Simultaneous In-Person and Virtual Teaching

Learn tips, tricks, and strategies for simultaneous in-person and virtual teaching from someone who is actually in the classroom, teaching full time.

When I got the call from my principal over the summer asking if I would be the simultaneous in-person and virtual teacher for second grade I said yes. And then, I promptly freaked (insert expletive here) out. But over the last month, I figured out a pretty solid game plan, and it’s WORKING!

I have received many, many questions about how I’m making this work, and I want to answer those for you as best I can.

Recently, I hosted a webinar where I shared all the details to simultaneous in-person and virtual teaching, but even if you missed the live event, you can watch the replay by signing up below.

Equipment and Platforms

School laptop
Document Camera
Zoom (we used Google Meet during distance learning in the spring)

Communication with Families

Class Dojo (I don’t use this for behavior – just communication)
Weekly Class Newsletter
Google Site (very, very simple – no bitmojis here)

Student Engagement

Screen Share
- Literally every part of our day is on a slide for students to be able to see from home and school – it has kept engagement high, students focused, and it has helped me tremendously with planning, pacing, and making very smooth and quick transitions.
- I’m using these assignment templates I used in during distance learning.
Document Camera
Lots of brain breaks and class cheers

Classroom Community (Especially when some students are at home)

Morning Meeting (I go into a lot of detail in the webinar replay of how we’re still having morning meeting)
Socially/Physically Distant Greetings
Brain Breaks
Class Cheers

Student Requirements

We have a normal M-F school week and times
Virtual students are held to the same expectations
Virtual students are logged in for the entire school day (we break for lunch, recess, and snack)

Assignments

This was one of the trickiest parts of figuring out how simultaneous in-person and virtual teaching was going to work.

Students learning from home are given a folder every Friday with assignments for the following week.
Those assignments are returned the next Friday when the new folder goes home.
We decided on this method as a school. We are not a 1:1 school, and honestly the thought of creating a digital assignment of the paper/pencil assignment my students in class will receive is daunting. I cannot imagine creating 2 assignments for everything we do.

Simultaneous In-Person and Virtual Teaching: Classroom Management

Logged in via Zoom
Camera on; Microphone off
Raise hand to talk/ask questions (free virtual rules are available in the webinar replay)
Most of my students have someone at home supporting and helping students stay focused and on track