Teaching is a profession that gets better with experience. It’s one of those occupations where one year in the classroom can wildly change an instructor’s perspectives, practices, and expectations. Just think of your first classes, whether as a student teacher or a potential drowning victim, thrashing to tread water after being unceremoniously thrown into the proverbial deep end. Regardless of how you started, the learning came quickly, and the adjustments you needed to make manifested shortly thereafter.
New Year: New Me, right? Capitalizing on the retrospection that’s in the air this time of year, I thought I’d informally poll a few colleagues who have already run their share of virtual exchanges with Level Up Village, or via other means, to get some hard-earned wisdom of maximum value. So, let’s trim the fat and lay off the sweets, as we dive right into what teachers wished they knew before starting their first virtual exchange.
It’s a Thankless Job
Well, I’ll be! Thanks, blog writer Dan, you may have just unlocked one of the hidden secrets of the profession!
No, but seriously, in particular with virtual exchanges, I’ve heard from several sources (and can also corroborate this from my own classes) that the students won’t truly appreciate the experience until after it’s done, and they may never share its value with you.
Countless teachers have resentfully shared with me how introverted students, suffering from “resting bored face,” trudged through the experience, only to have their parents reveal during conferences or Back to School Night how enthusiastic they were while filming, editing, and sharing their videos onto the LUV platform. Or, as upperclassmen give tours of your school’s campus, they vaunt to prospective students how “cool the language classes are,” how they got to pair up with a class from South America to complete a project, and how “fun it was to share videos with those kids.”
Of course, you’re never going to get any credit for facilitating that unique experience. But remember, that’s not why we do it. If you’re banking on being praised by young people who are just trying to grow up in the firestorm of adolescence, you’d better rethink your emotional investment strategy!
Time is Not Your Friend
This is another one of those “one-size-fits-all” lessons for educators: there is really never enough time. Every lesson plan you draw up is actually two-sided; every assignment needs an extension; every full class period is shortened because of a special schedule; and every time you think you’ll have full attendance, you better think again.
Indeed, many virtual exchange facilitators struggle with getting all their students to submit their videos and respond to others’ in a timely manner, and keeping to the proposed weekly schedule can be challenging, with the planned absences, holidays, standardized tests, assemblies, and unpredictable weather patterns. However, flexibility and forethought can protect you in this process: just like T-shirts that shrink after their first wash, always go a little bigger than you think is necessary.
Educators have shared with me several useful tips they’d give their past selves concerning timelines. First, start earlier than necessary; why not give the kids two weeks instead of one to shoot their first videos? This allows for more creativity, leaves room for technical difficulties, and helps students who might be a bit nervous about how to complete the more open-ended “introductory video” formulate their thoughts. Heck, stretch out the final reflection, as well, if you’re getting good feedback and generating thoughtful discussions! Furthermore, if you’re allotting one class period to your LUV class, why not give yourself one and a half or two classes? Things will always take longer than expected, and you may not have all your students present at one time.
And, overall, be relaxed about the timing. Your international partners will likely be struggling with similar issues, so even if you’re running a tight ship on your shores, there’s no accounting for how things are going on the other side of the world!
It’s Their First Time
One of the primary reasons for frustration, disappointment, and eventually burnout in our profession is that we’re stuck in a time loop, largely answering the same questions, administering the same lessons, and solving the same problems, year after year; we change, but not much else does. We grow and become more skilled, more practiced, and more knowledgeable, while our pupils seem as clueless and doe eyed as we were in our first year. Sounds dismal, doesn’t it?
But fear not, ye gentle educators, because there’s also peace in the cyclical nature of our existence!
When we repeat the undertaking of running a virtual exchange, we naturally bring to the experience a better sense of understanding, having completed the project at least once prior. However, we often forget that our students have probably never had this experience before! They may have never even met someone from another country, let alone shared their life, experiences, and thoughts in the form of a self-produced video!
That’s heavy and serves as an important reminder that we should call online all our patience, empathy, and support. If a student is having difficulties uploading their video, they’re struggling while under the duress of intrusive thoughts, like “Is my video good?” “What will people think of my messy house?” “I wish I had a better camera on my phone,” or “Why are my parents so embarrassing?” We can’t let the expediency of “getting it right this time” and “avoiding the pitfalls of last time” shortchange the meaningfulness of a unique experience for our students.
Looking Forward, Looking Back
As with any teaching endeavor, a virtual exchange is a journey of trial and triumph—not just for your students, but for you as an educator as well. The beauty of these experiences lies in their transformative nature, both in the moment and in hindsight. While your students may not grasp the full value of their exchange right away, and while timelines and first-time jitters may throw curveballs, the rewards for persistence and flexibility are well worth it.
Remember, the magic of a virtual exchange isn’t just in the videos created or the lessons taught—it’s in the connections built, the new perspectives shared, and the growth that happens along the way. Each exchange offers a fresh opportunity to make a lasting impact on your students’ lives and your own teaching journey. So, lean into the challenges, savor the moments of discovery, and trust that your efforts, though sometimes unsung, are laying the foundation for something truly meaningful.
Oh, and take notes! Whether you’re a first-timer or a virtual-exchange-veteran, Future You will be thankful for Present You’s observations!
