This collaboration is brought to you by Klassroom and features my unbiased experience using the app.
Distance learning is upon us. Sigh. As someone who works with teachers in many different school settings, I have found one commonality: overwhelm. We weren’t trained for this, I am not tech-savvy enough to figure this out, I can’t connect with families the way I need to, there’s too many resources to sift through right now. IT’S A LOT – plus, we’re coping with a woldwide pandemic.
One piece of advice I have passed on to all of the educators I work with is this: simplify. We don’t have to do it all, use all the apps, use all the websites, mail all the packets. You don’t have to transform your home into a virtual classroom. Find a few resources that meet your students needs as effectively as possible, feel manageable for you, and match your teaching style. In this case, less is definitely more.
There are SO many apps being pushed right now, and instead of downloading them all and attempting to determine which one to stick with – I’ll give you one, unbiased review of a super effective app for all things communication – Klassroom.
Klassroom is a parent-teacher communication app that is free to download on any mobile device. 3 years ago, it was started by 3 men in France who were divorced fathers, and needed an easier way to communicate with their childrens teachers and stay in the loop of all things school. Since its creation, it has been an enormous success in France.
Since Klassroom has been such a “norm” in France prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been able to adapt and tailor its resources to meet the needs of remote learning. Now that US teachers are following suit in closing schools, we are also in a position where communication is disjointed – Klassroom is a great bridge to keep everyone connected, and already has the capabilities to support remote and distance learning.
The perks of the app?
Well, it’s free. This is imperative in our unique and delicate situation! I also love how inclusive Klassroom is. I haven’t found on any other communication app some of the features that Klassroom offers, including a voice-over feature for individuals with visual impairments (and could be helpful for our students and families who need additional read aloud support), and the translate feature that translates messages in to over 100 languages.
Klassroom also offers a video-conferencing tool – which nowadays is HUGE! It’s so much more streamlined to have access to all of these tools in ONE app, rather than clicking and opening new windows.
What can Klassroom do?
Send messages privately or to the whole group, import student lists easily, take attendance, create polls/forms/surveys for students and/or parents to complete, video conference, send out homework, share deadlines, and more.
Most important?
Klassroom is FERPA compliant – with the sensitivity of our world’s current state, the last thing we want to worry about is a breach in confidentiality and student safety.
So what do I HONESTLY think? This app does a LOT. Many teachers are piece-mealing many apps and resources together, and I find it so simple to have everything in one spot with Klassroom. I love the inclusive aspect, and I know that’s a feature that is very unique to this app. Many schools can no longer use Zoom due to confidentiality reasons. It’s heartening to see that Klassroom is already FERPA compliant – no worries there. I think this is the simplest and most streamlined way I have seen to stay in touch, in a meaningful and non-overwhelming way, with students and their families.
Have you used Klassroom yet? What apps and digital resources have been most useful for you during the era of distance learning?
Love,
Allie