Connection: Measured in Feet?
Breaking News:
In the Online and Out of the Box learning space, we rarely wear shoes. That’s our behind the scenes insider secret. We get up each morning and get prepared for our school day, but tying up shoelaces isn’t part of the routine. Sure, we go for walks or enjoy the great outdoors, but shoes are not formally part of our uniform. Indeed, we’re mostly barefoot on tile, carpet, and wood floors and it’s almost a rite of passage if you are a true Online and Out the Boxer.
Shoeless is a thing!
As we sit behind our cameras, even if we don’t think to acknowledge it; we all have it in common-- our toes and heels are pressed against the surface of our natural environment, and it’s a wonderful feeling!
This Thanksgiving, we are showing gratitude for our community -- barefoot being one of our strange, quirky identity markers that connects us and allows us to be unique within the marvelous construct of One School of the Arts.
One of the coveted experiences of being an OSOTA scholar is the indescribable feeling of belonging.
At the start of the year, we worked hard to recreate this connection for our scholars who attend school at home.
The Swivl classroom robots and communicative departmental logistics have allowed teachers to push creative technology to the limits so their scholars can be present, interact, and see their peers, while participating in the dynamic lessons OSOTA classrooms are known for.
Yet us online academic coaches, Mrs. Diane Downer (K-2nd), Mrs. Chrissy Schmidt (3rd -7th), and me, Mrs. Rhonda Adorno (8th-12th), have not only seen the importance of having this continuity in the online learning space, but tapping into something entirely new.
Our regular huddle meetings oversee this, and create an additional layer for connection; the time is special just like the arrival of monthly boxes, which are carefully curated and delivered by an outstanding team to bring the love of OSOTA into each home.
““Learning at a distance does not stop us from establishing connection with each and every scholar” ”
The first few months have taught us so much. Coach Chrissy Schmidt says, “Helping to develop OSOTA's Online and Out of the Box program this year has been a great exercise in thinking outside of the box to reimagine virtual teaching….[We] have had the privilege of using our unique monthly themes to develop specific character traits and social emotional skills in our scholars in a completely online environment. We also work to foster connection, communication, teamwork, and appreciation among online classmates. It's amazing to see how bonded the scholars have become in this special environment….Scholars have shown resilience, independence, leadership, and a desire to keep learning and growing.
Some scholars have embraced their new normal and continue to show up each day with huge smiles on their faces. The way they interact and dive deep into vulnerable conversations with me and each other is really remarkable. Due to the small size of the online groups in each grade level, I've been able to get to know them and learn about their talents and unique personalities in a way that I wouldn't have been able to in a face-to-face classroom.”
While some schools may be focused on recreating the experiences of campus life, we have set our sights on a different stratosphere. We are now recognizing the incredible gift before us to reimagine the definition of virtual school-- to not be an extension of OSOTA, but rather, conclusively, a fibrous part of the “One” in One School of the Arts. Our experiences will not be the exact same as face-to-face scholars, nor will theirs be the same as ours, but we are pioneering and taking great strides to thrive and live each day with joy and true connection as a whole school!
As we reflect on the many things we are grateful for, we would like to share how grateful our scholars are; how grateful we are for them, and also to give you a little inside look at how connection is being experienced each day in their learning spaces.
Each day, as a school, we set higher goals for this reality. All the care, attention, empathy, and support that on campus scholars experience is indeed what still matters to the team of teachers and staff for our online scholars. And scholars are reflecting this in how they engage and come to school because they feel a sense of belonging, even if sockless and barefoot!