Keeping Our Students Upright: The Little Things That Add Up For Our Students Right Now Virtual "Luncheon", April 2020 Samantha Robinson ...
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Keeping Our Students Upright: The Little Things That Add Up For Our Students Right Now Virtual “Luncheon”, April 2020 Samantha Robinson, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Keeping Our Students Upright: The Little Things That Add Up For Our Students Right Now Virtual “Luncheon”, April 2020 Samantha Robinson, Department of Mathematical Sciences i.e., Math
Keeping Our Students Upright: The Little Things That Add Up For Our Students Right Now Virtual “Luncheon”, April 2020 Samantha Robinson, Department of Mathematical Sciences i.e., Math
Keeping Our Students Upright: The Little Things That Add Up For Our Students Right Now Virtual “Luncheon”, April 2020 Samantha Robinson, Department of Mathematical Sciences i.e., Math
Φασούλι, φασούλι γεµίζει το σακούλι
First of All…
Why Beans?
Wait! Who Said Anything About Beans?
sewrob@uark.edu 5
Φασούλι, φασούλι γεµίζει το σακούλι
“Dripping water hallows the stone” - Ovid
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”
“All the little things add up. Whether they were positive or negative,
eventually you either see the amazing result or the biggest let down”
First of All…
“It is the little things, day by day, that add up over time Why Beans?
to unshakable happiness or unsalvageable misery” Wait! Who Said Anything About Beans?
sewrob@uark.edu 6
Φασούλι, φασούλι γεµίζει το σακούλι
“Dripping water hallows the stone” - Ovid
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”
“All the little things add up. Whether they were positive or negative,
eventually you either see the amazing result or the biggest let down”
First of All…
“It is the little things, day by day, that add up over time Why Beans?
to unshakable happiness or unsalvageable misery” Wait! Who Said Anything About Beans?
Φασούλι, φασούλι γεµίζει το σακούλι
sewrob@uark.edu 7
Why is the Classroom Environment Important?
“A positive, caring, respectful environment is a prior condition to learning.”
- John Hattie
Regardless of how busy we are, we cannot underestimate the importance
of cultivating a classroom culture in which students feel valued and
respected because…
if our students do not feel valued and respected then they are not learning
and, if they are not learning, all of our tasks (and, consequently, all of our
efforts) are meaningless!!
8
Keep in Mind:
Even when students look the same to us
(i.e., they share major characteristics such as
age, race, language, etc.), there are still
many things that divide them (many of
which we may not see).
Examples?
9
L or False? J
QUIZ! True
1. I attended Title I schools growing up.
2. My mother was a first generation college student and I watched her graduate! J
3. I utilized a Federal Pell Grant for my undergraduate degree.
4. At 20 years old, I was denied health insurance.
5. While in Boston, my wallet was stolen but I chased the guy and got it back!
10Aside!
Are You Thinking of Your Own Classrooms? #MissingMyClassroom
▪ Do I have invisible students?
▪ Essentially, students consistently walking into and out of your classroom totally unnoticed
▪ How must my students perceive me?
▪ Try thinking this through given different student characteristics (e.g., political ideology, sex, etc.)
▪ Have I been making assumptions about my students?
▪ (e.g., the loner wants to be the loner, the front row students care more, etc.)?
11sewrob@uark.edu 12
Do Students Feel…
Respected? A Sense of Belonging?
▪ Do they feel that their unique traits, skills, ▪ Do they feel that they belong at the “You” of
experience and background are valued? A (i.e., University of Arkansas)?
▪ Do they feel valued and an essential part of
▪ Are there aspects of their social identity that their classes?
they feel cannot be disclosed?
▪ Do they feel left out (in class or socially)?
▪ Do they feel a need to mask or downplay
▪ Do they feel emotionally and socially
any aspect of their physical, cultural, or
supported?
emotional self?
▪ Do they feel comfortable being themselves?sewrob@uark.edu 14
Φασούλι, φασούλι γεµίζει το σακούλι sewrob@uark.edu 15
The Welcome Email… sewrob@uark.edu 16
▪ Have a Hook!
▪ Have a Meaningful (and Enticing) Subject Line
▪ Don’t Simply Provide Due Dates
▪ Give Them a Splash of You!
Emails (Sent By You)
To Do or Not To Do?
sewrob@uark.edu 17The Splash of You!
Connecting With Students Personally
1. Use Names
2. Share Pronouns (if comfortable doing so)
3. Share Yourself
v And! Acknowledge Hard Times
4. Fire Off the Quick Notes!
sewrob@uark.edu 18The Splash of You!
Humor?
1. If you got it, flaunt it!
2. If not, don’t worry! You do you!
From a Student!
sewrob@uark.edu 19From a Student!
The Splash of You!
Humor?
sewrob@uark.edu 20The Splash of You!
Humor?
sewrob@uark.edu 21The Splash of You!
No Humor? Uncomfortable Sharing Personal Things?
There Were Tips For All As Well As Activities Tried and True!
▪ Those Emails
▪ The Welcome Email, The Check In Email, and All of Those Appreciative Emails
▪ Office Atmosphere
▪ Examples: Zen Garden, Fake Flowers, Candy
▪ Community Creation
▪ Syllabus Creation
▪ Reflection Quiz
▪ Daily Thoughts
sewrob@uark.edu 22sewrob@uark.edu 23
sewrob@uark.edu 24
sewrob@uark.edu 25
Oh No!
My Beans!
sewrob@uark.edu 26sewrob@uark.edu 27
Keep in Mind:
Even when students look the same to us
(i.e., they share major characteristics such as
age, race, language, etc.), there are still
many things that divide them (many of
which we may not see).
Examples?
NEW Examples?
28sewrob@uark.edu 29
Φασούλι, φασούλι γεµίζει το σακούλι sewrob@uark.edu 30
Aside!
Speaking of Emails…
▪ What was the last email that you sent? What was the tone? The structure? The content?
▪ Note: If you have access to your email (which you do… we are virtual J), check it out! Honestly!
(Honestly, be honest! J)
▪ Talk to those at your table i.e., talk to yourself…! A pair-and-share might be brilliant right now…
but cannot be done…!
▪ What did your last email to students look like? Feel like? Read like?
▪ Get that second set of eyes (they are sitting right beside you… no they are not…)! If bold, simply post the
‘gist’ of the email into the Chat!
▪ Recommendations for alterations?
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!!!
31Speaking of Emails… sewrob@uark.edu 32
BUT!
Speaking of Emails…
The Place & The Time!
*and*
The Changes Necessary!
For Our Face-To-Face Students, Replace
‘15 Years Ago’ with ‘15 Days Ago’… LWhat About the Quick Note?
What About Emailed BB Announcements?
1. They are being read less than you would like… BUT! Keep writing them!
2. Keep Sharing Yourself!
3. Keep Acknowledging Hard Times!
4. Keep Firing Off the Quick Notes!
sewrob@uark.edu 34Dr. Robinson,
This is so sweet of you, thank you! I have thoroughly enjoyed
your class. I have never felt very good at math, but you made
me feel 99% confident in statistics J
Thank you for all your hard work and I will see you tomorrow!
The Quick Note
sewrob@uark.edu 35What About the Quick Note?
What About Emailed BB Announcements?
5. Keep Being You!
6. Did I Already Mention?
Keep Sharing Yourself!
sewrob@uark.edu 36Anything Helps!
Reach Them in Some Way… Any Way!
1. Change The Medium (if possible)!
sewrob@uark.edu 37Anything Helps!
The Splash of You!
2. Show your face! Even if they do not!
sewrob@uark.edu 38Anything Helps!
Humor! Laugh (even if at yourself)!
3. If you had humor before, use it now!
sewrob@uark.edu 39Anything Helps!
To Sync or Not To Sync?
4. Honestly, use a mix (if possible)!
▪ Have Live Optional Sessions
(Maybe Only 1-2 Times/Week)
Ø Record Them All Though!
Ø TRICK: Use Student Names! J
▪ Have Standing Office Hour(s) as well
as Office Hours By Appointment!
Ø Boring? Sometimes… Go Ahead and
Multi-Task but be Available!
sewrob@uark.edu 40Anything Helps!
Have a “Practice” Assignment?
5. Make it “touchy feely”
sewrob@uark.edu 41Anything Helps!
Wanting Student Feedback?
6. Just Ask! Be Open! Be Vulnerable!
▪ Our struggles right now are NOT weaknesses
▪ You *KNOW* your material!
ØNot knowing the best online delivery method
(especially for face-to-face students going remote
for potentially the first time with “sketch” wi-fi)
does not change that!
ØYou *DO* have their support! So be open!
§ Ask for feedback so that you can *CHANGE*
what you can give them right now!
sewrob@uark.edu 42Anything Helps!
Tidbits!
7. Pull in the news (within reason and delicately)!
▪ Honestly, we need to be careful! You do not know
what each student is going through right now.
8. Be Flexible! But Stay Strong!
9. Stay Positive!
▪ It matters more than you might know
10. Smile! J
▪ It means more than you might imagine
sewrob@uark.edu 43Anything Helps!
All The Old Still Applies!
Assumptions That We *Might* Have
▪ Treating This Like Early Summer
▪ Lowered Standards
▪ Will Not Check Emails
▪ Will Make Up Excuses (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.)
▪ Do Not Care About Us
▪ Will Fade Away
sewrob@uark.edu 44Anything Helps!
All The Old Still Applies!
Assumptions That They *Might* Have
▪ Treating This Like Early Summer
▪ Lowered Standards
▪ Will Not Check Emails
▪ Will Make Up Excuses (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.)
▪ Do Not Care About Us
▪ Will Fade Away
sewrob@uark.edu 45Anything Helps!
All The Old Still Applies!
sewrob@uark.edu 46▪ Know Your Content!
▪ Model Behavior and Manage the “Classroom”
▪ Know Your Students
▪ Names, Personalities
▪ Let Students Know You Classroom Dynamics
▪ Share Yourself, Be Genuine
What Can We Do to Facilitate Learning?
▪ Be Self-Aware
(Learning is, after all, ACTIVE)
▪ Consider Personal Biases and Perceptions
▪ Think About Your Own Body Language and Tone of Voice
▪ Reflect Often on Your Treatment of Students
▪ (e.g., encouragement, dealing with deadlines, etc.)
▪ Have a Reliable, Easily Available Communication Path
▪ “Office” Hours
▪ Email
47▪ Listen To Your Students (even the complaints)
▪ Elicit Student Thoughts and Feedback
▪ Be Responsive to Student Needs
▪ Reach Out to Students ‘Individually’
▪ Assume Nothing and Avoid Judgement Classroom Dynamics
▪ Tidbits
"Since we cannot change What Can We Do to Facilitate Learning?
▪ Be Compassionate reality, let us change the
▪ Be Flexible eyes which see reality."
- Nikos Kazantzakis
▪ And…
48▪ Listen To Your Students (even the complaints)
▪ Elicit Student Thoughts and Feedback
▪ Be Responsive to Student Needs
▪ Reach Out to Students ‘Individually’
▪ Assume Nothing and Avoid Judgement Classroom Dynamics
▪ Tidbits
What Can We Do to Facilitate Learning?
▪ Be Compassionate
▪ Be Flexible
▪ And…
SMILE!
49Step 1: Incorporate Just One Small Thing
Little Steps Lead to Big Improvements!
50How Do I Know My
Efforts Have Worked?
▪ Sometimes… it is clear…
51How Do I Know My Efforts Have Worked? ▪ But, Honestly! Right Now? You Won’t! It Feels Good Though!
Conclusions – Take Away Message sewrob@uark.edu
Questions? Samantha Robinson { sewrob@uark.edu }
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
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