Teachers: What do you need in order to teach your students online?
Games?, Puzzles?, Step by Step Lessons?, Digital Lessons with Interactive Pieces? Escape rooms?, Holiday Themes? Digital Worksheets? Should you make them yourself, borrow from others, or find inexpensive lessons on sites like Teacherspayteachers.com?
Learning the Ropes
Prior to March 2020, I had no clue how to create a digital lesson, and my skills in Google Classroom were just the minimum to get by. Like many of you, I had to learn quickly. It’s amazing what we can do when we have no alternative. I began learning how to digitize the lessons I had accumulated over many years. It took an incredible amount of time. There was so much to do to get ready for the 20/21 school year knowing we would likely be teaching from home. Yet, as I became more skilled at creating lessons, I began to enjoy the creative process. By mid-July, I had created enough digital lessons to open my own store on TeachersPayTeachers.com., followed by Amped Up Learning a few months later.
Creating Your Own Lessons
Should you create your own lessons to teach online? It all depends on your skill level, motivation and time. If you want to create your own lessons, there are many sources for learning these skills. YouTube videos have a wealth of information. Should you borrow from other teachers? Yes!!! As we tell most new teachers, “Beg, Borrow, and Steal” , “Don’t re-invent the wheel!”. Teachers tend to be a positive, friendly group of people who love to help one another, especially new teachers learning the ropes. And this year, we are all, in a sense, new teachers. Should you buy from Amped Up Learning or TeachersPayTeachers? There are thousands of lessons available on these sites, created by teacher authors who know what teachers need. Most lessons are reasonably priced, for only $3 or $4, with bundles and long-term projects costing a bit more. Type the exact lesson you want in the search bar, or type in the standard you wish to teach. There are many digital lessons available.
So, if you don’t have the desire, the skill, or the time to create your own lessons, allow other teachers, or teacher authors to help. Click on “Looking for Something Specific?” on my home page, and I’ll help you find what you need.