Did you know that you can teach math online using Zoom? Did you also know that you can do so easily by taking advantage of some awesome tools on the internet. Lets get started.
A Virtual Classroom is Different from the Real One
As a 1:1 classroom teacher, I was in the classroom with my students. I could see in real-time how the students interacted with Google Classroom, EdPuzzle, Google Slides and a myriad of other online tools.
It was easier to see and correct the mistakes, troubleshoot the tech problems and answer student questions because I was there. The Chromebooks supported my in-person lessons and what I taught.
But now we find ourselves in new territory again!
I can’t go over to a student with a hand raised who asked for help. Forget about calling a small group to a back table for extra help. Instead, I have to figure out what’s the coolest virtual background to use for Zoom!
Consequently, we have been asked to be an online math teacher or online reading teacher or online content teacher! What came naturally to us in the classroom now has to be adapted to a distance learning world.
New Ways to Teach as an Online Math Teacher
Is teaching online like teaching live in the classroom? We know the answer to that is – no, it’s not the same! As newly drafted distance learning teachers, we now have to learn a whole new system to
- deliver instruction through an online platform
- interact with students at a distance
- provide feedback (graded or non-graded) in a virtual world.
- build community in a cyber world
- maintain relationships
I’m sure you have had to do this as well with the current school closures. So when it comes to teaching math, the $64,000 question is…what describes an effective online math teacher?
As a Math Coach for my district, I get asked many questions about how to teach math. But, if you had asked me the $64,000 question two months ago, I would have said, “I have no idea! Let me get back to you on that one!”
But here we are in new territory. Teachers need an answer NOW.
So my answer is: “What do the experts suggest? What do the experts say about how to teach as an online math teacher?”
Why do I defer to the experts? Because, like millions of teachers like you and me, I have ABSOLUTELY no experience teaching an online math lesson! But it doesn’t mean we can’t learn how to do it.
Let me show you how I learned to put together an online math lesson.
A Great Resource to Transition to an Online Math Teacher
Recently, the California Teachers Association put out some webinars to help teachers during this crisis. One of those webinars was presented by Nicole Piper. Her video, Virtual Best Practices is amazing! She is truly an expert on how to teach online.
I believe her guide to a Virtual Lesson Plan is spot on. After I watched her webinar, I felt I had a framework and better understood how to teach a lesson online.
So I took her virtual lesson plan and used it to plan an online math lesson. Except – I tweaked it. I made one change which I believe is critical for your success as an online math teacher.
What are the Components of an Online Lesson?
Nicole has developed a guide to plan a virtual lesson which can be used with ANY content, ANY grade level, on ANY platform. An online lesson should have the following components
- Bellwork
- Norms and Rules
- Connection or sharing Time
- a Learning Target
- a Warm-up
- Lesson Time
- an Exit Ticket
Check out her Google Site for an in-depth look at each of these steps to design an online or virtual lesson.
Tweak the Components to Teach Math Online
I have tweaked her design to teach an online math lesson. In the component Lesson Time, she explains how to do the I Do, We Do, You Do gradual release of responsibility in a virtual lesson.
But for a math lesson (even an online math lesson), it should be turned around! It should flow from You Do to We Do to I Do.
Why? As a result, when we start a lesson with I Do, you eliminate opportunities for productive struggle. For this reason, students should be given an opportunity to solve a problem FIRST rather than be told how to solve it.
Therefore, I took her lesson components to develop an online math lesson template which incorporates the use of
- Zoom (or you can use a different platform)
- Google Classroom
- web browser (for online virtual manipulatives)
- Zoom Annotation Tool
- Google Slides
- Google Docs or Google Forms
To teach an online math lesson, your students already should have some familiarity with a web browser, Google Classroom, and Google Apps. Also, if you use other platforms such as Microsoft Teams, this framework will still apply.
If your students are not familiar with Zoom or some other online meeting platform, bring your students up to speed with online tutorials. Zoom has tutorials for both teachers and students. Search YouTube for video tutorials.
How does the Lesson Work?
With the help of her framework, I planned a lesson to teach students in grades 3, 4 and 5 how to compare fractions. I used Google Slides as my presentation platform. I incorporated the use of virtual manipulatives, the Zoom annotation tool, an online game, and a Google Docs exit ticket.
Teaching remotely
For Students
Check Blackboard and your email for announcements from your instructor. Courses may include live lectures via Zoom video conferencing as well as prerecorded lectures to watch before interactive class sessions.
To connect to a Zoom meeting, you can either click the link distributed by your instructor or open the Zoom application on your computer, select ‘Join’, and enter the meeting ID (the meeting ID is the nine or ten digit number at the end of the Zoom link).
If you have an iPad or other tablet computer, and would like to use this in addition to your laptop, you should join the meeting from their laptop while logged in to Zoom, and then join the class from the tablet by using entering the meeting ID into the Zoom app; this will allow them to keep both devices connected to the class. When they want to share something, they can tap the Share screen button and either use the built-in white board or another tablet writing app, e.g. OneNote or Notability.
If you are using something like a Wacom writing tablet that connects to your laptop, you should first be sure that the correct drivers have been installed (following the instructions that came with the tablet) and that it will work as an input on their computer (a program like OneNote is useful for testing the pen). You should then be able to share the screen on the laptop and again either share the built-in white board of Zoom or use a program like OneNote on the laptop to capture writing.
If you have neither a tablet computer (e.g. iPad) or external writing tablet (e.g. Wacom), then the options for collaborating/showing work are to either attempt using the Zoom white board with the computer mouse or you can write on a piece of paper, take a picture of the paper, and then share that from your computer or phone. There are various apps, e.g. Office Lens from Microsoft, that do a good job of photographing paper and making it legible for sharing. One could also join the Zoom meeting from their phone and have the video show them writing on paper, but this would require positioning the phone’s camera to capture the paper they are writing on.
For Faculty
Some math courses are continuing via live Zoom video conferences, while others are combining prerecorded lectures with live Zoom study sessions. How each course proceeds is at the discretion of the course-head. If faculty would like assistance in determining what will work best for their course, or require technical assistance, please email compudoc@math.princeton.edu.
The three main approaches to teaching via Zoom meetings are:
- Use an iPad or other tablet/touchscreen device as a digital whiteboard.
- Screen-share a PDF of lecture notes to refer to. Absent a touchscreen device, you can use your computer mouse to annotate the document. You may also allow your students to annotate the PDF on screen. Note: the department has a very limited number of writing tablets available for loan; email compudoc@math.princeton.edu to request one.
- Simply point the camera built in to your computer at a home blackboard or whiteboard.
- If you choose this route, please write larger than usual on the board to ensure the camera can see clearly.
- If you are lecturing at your board facing away from the computer, your voice may not be picked up by the microphone very well. You can improve the audio by either using a bluetooth headset or connecting your phone to the Zoom meeting as well and using a headset/microphone connected to your phone.
Using Zoom Video Conferencing:
If you haven’t downloaded the Zoom application:
- Go to www.princeton.edu/zoom
- Click Host
- Enter your NetID and password in the Central Authentication Service screen (Duo will be required)
- Download the Zoominstaller file to download Zoom
- Once the software is installed, the best way to schedule and join Zoom meetings will be by opening the Zoom client on your computer.
- If you are prompted again to login from the Zoom client, select “Sign in with SSO” as the option, and enter ‘princeton’ as the company domain.
Joining a meeting
Once you have installed the Zoom program, you can join an existing meeting either by clicking the link that was sent to you or by clicking the ‘Join’ button in Zoom and entering the nine or ten digit meeting ID number.
If you scheduled the Zoom meeting (see below), you can easily find it by clicking on the ‘Meetings’ button in the Zoom client.
Scheduling a Zoom meeting for your class/review session
Each Zoom meeting you schedule will act as a virtual classroom accessible throughout the semester. To schedule Zoom meetings for your class, click the Schedule Button in the Zoom client
- We recommend you setup one scheduled Zoom meeting for your class session, and separate Zoom meetings for each review session (smaller courses may find one Zoom meeting room sufficient). Each Zoom meeting will essentially be a virtual classroom that you and your students will return to for your lectures/review session.
- From the Schedule tab, you can name your meeting (e.g. “MAT350” lectures or “MAT201 Tuesday 2pm review session”), and instead of setting a specific time you should check the ‘Recurring meeting’ box.
- Select to turn on video for the meeting host (instructor) and participants.
- Finally, click “Advanced Options” and check the boxes for “Enable join before host” and “Mute participants on entry”. If you would like to record your Zoom meetings you can also select “Record the meeting automatically on the local computer” here (you also have the option to enable recording during the meeting itself, see below).
After clicking “Schedule” the program will give you a link that you can copy & paste into an email or Blackboard announcement for your students to access. The meeting invitation Zoom provides is very long; the important parts to send to your students are:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://princeton.zoom.us/j/XXXXXXXXX
Meeting ID: XXX XXX XXX
If students have trouble with the link, they can also join with only the meeting ID, which is simply the number at the end of the link. One can also join a meeting via telephone (voice only) by calling 646-558-8656, and entering the meeting ID when prompted, followed by #.
Sharing screens and digital white boards
Zoom has the capability to share files on your computer (e.g. PDF of lecture note) as well as a built-in digital white board. To use either of these features, click the green ‘Share’ button near the bottom of your Zoom conference window and select what you would like to share. The options will only include files that are already open on your computer, so if you plan to share a PDF, have it opened before you begin. It is recommended not to share your whole desktop, as doing so may inadvertently let your students see other windows (e.g. your email) open on your computer.
To allow your students to share their screens, e.g. to write the solution to a problem, you will have to click the up-arrow next to the ‘Share’ button, select advanced options, and then changing the ‘Who can share?’ option to All Participants (otherwise student’s won’t be able to share their screen).
Using multiple devices (e.g. desktop and iPad) together
You may want to conduct a class using both your desktop/laptop and another device (e.g. iPad). The Zoom software only lets you log in from one device at a time, so in this case you would start the meeting from your desktop computer. Then, from your second device make sure you are logged out of Zoom, select to “Join a meeting”, and enter the meeting ID number (found via your initial meeting invitation or at the top of your Zoom window during the meeting). This will allow you to join the meeting from your secondary device, and from there you can share a digital whiteboard to make notes on.
Posting recorded videos
We recommend posting videos the math department’s own cloud service or directly to blackboard (see OIT’s instructions on posting to blackboard). To request access to our shared video repository, email wcrow@math.princeton.edu.To log in to this system, go to https://cloud.math.princeton.edu, and log in with your math department username and password.
Once you have been added to our shared video repository, click ‘Shared with you’ on the left-hand menu bar and open the ‘Videos’ folder.
If there is not already a folder for your course, you can create one via the ‘+’ button near the top of the screen. Click to enter the folder for your class, click the ‘+’ button near the top, select “Upload file”, and navigate to your recorded lecture on your computer to upload.
To create a link to share with your students, click the share icon (
) on the line of your video file, then on the right-side menu click the ‘+’ button next to “Share link”.
After clicking the ‘+’ button to add a sharing link, the final step is to click the ‘copy’ icon and then paste that link (ctrl-v) into a Blackboard announcement or email to your students.
Starting a Classs
● If it’s your first time using Zoom, visit the Educating Guide: Getting Started
on Zoom and complete the steps in advance of your class to get you set up.
● Schedule your class in the Zoom application for your desired date/time and
copy the invitation details to send to your students.
*Please note that students will not need to register for an account to join.
● Join your class a couple minutes early to ensure a proper connection then
follow the below tips for a quality online learning experience.
Tips and Tricks for Virtual Lessons
● For your first class, set aside some time to introduce your students to Zoom
and ensure that they’re able to connect their audio and video.
● Give an agenda or plan for each class by Screen Sharing a document or slide at the beginning of class. This gives
students a clear idea of how the class will progress, what will be covered, and the activities they’ll engage in.
● Discuss online etiquette and expectations of the students in your first virtual class and periodically revisit the topics.
● Utilize the Whiteboard or Annotate a shared document and let your students engage as well. When sharing a
whiteboard, document, screen, or image, try whiteboarding math problems or have a student use annotation to
highlight items such as grammar mistakes in a paper you’re sharing.
● Take time to promote questions, comments, and reactions from your class. Give a minute to allow your students to
utilize reactions, write their questions in chat, or be unmuted to ask their questions live.
● Divide into smaller groups for a discussion on a certain topic. You can use Zoom’s Breakout Room feature to either
pre-assign or auto-assign students into groups for a short period of time so they may discuss things together.
● Have students be the presenter and share projects with the class. This allows your students to show what they’re
working on while practicing their presentation skills. It also allows students to hear from one another.
Teaching Over Video – Delivery Tips and Tricks
● Pre-set your meeting to mute participant’s microphones upon entry. This helps to avoid background noise and allow
your students to focus on your lesson.
● Look at the camera to create eye contact with your students. This helps to create a more personal connection while
teaching over video.
● Take a second to check chat or your student’s video (if on camera)
to check-in with your students and get feedback.
● Speak as if you’re face-to-face with the class while ensuring
you’re at the appropriate distance from the microphone for the
best audio experience.
● When delivering a presentation, sharing images, files or video,
give your students a moment to open or take in what you’ve
shared.
● Embrace the pause. Take a moment after the end of your
comments and allow for students to engage before continuing on.
Great Tools Built into Zoom for Engagement
● Polling: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/213756303-Polling-for-Meetings
● Breakout Rooms: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206476093-Getting-Started-with-Breakout-Rooms
● Non-verbal Feedback: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115001286183-Nonverbal-Feedback-DuringMeetings
● Virtual Backgrounds: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/210707503-Virtual-Background
● Sharing a Screen: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362153-How-Do-I-Share-My-Screen-
● Whiteboard: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205677665-Sharing-a-whiteboard
● Annotation: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005706806-Using-annotation-tools-on-a-shared-screenor-whiteboard
● Transcription of meetings: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115004794983-Automatically-TranscribeCloud-Recordings-
● Chat: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/203650445-In-Meeting-Chat
Additional Resources
● Outschool, a marketplace for live online classes, has made available Free Remote Teacher Training Webinars showing
how to adapt teaching practices and curriculum to a live video chat classroom. These webinars are led by Outschool’s
experienced teachers who have transitioned from in-person to online teaching. Educators can sign up and find
available times/dates here: https://success.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Twxi9n0qQ5WwdtWOxy6JHQ
Conclusion
Teaching online with Zoom is an excellent way to supplement your income or even start a whole new career. You can set your own hours and work from anywhere in the world. Best of all, you don’t need any special training to do it! Because with Zoom, everyone can be a teacher. But you aren’t here for the lecture. You want to know how.