During my student teaching time at Altoona Area High School under a mentor teacher, I learned to communicate with students in several different ways. The first way was through the Google Meeting chat; sometimes there was lag in audio and video due to slow WiFi connections or because the devices were overworked, but thankfully students were able to access the Google Meeting chat during class. I found myself checking the Google Meeting chat more than I checked my phone! It was also helpful having the *ping* sound on to catch my attention in case I was sharing my screen to the students and couldn’t actually see them sending their messages in the chat.

I also learned to improve my verbal communication skills with students to be more efficient and concise. I would explain to the entire class the major parts of an assignment, but then if students had individual questions, I could attend to them in more intimate spaces through email or in person in front of their faces. I also made a point to repeat more vital or more important parts of assignments such as due dates and instructions in order for everyone to be on the same page since some students may be too shy or afraid to ask questions – especially in front of their peers.