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I am a grade 6/7 classroom teacher in British Columbia. Within my class I have 28 students who I have to plan for and assess in all subject areas. This school year I have 2 ELL students, 4 students on IEP’s, 1 student with explosive behaviours, 3 students receiving counselling support, and 4 students who are waitlisted for assessments to receive designations. When planning, I need to keep in mind the different learning styles of all of my students to allow them an access point into the lessons and curriculum, as well as a way to showcase their learning afterwards in a way that allows them to be successful. Due to this, I tend to design most of my units and projects in a backwards design model, as it allows me to better understand what skills and concepts I need to teach in order to reach our end goal.
I have been teaching since 2014 and have been both a classroom teacher and a special education teacher. This has allowed me to see a variety of different types of learning environments and experiences both in person and online. When needing to transition into online learning in 2020, having the benefit of already knowing my students and having already established positive relationships with them, but teaching in person is very different from teaching online. It was necessary to re-establish teacher presences by having less formal conversations and providing students with a safe way of participating, which could be done by either having them join with video or share either verbally or by typing.
Although it would have been easy to set a single way that students needed to engage, it was not always possible as it was necessary to ensure student comfort and safety over anything else. (LDDI UBC, 2020) Being flexible and accommodating often resulted in a higher level of engagement from learners and allowed for a stronger online classroom community. Depending on the learners, it can also create opportunities for them to take risks and share their ideas or thoughts without the fear of being wrong. (Clint Lalonde, 2020) This level of comfort can allow for deeper inquiry into whatever subjects or topics are being learned.
Resources
Clint Lalonde. (2020, August 22). Facilitation in a Community of Inquiry. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv1bUZv5PLs
LDDI UBC. (2020, March 24). Transitioning to Teaching Online: Presence. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84vbvYJn9iQ&list=PLiB8ndupvqVAZM9MPts2yI-XVO4MJQFIu&index=3
7 September 2025 at 3:25 pm
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for sharing your post! I really connected with your description of balancing such a diverse set of needs in your classroom. Like you, I’ve found that having students with a wide range of abilities, supports, and designations really pushes me to think carefully about lesson design and assessment. I liked the way you used to backward design … knowing the end goal first and then mapping the skills is such a clear way to make sure all students have an access point into the learning.
I also related to your point about moving to online learning. I can distinctly recall how crucial it was in 2020 to get back into teaching, this time over a screen, and make students comfortable in a digital setting. I also feel that providing some choice of how to participate (camera on/off, sharing in verbal vs. chat) was crucial for safety and inclusion. What really caught my eye from your reflection was Lalonde’s (2020) ideas on creating comfort so that deeper inquiry can take place. I have actually seen the exact same thing happen when students have less pressure and more choice.
I like that your post brings out the tension between structure and flexibility…even in online spaces…and how both, when well balanced, can lead to stronger community and engagement.
Cheers,
Marion
15 September 2025 at 4:43 pm
Hi Lauren, thanks for sharing your post! I really appreciate how you highlighted the complexity of planning for such a diverse group of learners, it’s clear that you are very intentional in creating multiple access points for your students. I like how you connected the backwards design model to meeting those needs, as it really helps clarify what’s essential for success.
Your reflection on the shift to online learning also resonated with me. I experienced the same challenge during the pandemic. I agree that re-establishing teacher presence and offering flexible ways to engage are key to building comfort and community. I especially liked your point that student comfort and safety have to come before everything else, that’s such an important reminder when thinking about inclusion.
18 September 2025 at 4:38 pm
Thank you Lauren for sharing your top strategies in each of the three presence elements within your grade 6/7 context. My organization provides support to elementary school children with IEPs (IPPs in Alberta) and I see firsthand the care, thoughtful planning and dedication teachers bring to creating student centred classrooms. It’s a real challenge given the resource scarcity and we are continually inspired by the effort it takes. It’s not an easy task!
Although I have a strong foundation in child development, most of my group facilitation experience is with parents. I’m curious about which presence is most different in facilitation with child learners as opposed to adult learners. What do you think are the main differences in building a community of inquiry with children versus adults?