What is a live lesson?
A live lesson is delivered online by a teacher who is self-isolating to students who are in school. For a lesson period the teacher should be available to deliver parts of the lesson through Google Meet or a pre-recorded video and be available to communicate with a cover supervisor and students through Google Classroom.
Setting up a live lesson
The day before you teach a live lesson you should be informed by the cover supervisors who will be taking your lesson (if this does not happen you should set cover as normal - see FAQ). Once you know who is going to cover your lesson it is your responsibility to invite them to a Google Meet.
To do this you need to create a calendar event. Go to your Google Calendar, click create, then set the time and date of the meeting, invite the relevant cover supervisor and then make sure you click 'Add Google Meet video conferencing'. Save this and then you meeting is arranged.
You should also ensure that you invite the cover supervisor into the relevant Google Classroom were you can set the instructions for cover as well as any work that you want your class to complete. Please note you should still send in a cover lesson template to provide a back up.
What should a live lesson look like?
A live lesson does not require the self-isolating teacher to be visible for the entire lesson. Below is a simple infographic on what a good live lesson can look like:
The first part of the lesson does require the self-isolating teacher to be visible. At this point the lesson objectives should be shared and direct instruction can take place. This could be reviewing previous learning followed by delivering new knowledge or modelling a skill. Please note that this can be done live or through a pre-recorded video.
Once direct instruction has taken place students can then engage in an activity. Ideally this would be set up as an assignment in Google Classroom, however it could be a task set that students can complete in exercise books or using another online resource. During the activity the cover supervisor will monitor the behavior for learning and the self-isolating teacher need not be visible.
If the task has been set on Google Classroom, the teacher can monitor the activity and if desired can provide live feedback and respond to student questions or enquiries from the cover supervisor.
Once the task is completed the teacher can then provide feedback. This feedback could be based on work completed in the Google Classroom or through a pre-prepared exemplar. Either way, the feedback should summarize the desired learning outcome.
Depending on the length of the task set you may want to set up a follow up activity following a similar method.
Summary
Evidently there will be a great deal of variation between live lessons delivered in different subject areas, the key thing is to make it simple and achievable for both you as a teacher, the cover supervisor and the students. Following this guidance will help you deliver a successful live lesson if ever you are required to self-isolate. Below are some FAQs that may also support in your delivery of live lessons. If there are further questions please do not hesitate to email me.
FAQs
Why do I need to be seen in a live lesson? Can't I just set an Oak academy lesson?
Evidence suggest that students engage with their class teacher far more effectively than with people they are unfamiliar with. A live lesson with you at the helm will support students make progress and as such would be the ideal way to deliver lessons whilst self-isolating.
Can I speak to students?
No. When you deliver a live lesson you will not be able to see or hear students. Behavior for learning will be in the hands of the cover supervisor. You can communicate with students through the Google Classroom and also instruct the cover supervisor to ask questions on your behalf through e-mail or the Google Classroom.
What if I have childcare issues whilst self isolating which prevent me from delivering a live session?
If you are unable to deliver a session live you can pre-record any direct instruction in advance using software such as Screencastify or Loom and share this with the cover supervisor. You should still be contactable by the cover supervisor through Google Classroom or e-mail.
What if I become ill when I am self-isolating?
If you become ill whilst self-isolating you should inform cover of your illness and set cover as normal. You are not expected to deliver a live lesson.
What if I am self-isolating but have not been informed by cover who is covering my lesson?
This may happen for a variety of reasons that are beyond the control of the cover supervisor. In this case set cover as normal. As an ideal you can still share recordings of direct instruction and set and monitor work through Google Classroom. You should still be available during that lesson hour in case any communication comes your way from a cover supervisor.
What about Chromebooks?
Ideally you would want to use Google Classroom to deliver a live lesson - In year 8, 9, 10 and soon to be 7, the majority of students have chromebooks. If you require additional chromebooks they should be booked in the normal way and the cover supervisor should be informed of this when you submit a cover template. In year 11 where students may not have chromebooks the work you set through the Google Classroom may have to reflect that limitation.
Ian Stonnell @DenbighCPD
