Building your NCSSM Connect classroom community

Yeah. We've all been there. Sitting in a classroom, listening to roll call, bored to tears waiting for the class to start. How can you avoid this moment? I'm glad you asked!

The distance learning environment can be a lonely place for both teachers and students. But it doesn't have to be. Building a positive learning environment where students are present and engaged starts with the first days of class.

First Week of Class

In NCSSM Connect, those first days of class can be a little bumpy. Each new semester usually starts off with one or two remote sites having difficulty navigating technology, temporary scheduling conflicts with the remote site's homeroom time table, drop/add, and even sudden extreme weather events that result in one or more schools missing the first few connections. For students new to distance education, all of this uncertainty can be overwhelming and frustrating. But you can help! Here are some tips to help get off on the right foot in the first week of class.

Before Day 1

Contact all of the facilitators assigned to the schools for your NCSSM Connect class section by email or phone. (You can find more information about the facilitator role in this module.) Sometimes the facilitator may have changed without that information being communicated to NCSSM. You can alleviate any potential miscommunication about the class connection by reaching out early. Ask your facilitator about any potential scheduling conflicts for the first week of classes, confirm contact information for the facilitator and provide any details you would like to the facilitator in advance of the first day of class (see the sample facilitator email HERE and an example of some notes provided by the teacher to the facilitators for the course HERE). It is important to establish strong communication with the facilitator early on as the facilitator can help you build a supportive learning environment for the students.

Day 1

This is a good opportunity for a connections test. Ideally, you should have compiled a list of sites that have confirmed plans to connect on the first day of class. Have your remote sites dial in and work with the facilitator or students to adjust the camera or the room arrangement so that you can see all the students. Ask the students to unmute and say hello so that you can confirm their audio is working properly. Ask the students if they can see you and hear you to confirm the sound settings are optimal. Work with your assigned Digital Media Specialist (DMS) as necessary to confirm audio and video settings are ideal for you to communicate with your students and for them to communicate with you. (You can find more information about the DMS in this module.)

All sites have documentation with instructions on how to connect to class but new sites and new facilitators may struggle with the connection at first. In the event that a site is unable to connect, the facilitator has also been provided with the contact information for the control room for your assigned studio so that he or she can call and request assistance from the DMS who is switching your class.

Week 1

Make a seating chart. Just as you would use a seating chart to help you better learn names in a traditional classroom setting, it can be a big help in Connect classes as well. You can ask your DMS to enlarge the view of specific sites so that you can better see the student's faces as you are making the seating chart.

The first week often comes with student schedules in flux and so it may take a few days for your class roster to settle. As new students attend class each day, make sure to communicate with the Facilitator about the Drop/Add deadlines and the expectations of the Registrar. The Registrar is responsible for processing all Drop/Add documents, so if you see a new student that isn't on your roster, you'll need to confirm that the student has been registered. The Registrar closely monitors registration and will pull in students and sites from wait lists as other students drop.

Go over the syllabus and course expectations. This is a good time to discuss classroom rules and behavioral expectations. Here are some items you might consider addressing.

Cell phone etiquette. Some remote sites have very strict cell phone policies and others do not. It's good to set your expectations on cell phones early. You might consider saying something like "cell phones should be stored and silenced during class time" or "cell phone use is not acceptable during class time."
How is class going to run each day? Students need to know what is expected of them each day. Just as you would in a traditional classroom, you might consider telling students that they should come to class each day with textbooks, notebooks, and writing utensils. Additionally, you might suggest that students arrive to class and immediately login to the LMS or check their email and course announcements. If you have exit tickets, you might explain what to expect with these assessments. Or you might address how frequently students can expect lab days, quiz days, reading days, or class discussions.
What should a student do if he or she misses class? All NCSSM Connect class sessions are recorded and can be viewed by students afterwards under the Course Videos tab in Canvas. You might ask students to alert you when they expect to be absent and then to watch the video archive for the missed session. Students will also need to know what to do about missed assessment deadlines due to absences. This is a good opportunity to address late work policies or "homework passes".