5 Online Extracurriculars for Remote Learning
- Nov 5, 2020
With remote learning it can be easy to forget about all the fun things classes have to offer. Don’t lose sight of extracurriculars just because you’re now teaching classes online — instead, take your after-school activities online with you! Get your students and colleagues involved with these five fun online extracurriculars. Stay connected with your students by having them still write for your school newspaper or even host a book club! You can even create debate teams, teach graphic design, and even start a foreign language club all while your school is online!
1. School Newspaper
Although your students may not be able to write about school sports teams in the paper this year, think of this opportunity as a time to still get them to be creative! Have your students interview their fellow classmates and write a column about how they’ve been getting through remote learning. Have them ask what challenges they’ve found the most difficult during this time and what they have learned from this experience. You may even get their opinions on how teachers can improve their learning experience this unique time. Students can also use this opportunity to feature short stories written and submitted by their fellow classmates and hold contests for students to vote whose story they enjoyed reading the most!
2. Online Debate Teams
In a world of growing topics to discuss, think about meeting online with another teacher and students who are interested in joining a debate club! Start by finding schools in your district that are willing to compete online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams and share topics that you can discuss before your students debate. Come up with a drawing system to decide which school will debate the opposing side and set aside some time after classes to meet online with your team to discuss and prepare for the debates!
3. Graphic Design
Take art club online! Rather than meeting after school to paint, learn how to illustrate online through graphic design. In a world where everything is moving digital, graphic design is an important skill for young creatives to have. From visual and graphic skills to photoshop essential tools, check out Format and their 14 extrememly helpful and free graphic design courses that you can teach students after school. Not only will this be a fun and creative break for your students, but it can also tie in with the school newspaper so your kids can write and design each issue themselves!
4. Foreign Language Club
Although you may already be teaching a foreign language as part of your curricular, start a club with your students and other interested colleagues to help your students advance even further! Get your foreign language classes more involved outside of the classroom by meeting in online rooms after school to pick up on new ways to further your students’ education. Whether you have your kids watch foreign language films then meet to discuss what happened in the film or read books that can be translated together, there are many ways that you can help your students improve their foreign language skills. You can even have your students download Duolingo, as this free app is now offering a unique experience for you to teach foreign languages by having your students listen to true crime podcasts!
5. Virtual Book Club
Finally, for those who love to read and write, think about hosting a virtual book club with your students and fellow colleagues. You can find a teacher from the English department who is willing to read some extra novels with your students or you can even host an after school book club on Zoom, where you can read and discuss books that your students are interested in! If you’re looking for book ideas to start with, check out the works of literature we suggest for students in our Celebrating Black History Month and 10 Books to Put on Your Summer Reading List blogs!