Re-inventing teaching & learning – what is going well

Going back to a classic tool for student support. 

 

In 2002, before google meets, zooms or online chats, I was a first year university student on a small rural campus. Attending a new school can be isolating, but one of the most stressful parts was getting stuck on homework and not knowing anyone nearby that could help. The isolation in one’s own room with a problem that feels unsolvable was a horrible experience. However, for my Ancient Greek and World Religion courses–there was the Greek and Religion hotline. We had our professors’ home number with permission to call anytime 12pm to 12am. The relief that that phone call would bring–the explanation and the support was unbelievable. Hearing the phone answered with “The Greek hotline, how can we help?” would immediately release the stress from my shoulders. (Although I now wonder what telemarketers thought when they called.)  I’ve always admired those two professors’ dedication to their subjects and students. 

 

Teaching in a high school environment, I have many hours and in person contact with my students. I have traditionally felt comfortable that students are connecting with the material or that they have access to me and their community for help. However, during Covid with so many of my students in rooms alone with cameras off, I started to remember my own experience with being overwhelmed and isolated. Staring into the silence of muted online avatars while my students worked on graphing problems, I started to think about that Greek Hotline. We may not use a phone anymore, but I realized I could have multiple google meets organized during class. So I established the Google Meet Helpline. During times when students are working in small groups or independently, I have another google meet running that is connected to my headphones. Students can pop in, share their screens and ask questions without the rest of the class hearing. 

 

This idea of a helpline, is far from technologically advanced. However, I was suddenly speaking to so many different students. With the share screen function I’ve been able to walk them through graphing, and excel problems. Nothing will replace sitting at a desk with a student, but for these times my helpline has made me feel like my students aren’t alone.