Questions to Ask Your Administrators in Fall 2020

In this year of the unknown and unexpected, veteran teacher Connor provides a list of questions for your administration team, derived from his own experience, about returning to the in-person or remote classroom.

Welcome back to school, in whatever form it’s taking in your district or building. In Nashville, we have been learning and teaching virtually since the first week of August and it has been a whirlwind. There have been so many positives and a few learning challenges, but overall it has been a great experience.

I decided to pen a few questions that I wish I would have asked my administration team that would have made the transition smoother for teachers and students.

For Virtual Learning

1. How do we plan to be equitable for all student learners? Specifically our most marginalized students who are economically disadvantaged, require special education, or have physical challenges?
2. How do we support English Language Learners and students with IEPs?
3. What is the best way to set boundaries in parent/student communication?
4. What checks are being put into place in order to ensure that all students have access to an incredible education?
5. How can we create consistency amongst our teams to help make things easiest for students?
6. What resources are available to me as a teacher for mental health?
7. What should we do if we see something that causes alarm?
8. How are we following up with students we haven’t heard from?

For In-Person Learning

1. What policies are we enforcing strictly?
2. How are your ensuring student and faculty safety?
3. What do I do if I feel like I have contracted COVID-19?
4. What happens if my class/cohort has to quarantine?
5. What incentives can we innovate to ensure students remain safe?

These were some questions that helped me process through the first month of school.

Source: Teacher Vision