The onset of the pandemic has unsurprisingly brought about the significant need for teaching at K12 online, and India has demonstrated itself as a formidable market in this regard. A report published by Indian and American-based research company Grand View Research in September 2021 on the online tutoring services market indicated that there had been substantial growth in investment in online teaching platforms.
It would make logical sense that K12 online schools fall under the category, owing to the staggering number of young students whose entire schooling framework has been made virtual. This has meant that both students and teachers had to adapt quickly to this seismic shift, not all of which has been a bed of roses.
At the initial onset of the pandemic, a photo of a young child in America visibly struggling with online learning (to the point of breakdown) went viral, leading to extensive discussions about children’s health and development in relation to the shift.
So what values can administrators espouse to ensure inclusivity in teaching as part of K-12 online schools? Here are some veritable suggestions.
Know and listen to students
A global pandemic of epic proportions is not easy to contend with, especially for young children. They may or may not understand the severity of its impact, but they are expected to function at their peak (which is unreasonable in itself).
As such, K-12 virtual teaching jobs need to come equipped with sensitization workshops and seminars for educators that allow them to understand the gaps in knowledge that children face, as well as keep them motivated and offer them support in times as harrowing as these.
One way for the educator to see this through would be to host smaller focus groups (separate from online classes), wherein students voice their issues and shortcomings in relation to functioning in the virtual classroom. Doing this also means ensuring time management for teachers and culling any teaching method that may not be working for the students.
Keep things simple!
Taking K12 students through any new platform is a challenge for any educator, especially if they are just getting used to online learning. The additional hurdle of no physical interaction means that teachers have difficulty gauging knowledge gaps, leading to a number of confusing interactions and children being overwhelmed.
As such, it’s a good idea to make things as concise as possible for students to follow. Administrators need to ensure that the instructions provided are clear and concise and in a language that contains basic wording. Brevity is a significant advantage in this regard, as well as resources that are easy to access from a range of devices.
Make use of existing and emerging technologies
Ease of access to resources across devices is something that also extends to the use of teaching-based platforms. An educator can collate and compile all their teaching materials and relevant links into a single space, which can be accessed by students (and their parents) as and when they desire.
Two platforms conducive to resource-based online teaching are Canvas and Google Classrooms. Both technologies offer resources that can be downloaded with ease, calendars that contain links to Zoom and Google Meet meetings, and a space where students and parents can easily correspond with educators through email. Teachers can also put together their databases of grades and assignments on these platforms for ease of access.
Administrators need to have dedicated sessions with students, their parents, and the educators wherein each group is properly inducted to use the technology in question. This allows you to minimize gaps and blocks in knowledge and ensures that no individual is left in the dark.
Encourage a student-led environment
Educators have to get used to the idea that students will be responsive to their teaching methods and what they will be learning about. Teaching in K12 online schools needs to create a framework where students can interact and share their ideas with each other as well as with their teachers.
One of the ways for administrators to be as inclusive as possible in a virtual classroom is to encourage students to individually voice their opinions about the course material and how it impacts their lives. This also allows the educator to consider perspectives that they would not have otherwise and will enable them to step into the shoes of their students and relearn the material that they are teaching for current and future generations.
Another teaching method that prioritizes students is having fixed periods for breakout rooms. Students can interact with each other and then share their collective ideas on the educational content. Maintaining this approach in the virtual classroom provides educators with valuable information that they can implement in subsequent lesson plans and course material.
Find ways to cater individually to students
Each student in a classroom environment is unique, owing to their personality and perception of the material being taught. Owing to this, an educator has to accommodate situations wherein students can take turns in expressing and navigating their autonomous journey with what they are learning.
An inclusive way for teachers and administrators to take this framework forward is for them to offer students set times and meeting periods away from the classroom, wherein they can schedule one-on-one interactions to discuss with each student how they are navigating their way through the lessons and the course content. This also allows them to alter plans and syllabi based on knowledge gaps and blocks that may arise with each student.
Evolve and adapt based on feedback
We live in a world that is constantly adapting to the pandemic. Furthermore, the K-12 online teaching and learning paradigm is evolving at a rate that can be hard to keep up with for both the student and the educator. Each classroom environment is its ecosystem that adapts based on the various people involved.
This means that to be inclusive, administrators have to have a framework in place that has constant sharing and implementation of feedback as a permanent feature. This allows them to modify structures and modus operandi based on what students, parents, and teachers require.
Another practical approach in this regard is for administrators to correspond with each other separately to cross-reference their styles of approach and inclusion and alter them as necessary. The main thing to remember is that as a growing industry, administrators in K-12 online schools are building and adapting the foundation for teaching and education.
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No K-12 online school is truly empowered without its diverse population of students and teachers. These are the people formulating the base of teaching at K-12 online schools. It makes complete sense that inclusivity in teaching approach and methodology is a need that is both urgent and evolving and one that administrators need to be consistently mindful of.
Whether you are an educator or an administrator, following these values can be instrumental in creating and fostering a cooperative and inclusive environment where the learning and education of students are prioritized above all else, even if physical presence is not a factor.
