Let’s face it: our world has changed. The way we work, study and interact is different than that of our parents and grandparents. For some, this means moving away from the city into a more rural setting. For others, staying in the city if they’re ready for a bit of a change. And still for others, it means eating more of a plant-based diet and going fully vegan to protect their health and the environment. But there are others whose main concern is learning how to teach online classes from home .
With the advancement in technology in the Education sector, today the world is prepared to handle the tough time of pandemic. If there were no such things like teaching and conducting online classes, the education sector would have been stopped and it would affect both students and teachers.
Though, the concept of online class is not new but shifting completely on the online medium is definitely new. Also, it provides easier access and general flexibility to students and teachers as well. However, teachers require tips to teach online classes from home for proper running of the classes.
So, here are 9 suggestions for teachers to teach online classes from home:
Well Planned Classes
To set up an online class platform or teach online, planning is utmost important. Teachers are not in front of students, so they have to keep informing them before every session. Students might not be present before their platform but prior notice will bring them to attend the class.
Also, it is important that teachers prepare a blueprint for students to conduct the ‘session’ uninterruptedly.
Teachers should aim towards planning in advance so that the pace of teaching is added to the curriculum, which should be covered within a set time frame.
This structured approach involves setting an agenda for the session, ensuring that students need to plan in advance for the lesson they want to teach. Keep a separate draft ready for the assignment or test so that the session in the class continues without any delay or hindrance.
Encouraging Self-regulated Learning
It is important that teachers involve students in classroom discussions and help them to become self-regulated learners in conducting online classes from home. Self-regulated learning ensures that students are active in their approach to learning, which is required in both offline and online classroom environments. Self-regulation pushes students to think positively and empowers students to develop lifelong skills of learning.
Some students need self motivation and it becomes the duty of teachers to do this work for their students especially in online classes. Some students might not take online classes seriously, so teachers should motivate and encourage them to take active part in the classes.
Management of Online Platforms
Online learning requires teachers to understand various aspects of the technology ecosystem such as synchronized learning, using the Internet, plugging in devices and the necessary skill sets that can help them accelerate their tasks.
Teachers also need to interact with the tools to conduct online quizzes, conduct tests and evaluate assignments. It is also important for teachers to know how technology can be integrated for different disciplines when it comes to individual subjects such as mathematics, arts, sports and science.
To teach online, there are certain technical requirements. A teacher should have good hardware and software with a strong internet connection to run the classes smoothly and without any interruption.
Understand the Importance of Clinical Evaluation
In the coronavirus scenario, it has become even more important for teachers to invest responsibly to identify students’ learning gaps through diagnostic assessment and to intervene in remedial plans.
Studying students is important to ensure that online learning is as effective as classroom teaching. Clinical assessment reduces the need to re-teach concepts taught online when the school is reopened. Online tutoring jobs require certain things and clinical evaluation is one such.
Promote Collaborative Learning
In a traditional classroom environment, students can interact with their classmates and can take part in classroom discussions and group activities. It is missing in online classroom settings and when you take online classes from home.
So, teachers should encourage students for collaborative learning in a virtual environment of learning. Teachers can opt for various ways to promote collaborative learning as they can allocate students some assignments or work to do together or in a group and interact with each other.
Setting Up A Working Environment
An adequate environment, self discipline, and active motivation is needed when a teacher is working remotely. Stay-at-home-job is not easy and it requires a lot of especially things.
For proper running of online classes, the first and foremost thing is setting up an environment of workspace. The space should be dedicated to work only and promoting productive work behavior only. The working set up should not be around any distraction like television or any other entertainment sources. This is one of the important things to understand at the time of teaching online classes from home.
Innovate And Stimulate Discussions
Online classes are different from traditional classroom classes. Unlike traditional classrooms, students are not used to it, so teachers must know how to teach online classes from home engagingly. Students might feel non active during online sessions. It becomes the responsibility of teachers to introduce or initiate encouraging discussions for students to keep active. It makes them feel like they are in the class. Encourage them to participate in reading sessions, in discussions, in monitoring progress, and in posting lectures.
By adopting such ways, students will be encouraged to take online classes from home seriously.
Communicate Regularly
Online presence should be regular and without any gap to maintain the consistency. Also, with proper communication, the online classes with students can go longer unaffectedly. So, try to build proper communication with students by introducing yourself to students and ask them to give their introduction. A set up of comfort can be good both for you and students. Simply try to eradicate hurdles which online classes face generally.
Also, be open for students to contact you and clear their doubts. Be friendly to students to make them feel confident. Don’t be too strict as online class setup is already strict.
Ask For Help And Feedback
Allow yourself to get feedback from students, it will help you to teach online classes from home. Students’ feedback is important. You will get to know the positives and negatives impact of your teaching on students.
Conclusion
Teaching online classes is a great way to make an extra stream of income that can supplement your primary source of income or even replace it. It allows you to work whenever you want, choosing the hours that are most convenient for you. There are many people out there who are able to make a living solely from teaching online classes.