By LeiLani Cauthen
This year has tested schools and educators in unprecedented ways. Like many of you, our team has worked continuously to adapt, anticipate needs, and reshape how we support districts, schools, and teachers as conditions change.
Adapting has been difficult. We’ve had to pivot quickly and rethink how we deliver value to our members. Yet through the uncertainty, one truth remains clear: the work we do—conducting research, publishing insights, and sharing practical strategies—has never been more essential to the success of America’s learners.
Every decision we make is guided by a single question: how can we best use our resources and partnerships to serve learners across the country? Recently, answering that question led to a tough but necessary change. We have postponed all in-person regional events this fall and moved to a super-regional virtual format. While many were still registering for our in-person events, the pandemic created too much uncertainty around venues and cross-state staff travel to proceed safely and reliably.
Turning an obstacle into opportunity, our virtual super-regional events will expand access and strengthen programming. The online format allows more educators to participate, receive timely guidance, and engage with high-quality content. What we will miss are the smaller, personal connections that live events foster—those conversations that often turn colleagues into friends. We intend to recreate as much of that collegial exchange as possible in the virtual space.
Our community of roughly 215,000 members faces shifting priorities as the pandemic continues. That’s precisely why ongoing research remains central to our work. Responses to our surveys shape our agenda and inform the topics for our fall virtual events. Currently, the top concern among educators making the shift to online instruction is motivating students. Teachers ask: how do we encourage participation, help students connect learning to their lives, and generate real enthusiasm and engagement in remote settings?
These questions are critical. The answers can determine whether a transition to remote learning succeeds or becomes merely a stopgap with poor outcomes. The good news is that research-backed strategies and proven tools are available to help teachers adapt. With intentional professional learning and the right digital resources, many educators find that online instruction can match or even surpass traditional classroom outcomes in certain areas.
The Learning Counsel has identified a range of resources that enable meaningful virtual teaching. Remote instruction requires a distinct set of skills compared with in-person classroom practice. Developing those skills empowers teachers to make a positive difference for students during the pandemic and prepares them for a future where blended models—combining in-seat and online learning—are increasingly common. Building competence and confidence in digital pedagogy helps educators maximize each student’s learning potential, regardless of setting.
Motivating learners is never easy, and the emotional and social impacts of the pandemic can add complexity. Still, solutions exist. In our fall virtual events, we will spotlight practical approaches for motivating students remotely, engaging families, and designing lessons that connect to students’ interests and daily lives. We will share techniques that promote participation, foster curiosity, and support social-emotional needs alongside academic growth. As always, our events are open to all educators, and attendance is free for teachers and administrators.
The pandemic may keep presenting challenges, but we can respond with intentional action rather than retreat. When circumstances require learning to move online, our goal is to make that instruction among the best available. By embracing new practices, resources, and community support, educators can turn difficult circumstances into opportunities for improved teaching and stronger student outcomes. Pour yourself a tall glass of lemonade; together we’ll make the most of the moment.
About the author
LeiLani Cauthen is the CEO and Publisher of The Learning Counsel. She has extensive experience in the digital content landscape, software development, adoption strategies, and school coverage models, and she helps shape the ongoing transformation in teaching and learning. With two decades of research, media publishing, and leadership across technology, education, and government sectors, she writes and speaks on effective digital learning strategies and educational change.