With the closure of schools all around the country and the uncertainty of being able to see my students for the remainder of the year, I began looking for ways to stay connected with my students while still providing musically enriching opportunities.
A little background on my situation. I am an elementary general music teacher just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. I teach in one of the largest elementary schools in my district with just under 900 students that I see on a weekly basis! My district is not requiring students and families at the elementary level to engage in at home learning and all activities, including subjects like ELA, math, Social Studies, and science are all optional. While many of my students have adequate access to devices and technology, there are many more in the district that do not have access to those tools and are provided paper options instead.
One of the tools my district has provided PD for and access to is Flipgrid. Flipgrid is a platform in which the primary communication tool is video. I personally love it because I get to see my students and they can see me. Students respond to topics by recording a video of themselves. I can respond to them with a video and, if allowed, students can respond to each other! I can limit how long their maximum recording time is. I mean, who doesn’t love to hear a story about their best friends, friends, dog that can do an awesome trick?! While I miss all of those interrupting stories, more than ever, I’m grateful to be able to get to the point of the task.
Guest contributor:
DeAnna Clink
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