Creating a Safe and Reflective Online Community When Teaching Remotely

by Mary Ellen Daneels, Civics Instructional Specialist

School reopening plans are slowly coming into shape for this fall. Whether you are meeting with students on an online platform or in a blended format, creating a safe civic space for remote learning takes intention and reimagining of typical back to school routines.


This past spring, we had the advantage of already knowing our students when school buildings were closed and classes were shifted to distance learning. This semester, all stakeholders will have to create room to put “Maslow before Bloom” and create a foundation for relationships to be built in virtual and/or blended spaces.

All teachers are civics teachers. We send messages to students about power, equity, justice, and representation by our classroom routines, relationships, and curricular choices. With this in mind, IllinoisCivics.org has created a Remote Learning Toolkit with resources to support:
  • Best Practices in Distance Learning for Educators
  • Best Practices in Distance Learning for Parents and Students
  • Creating a Safe and Reflective Online Community
  • Lesson Plans and Resources for Civics Grades 6-12
  • Resources for the Creation of Distance Learning Opportunities
  • Teaching About Pandemics
This past week, IllinoisCivics.org hosted webinars for both the Lake County and DuPage County Regional Offices of Education to dig deeper into how to Engage Student Voice for Inquiry When Teaching Remotely. You can access a recording of the one hour webinar to view at your convenience to review resources and strategies to:
  • Create Clear Lines of Communication
  • Reflect on the Past to Inform the Present
  • Engage Student Voice in Creating Online Norms
  • Intentionally Build an Online Community
  • Leverage Technology to Build Rapport and Collaboration
  • Tools for Formative Assessment
What are you doing to create a safe and reflective online community for teaching remotely? Please comment below. Together, we can prepare ALL students for college, career, and civic life in face to face, blended, or remote learning spaces.

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