. Responding to those needs requires time to instruct, observe, assess, adjust and repeat while also developing a relationship of trust. These steps are best done in a one-on-one or small group setting in person and in multiple modalities (e.g., visual, auditory and kinesthetic). Distance learning adds barriers to those fundamental steps that require educators to adjust and respond.
Practical barriers can be layered on top of these to further complicate the situation. These include things such as a lack of access to technology or district wide policies. For example, in our district, we are not allowed to use any live streaming video for instruction: no Zoom, no Google Meet, no Facetime. In addition, our district determined that all distance learning would be through the Google Classroom platform. Instead of looking at these barriers as an insurmountable challenge, we saw them as an opportunity to come together to find creative solutions to address the needs of our students in these extraordinary times.
(Check out these suggestions from Edutopia whether or not you can live stream video.They will help you think through your distance learning plan before the fall: Distance Learning FAQ: Solving Teachers’ and Students’ Common Problems and Getting Ready to Teach in K-12 Schools Next Year)
With all of these barriers in mind, I have put together a series of nuts and bolts posts with distance learning tips. These have been tested and vetted through weeks of trial and error. They summarize the essence of what it means to teach both generally and, specifically, for special education: to instruct, to support, to engage and motivate and to clarify content while maintaining and developing rapport and connection. Each post highlights these goals of instruction and provides technology tips and websites to help teachers plan for whatever the fall brings.