Before you deliver a lesson to your class, there are a few things you can do to set yourself and your students up for success with Wellio.
As you prepare for your upcoming lesson, here's a quick checklist to make sure you're comfortable, confident and ready to go:
2. Read through the lesson overview
3. Check out the lesson itself
4. Explore our Best Practice tips
1. Log into your Wellio account
Select your class:
Classes which you are the assigned teacher for will appear under the "My Classes" tab.
If you are substituting for another teacher, you can locate the class by clicking on the "All Classes" tab.
Scroll through your sequence and choose the upcoming lesson:
The Lesson Overview provides you with a high level summary of what the lesson achieves and how it will flow, including the activities and topics being delivered. This will assist you in effectively setting up the physical space and tailoring your teaching approach for the upcoming lesson.
Click into the 'Prepare' tab:
In 'Prepare' you will find a quick summary of what to expect in the lesson, including:
- A brief description of the lesson
- Learning goals and measures of success
- A lesson plan
Read through the lesson plan:
The lesson plan provides an outline of what will be covered in a lesson, as well as the materials and activities that will be used. This may seem obvious, but it is important to take the time to carefully read through the entire plan before teaching the lesson. This will give you a clear understanding of what is expected and help you prepare for the lesson.
3. Review the lesson itself
While also used for delivering the lesson during class, Present Mode is a great tool for reviewing your lesson in a full-screen format before you deliver the lesson in real time!
Click into 'Present Mode':
Once you have opened the lesson, you will see a purple "Present Mode" button at the top right hand side of the page. Click on this button to enter Present Mode.
Your upcoming lesson will then be displayed in a full-screen format on your device.
You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard or the navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen to move through the lesson.
Watch the videos embedded in the lesson:
To get the best from Wellio in class, we'd strongly recommend previewing all media as part of your lesson prep. One of the most valuable components of our lessons are the embedded video snippets. They provide visual demonstrations and explanations of the concepts being taught, making it easier for you to understand and retain the information.
Review the interactive features of the lesson:
While you're reviewing a lesson in Wellio, you'll notice that some slides contain blurred out or "locked" questions.
These serve to make your wellbeing lessons even more meaningful and engaging by:
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Providing students with tools to anonymously share their thoughts in class: increasing the level of honesty, openness and vulnerability in student engagement
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Preventing students from racing ahead in the lesson and missing out on discussions happening in the group.
There are four different types of interactive questions in Wellio:
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Poll questions to gauge opinion
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Quiz questions to check understanding
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Open questions to create space for reflection
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Sparks to run a quick quiz competition in class
To preview these interactive questions in your lesson, click the 'Locked' dongle on the right hand side of the screen to unlock the questions.
Helpful Tip
As part of your lesson preparation, jot down some example responses to the written questions. It's helpful to have a practical demonstration of the information which you are trying to convey that has your class' context in mind. This will also help you develop a deeper understanding of the content.
Upon completion of the lesson delivery, it will be indicated with a green checkmark.
4. Teacher Pedagogy Tips for Delivering Your Lesson
As the teacher, you have the important role of engaging students in their learning and encouraging thoughtful discussions on the lesson content.
Get ready to ignite your students passion for learning and foster insightful conversations that will leave a lasting impact!
Be mindful of the classroom desk arrangement
Consider the desk arrangements and group students appropriately. The content discussed in Wellio lessons can be sensitive, so be mindful of who your students are seated next to. As the teacher, it is your role to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere for your students.
How to avoid distractions from electronic devices
As a student, it can be challenging to stay focused on the classroom whiteboard with the temptations from electronic devices. To minimise this temptation:
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In situations where students are logging in to Wellio themselves, they'll need to use their devices solely for interactive elements like polls, quizzes, sparks, and open questions. To minimise distractions, have them close their devices when these features are not in use.
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Keep the activities embedded in the lessons locked until you have finished teaching the content
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Walk behind the students screens throughout the lesson
Create a relaxed classroom environment
Creating a relaxed classroom environment is essential for students to feel comfortable and engaged in their learning. A relaxed environment can help reduce stress and anxiety, promote creativity and critical thinking, and foster positive relationships between students and teachers.
Effective teacher communication
The approach a teacher takes to communicate can greatly determine the lesson's success, fostering curiosity, conversation, and reflection among students.
Some key elements of effective communication include:
- Building rapport with your students
- Minimise teacher talk
- Teacher involvement by sharing your example responses to the questions embedded in the lesson
You are now ready to deliver your lesson in Wellio!
Wellio is an excellent platform for delivering engaging and interactive lessons to your students. By following the tips and guidelines outlined in this article, you can ensure a successful and enjoyable experience for both you and your students. Happy teaching!