Previously, I wrote that one of the most important aspects of online teaching is entertaining the students. After 4 weeks of teaching online I want to highlight that the element of fun in your online teaching is CRITICAL to your class. If you want to keep students in your class or even recruit new students it has to be enjoyable. If a parent has to be sitting beside the student the whole time. Telling them to pay attention and repeat after the teacher. That student is doing to drop out or not sign up. The child doesn't enjoy the class and you've given an already stressed parent another job. To be your co-teacher.
I know many teachers are continuing using textbooks. Asking children to read and write. Nice and easy for the teacher, and for the student's it just like their ordinary class, but it's not! They're at home. They have a million things to distract them as well as the fact they are on their computer. They can be watching youtube at the same time as being in class.
The biggest mistake you can make as a teacher is thinking that in-person teaching and online teaching should have the same delivery method and use the same lesson plans. They are different and need to be treated differently.
Here are my tips to make your online classes enjoyable, but also to enhance learning.
- Include movement as much as possible. If you're counting. Jump and count. If you're singing ABC's march as you say them. Find any excuse to get students up and burning energy.
- Play to learn. It's a philosophy I have recently been using a lot more in my classes. Learning doesn't need to be holding up flashcards and repeating back. Roleplay the vocabulary word. Play a game that corresponds to it. Some online platforms you can put a background behind you. Make a shop behind you and sell the vocabulary words to the students. Make it playful.
- Games and activities. There is so much already out there on google for online games you can incorporate into your class. Use them
