Many parents are put off by online lessons. Common concerns include the lack of supervision and students can simply “tune out” while the lesson is in progress. In fact, whether these concerns are valid depend really on the teacher conducting the lessons.
I used to conduct physical lessons before the pandemic. During the pandemic, no physical lessons were allowed. I had to pivot all my students to online learning. And it’s no looking back since….
Contrary to popular beliefs, there is no compromise in the quality of online lessons. To ensure that every student benefits, the group is kept small (max 6 each session). And every student must switch on the camera and speaker. No student is allowed to mute or turn off the speaker without permission. This enables me to engage every single one of them and to know if they are following the lesson. When we discuss an essay, every one contributes and brainstorms. Similarly for compreshension, every student will be required to provide answers. In short, my online lessons are fully interactive.
Every lesson online is similar to how I would have delivered face to face. However, online lessons have a lot more benefits. There is no need for students to travel physically (saves time and costs). Online lessons can also be recorded and played back. Parents can view them at their own convenience. Students can also review them for anything they might have missed. Parents can also choose to learn together by logging in from their devices (observing with their camera and mic switched off). And finally, previously, many students could not benefit from my lessons due to proximity issue. With online lessons, I can reach out to students regardless of locations.
The all important question. What about the effectiveness? Many students have achieved distinctions (attached some screen shots).
I hope by sharing this article, those who are ambivalent about online lessons can give it a thought. It really boils down to the teacher. Think about it; if a teacher is not concerned whether students pay attention during lesson, even if the lesson in face to face, it’s simply a waste of students’ time and parents’ money.
