Let’s welcome Teacher Jolande to share with us her insights into teaching science online with the Abridge Academy curriculum! Jolande is a qualified science teacher and currently teaches with a UK-based company as well as independently to students overseas.
👉 Connect with Jolande on Facebook or SuperTeacher.
Why did you choose the Abridge Academy curriculum?
At the end of 2023, I decided to transfer to online teaching because I have young children and it provides more flexibility. I also always wanted to incorporate more technological elements into my lessons and the online environment gives me the opportunity to do that. I joined an independent teaching course and Katie was one of the weekly teachers that introduced Abridge Academy.
I love that the preplanning is already done for me! There are review questions to test knowledge at the end of each lesson and homework that I use for quizzes during my lessons. It is full of colour and interactive. The students love the interactive element the lessons provide, like the matching of the words or pictures, fun tic-tac-toe games, clickable elements, automated trophy rewards, etc.
How does having pre-made science teaching materials help you?
Recently, I had a prepared lesson ready but my student unexpectedly asked if we could actually do some revision on waves (totally different topic than scheduled). Luckily, I remembered there was a fully prepared lesson on Abridge Academy. So, I just quickly logged into my Abridge Academy account and started the waves lesson!
Additionally, I like having pre-made activities that save me time to look elsewhere for activities that would already fit. I also use some of the lessons for a quick review in the beginning of a lesson for older leaners, just to add a little bit of colour and student interaction in those classes.
Which is your favourite Abridge Academy lesson and why?
I love the animal and plant cells lesson the most, probably because it is one of my favourite topics! It really visualises the differences beautifully and on a level that younger learners could also benefit from.
Which teaching platform do you recommend for teaching online?
I prefer Koala Go, as it makes the Abridge Academy lessons more interactive for the student. With the Koala Go co-browser option, it is easy for the students to click on the elements and directly interact with the lessons.
However, I also use Abridge Academy with other platforms as well, even though they don’t have a co-browser function. It can still be implemented effectively when I screenshare and let the students annotate what they think the answers could be, match by drawing lines, write words with the annotation tools, etc. I let them guide me with these annotations while I actively do it on my browser to get the little trophy at the end.
What tips do you have for fellow teachers starting out teaching online?
The first thing that I would suggest is to get a coach or a mentor that could guide you a bit. There are always new things to learn, and that community will give you that. Getting that mentor will also give you access to like-minded people that could help you on your journey and give you that sense of camaraderie that we would usually get in the breakrooms or teatime.
Then I would say don’t give up trying. Apply for as many companies as possible, put yourself on platforms, etc. Someone will give you an opportunity and then you can use it to grow and practice your skills. It is not an overnight thing. But luckily, we are teachers, and we know things usually do not have a quick fix. Good things take time. And the mantra from when I was at school that I recently started saying to myself is “Rome was not built in a day!”
Thank you Jolande for sharing these amazing top tips!
Are you looking for more interactive and engaging teaching materials for your online classes? Get started with the Abridge Academy curriculum for free today!