Hybrid lessons learned

 So we're a little more than a month in and I think I can honestly say that this remote/hybrid/blending learning thing is not what I expected. Here are some takeaways from my first month.

I do not need a voice amplifier. Apparently, I'm a pretty loud human. I am keeping it, however, because I am also prone to sore throats due to seasonal allergies twice a year, so it will come in handy eventually. What I need instead is either a hearing aide, or for all of my students to wear voice amplifiers, because teens + masks = a whole lotta mumbling.

Planning by the week makes the most sense for me right now. Our district has really loosened the reigns on formal lesson plans and thank goodness. Since we are 100% remote on Wednesdays, I have designed my schedule to treat that as the start of my week (mentally).  

Having two projects going at a time makes the most sense. I teach a high school contemporary crafts class that is already on an A/B rotation. That means we are in person 1 day per week. I can't have them carrying wet plaster or fragile things on and off the bus on the daily. It was a nightmare to start this way, but I feel like we're starting to hit a groove. They now have something to do at home, that I have already taught in class and they have something that needs more assistance to do in class with me. Both projects will take twice as long and I am completely fine with that.

Process photos are everything. I've been using padlet so the students can see what the other are doing. Sometimes I let them stay anonymous, and sometimes I need them to add a name for credit / participation points.

Final take away...this whole election could have totally been done on a google form.