The Best Online Learning Hacks Shared by Teachers

For many students across the country, the 2020 school year will include some remote learning. While your kids may not see their teachers face to face every single day, they will have lessons to learn, tests to take and new classes to tackle. As teachers work hard to prepare their virtual classrooms, many have began sharing new tricks, tips and hacks that they’ve learned along the way. Here’s a few that we think teachers, kids and parents will love.

Tips for Transitions

As parents with remote learners, we feel like new students too. If you have younger children, you already know it can be difficult to keep them engaged in their remote lessons and even harder to get them to transition to something new. So, this creative teacher put together a great list of activities that parents can use to help their kids transition to new activities, lessons and classes. Print this list and keep it close to your child’s online learning space.

Speed Up Lessons

This teacher has three genius hacks for keeping your lessons engaging when adding videos. From turning on the closed captioning to speeding up the video, both students and teachers will get more value from the clips.

Instant Document Camera

Here’s a great way for teachers to turn their smartphone into a document camera so students can see your document while on Zoom. All you need is a cell phone–an old one will work–the phone cord, and a stand. (You can grab this one from Amazon.) This hack can be a real game-changer and time saver for teachers.

Marker Hacker

We love this hack and wish we knew it earlier. Here’s how a piece of tape can help keep your markers and caps in the same place. No more missing pieces. Genius!

Pool Noodle Hack

If spending the day on the computer is making your hands or your child’s hands and wrists start to hurt, try this hack. Repurpose an old pool noodle and transform it into a comfy space for students to rest their wrists while typing.

DIY Study Space

If you are worried about keeping all of your kids focused on their own remote learning lesson, this DIY study space is an inexpensive and genius must-have. Just grab a foam board trifold, removable hooks, a pencil case and, if you are feeling really fancy, a few sticker letters. It will only take you a few minutes to create the study space and once your kids have their headphones on, they will stay focused and engaged without distractions.