For many hardworking teachers, the close of this school year puts a bookend on one of the most difficult years in their professional career. A year of teaching amidst a pandemic has changed traditional pedagogy and classroom tools in irreversible ways. In particular, technology has found a new place in a profession that has proven that it can evolve and continue to serve, even under the most dire of circumstances.
As the end of the academic calendar approaches, there are so many items on every educator’s “to do” list -- items that need to be checked off before everyone can take a well-earned deep breath. The list might look a little bit different this year as each teacher closes out hybrid, virtual, and in-person classrooms.
Of course, teachers will still have a huge pile of assessments and report cards to sort through, end of the year meetings with parents to prepare for, and assessments with their own principals. Bulletin boards will be refreshed if you were teaching in person. Old art supplies will be tossed and projects will be sent home -- perhaps the silver lining to virtual learning is that teachers will get to skip out on locker clean out this year! (But probably textbook drop-off for hybrid learners so… was it really a win?)
But this particular year, because of the immense work of virtual learning, there is the added task of collecting and restoring all the technology that went home. It will be a larger and more time-consuming task for educators and their IT support teams than it has been in previous years. We want to make sure you are set up for whatever comes your way next year.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are a few key items to keep in mind so that your bases are covered and your classroom is tech-ready for the next year.
Your Personal Computer
Taking the time now to do some due diligence will save time as the new school year approaches -- leaving you free to concentrate on what’s ahead rather than what was over and done with before your summer break.
• Clean out documents that are only pertinent to the school year that has passed.
• Save projects and assessments that you want to keep to an external source and clear unnecessary clutter that will be difficult to sort through after your summer vacation.
• Back-up important files to your cloud. If it is necessary, print out hard copy documentation and file them away for next year.
• After all is said and done, don’t forget to empty your trash. There is no need to keep those documents floating around after you have deleted them!
Retained Student Technology
If your students are keeping their tech for the summer, send out an email reminding parents and students of the school’s policies and procedures.
Many school districts let their students bring their classroom devices with them from grade to grade. While this cuts down significantly on the personal work for each teacher, it can present problems for parents and students if the devices are used for non-school reasons during the summer months. A few weeks before the school year ends, send out an email or newsletter reminding each family of the school’s policies regarding usage and replacement. If at all possible, have each caregiver respond that they have received the notice and have read through it. Be sure to pass on those agreements to the teachers in the following grade.
Returned Student Devices
If your school or district requires that students return their technology at the end of the year, ask them to clean out any personal documents that they do not need for next year. Remind them that they can save projects or assignments they are proud of to cloud storage, an external device, or email them to their caregivers.
They should also get rid of unused or added programs. In a lot of schools, there are explicit rules dictating what students can or cannot put on their devices. A gentle reminder that these programs should not be present when they turn in their device is always a good idea. It is also a good idea to remind students that they need to return charging equipment and cords as well.
You should also have the students clear off their desktops. It will save time for you or for the IT person who has to deal with the computers that come back to the school.
Once the Devices Have Been Returned
If the task of restoring classroom technology falls onto you, make sure to check that all the firewall and antivirus programs are up to date.
Any cracked or broken devices should be handed over to your IT department and notices should be sent to families. Again, this might be something that is handled by a different department at the school. Make sure you are up-to-date on your district's policies regarding lost or damaged devices.
Make sure your dock is charged and that every device is plugged in and ready to go for next year’s class.
And most importantly: change your notification settings for this summer! You don’t need to check your email every day. Sit back and relax. You deserve it!
By teacher guest blogger Kathryn Rose
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About Kathryn Rose
Kathryn Rose is currently a virtual tutor and a museum resource teacher. She also freelances for businesses and startups in the education field. She has taught at her city’s botanic garden for 12 years and has been a Social Studies teacher in both private and public schools.
