As the second semester approaches, it’s the perfect time to regroup, refocus, and set yourself and your students up for another successful stretch. Whether you’re a veteran online teacher or new to the profession, preparing for the new semester brings unique challenges and opportunities. In this blog, you’ll learn actionable tips, practical tools, and best practices to help you transition smoothly and maximize your impact in your online classroom.
Get started by monitoring the progress of students who haven’t yet completed their courses. Use your Learning Management System (LMS) to check course and gradable progress, focusing on graded assessments that impact completion. Dive into your grade book to identify missing assignments and outstanding assessment resets.
If you’ve been tracking assessment resets, you’ll know which students can retake assessments for improved mastery. For those using student information systems (SIS/SMS), leverage data to generate student activity and final grade reports. Make sure every student has completed all required work and communicate directly with students and their parents or guardians as needed. Emails, announcements, and agenda features in your LMS can be invaluable here.
Once students have wrapped up assignments, check to see if steps need to be taken to close out their first semester courses. Most LMSs offer resources—often including text instructions, videos, images, and helpful jump links—to guide you through whatever process is needed to complete first-semester courses. Don’t forget to submit final grade request forms if necessary.
With first-semester courses completed, ensure students are properly enrolled in their second-semester classes. Depending on your role, you may need to coordinate with your admin team to set up enrollment dates or move students into the correct courses. Double-check that everyone is registered for the right classes. Courses may be structured around a ninety-day enrollment period, excluding weekends, so remember to align your planning and enrollments accordingly.
Depending on enrollments, first-semester completion and second-semester preparation may not move in a neat, straight line, so it helps to keep an eye on students who are pacing ahead. If a student is clearly on track to finish their first‑semester work successfully, you can move them into their second‑semester course early. This maintains their momentum and avoids downtime between courses.
As you do this, keep track of who has been enrolled early so you don’t lose sight of which first‑semester grades still need to be finalized. Early enrollment doesn’t replace finalizing grades; it simply helps students transition smoothly when their progress supports it. Keep communication open with students and families to ensure they know what to expect as they move forward.
Now’s the time to revisit foundational online teaching skills and routines:
If your students need a tailored experience, take advantage of your LMS’s flexibility. You can hide or add content, incorporate external resources, or transfer unfinished material from semester one to semester two. Adjust your educational resources accordingly to ensure all changes are reflected.
Don’t go at it alone! Help centers are treasure troves of articles, tutorials, and support. Use search features to find answers to specific questions and reach out for training on advanced topics like content migration or trimester setups. Ongoing professional development is key to staying current and effective as an online educator.
For more information regarding Lincoln Learning training opportunities, email training@lincolnlearningsolutions.org.
Preparing for the second semester is more than an administrative task — it’s an opportunity to reset, energize, and inspire. By reviewing first-semester progress, completing courses, enrolling students, and leveraging tools and resources, you lay the groundwork for a productive and rewarding school term. Remember, communication and organization are your best allies. Here’s to a successful second semester — happy teaching!