10 Successful Strategies for an In-Person Facilitator

With the growing implementation of online instruction in schools and districts across the US, in-person facilitators play an increasingly important role in the education process. As the bond between students and virtual educators, they are responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of instruction, the necessary level of order in the classroom, and student participation and engagement in learning activities.

This article brings together the 10 most effective strategies for the success of in-person facilitators. With these proven techniques, an in-person facilitator can support a virtual educator, improve the learning experience, and contribute to the overall achievements of students.

The 10 best strategies for in-person classroom facilitators include:

1. Master the Technology
2. Enable Effective Communication
3. Focus on Organization, Time Management, and Schedule Updates
4. Build Rapport with Students
5. Facilitate Engagement
6. Assist with Daily Preparation
7. Monitor and Support Student Progress
8. Create a Conducive Learning Environment
9. Collaborate with the Educator
10. Seek Professional Development Opportunities

Meanwhile, Fullmind virtual staffing services can help you fill existing teacher vacancies with highly qualified, state-certified K-12 instructors in all subjects, in a matter of days. Get in touch now to discuss your needs and find the best solution.

What Is an In-Person Facilitator?

In a virtual learning environment, an in-person facilitator is a paraprofessional assigned by the school to enable, support, and facilitate the execution of the online education process. Unlike a virtual educator, an in-person facilitator is physically present in the classroom, together with the students, in order to make sure that they have everything that’s needed for receiving the online instruction in the most effective way possible.

In other words, this support staff acts as the connection between the virtual instructor who’s teaching remotely and the students who are present in the classroom. This requires a combination of technical and personal skills even though formal education is not usually necessary.

While requirements vary from one school to another, in most cases classroom facilitators need to have a high school diploma though some institutions demand postsecondary education. In addition, they need to have experience in working with students and teachers and be familiar with classroom management methods. In-person facilitators must have strong technical skills and proficiency with popular online learning platforms and apps as well as soft skills including communication skills, organizational skills, problem-solving skills, and patience. Finally, they need to undergo a background check similar to teachers to ensure students’ safety.

What Does an In-Person Facilitator Do?

As the bridge between online teachers and students, an in-person facilitator has a number of duties and responsibilities to secure the smooth flow of the virtual learning process.

The main day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of classroom facilitators include:

• Technical support: Making sure that classroom technology is working properly and that students are logged in and able to hear and see the virtual instructor.
• Classroom management: Creating a positive, productive, and conducive learning environment where students can stay focused and feel motivated to engage in lessons.
• Instructional assistance: Providing additional instructions and clarifications to ensure that students understand the material and complete assignments.
• Communication between students and teachers: Acting as the connection between virtual instructors and students, relaying students’ challenges and questions to instructors, and also communicating with parents.
• Assignment evaluation: Evaluating daily assignments and longer-form exams using a rubric provided by instructors.
• Tracking student progress: Monitoring the engagement and progress of each student and making sure that no one falls behind.

All these duties mean that in-person facilitators play a crucial role in the virtual education process though academic institutions tend to focus on the importance of online educators and sometimes downplay the significance of classroom facilitators.

Why Are In-Person Facilitators Important?

In-person facilitators are a major player in the virtual learning process as they bridge the gap between virtual instructors and students in the classroom.

In specific, classroom facilitators contribute to efficient instruction by:

• Ensuring that instruction is clear and accessible for students
• Providing immediate technical support to virtual educators and students
• Keeping students engaged and motivated
• Making sure that students follow instruction, complete assignments, and are up to speed
• Maintaining order in the classroom
• Liaisoning between online instructors and parents

Now that we’ve highlighted the reasons why these paraprofessionals are an indispensable part of the education process that increasingly adopts online instruction, let’s take a look at the 10 best strategies to ensure the success of in-person facilitators at school:

1. Master the Technology

A crucially important step in assuring your success as an in-person facilitator of online instruction is becoming proficient with the virtual learning software platforms and tools used in the classroom where you work. This includes mastering relevant learning management systems (LMSs), video conferencing software, and other digital resources. In addition, you have to be familiar with the specifications of the hardware tools implemented in the classroom and how to operate them.

While digital education platforms share many common features, each one has its own peculiarities, so you have to learn how to manage the exact tools that the virtual instructors that you work with use. This includes being prepared to troubleshoot more and less common technical issues quickly and efficiently to minimize lesson disruptions and avoid losing student attention.

2. Enable Effective Communication

Second, you need to work on a strong, effective communication strategy that efficiently connects all stakeholders in the online learning process. First and foremost, you have to maintain open communication with the virtual educator so that you two are on the same page regarding lesson plans, evaluations, student progress, and next steps. Equally importantly, you have to check in with students in the classroom on a regular basis to familiarize yourself with their concerns and challenges, provide support within your capabilities, and coordinate additional assistance together with the online teacher, where needed.

Furthermore, you should also connect with parents via email, phone calls, and parent teacher conferences as the physical face of the education process. After all, you are the liaison not only between students and the virtual educator but also between parents and the virtual educator. Parents are an integral part of the learning process so they should be kept in the know and their concerns need to be adequately addressed.

3. Focus on Organization, Time Management, and Schedule Updates

Another strategy that can help you immensely succeed at your job as an in-person facilitator is to put special efforts into maintaining good organization for smooth operations in the classroom. It is your responsibility to keep track of major dates in the academic calendar, assignments, and deadlines and to remind both the online teacher and students of them.

School assemblies, examinations, professional development for teachers, and emergencies might lead to changes in the school calendar throughout the semester. You need to keep track of any adjustments and inform the virtual educator of them right away as they might not be aware since they are not a part of the school community.

To facilitate your work, make sure to use digital calendars, tasks lists, and automated reminders. That’s the only way to stay organized and make sure that everyone else involved in the learning process also maintains the necessary level of organization.

4. Build Rapport with Students

One of the most important characteristics of a good in-person facilitator, just like a good teacher, is to be able to get to know each one of your students, understand their unique needs and learning style, and accommodate these needs in a way that supports all students. In other words, you have to fill the gap in personal communication that the use of an online educator leaves.

It’s important to work actively on creating a welcoming and supportive environment for students in the classroom. To do this, you should provide affirmations for positive work and encourage student participation and engagement. Moreover, you should put effort into meeting with students one-on-one to comprehend their needs and tailor your strategies to them.

5. Facilitate Engagement

Another crucial skill of successful in-person classroom facilitators is to find out a way to engage students in the education process. Indeed, there are a myriad of practices you can deploy to do that, from establishing a daily routine and grading notebooks weekly, to assigning participation points and gamifying the learning process.

Together with the virtual instructor, you should work on using interactive techniques, varying instructional methods, and diversifying evaluation tactics to keep students engaged. Don’t underestimate the potential of collaborative efforts, student-led activities, project-based learning, and virtual field trips in boosting student interest and level of participation in lessons led by an online teacher.

6. Assist with Daily Preparation

To ensure the smooth flow of daily classes, you should help the virtual educator prepare everything necessary for individual lessons. This includes but is not limited to daily evaluations (if you deploy this technique), lesson material copies, and other learning aids.

It’s important to have everything ready and accessible before the beginning of class to ensure that instruction starts on time and without disruptions. If you get started on the wrong footing, it might be challenging to grab students’ attention and put things back in order.

7. Monitor and Support Student Progress

The next strategy that you should apply in your daily work as an in-person facilitator is to keep track of student attendance, participation, and performance. Start each class by taking attendance and then continue with walking the room during online instruction to let students feel your presence. This will help them appreciate the importance of the learning process and know that attendance and focus matter, even though the teacher is not physically there.

In the meantime, work on identifying students who might need additional support based on their participation in class and formal evaluations. Work with the virtual educator to provide struggling students with timely assistance to avoid more grave issues in the long term.

8. Create a Conducive Learning Environment

Classroom facilitators have to set up the right environment for students to extract the maximum value from online instruction. In specific, you need to ensure that the classroom remains quiet, well-organized, and free-of-distractions throughout class. You should assist with a seating arrangement that maximizes the available space and ensures that everyone is able to see the virtual instructor and the materials presented by them.

Before each class, take some time to set up necessary equipment and test it to make sure that you are able to start on time. Be ready to address any unexpected technical issues in a timely manner to minimize disruptions.

9. Collaborate with the Educator

The ultimate success of the learning process depends largely on the level of cooperation between you as the in-person facilitator and the online teacher and your ability to work together as a team. You should work closely and meet regularly to align teaching strategies, classroom management plans and expectations, classroom rules, and student support plans.

A major part of this collaboration is providing the virtual educator with ongoing feedback based on your observations of students and interactions with them. You should be honest and constructive in your feedback and continuously offer your support in improving processes for the benefit of students.

10. Seek Professional Development Opportunities

Finally, remember that professional development is not only for teachers, there are many opportunities that are available for classroom facilitators as well. You should actively look for opportunities to improve your knowledge, skills, and capabilities to develop in line with best practices and new trends in the education process.

Put effort into attending in-person and online training sessions, workshops, and professional development courses, especially those that focus on virtual education and instructional support.

Bottom Line

With these 10 proven strategies, in-person facilitators can optimize outcomes for students during virtual learning by creating the right environment, establishing the necessary communication channels, and supporting students at all times. The key is to work closely with the online teacher, students, and parents as well as with the school administration and to continue adjusting techniques to meet the evolving needs of your students.

If your school or district is facing teacher vacancies, check out Fullmind virtual staffing services. We can help you overcome teacher shortages with online, synchronous instructions by K-12 teachers who are highly qualified and state-certified and cover all subjects.