Each new school year presents new obstacles but this year, many students and teachers face an obstacle they’ve never faced before: remote learning. In true teacher fashion, I have spent hours planning for the upcoming school year. I knew I had to digitize my instruction, but I wondered how I could digitize a welcoming and predictable classroom environment for my students too. I also wondered how I could digitally facilitate essential skills, like independence and self-help, which typically take weeks for students to develop at the start of each new school year.

I created a digital space through Google Slides that will allow me to establish a consistent routine with students. Once students are introduced to the features within the digital space, they will be able to easily and independently navigate resources and complete assignments. A few features included in my digital space are classic classroom decor—like posters, a white board, and an interactive bookshelf that links to some of the resources we use all the time, like Scholastic News—and a Bitmoji character that looks just like me! I know my students will enjoy using icons to navigate to linked resources. They’ll be feeling successful in no time!