Teacher Tips for a Successful Virtual School Visit
Downloadable filed here: Teacher Tips for a Successful Virtual School Visit
Before the visit:
- During your program planning, please provide the Indigenous Educator/Artist with the concept(s) you want to explore, to ensure the classroom learning matches the Indigenous Educator/Artist’s content
- Prepare your students about the subject matter
- Consider developing a Land Acknowledgement for the land which your school resides on
- Prepare prompting questions in advance and pose questions to students and Indigenous Educator/Artists throughout the virtual visit
- Provide a schedule for the Indigenous Educator/Artist with session start and end times, links to zoom, google meets, etc, with passwords if needed, and teacher names, number of students, and grade level(s)
- Make sure to build in 10 – 15 minutes before each call to provide space for technology set up/sharing, screen permissions, slide sharing, etc.
During the visit, please provide these forms of hospitality:
- Introduce Indigenous Educator/Artist in the way they prefer
- Create a culture of giving: Discuss your visitors as “honored guests,” and impart to students the importance of showing them respect
- Classroom teacher need to present at all times
- Virtual Breakout Rooms – If virtual breakout rooms are used, a teacher or school representative must be present in the breakout room (applies to small groups, and one-on-one sessions) at all times
- If there are multiple classes scheduled in one day, please provide transition time between sessions
Please:
- Be aware of the cultural differences you will be experiencing with your guests, as cultural teachers not classroom teachers
- Express your gratitude with a handmade gift (like notes sharing student experiences, art, etc.) created by your students to share appreciation with their Indigenous Educator/Artist
- When students create projects such as their own artwork, stories, symbols, songs, etc., it is important to change one or more elements of the art form they have seen or heard from Indigenous Educator/Artist, and to acknowledge the person or group from which the inspiration came
- Ask permission to record sessions, take photos, use symbols, songs, stories, dances, or post screenshots/photos on social media