My Remote Classroom

I’ve always been fond of 37signals’ products like Basecamp but also their always-fantastic writing. Their newest full-length book Remote is no exception, and has inspired some big changes in how I incorporate technology into my classroom.

My class is now paperless, a fact that has been incredibly well-received. Despite the enthusiasm, however, systemic obstacles remain for reliably sharing, communicating, and (eventually) collaborating on classroom projects. Given this, I decided to go back to the old school moment we all had when someone’s cursor first appeared in one of our Google Documents, which very few of my students had experienced before.

It might seem strange that I began this piece by talking about 37signals’ Remote, as the full suite of tools that would allow for the most effective remote work are not possible in our current system (not to mention I can never assume that my students have reliable Internet access at home.) By having multiple Drive-related tabs open on my own laptop, however, I can see which students need help but aren’t raising their hands, check whether students who are talking have been working on the project or need further direction, and even do effective classroom management all by typing in students’ documents as they write them.

If this sounds simple, it is. That’s why it works. A student gets out of his seat to show another student something on his document that has now distracted four others? I quickly fire off a message asking him to return to his seat, and it happens. No power struggle, no classroom theatrics, and no hurt feelings. A student is more worried about formatting than the work itself, even though I continue to tell them that doesn’t matter? I go into their document and say that how the bullets look isn’t the problem; it’s what’s written next to them.

Teachers will recognize these as more “macro” answers than ones linked to things like teaching ACT Writing best practices, but that sort of fine-tuned writing instruction definitely occurs all the time in my pseudo-remote classroom. Rather than interrupt the entire classroom, however, those students who want specific help simply raise their hand, I give them a thumbs up, and go into their document to discuss whether they are on the right track.

If 37signals are correct that the modern office has become an interruption factory that will give way to more remote workers, and if we are attempting to prepare students for 21st century college and career readiness, then doesn’t it make sense to start trying right now?

Christopher Watson teaches 8th grade language arts at Eastwood Middle School.  Connect with him on Twitter, where he goes by @schoolpivot, or check out his blog.