Remote Learning Challenges and Foldables

Teaching in a classroom full of students can be challenging in the best of times, but it has been off-the-charts challenging for many educators of late.

Though I see so much potential with online educational options, I couldn't imagine doing the bulk of my own learning or teaching that way. I love the relationship-building options of in-person learning, and the opportunity to watch learners interact. Times and options have changed, and we have so many more ways to configure a cohort of learners into a "classroom." Educators are figuring out new ways to build relationships and monitor learning progress.

As I watched and heard from educators who were making a quick pivot to online and remote learning (and then again to split classes and other new arrangements), I was reminded what a powerful learning tool Dinah Zike's classic, independent Foldables could be in each of those environments.

Foldables involve only a sheet of paper and can be quickly folded and perhaps cut to create a sturdy, hands-on, three-dimensional, moveable graphic organizer. They are engaging tools for learners of all ages. When Dinah first showed me her Foldables (before I worked with her), I got flashbacks of students I had worked with who might have learned so much more if only I had known to show them!

Over the years, educators have considered ever more factors in deciding how to teach. I definitely appreciate a move toward considering a learner's developmental level or pathway, and some school districts or teachers have really embraced new ideas and theories, such as Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. Whatever the specifics, it seems to get more complicated, and then to add new technology challenges really seems daunting! But there is hope.

Every educator needs to stop and take a breath (three deep breaths is a powerful way to gain a moment of calm) and remember that not every new option is better. Educators (and learners) can still benefit from tried-and-true methods. When you know something works, some of that knowledge comes from your comfort level with that strategy, and your positive expectations help bring about positive results. I'm not suggesting that we all become Luddites and throw away all of the amazing technology available. I am suggesting that teachers as well as learners have preferences (e.g., audio/visual/hands-on, etc.), and we need to give ourselves a little bit of grace as we acknowledge those preferences and strengths and learn from one another.