Connect With Your Students to Fight Isolation of Remote Learning

Jie Berly L. Simbulan

Since classrooms have been moved online, teachers are not physically present to guide their students. The physical distance between teachers and students increases psychological and emotional distance which greatly affects learning.

To fight off isolation effects, studies say regular communication and casual conversation with students can help. This way, a teacher can show that he or she is personally “interested and invested” in each student.

One way to keep communication with students open is to conduct daily morning greetings. The morning greeting, which can be recorded or live, should allow students to respond and builds in “interactive, engaging activities designed to help our students learn more about themselves and their classmates.”

Some other activities that can help teachers in touch with their students include: - Use of unstructured time to chat at the beginning of class.

- Welcome kids to class one by one during the online class.

- After each lesson, ask students to reflect on their learning with discussion prompts or a closing activity like appreciation, apology, or aha!

- Pose fun questions like “What’s your favorite movie?” and have students share out.

Distance learning has its negative effects to students, but there are ways to turn it around. Teachers just have to put in extra effort to reach out to them virtually.

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The author si Teacher I at Bahay Pare Elementary School