How do I say “How are you?”

Remote teaching is not teaching. It is a pale imitation. It is a stopgap.

I bristle when I read “Because of your hard work and commitment, the nation’s largest school system has successfully made the transition to remote learning and support.” No, no we haven’t. This is not success. We have put emergency measures in place. We are trying to hold things together, as an interim measure, until we can start real school again. We are not succeeding, we are making due, doing the best we can, keeping the whole thing from sinking.

And part of the situation? We are “checking in” with our students more. I wrote “Slow down. Don’t say “How are you” – ask “How are you?”  And slow down and wait for the answer, and slow down and listen to the answer.” And I meant it.

But how do I ask “how are you?” to elicit a meaningful response? How do I follow up? How do I interpret the answers? When do I ask for outside assistance?

And those are real questions, from me, for me. And I’m guessing quite a few more of us could use those answers.

I’ve been going on instinct, much of which is good. But I am not certain, and I do not want to reinvent the wheel.

So, teacher friends, I’m looking for resources. Articles, videos, even books. Ideas for running check-ins. Ideas for eliciting real answers, and what to do with those answers. Can you help?

I guess this would be good stuff for PD, except I usually hate PD. I’d rather have the articles, and then I can talk it over with friends.