Virtual Learning

For high school students with special needs, failing a class or receiving an incomplete not only impacts them academically, but emotionally as well. As they watch their classmates move ahead as they fall behind, many experience a sense of isolation and a hit to their self-esteem.

Change is inevitable. And 2020 was quite a year for change in education. Long an alternative offering for many schools, virtual learning was thrust into the forefront for almost every school and the topic of many, many conversations.

We’ve curated highlights from several powerful conversations we had with educators throughout the year. These highlights include best practices, insightful projections for the future, as well as ideas on what might stick after the pandemic wanes. Here are some key takeaways:

If there’s one word that continues to surface with educators and what’s required of them to lead effectively, it seems to be empathy. We have seen many districts display a powerful, empathic leadership style throughout the pandemic. This could not be more true for the two leaders we spoke with from Tucson Unified School District and how they have navigated the challenges and opportunities the pandemic has created for their district.

If there’s one thing Lisa Rowbotham believes, it’s that effective teachers create magic when they ignite a student’s passion for learning. In this episode of Opportunity Thrives, we focus on education innovation in New Jersey. We have the pleasure of chatting with Lisa who is the Secondary ELA Supervisor for Passaic Public Schools, and she also runs the AVID program for the district.

In our latest podcast episode, we talk with Carl Hooker about his desire to see K-12 education become more like the 1989 movie Dead Poet’s Society. He believes we have the potential engage students to learn in unorthodox ways and to inspire them to pursue their dreams – now more than ever.

In our latest podcast episode of Opportunity Thrives, we had a chance to chat with Leslie Lenhart, the Communications Director for Tucson Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona. Leslie shares the district’s strategies to be very intentional and responsive during the pandemic, including many practical tips that others can implement within their own districts.

It goes without saying that school looks much different this year. With all of the uncertainty and change, this is an opportunity for school districts to offer virtual programs that provide families with alternative options to keep students in their home district.

Keeping students engaged in learning has proven to be one of the biggest challenges schools face in this season of virtual learning. As districts moved to remote learning at scale in the spring and as they continue to respond to local infection rates with remote learning in the fall, concerns over how to keep students engaged in online learning have risen.   

Monica Burns believes that right now we have an opportunity to change education for the better, but first we must address the basics. In our latest podcast episode of Opportunity Thrives, Monica shares her perspective on the challenges and opportunities that digital learning brings to our schools and our communities.