Besides the obvious challenges we face while working in a 100% digital environment, we as teachers are all aware of the mental and emotional roadblocks that can get in the way of real learning. As professor, you have a special opportunity to transform what could be an emotionally draining and academically unproductive year into an occasion for personal and academic growth for your students. Here are a few suggestions to help you mentally prepare for the coming school year and be a game-changer:

  1. Attitude:
    • Encourage a mindset of personal ownership of the learning process. The new environment can be an opportunity to eliminate negative influences and change their self-identity as related to school. Remind them to use the time management skills they have acquired and to avoid distractions during dedicated work time.
    • Try to inspire students to share their goals and help them see the connection between what they do today and the achievement of those goals.
    • Acknowledge anxieties and fears about the current situation and reassure the students that it is normal to feel that way. HOWEVER, remind the students kindly and encouragingly that they have a choice about how they react to those feelings and that they decide the steps they will take to move forward.
    • Keep in mind that they (like you) are dealing with emotional stress and the challenges of a new learning format and may not always give 100%. Allow opportunities for them to correct minor oversights but reach out for help from other staff early on if they seem at risk.
  1. In Practice:
    • Make a point to greet the students and tell them about yourself.
    • Schedule short 1:1 meeting during asynchronous hours if possible.
    • Encourage students to reach out for help and facilitate them doing so by making your availability clear. It is not necessary for you to available 24/7; it is enough to respond to requests in a timely manner.
    • Set short, periodic 1:1 touch-base meetings so that students feel accustomed to talking to you and will feel more inclined to communicate with you in case of any issues.
    • Try to provide suggested timelines to prepare for exams and longer projects or break them into more manageable sections to facilitate the students’ ability to schedule and manage their workload.
  1. Social Convergence:
    • Help students, especially those new to the school, to get to know each other and participate. Incorporate icebreakers at the beginning of the year.
    • Try to work in ways for students to collaborate in virtual groups that encourage sharing.
    • Re-examine activities to see if they can be converted to a more fun and social format while maintaining the learning objectives. For example, you can try team Kahoots and online Scavenger Hunts.

Ideally, by getting to know your students and what works with your classes you can develop more ideas and share your successes with colleagues. Best of luck!