Teachers, students, and parents are continuing to adjust to a new picture of education as due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-class instruction is currently suspended. There is no end to creativity in the classroom, and under current circumstances, teachers and administrators are putting that creativity to use in their programs in different ways so students can continue moving forward. 

What this current reality looks like is different for each class, with some teachers making use of online tools, others using offline tools, and still others opting for a mix of both – while adapting tools for the needs of their students. 

Microsoft TEAMS Classroom is being used as the online collaborative space for teachers and students, should teachers' plans include online collaboration. It is a safe, secure environment that provides a common experience and symmetry of learning. It is also the platform used by District staff for some time. A dedicated team is now largely devoted to making sure the approximately 4,000 teachers in the District have a thorough understanding of how to take advantage of the program's capabilities to make this period of adjusted learning as smooth and effective as possible.

The team has been holding online 'Lunch and Learn' training sessions over the noon hour each week. Hundreds of educators log in, are welcomed by the team and taken through the functionality of the program. This includes being able to check in with students, post assignments and announcements, collect completed work, share resources and files with their classes, and track grades. 

The team also covers translating lessons into languages other than English, being able to have text read out loud, and even changing the colour of the screen to accommodate any students who may have trouble seeing certain shades. 

Teachers – and students – are embracing this new form of education. Henry Hudson Elementary's principal reports that prior to spring break, only two teachers in the school were on TEAMS, with just one class using it as part of their learning. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and fifteen out of eighteen divisions at the school are set up with the program. The school's three kindergarten teachers are set up with a different program called MyBlueprint – that was chosen for the younger students. Teachers are reporting that their students have adjusted quickly and are enthusiastic about this term. 

District vice-principal of Learning and Information Technology, Jeff Spence, is leading the team tasked with solidifying teachers' skills with Microsoft TEAMS. 

Spence explains the team has also been identifying 'champions' - a staff member at each school who knows Microsoft TEAMS Classroom well and can assist in helping other staff develop their knowledge of the program. 

Spence is optimistic about the benefits of online classrooms to educators and students during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as about the skills that will continue to be used even when in-class instruction returns.