Connecting with Students Online: Strategies for Remote Teaching & Learning

by Jennifer Serravallo

The professional development for online teaching and learning that you've been asking for An unprecedented pandemic may change the definition of classroom, but it doesn't have to change your definition of good teaching. Now that you're making the shift to online teaching, it's time to answer your biggest questions about remote, digitally based Jennifer Serravallo's Connecting with Students Online gives you concise, doable answers based on her own experiences and those of the teachers, administrators, and coaches she has communicated with during the pandemic. Focusing on the vital importance of the teacher-student connection, Jen guides you Featuring simplified, commonsense suggestions, 55 step-by-step teaching strategies, and video examples of Jen conferring and working with small groups, Connecting with Students Online helps new teachers, teachers new to technology, or anyone who wants to better understand the essence of effective online instruction. Along the way Jen addresses crucial topics including assessment and progress monitoring, student engagement and accountability, using anchor charts and visuals, getting books into students' hands, teaching subject-area content, and avoiding teacher burnout. During this pandemic crisis turn to one of education's most trusted teaching voices to help you restart or maintain students' progress. Jennifer Serravallo's Connecting with Students Online is of-the-moment, grounded in important research, informed by experience, and designed to get you teaching well-and confidently-as quickly as possible.

Jen will be donating a portion of the proceeds from Connecting with Students Online to organizations that help children directly impacted by COVID-19.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development

192 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Susan McGilvray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved her other two books. This one did not have much new information for me.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for those beginning their online teaching journey. Having been in the space for some time now, it was good to have our practices affirmed and learn some new ideas to try to keep things fresh for students and staff.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I thought this book had great ideas, it did discourage me a bit, because it seems to focus on teachers who are teaching solely virtually. In my district, teachers have to do both virtual instruction for those families who have chosen virtual and in-person instruction for those families who have chosen in-person. We have full-length days and then online students. The populations are very fluid, with parents able to opt in and out of their decisions. This leaves teachers exhausted, because we want to offer more engaging lessons online, but we are working 11-12 hour days sometimes, as it is. However, this shall pass, and I am glad I read this book. It challenges me to step outside my comfort zone, in so many ways.

[Erin McDonnell-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

It was a quick, easy read. There weren't many strategies that related to anything other than reading or writing. That's not a bad thing, but this could be a difficult text to use in a teacher education program where there are more content areas than just English. There was one Math strategy on page 108, but everything else related to reading and writing. (Yes, I support literacy across the content areas, but for novice teachers that need a visual understanding, this can be difficult for them).

I really liked what she said in Chapter 1 about establishing relationships and ensuring that teachers are taking care of themselves.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine. Nothing groundbreaking, and a lot of it is not applicable if you've already been going for a bit with Distance Learning OR if your learning structure (student schedule) is already set up by your district (which is a lot of us). Also -- this caters more to elementary teachers, or teachers with smaller student case loads. If you are familiar with the workshop model and her other strategies books, much of this will seem like repeat info. Still, I found some good nuggets and ideas I'll try. I enjoyed the read!

[Ellen Trujillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found a lot of great insight and ideas from this book. Yes, some things I had already figured out or started doing myself. However, I think this book helped open my eyes to other possibilities and ways to utilize online learning.

I loved the structure of this book. Each strategy she proposed was presented with: what is it? how is it done? what are the challenges? followed by tech tools. Super helpful and easy to follow.

Great book if you are looking for new ways to engage students and change up your online routine. I think everyone can find something helpful in this book.

[Nicole Calabro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connecting with Students Online by Jennifer Serravallo presents us with practical instructional strategies we can easily implement into our classroom. Jennifer incorporates a lot of her strategies into this hybrid practice.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been doing online teaching for a year now, and even held online office hours and taught remotely during inclement weather and in cases of illness as a music instructor. This book was a good, quick refresher and gave me a few new ways to look at things as I look to continue online, even after we are "back to normal." If you need a good quick overview, this is very accessible.

[Yesenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Common sense strategies for remote teaching... most teachers will have already figured most of these out on their own as they were thrown into remote teaching with no guidance.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This text gave me some great ideas to incorporate into my distance teaching.

[Trina R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic ideas for distance learning. Appropriate for a beginner.

[Diana Valdivia-Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on teaching tips and strategies on remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book and I liked the layout, but I didn’t learn very much new information.

[Emma Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good tool to help me reflect and refine my teaching strategies in the online settings. Some excellent online resources and well-being tasks.

[Jill Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too basic--

Wanted some new info.