The last several months have required school administrators, teachers, students, and parents to rethink the educational system. Traditional in-class learning methods have been replaced with distance learning for a large percentage of Americaś students. Many of the stakeholders involved in the educational process may look to you, as a school administrator, for answers. Lumos Learning is here with some useful advice and a hands-on workshop that will aid you in building a successful effective distance learning program.

Let’s briefly discuss some tips that will prove helpful in the coming weeks.

1. Be motivational. Provide feedback when teachers ask questions. Offer compliments and find ways to build a culture of togetherness even amidst the distance. This feeling of unity can prove empowering to teachers and staff as they work through their own apprehensions.


2. Stay calm. Some educators currently feel like they are building the airplane and flying it at the same time. It is a lot to process. Be patient with your staff. Give them feedback on what you see them doing and how they are rising to the challenge. If you see someone struggling, find a calm, but reassuring way to redirect them. Provide reasonable expectations and support that will enable everyone to meet those expectations.


3. Be informative. To make this process successful, everyone needs to feel like they have enough information to proceed. Help teachers as they troubleshoot tech problems and seek out new resources.


4. Encourage normalcy. This may seem like an ironic statement, since there is nothing seemingly normal about how education has been redefined; nonetheless, the same curriculum, stakeholders, and some pedagogical practices remain intact. Use this reality to help everyone gain a better sense of approaching this new process with some variations, but with the same passion and energy they bring to the classroom daily.


5. Offer support. Be a source of support for teachers. Teachers who are usually independent thinkers may need more support than usual. Be patient and encouraging during this time. Allow them to know that you are fighting the same battle and will get through this together.


6. Reach out for new support. Here at Lumos Learning, we are focused on designing and offering solutions that maximize accessibility and transparency in students’ learning process. Our commitment to students’ success is why we have created a free workshop entitled The Fully Informed Administrator: A Hands-on Workshop to Help you Build an Effective Distance Learning Solution for your School. Click here to learn more about the six-session symposium on distance learning issues. There will be videos, readings, and a quiz on each topic to maximize engagement and application of the topics presented. The course design is research-based and result driven. Participants will receive Lumos Certification and 3 CEU credits. Best of all, did we mention the course is free?

Our goal is to equip educators and school administrators with tools that provide support and normalcy within a platform that has a proven track record. Our 6 session workshop will focus on Curriculum & Instruction, Challenges & Hurdles, Organizational Structure & Teacher Training, Socio-Emotional Support during Distance Learning, and Managing the System. During this time, it is imperative that people establish a new normal that consists of a strong foundation and tools that make learning continuous and progressive. With this in mind, Lumos Learning wants to be there to support our administrators with this challenge.