Homeschooling Teachers and Other Alternative Teaching Settings

I wanted to reach out to those of you that might be teaching a little differently this year. It might mean you are online, hybrid, tutoring, teaching from a mobile classroom, or one of many homeschooling teachers. First, I want you to know that I see you and recognize that alternative settings have alternative challenges. 

Our year (plus some) of unprecedented times has made the need for flexible teaching obvious.

It can be isolating to be in an alternative education setting.  You can question if you are really still a teacher or where you fit.  If you are struggling – you fit here.  

Let’s talk about each of these alternative teaching settings (and their challenges) a little more. 

Distance Education.

I taught distance education for ten years plus and it can be draining (especially at the secondary and post-secondary level) where I often feel more like tech support than a teacher. The thing is that I know that for that student population what I’m doing matters.  It is giving them access. 

Hybrid.

The current hybrid model was a new one when the pandemic hit.  The idea that a single person can teach kids both online and in person at the same time and meet everyone’s needs is mind blowing (this is especially true with technology issues like small TV screens instead of projectors and internet outages).  

Tutoring Teachers. 

I feel like that is an entire subject unto itself and I advocate for all tutors because you are the uncelebrated workhorses of education. Tutoring requires a plasticity of thinking and approach that I think as traditional classroom educators can be hard for us to accomplish.  If you can do both – you are a rock start to me.  

Teachers often have certain solutions that address certain issues or breakdowns in learning, but I find that students that need tutoring seem to need more examples and more approaches than I can think of.  I especially find tutoring my own students challenging because they’ve already seen my one trick pony show.  

Mobile Classroom.  

The number of homeschool tutorials, learning pods, and mini schools has exploded which means the demand for homeschooling teachers has too. The result is that a lot of us are teaching from a mobile classroom where we are constantly pulling things out and packing them away.  There are not any great bulletin boards for your class materials and seating arrangements aren’t up to you.  

Homeschooling Teachers.

There are also homeschooling teachers who are home. For those of us who homeschool our own children, it has its own challenges.  Including trying to teach different kids, different subjects, at different levels at the SAME time.  The organization is always lacking for me and let’s not even mention how messy the house gets when you live in it ALL the TIME.

Ways to overcome the challenges of alternative education settings…

1. Find community.  Sometimes it can be hard to figure out if you fit into “normal teaching” groups. If you are struggling to find your space join our Teaching in Alternative Settings Facebook group. 
2. Stay informed.  Look into ways to stay connected to professional or community organizations that help you stay aware of new options, trends, data driven instruction, and more. 
3. Be realistic.  There are adjustments when we begin to teach in alternative settings, it just isn’t the same as traditional classroom instruction.  Rather than fight against it – accept the pros and cons of the situation and work with them. 
4. Find the humor.  Y’all there are gonna be so many bloopers.  The internet is gonna go out, you are going to have the wrong textbook, a dog will bark (and other distractions), flash player will stop working, etc.  It is best to learn to roll with it and move on.  
5. Always have an easy back up plan.  For the days it all falls apart, have a worksheet or other activity that is low prep and still salvages some of the learning time.