Episode 6: Bringing a Virtual Classroom to Life

• How are you intentionally bringing to life remotely what would have happened during face-to-face instruction? How do you approach material selection? How do you partner with families to ensure materials are made available?
• Michelle Rodriguez accessed donations to gather materials which she provided to all children in her classroom to use at home for hands-on, play-based activities. What agencies and organizations have you partnered with in the past to help provide learning activities experiences, and supplies? What other opportunities for partnerships exist in your community that could help provide learning activities, experiences, and supplies to enhance instruction?
• Michelle describes the intentional adjustments she made to remote instruction to be sure hands-on and play-based activities were incorporated. What examples of high-quality teaching practices incorporating hands-on activities and play-based activities did you observe in the video? What is another play-based or hands-on activity you would facilitate when working with Kruz or Matteo, the two children highlighted in the video?
• The two parents featured in this video gave specific examples of things Michelle does to support them as they support instruction and learning at home. What did you notice about the things they mentioned? Using this feedback from the two parents, what is an example of something else Michelle could do to support and partner with these parents to support instruction and learning at home?
• Michelle mentions how important it is to educate families on what and how she is teaching so that children get consistent support across the school, home and community settings. What are examples of meaningful ways that you can educate parents about supporting instruction and learning while also building relationships and trust, and acknowledging and honoring their routines and schedules?

All children learn through play. Michelle shared strategies for turning all learning in her remote classroom into play-based activities. How might you make the following lessons play-based? Learning how to:

• Count
• Use new words to communicate
• Write letters
• Make friends
• Solve problems
• Sort objects
• Communicate feelings

What are the considerations that Michelle kept in mind when she designed the activities for remote learning?

In small groups, share one strategy that you identified to turn a lesson into a play-based activity, and how that strategy would need to be adapted for in-person versus remote learning.

Practice Improvement Tools

• Instruction Practice Guides for Practitioners (see Embedded Instruction Practices)

Other Resources

• Engaging Families and Creating Trusting Partnerships to Improve Child and Family Outcomes (ECTA Center)
• Evidence-Based and Promising Practices to Support Continuity of Learning for Students With Disabilities: Practices and Resources to Support Parents and Families (OSEP)