So here we are. Many of us have found ourselves teaching online or in some type of hybrid setting. We don’t know when it will end— or even if it will end this school year. It’s a stressful time, indeed, and I’ve been brainstorming “sanity saving” tips to help us all get through the these unprecedented times.
#1) Exit Tickets
Exit tickets have been saving MY LIFE as a virtual teacher. I don’t know where my students are “out there” in cyber land, so to keep track of each student along with their learning progress, I have students keep an Exit Ticket Journal on Google Slides. I have students fill out an exit ticket at the end of every single class along with the date of the class.
Not only are we virtual, but we are also on a hybrid block scheduling in which some classes meet daily and others meet every other day. These exit tickets provide me a way to check on students to see how and if they are keeping up with the class. They also provide me a daily log of their attendance, which I can turn in for attendance records as needed.
It’s really easy to implement this strategy by having students create a Google Slides presentation for their Exit Ticket Journal. You can give them a specific prompt to answer each day, or keep it simple and give them the exact same prompt every day:
What did we do today in class? What did you learn?
If you would like more of an involved Exit Ticket Journal that includes 180 prompts for the entire school year, you can check out this version that I created.
This version can be assigned through Google Classroom and shared with you so that you can take a look at any student’s journal at any time as needed. I’ve also been doing random checks of my students’ journals for quick participation grades. On these days, I have students submit their journals, and I check for a specific number of exit ticket responses. Once I’ve assessed the journals, students can unsubmit their journals and keep working with them. They just simply give you as the teacher a control factor over student attendance and progress every day.
#2) Music
If you find yourself isolated and alone in your empty classroom, music can be a super important factor to help fill the “space.” Not only can music uplift the atmosphere of your classroom, but it can help fill the void of isolation by filling the air with the old familiar voices of your favorite singers.
I actually keep a record player in my classroom along with a vinyl collection. I love for my students to have connections to the past so that they can fully appreciate the art and technology of today.
While you don’t need a record player to accomplish this sanity saver, take some time to put together a setlist of songs that can lift your spirits during the quietness of the day— especially in between classes to get your energy going again for the next class period.
#3) Nature
To counteract the sterility of your empty classroom, find a way to connect to nature.
Researchers repeatedly report increases in subjects' mood, fewer incidents of depressive symptoms, as well as increased memory span and decreased symptoms of anxiety after a walk in nature, as compared to a walk through an urban environment. If you have a park near your school, try to take a walk when you get a break to get out of the building and enhance your mood. In fact, I actually gave my students the homework assignment of going outside over the weekend to help with their mental health. It’s even better if you can take off your shoes and ground yourself to natural earth. There is science behind grounding and how it affects mood.
But if you find that there is no park near your school and that you’re not able to get outside, fill your classroom with plants! Studies of both veterans and victims of natural disasters who participated in horticultural therapies or nature-based rehabilitation programs found that both groups were better able to control symptoms of PTSD and developed more positive states of mind. There is a reason why gardening is so popular. It’s meditative. It’s peaceful. It’s soothing. And it’s something you can do in your classroom!!
What other sanity savers are helping you survive virtual / hybrid teaching reality? Leave a comment below! I’d love to hear from you!
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About the Author
I am Meredith, the founder and creator of TeachWriting.org and Bespoke ELA. I have taught high school English for 10+ years in Dallas, Chicago, and New York City, and I hold a M.A. in Literature from Northwestern University. I have always had a connection to the written word-- through songwriting, screenplay writing, and essay writing-- and I enjoy the process of teaching students how to express their ideas. I enjoy life with my daughter and sweet Yorkie named Teddy.