The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12

Douglas Fisher is a professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Fisher was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, leadership, and curriculum design, as well as books such as Your Introduction to PLC+, Welcome to Teaching, How Feedback Works, Teaching Reading, and RIGOR Unveiled. Fisher loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others.Nancy Frey is a professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Her published titles include The Courage to Learn, The Art and Science of Coaching, How Scaffolding Works, and The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning. Frey is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California and learns from teachers and students every day.John Hattie, PhD, is an award-winning education researcher and best-selling author with nearly thirty years of experience examining what works best in student learning and achievement. His research, better known as Visible Learning, is a culmination of nearly thirty years synthesizing more than 2,100 meta-analyses comprising more than one hundred thousand studies involving over 300 million students around the world. He has presented and keynoted in over three hundred international conferences and has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to education. His notable publications include Visible Learning, Visible Learning for Teachers, Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn, Visible Learning for Mathematics, Grades K-12, and 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning.

I love this book! It provides practical information to support all our teachers as they shift all or some of their instruction to distance learning. It is the best of what Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey have to teach us about great instruction, all packaged up in a hands-on tool to guide teachers as they plan for the upcoming year. From teacher self-care to feedback, assessment and grading, it’s all addressed here. It’s right on time and it will be a foundational tool to help shape our instructional focus at my school this year.

• List of VideosAcknowledgmentsIntroductionA Visible Learning PrimerVisible Learning and Distance LearningA Question of EquityModule 1: Take Care of YourselfLearning IntentionsA View From the Early YearsConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 2: The First Days of SchoolLearning IntentionsDevelop a Classroom Management Plan for Distance LearningEstablish NormsLink Norms to Class AgreementsIdentify Expectations for Synchronous Distance LearningDevelop and Teach Organizational and Procedural RoutinesA View From the Early YearsDesign a Considerate WebsiteYour First Distance ClassesLearn Students’ InterestsConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 3: Teacher—Student Relationships From a DistanceLearning IntentionsCharacteristics of Teacher–Student RelationshipsJudgment and Will, Not Just Knowledge and AbilityPeer-to-Peer Relationships Are Influenced, TooA “Chilly” ClassroomA View From the Early YearsReaching the Hard to TeachIncrease Your Touchpoints With All StudentsConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 4: Teacher Credibility at a DistanceLearning IntentionsTeacher Credibility DefinedA View From the Early YearsConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 5: Teacher Clarity at a DistanceLearning IntentionsStart With the StandardsCreate a Flow of Lessons: Unit PlanningCreate Learning IntentionsIdentify Success CriteriaA View From the Early YearsFind the RelevanceConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 6: Engaging TasksLearning IntentionsThink Functions of Engagement, Not Just ToolsSet the Conditions for Engagement and LearningSelect the Tools That Meet These Functions and ConditionsDesign Tasks With Engagement in MindA View From the Early YearsDesign a Considerate Schedule to Promote EngagementConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 7: Planning Instructional Units for Distance LearningLearning IntentionsDemonstratingCollaboratingA View From the Early YearsCoaching and FacilitatingPracticingConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 8: Feedback, Assessment, and GradingLearning IntentionsFeedback to StudentsThe Socioemotional Links to FeedbackA View From the Early YearsFeedback at a DistanceFormative EvaluationSummative EvaluationsCompetency-Based GradingConclusionSuccess CriteriaModule 9: Learning, Distance or OtherwiseLearning IntentionsLearning From Other CrisesUse Crisis Learning to Make Schools BetterMake Learning Better for StudentsMake Learning Better for TeachersConclusionSuccess CriteriaAppendixReferencesIndex