This episode features my colleagues  Alan Hoffmann and Patrick Chang as they discuss their own teaching experiences during the past five months sharing both successes and challenges.

Musings from a Corner Classroom

Episode 8 Trials and Tribulations of Remote Teaching

In this first episode of the new year, Chris explores the concept of student production as key to student engagement. After taking courses through Adobe Education in which creativity was an underlining theme the focus on having students produce at the end of each week became a vital component of the remote learning process. 

Episode 9 Student Production is Key

This episode I continue with the theme of remote learning. Long-time colleague Greg Dennis is my guest as he details the challenges and successes of the online instructional experience.

Episode 7: Trials and Tribulations of Remote Instruction Part II

In this episode I talk to colleague April Salas about the challenges of remote learning, finding positives amongst the stress, and how instruction may change when the pandemic is over. 

Episode 6 The Trials and Tribulations of Remote Learning: Part 1

Teaching during the elections is always a challenge as a teacher tries to remain unbiased as possible and at the same time present factually accurate material. This past week was no different. However, Chris' students took the reins as election results trickled in and present their own analysis. 

Episode 5: Teaching during the Elections

As distance learning continues experimentation with different types of lessons are  in the forefront as the ongoing challenge of student engagement moves forward. Listen as Chris discusses what has worked over the past week. Also the issue of grades has become a talking point for his district. How does one go about grading students in this environment? What is fair? What about students who don't do any work?  All of these questions are addressed in the episode.

Episode 4: Online Learning Successes and Challenges

Join me as I take a look at the ongoing challenges of remote learning.  The theme of mental and emotional exhaustion has become prevalent among teachers providing distance learning and I am no exception. Also the daily grind of preparing lessons, the lack of authentic face-to-face interactions with students takes a toll as well. What is working and what isn't? 

Episode 3: The Ongoing Struggles of a Teacher with Distance Learning

Join Chris as he discusses the challenges of distance learning while exploring what has worked. Scaling down expectations, tapping into the amazing teachers who post work on Twitter, and taking time to talk to students individually have been successful, while the daily challenge of disconnectivity presents a educational dilemma as well as equity issues for his students. 

Five Weeks into It: Distance Learning Challenges and Successes

Join in as I explore the challenges of remote teaching and learning during the first three weeks of instruction. We will explore the issue of connectivity, managing a Zoom classroom, instructional paradigm shifts and ideas for engaged learning. 

Remote Teaching 2020: The First Three Weeks

This episode will be devoted to assessing how distance learning is going. Primarily I will be looking at the issue of student work and how much is too much and what is relevant work. Also I will read excerpts from student journals as well as tackle the issue of boredom and self-care.

Spring Break: Assessing Where I am At with Emergency Distance Learning Instruction

Today I talk with Michael Covey, colleague and ELA teacher at Mendez and with Jose a student of whom we have in common about the similarities between the Anne Frank play and students staying at home. In addition we talk about Harriet Jacobs, the female slave who escaped and spent a couple of years in her grandmother's attic avoiding detection. 

Safe At Home: A conversation with a colleague and student.

Faced with the dilemma of doing virtual teaching for the long term what are the key questions to consider when planning instruction for students who are shut in most of the day?  What should be graded? How long should the lesson be? How many times a week should I e-mail the students? All of these are part of our new reality as teachers.

How Does One Go About Planning?

Many teachers are now relegated to teaching remotely at home. I review my first two days along with students insights of what it is like to be shelter-in-place. 

What does a Teacher do at home during COVID 19?

After presenting at OCCUE Chris talks about the actual implementation of Google Slides as a slide deck and for annotating pictures. Also there are a few tidbits on using Google Draw as well. Finally, Chris talks about using Google Forms assessing where students are at when they enter his classroom. 

Talking Google Presentations and Google Draw

In this episode Chris explores how Google Slides can be used beyond those boring presentations as inspired by Matt Miller's 101 Ways to Ditch that Textbook with Google

Episode 10 Beyond Google Slides

Welcome to Musings from a Corner Classroom, the latest in trends in middle school history education and a little bit of pop culture as well

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Musings from a Corner Classroom

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