Teachers, districts take lessons from spring to apply them to remote learning in the fall

Teachers, like Mitch Cloud with Olathe Public Schools, are changing their approach to distance learning this fall based on their experiences in the spring.

WHEN SCHOOLS SHUTDOWN IN THE SPRING -THEY HAD JUST A WEEKOR TWO TO MOVE TOONLINE LEARNING.NOW THAT THEY'VE HADMORE TIME TO PREPARE -WE WANTED TO KNOWWHAT VIRTUAL LEARNINGWILL LOOK LIKE THIS FALL.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHARLIEKEEGAN BRINGS US THEANSWER IN THIS SAFELYBACK TO SCHOOL STORY.Mitch Cloud / FairviewElementarySchool counselor"It's so fun.

I love this job,it'sthe best job I've ever had!Haha"YOU WISH YOU WERE ASEXCITED ABOUT WORK ASMITCH CLOUD.BUT WHAT MITCH LOVESABOUT HIS JOB ATFAIRVIEW ELEMENTARY INOLATHE IS BEING AROUNDSTUDENTS.HE COULDN'T DO THAT FORTHE LAST THREE MONTHSOF THE SPRINGSEMESTER.Mitch Cloud / FairviewElementarySchool counselor"It was scary not knowingwhat was going to happen, butthen also really sad becausewe missed our students, ourcommunity here and having tomake that massive shift toonline learning."you put your hands in, you putyour hands outFROM SONGS AND SPLIT-SCREEN VIDEOS - MITCHFLOURISHED WITH ONLINELEARNING.puppetsHIS WIFE RECORDED ASHIS PUPPETS -CHARACTERS - ONLINELESSONS - AND VIRTUADANCE PARTIES TURNEDINTO HITS.HERE'S THE BIGGESTLESSON HE'S TAKING FROMTHE SPRING TO THE FALL:Mitch Cloud / FairviewElementarySchool counselor"Relationship, relationship,relationship.

We really want tomake sure we're connectingwith kids and helping themfeel connected in this time ofisolation."DISTRICTS LEARNED A FEWLESSONS FROM THESPRING TOO.THIS FALL OLATHE ISREPLACING ITSCONTINUOUS LEARNINGWEBSITE - TEACHERS WILLMEET DAILY WITHSTUDENTS ONLINE - TAKEATTENDANCE - GIVE APARTICIPATION GRADE FORONLINE WORK - ANDOFFER VIRTUAL OFFICEHOURS.HOW STUDENTS ANDTEACHERS MEET DEPENDSON THE DISTRICTIN A TOUR AROUND THEMETRO - YOU SEE ONEPUN AFTER ANOTHER:FUEL-ED - CLEVER - ANDSCHOOLOGY.NEARLY EVERY DISTRICT ISUSING A DIFFERENTPLATFORM.I'm soakedWHETER STUDENTS AREWATCHING CLOUD'SVIDEOS - OR WALKINGDOWN THE HALLWAYSWITH THE COUNSELORTHIS FALL - HE'SCONFIDENT TEACHERSAND STUDENTS WILL BELESS ANXIOUS WHENSCHOOL BEGINS.Mitch Cloud / FairviewElementarySchool counselor"I really think we can worktogether to make somethingincredible out of a really hardsituation."IN OLATHE CHARLIEKEEGAN 41 ACTION NEWS.ANOTHER KEYCOMPONENT THAT WILLMAKE VIRTUAL LEARNINGSUCCESSFUL ISCOMMUNICATION.IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLYWORK DIFFERENTLY IN ANONLINE ENVIRONMENT -BUT IT'S NECESSARY TOKEEP STUDENTS ONTRAC