A new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute takes a look at the distance learning programs of eight charter public school networks — including Nashville’s own Rocketship Public Schools — to determine the actions, plans, and resources that have made them successful during such an unprecedented year.
Authors interviewed school leaders, teachers, and parents to figure out how and when these schools made the transition from in-person to online learning, what went well, and what could have gone better. Some of the themes they uncovered echo what the Nashville Charter Collaborative has observed as best practices among its member schools over the past six months:
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Create a daily routine for students that mirrors an in-person school day, using a mix of live and recorded lessons and independent student work time.
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Prioritize the wellbeing of students by having teachers or staff reach out to individual students and families on a regular basis.
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Lean into a team approach to teaching and instruction, centered around a common curriculum, and backed by high-quality professional development that equips teachers to use technology effectively.
At LEAD Public Schools, for example, middle and high school students begin their remote school day at the same time as their in-person schools would normally begin. Students receive at least four hours of remote live instruction each day, concentrated in the morning. The afternoons consist of providing support and opt-in learning experiences through opportunities like clubs, office hours and related arts activities that students can choose to engage in as time allows.
At Nashville Classical, teachers have gone above and beyond to prioritize their young students’ social-emotional health during virtual learning. Everything from coaching parents on how to talk with their students about what is happening, to reading bedtime stories over Zoom to give tired parents a break.
And at Rocketship Public Schools, school leaders have maintained their schools’ sense of community by starting each day with a virtual “launch,” which would normally take place in-person as a school-wide assembly to kick off the school day. Although these daily celebrations are now taking place as Facebook Live events, they still incorporate songs, dancing and chants to get students excited to start their day. Rocketship has also continued incorporating social-emotional learning into students’ daily instruction, which is more important than ever. The investment in school culture and student wellbeing is paying off as both Rocketship schools in Nashville are now seeing an average daily attendance above 90%.
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