Five Remote Learning Lessons for Administrators

As a virus we never heard of and for which we had no cure hit our world, it certainly took everyone in the education world by surprise. That meant that administrators had to pivot quickly and lead their teachers through a time of distress and change. Though I hesitate to use what's now become a cliche, unprecedented is the only word that makes sense to describe this time of forced remote learning. The educational landscape will forever be changed but so hopefully will the face of leadership. In my role as a technology coach partnered with a large school district outside Atlanta, I’ve seen my own school leadership rise to the challenge and experience what it means to be lifelong learners. Through the lens of those same leadership models, I've observed five lessons I hope every administrator can take through the next school year and beyond.

Coaches play an important role before remote learning begins.

Many schools have been blessed with at least one coach, whether that's a technology specialist or someone on the instructional side of the house. It's important that administrators remember those coaches and pull them into important discussions when we're face-to-face, not just when we're remote. Their value starts long before the playing field changes to virtual. When coaches get a chance to partner with admin and teachers on a regular basis, the jump to technology-heavy remote learning isn’t so scary.

Give teachers the power to narrow the field to a few robust technology tools and deep dive with those.

It's always important for administrators to make their marks and take a school where it's never been before. However, sometimes the newest, shiniest tool isn't the way to do that. In my experience, it's good to let teachers have a narrow playing field of deep tools. Let's keep those coaches involved with PLCs as they co-plan which tools best fit the desired learning experiences. When teachers are more confident, their students actually get better learning experiences and the tool fades to the background in favor of the pedagogy.

Office hours, not constant access, will keep everybody sane and still supported.

As you're trying to lead from your house via email and videoconferencing, it's harder than ever to keep proper work-life balance. After all, you're the fount of knowledge in decision-making, and your teachers feel the urgency to reach out to you probably more than ever. In my own scheduling of support, I've used appointment slots on my calendar. Teachers still have access to me, but they have to claim a slot that works for me, not the other way around. That same practice will surely have multiplied benefits for any administrator and the teachers they lead.

A blend of synchronous and asynchronous connection is best.

We have now experienced several months of remote learning. At first, there was a great thrust to make sure that teachers were connecting with students live as much as possible. However, what that unintentionally does is force students to have access to a device at a certain time. We've learned now to shift the focus from live learning to asynchronous. Teachers can still provide points of connection using their favorite tools, but students can watch recorded sessions when a parent’s phone or other device is available. As an administrator, it’s important to keep this flexibility for teachers in mind.

As the captain of the ship, administrators have the power to create opportunities for building connection and morale.

Some of the greatest leaders I've ever worked with were masters at dealing with parents and collecting data and many other managerial tasks. But what they were really great at was engaging their team members to follow them to the ends of the earth. I’ve seen a tremendous opportunity during remote learning for principals to re-engage with their teachers and make them feel seen and special. From virtual spirit weeks to online awards and drive-by student celebrations, the opportunities are everywhere for the creative leader. Leaders, let's keep those ideas going, even when we go back to school together.