For the past month, teachers at an international school in Beijing have conducted virtual classrooms from their homes across four continents. The change happened quickly: staff had only half a week to prepare, no prior experience with the digital platform, and students spread out by self-quarantine.
From chaos to structure in three weeks
The transition was difficult at first. Lessons that worked in person became sluggish online. Teachers had to relearn basic routines—sharing screens, managing breakout rooms, giving feedback without eye contact. After a few weeks, the system became more reliable.
Chinese classes for local students still follow the regular schedule through a domestic app. The international team uses Moodle, an open-source platform that supports live video, digital whiteboards, and group work. It handles assignments, feedback, and materials much like Google Classroom.
Most teachers hold at least three live sessions each week. Some prefer daily classes to keep students engaged. The rest of the work is asynchronous: recorded lessons, posted assignments, and rubric-based feedback. Some add short video or audio responses to personalize comments.
Time zones create scheduling challenges. With staff spread across eight zones, live sessions are limited. Instead, teachers post work and students complete it on their own time. This flexibility helps, but it also reduces real-time interaction.
One benefit emerged: students who rarely spoke in class now participate more in written discussions. Quiet students, in particular, seem to find their voice online.
Reducing screen time without sacrificing learning
Teachers noticed students spending too many hours in front of devices. To address this, they assigned tasks that required movement or offline work.
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A first-grade assignment asked students to describe a pet. One boy’s mother filmed him introducing his two cats, using descriptive language. Other classes had students write and perform plays, create recipes, or conduct interviews—all submitted as videos.
Art classes continued with paper and pencil. Students drew, photographed their work, and uploaded the images. Some humanities classes used workbooks instead of laptops, cutting screen exposure while keeping the curriculum intact.
These changes helped maintain a sense of normalcy. A physical workbook feels more like school than another browser tab.
Office hours and tech support as lifelines
Every teacher now holds a three-hour daily office hour shift. They log into Moodle and remain visible as “online” for students who need help. The setup mimics the accessibility of a physical classroom, offering real-time support without appointments.
Parents have found this reassuring. It eases concerns when schedules are already disrupted. For students, it provides a small but consistent connection to their school community.
Tech support operates separately. Early on, the school clarified that office hours are for academic help, not troubleshooting. IT staff handle their own contact channels, and families receive regular reminders about where to go for different types of support. The distinction has reduced confusion and improved response times.
Keeping teachers connected
Professional development continued online. The school moved its weekly sessions to the same start and end times. Agendas are set in advance, covering unit planning and platform training. Teachers can ask questions in real time, just as they would in person.
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The sessions also help maintain morale. Teachers share photos of their remote workspaces, celebrate birthdays, and discuss virtual yoga classes. The effort to preserve community has been intentional, countering the isolation of remote work.
Parents also need support. The school communicates with them in multiple languages, using channels they actually check. Clear directions, resources, and regular updates help reduce stress. Positive feedback—teachers sharing specific praise about student work—reinforces the connection between home and school.
Practical lessons for digital teaching
Not every tool works as intended. External links can break, leaving students stranded. To avoid this, teachers now upload PDFs of articles instead of linking to outside sites. Videos from platforms like YouTube are downloaded locally using a free app, then re-uploaded to OneDrive or Google Drive. Captions are preserved, and files are labeled by reading level for easy access.
Collaboration happens through shared drives. Microsoft OneDrive, similar to Google Drive, lets teachers share documents and folders with students. Everything for a lesson—readings, videos, assignments—lives in one place, reducing the risk of lost links or missing materials.
For live classes, Moodle’s built-in video conferencing works, but Zoom has become the preferred alternative. It’s free for schools and allows screen sharing, useful for presentations and modeling research. The platform’s stability has made it a reliable choice for real-time instruction.
The biggest lesson has been simplicity. Teachers were advised to stick with familiar lessons and avoid introducing new tools unless necessary. The goal wasn’t innovation—it was continuity. In a crisis, that’s often enough.
