Students, their parents and educators are feeling the extraordinary ripple effect of the novel coronavirus as schools shut down and quarantine methods are ordered amidst the public health emergency. In this series, we want to share best practices from our community and how our educators and innovators are managing school shutdowns, distance learning and other challenges around the world.
For the last several days, members and friends of the Remake Learning network have navigated a lot of uncertainty in the face of COVID-19 and the efforts taken to help keep our community healthy. Many have faced a rapid shift to remote teaching and are coping with learning inequities exacerbated by our new reality, all while juggling changes to work and life schedules. It has impacted all of us.
During this time, we want to double-down on the power of our network to coordinate, communicate, and amplify helpful and supportive information. We will focus on sharing the many resources for teachers, educators, and students that our partners have already started to share, including the remote learning resources listed below. Here are some of the ways that we have already responded to the pandemic:
- We have been working with IBM to activate a virtual assistant hosted at remakelearning.org/covid19. This chat feature is an easy way for educators in our network to "cut through the noise" and access highly curated and vetted resources and information related to teaching and learning in our present moment.
- Leaned into our strengths: We've retooled our communications and storytelling to amplify the stories (good, challenging, and iterative) within our region that push for engaging, relevant, and equitable learning in this time of heightened change and uncertainty. You'll find continued story-sharing on the blog and social media. We have shifted our community building strategy to one of community care and the act of "checking in" to document what is happening to the Beloved Community. Moreover, we have activated the "network effect" to help facilitate the much needed "switchboard operator" role for the various and otherwise disconnected relief efforts.
- Doubling down on the drive to make a positive change in teaching and learning. What will that look like? We're gearing up for this summer to have some of the deepest, cutting edge conversations with the educators in our region and across the country on our immediate and long-term future. Stay tuned, we're announcing more in late May.
In the weeks ahead, Remake Learning will:
- Continue to share educational resources related to COVID-19 via social media and email, including resources specific to educators in rural communities and upcoming virtual PD sessions
- Continue to share other content focused on engaging, relevant, and equitable learning in the Pittsburgh region
- Postpone or shift to virtual all scheduled Meetups, and Lunch & Learns, Working Group meetings, and other meetings. Explore some resources below:
Remote Learning
- Comcast & Spectrum Offer Free WiFi
- Zoom CEO Gives K-12 Schools Videoconferencing Tools for Free
- 3 Ways to Turn Your Classroom Remote in a Hurry
- Biology Teaching in the Time of COVID-19: How to Transfer to Online Learning
- Carnegie Mellon University CS Academy Daily Webinars
- Project Zero Ideas and Distance Learning: Visible Thinking and Teaching for Understanding
Tools & Tips
- 150+ Enrichment Activities for Kids
- 60 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning Math
- AECT Webinar - International and Cultural Perspectives on Teaching, Learning, and Technologies in Response to the COVID-19 Virus
- The Parents Guide to Google Classroom
- Scholastic Learn at Home: Free Resources for School Closures
- Simple and fun non-screen activities that children can do at home
- Talking With Children About Coronavirus
- Virtual Field Trip Ideas
Resource Hubs
- Best News Websites for Students
- Coronavirus Resources: Teaching, Learning and Thinking Critically
- COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources
- Multilingual Resources on COVID-19
- LearningKeepsGoing.org
- Education Companies Offering Free Subscriptions due to School Closings
Local Updates
- COVID-19: Updates for Early Educators & Families in Allegheny County
- Pittsburgh Public Schools Emergency Response Plan (includes free lunch sites)
Resources for Parents & Families
- Making learning from home fun for kids
- 7 things to do with kids when everything is canceled
- Help struggling families in Pittsburgh
- How Pittsburgh kids are spreading joy and connections
- 20 hands-on activities to keep kids busy
If you have a resource you'd like to share, consider adding it to Remake Learning's Healthy Schools PA's public Google Drive or tweet them @remakelearning. If you have inquiries or creative ideas to use Remake Learning as a platform to support each other, you can email Remake Learning directly.
Though we may be facing new challenges, I am inspired by the tenacity and generosity of our incredible network, even during these unprecedented times. Thank you for all you continue to do to support learning innovation and our region's students. - Ani Martinez, Field Director, Remake Learning
