The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting

by Douglas Fisher

The norms you create for your virtual classroom space become the foundation for the agreements you want to use. These agreements are an essential component for managing a smooth-running learning environment. Well-crafted agreements communicate the teacher’s expectations for the class as it relates to climate and student performance. It is important to note that once created, agreements must be explicitly taught to students. Two studies of efficient elementary and middle school classrooms found that in all cases the teachers taught the rules daily during the first week of school using discussion, modeling, and demonstrations (Emmer, Evertson, & Anderson, 1980; Evertson & Emmer, 1982). New technologies further increase the need for rules in digital environments. The use of discussion boards and online collaborative tools has increased the need to ensure that students are taught the norms and expectations of how they work together