Bitmojis are everywhere! So far, few of them (including mine) IMO actually look like the real life people they represent, but they all strangely resemble one another. Maybe it means that we are all related somehow. Sure hope so!
And Bitmoji virtual classrooms? What's up with that? A virtual explosion! Teachers have poured their hearts, souls, creativity, time, and resources into building and sharing these adorable interactive pages all summer long. I have joined an online group just to watch what they are doing. It is nothing short of pure genius! As difficult as distance learning seems to be, and as hard as the choices districts, schools, teachers, and parents have had to make in this pandemic time, the bitmoji classrooms have made me long for a class of my own once more. This thing is right up my alley! (Do people even say that anymore? Who knows? I've been in the house too long.)
I have viewed literally thousands of these virtual classrooms this summer, and of course, as a teacher for life, I have a few thoughts about the whole thing. Here they are:
These Virtual Classrooms are Nothing New
Since the dawn of Power Point, teachers have been linking slides to other slides to make cool presentations and to engage their students in what they are about to learn. When the internet took off, we got really fancy then. Webquests! Lots of super cool links imbedded into the slides to report back on.
With the birth of website applications like Wikipages, we continued to grow as graphic designer wannabes and to add links for our students to explore. So guess what? A bitmoji virtual classroom is really just a way stepped up version of a linked introductory page to all the learning opportunities associated with that page. The only part that is new is the personalized emoji.
You Do Not Need to be Present on Every Page
Teachers, can we talk here? Seriously, the bitmojis are beyond cute. I know that mine is a distant version of myself, and maybe the way I see myself in my mind's eye, but as they used to say, "Close, but no cigar." (Colloquial from a 1930's fairground booth. You should know these things! LOL!)
Anyway, back to your emoji. I've seen thousands this summer, and I always click on the real photo of the person it represents. All of y'all are cute, but your bitmojis seem to look more like each other to me than they look like you. As I peruse the teacher comments in my bitmoji facebook group, I have found that kids ARE somewhat amused by your bitmoji, but kids are legendary for loving their teachers and developing, in many cases, a lifelong bond with some of those teachers. Use your bitmoji as much as you like, but please make sure to include a real photo of you in real life. Maybe hang a photo of you in a virtual frame on a virtual wall in your virtual classroom. Your students are missing that important physical connection with you as you begin the year virtually. Personally, I would use my bitmoji on the first (main) page only. Any linked pages really don't need your bitmoji dancing around and gesturing. Just my opinion.
Close Your Door and Teach!
I read in the past few days that some districts are banning bitmoji classrooms. I don't usually understand why districts make all the decisions they make. I usually just squeeze my eyes tight, make a wish, and hope for the best. In this case, however, I believe that is distrust of the unknown. District leaders most likely have not taken the time to try out any of the virtual classrooms developed by their amazing teachers. I believe that they are objecting to the bitmoji part, not the organization of learning activities part.
Sooo... enter my mantra from my thirty-six year teaching career: Close your door and teach! It means to say as little as possible to those "in charge" who may not understand what you are doing or trying to accomplish, and to go ahead and do what you know is best for your kids. Does your district really have time to check in on every virtual presence that every teacher in their district has? Of course not!
If your district has said, "No bitmoji classroom!", why not just delete the bitmoji? It doesn't really look like you anyway, remember? Now you just have a super-organized and motivating lead slide for whatever you're teaching. How could that raise an objection?
Since my work was 100% done in a real life classroom (and I realize how lucky I was), if an administrator had a problem with my practice, I would make sure that he/she talked to my students to gauge their understanding, and requested a chance to explain myself. Be sure that your students completely understand why you have organized your virtual classroom this way, with the particular graphic representation that you have set up, and that they understand how to use it. I truly believe that these virtual classrooms have value beyond our current situation. They will make great start the day slides projected on your whiteboard or on your students' laptop screens when you return to real life school.
For now, if you truly believe in what you are doing, close your virtual door and teach!
Don't Reinvent the Wheel!
Search on Facebook for "Bitmoji Craze for Educators". You will find literally thousands of pages already linked that teachers have created and shared. You will find tons of ideas there also, like creating a phone app for your classroom - great tool for parents!
If you'd like to start from scratch and just soar with your own creativity and make your virtual classroom really specific to your standards and goals, check out the blog posts and virtual classroom clip art from my friend Amie at Glitter Meets Glue. My blog cover pic above was created with permission, using her middle school resource. If you are a TpT seller, you cannot use Glitter's virtual resources in your products. They were created for teachers to use in their personal virtual classrooms.
Amie's virtual locker system for students is pure magic! See it here!
However you are headed back to school, I wish you the best year ever. You are strong, you are brave, and you've got this!
TEACHER TALK IS BACK for the 2020-21 school year! Look for new posts from some of the best bloggers around on the third Sunday of every month! August posts are below!
