Envisioning a “New Normal”

Brandi KellyBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Innovate Better, Personalize Student Learning Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR:

  • Blended learning promotes student ownership and helps to address the needs of different styles of learners.
  • A successful example of blended learning at Sangamon Valley Middle School offers the best of both worlds.
  • The shortcomings vs. benefits of blended learning are explored.

Envisioning a New Normal: Imagine the Possibilities

The pandemic has created a great deal of angst for educators in the past year. Last March, educators throughout the world were thrown into crisis teaching. Teachers met this challenge head-on, reflected over the summer, and began the 2020-2021 school year prepared to teach students in an online format. Educators are gifted in adapting circumstances to create highly effective learning experiences for their students.

This school year, many educators have become quite adept at teaching online. As we envision a post-pandemic future, it is my hope that we can take some of this new knowledge and experience into the future of education to improve upon student learning. 

I am not proposing that we throw the baby out with the bathwater. Face-to-face instruction is the way that we have provided education for more than 100 years. There is absolutely no replacement for the teacher. According to a Visible Learning™ meta-analysis, the teacher-student relationship effect size is .48. The relationships between the teacher and student have a significant effect on student learning.

We have learned; however, many valuable lessons during this pandemic should inform how we proceed with educating our youth in the future. We have found that some students perform very well using an online platform such as Google Classroom. Other students struggle immensely without regular face-to-face instruction. I would propose marrying the two modalities—face to face and online learning—and providing blended learning. 

Envisioning a New Normal: Blended Learning

Blended learning promotes student ownership because it shifts the learning responsibilities away from the teacher and promotes student autonomy. Our world is becoming increasingly tech-centered, and blended learning prepares our students for this world. It cuts costs, increases collaboration, improves communication, allows for personalization, and keeps students interested and engaged in learning. 

Blended learning promotes student ownership because it shifts the learning responsibilities away from the teacher and promotes student autonomy. Click To Tweet

Teachers at Sangamon Valley Middle School have flipped learning this year to provide instruction via Google Classroom. Students attend school two days weekly on a hybrid schedule and benefit from online and face-to-face learning each week. When students are learning at home, they watch instructional videos prepared ahead of time by their classroom teacher. Students are encouraged to begin the work independently at home if possible.

While students are in school, they benefit from more individualized learning. Teachers check in with students using warm-ups, check-ins, and exit tickets to check for understanding and then remediate as needed. Blended learning has offered us the best of both worlds. One or the other just isn’t as effective for student learning. 

Envisioning a New Normal: A Fair Debate

While I am a proponent of blended learning, it is not without its shortcomings. There are several challenges that come with the use of technology. The first is having the appropriate infrastructure to support technology. Acquiring software technology and hardware for your blended learning can also be costly. The investment, however, may pay dividends in the future.

It also may present additional work for teachers on the front end. Anything new requires time and effort to establish a system. Once the system is established, the workload decreases. It may be difficult, due to the added workload on the front end, to ensure teachers buy into a blended learning model. 

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There are arguments that support blended learning and there are arguments that refute the merits. In education, not every child learns the same way. That is why I accept the claim that blended learning is best for students. It allows teachers to further differentiate learning based on student needs.

Blended learning allows for personalization and immediate feedback. To be effective, however, this requires professional development. Teachers will also require clear expectations in order for it to be implemented effectively. Before COVID-19, few teachers had the skillset to provide blended learning well. With appropriate training, this can be very effective to facilitate student learning. 

Envisioning a New Normal: Improving Student Learning

I often hear educators and non-educators say, “I can’t wait for school to go back to normal.” 

Pause. Reflect. Do you really want to return to “normal”?

I know that I do not want to return to “normal.” I want our future to be new and improved. We have all learned a lot of valuable lessons in the past year. Let’s utilize those lessons to improve student learning. 

Visible Learning™ Meta-Analysis (http://www.visiblelearningmetax.com/influences/view/teacher-student_relationships)

About Brandi Kelly

Mrs. Brandi Kelly is currently a Middle School Principal in the Sangamon Valley School District. Sangamon Valley Middle School is a small middle school in Illiopolis, IL west of Decatur, IL. Brandi began her career as a school social worker in the Effingham School District. She has served as a building administrator in three districts to date: Ramsey School District, Mt. Zion School District, and Sangamon Valley School District. Brandi has been in the field of education for 20 years and has served as a building administrator for 9 years. Her goal is to build teacher and student capacity by providing tools and strategies that empower and inspire others toward greatness!

Brandi believes that everyone can learn and has the potential for greatness. Relationships are incredibly important to the learning process. It is necessary for educators to invest time in students to build relationships in an effort to maximize their influence and impact.

Brandi is a wife and mother of two children. She is passionate about learning, growing, and inspiring others to do the same. She is an inspirational educator and leader and works diligently to empower others each and every day.