With uncertainty resurfacing amidst new waves of the Coronavirus pandemic, schools face the prospect of another year of virtual classes. The Jewish Educator Portal has put together a guide to assist teachers in being the most effective and engaging virtual educators possible. In this guide, you will find resources and support, tutorials for different educational technologies, professional development opportunities, digital bootcamp webinars, and more.

 

Table of Contents


Zoom

Digital Bootcamps

Webinar Recordings FROM THE JEWISH EDUCATION PROJECT AND JETS ISRAEL

Digital Bootcamp for Early Childhood Educators

This online series provided training for Early Childhood directors and teachers introducing them to a variety of digital learning tools and the instructional methodologies that they promote.

Digital Boot Camp for Congregational School Educators

This online series provides training for Congregational School directors and teachers introducing them to a variety of digital learning tools and the instructional methodologies that they promote.

Resources from the Jewish Education Project

Early Childhood Resources and Professional Development

Guides, resources, and support for online learning

Training on Platforms that Encourage Collaboration or Assessment (Provided by the Platforms Themselves)

Cooperative Learning

Utilizing Zoom Breakout Rooms and Google Docs, several cooperative learning exercises can be adapted to an online environment.  For example:

  • Single/Continuous Round Table - Provide each group of students an individual Google Doc to record answers, have groups share their recorded answers when the class regroups.
  • Rally Robin - Pair students into Breakout Rooms of four with two students on each team.  One team does the Rally Robin while the other team records the answers.  Bring all groups together with the recording team to share the answers of the speaking team.  Teams can then switch roles and repeat the process.
  • Think - Pair - Share/Timed Think-Pair-Share - Students can write their initial “think” answer on a shared Google Doc or on paper.  Use Breakout Rooms to divide the class into groups of two (or greater) before bringing the class back together.
  • Jigsaw - Utilize Breakout Rooms to Create the “Jigsaw” and “Expert Groups.” Bring the groups together for an all-class discussion at the end of the exercise.  (Can also be facilitated in asynchronous learning.)

Liberating Structures (Best Implemented in Grades 9 - 12)

Initially designed for amplifying innovation and collaboration in meetings, several Liberating Structures formats are transferable to a synchronous online classroom using Breakout Rooms.  Best used to encourage conversation on “big ideas” or creating social presence.

  • 1-2-4-All - Similar to Think - Pair -Share
  • Impromptu Networking - Multiple Rounds of One-On-One Conversations
  • Troika Consulting - Encourages Peer-to-Peer Learning - The “consultee” turns off his/her video as the “consultants” discuss the consultee’s request for help. Then the consultee returns to video. 
  • Conversation Cafe - Encourages Active Listening - Every student should have a physical object to hold up during conversation to identify him/her as the only speaker.   

G Suite for Education 

Google Slide Templates (Need to be Adapted for Content)

Training Videos by Teachers, for Teachers