Top 10 Teachers tips

Synchronous, ‘live’ teaching online to a group of children is very different than doing the same in-person–and neither are easy. When you plan backward from the context and characteristics of remote teaching and learning–where distractions are uncontrollable, bandwidth matters, and students are not with their friends but rather their family–the lesson or activity has a better chance to work. Think small, bite-sized learning activities with clear objectives and intentional transitions–all while planning for and necessitating student engagement and autonomy. Actually, that’s not as different from ‘good teaching’ in-person as it seems.

Working remotely (in general) is the next challenge. Without the perfect environment and a good amount of self-discipline, stay-at-home-job can become a nightmare. With a little planning, this can be avoided. Firstly, set up a workspace. If possible, this space should be intended for work only. You want this space to be friendly and inviting, but also encourage productive work behavior. Keep your work environment free of distractions like television, other family members, or household chores. Natural lighting and an ergonomic chair can go a long way in setting up your ideal work environment.

I’m in several different VIPKID Facebook groups and internet speed seems to be the hot topic 99% of the time. I understand it can be a bit confusing, especially for new teachers. So that’s why I hope this bit of “insider” VIPKID information helps those who are wondering about internet stability. There is a definite way to check your internet speed and that is through the VIPKID app on your phone or tablet. Find it by going to the “Account” tab on the bottom menu. Once you are here, you’ll see a small hexagon in the top right-hand corner (it looks like a nut or bolt); this is your settings menu. Choose the settings menu and click on “Network Diagnostics”. The VIPKID app will automatically begin testing your internet speed and stability. If your connection is suitable for teaching, it will say “your internet connection seems okay”. If it’s not suitable for teaching, it will say “your internet connection is unstable”.

Online classrooms, as mentioned before, run differently than traditional classrooms. These classrooms have the potential to feel cold mechanical. Initiating and encouraging discussions can go a long way in terms of how your students feel in class. Encourage participation, much like you would in class. There are a variety of ways you can encourage participation from discussions to posting lectures, to assigning reading material, to monitoring progress. You want your students involved on a weekly basis as opposed to just turning in assignments. Student involvement (planned, in-depth discussions, for example) gets your students working with the material in ways that they may not do on their own. This leads your students to get more out of your class - more than just a grade.