The 2020-21 school year will begin with the majority of students learning remotely in WCS, and teachers have spent the summer training in order to ensure their students receive the best education possible.
Since May, thousands of teachers have participated in hundreds of professional development courses focused on utilizing digital resources. The enrollment numbers are more than 7,500, which means teachers have taken multiple courses to be as prepared as possible. They’ve explored and learned how to use the Learning Management Systems schools will use, Google Classroom and Schoology.
“I have been training not only on the new learning management system but also on best practices for online teaching,” said Nolensville High Spanish teacher Nicole Hernandez. “All of the sessions preparing us for this upcoming year have been wonderfully useful and practical. Not being in a classroom will not deter my ability to interact in real time with my students because there are so many options on Schoology.”
English/Language Arts teachers were also given the opportunity to go over new resources available to them.
“I’ve had the opportunity to focus on learning and diving deeper into our new literacy curriculum and phonics program,” said Allendale Elementary first grade teacher Katey Sharber. “These courses have all been so helpful, and I’ve been able to continue to learn about new technology tools and how to use them effectively. I feel much more comfortable with Google Classroom and Screencastify.”
Because the professional development was done virtually, teachers had the opportunity to experience exactly what their students will during the year.
“The training was done both asynchronously and synchronously, which is how our students will find themselves come August 7,” Hernandez said. “Technology is a key aspect of bringing in authentic materials in my daily lessons, and this just encourages that digital approach.”
Teachers will continue enhancing their skills as the year progresses, and both Sharber and Hernandez are excited to see what their students think.
“I always want to find new opportunities to make learning meaningful, relevant and beneficial for my students,” Sharber said. “We can hardly wait until August 7.”
