The reason the camp was so successful was the fact that it was well thought out and organized. Having a fantastic coordinator made all the difference. Having energetic, engaged educators to teach with made it special. Seeing the faces of the kids as they opened their bags and got excited about learning- priceless.
I learned a lot this week. I plan on using Zoom next year as we traverse a hybrid school year. I discovered a lot about myself. I learned to trust technology a little bit more. I also, just went with the flow and let things happen in a very organic way. In my classroom, that is my style all the time, but virtually, I feel a disconnect and this sometimes locks me into a certain groove: one of hyper focus on the details.
But, after a week of virtual teaching, all on Zoom- I feel more confident in the platform and my way of maneuvering throughout it. I had some hiccups with lag, using the whiteboard took some figuring out, and sharing my screen for videos became second nature. I am comfortable now using the platform. Breakout sessions are a must.
This experience has got me thinking a lot about my curriculum and lessons for next year. I am looking through my lesson plans and starting to convert some of them to a virtual format. Some individual and self-paced, others group Zoom format. I plan on getting many ready for whatever format they will eventually find themselves in.
Next year is uncertain. But, now that I know Zoom is a source of learning in a new way, a safe and easy format to maneuver and an accessible tool- I feel confident that I can make distance learning enjoyable for my students as well as myself. It felt very interactive and yes- believe it or not, personal and collaborative. I feel like after a week I did form a relationship with these students, and I will remember this experience fondly.
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