Yes, Jessica. I have always appreciated that BHP has short texts. It's another great example of how the course does not confuse "rigor" with painful learning.

Alex,

Don't ever screen yourself for not having a "happy" enough post. This is a great place to share our genuine, wide range of teacher emotions.

Can you tell me more about the restrictions you're facing? I'm feeling like inside my classrooms it's going better than expected. But there is so much "gunk" everywhere else that my stress level is still pretty high.

And about your zoom bombers: Do you have it set that people who enter have to be in the waiting room until you admit them? It the bomber comes in after you've started class, you can  check the name and just not admit. Of course if they slip in with the big group of "admit all" then I have accidentally let a couple in. But then I just click "remove" and it's done.

I actually teach completely asynchronously, so even though I offer virtual class meeting weekly, I rarely have students show up. I have a difficult time even getting them to reach out when they need help. The ones who do usually get so much out of our short meeting. It is nice reading all of your strategies! I am hoping to have a better plan moving into next semester to incentivize coming to virtual class meetings. Then, I will need these strategies, haha!

I do have discussion boards in my courses and by giving students choice in products and ways they can display their knowledge, it helps! Some prefer typing, while others video, and I even have some who like to draw. Giving choice in assignments allows for me to get to know my students on a more personal level and for them to get to know each other.

Thank you for the tips! I don't know why doodles did not come to mind for me. Sounds kind of like what you do with an Interactive Student Notebook (or so I have heard from a colleague who uses them). It was always such a struggle when I taught AP to get students to understand how to take good notes and really interact with their text. I think it is easier with BHP and WHP as the selections are shorter than those fun college textbooks.