Free Online Resources

The rather abrupt nationwide shift to virtual instruction last spring (due to the COVID 19 crisis) left many schools scrambling for resources. Fortunately, many organizations serving the educational market are continuing to provide help.

This article provides a list of free tools, services, and resources (divided by topic or subject area) aimed at helping educators keep their students learning and engaged. Regardless of whether your school is opening for normal operation or whether virtual instruction is being extended, these resources can be a valuable addition to your teachers’ repertoire.

Note: SmartBrief updates this source regularly.

School Funding Crisis

Experts are now predicting a school funding crisis unlike anything ever seen in modern history! Due to the COVID 19 crisis, states have seen drastic drops in revenue. As a result, most districts across the nation will face enormous cutbacks in funding for 2020-2021 that would have been inconceivable just a year ago.

This article takes a closer look at the situation and the financial devastation many districts may encounter in the coming year. If “forewarned is forearmed,” then this is a must-read for all educational administrators.

Trauma-Informed Priorities

When a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, a natural disaster, or similar event upends your community, how should you respond?

This article offers five essential trauma-informed priorities that can provide a solid foundation for these extreme situations. While the focus of the article is on the COVID 19 crisis, there are several useful ideas that can be applied to any situation where learning is suddenly outside the norm.

Creativity in Crisis

Administrator creativity is even more important during times of crisis. It’s often difficult to promote the positive when your constituents are primarily focused on the problem at hand.

But making the effort to come up with a positive message of hope, or creating something unique to offset the negative, can go a long way toward brightening everyone’s outlook.

Here’s an example: The principal of Poplar Springs High School in Graceville, Florida was heartbroken over how her seniors were missing out on events like graduation and prom. After some brainstorming, she came up with this creative idea!

So the next time you’re faced with a challenging situation, take some inspiration from principal West and look for creative ways to counter the crisis. As the old saying goes, “When life gives you lemons …”