Most of us will be going back to in-person learning in the fall, but we can’t go back to exactly how things were before the pandemic started. What are these lessons we have learned, and how do we use them when we see our students in person again?

I know that you’re giving everything you can to your schools right now, leaving very little time to read through emails and blogs. For Almy Education’s last April blog post, I’ve recapped all of our April communications (newsletters, blogs, emails, etc.), all in one centralized location.

From Christmas to Hannukah, Diwali to Kwanzaa this time of year there are many celebrations in many different cultures. Why is this so? Explore the science behind this time of year and how different cultures celebrate this natural phenomenon.

How will I create a sense of community with new students and being remote?" "How do I use group work when we're socially distanced?" "How do I teach remote students and in-person students at the same time?" All of these questions have answers and thankfully, the solutions have the ability to be implemented. They may not be simple or quick, but solutions exist.

Teachers, here are some action items to help you prepare for teaching this fall including free distance learning resources for the coming school year. Use today and gain confidence for fall, regardless of where your classroom is.

Many colleges have made decisions for fall related to being remote or at least hybrid, so faculty are planning. But K-12 is a different situation altogether. It's an incredibly complex structure with so many people and norms that our society functions with, more than most of us ever realized until the pandemic. Even if someone doesn't have children, whether schools open or not affects nearly everyone. So many wait to see what will August bring. The good news there are things that can be done this month regardless of what is decided next month.

The growing consensus with the current spikes in COVID cases is that we don't know what things will look like in 6 weeks so we must prepare for everything. It's a logistical nightmare for everyone involved. Both administrators and teachers are feeling intense stress trying to do right by their constituents along with their own families plus deal with economic pressures.

None of us are going to get it all right this fall. And that's ok. I tell myself this every day as a business owner but it's true for all educators as well. We're going to build this plane as we fly it this fall and mistakes will be a part of that process. Accepting that and determining the minimum needs that must be met, like engagement and learning, allows us to breathe a bit. And if nothing else, everyone you work with is in the same boat. We're not going through this chaos alone.

Almy Education doesn't condone any kind of racism, overt or subtle. That's easy to write, even though I mean it sincerely. But as I often say to my children, who we are is not about words, but actions. That's true for many things, especially being against racism. Words are only a start.

5 practical elearning tips and tricks from Dr. Maria Andersen. They are practical and come from someone who has taught remotely and online for more than a decade. They are tips you can only get from other teachers.