What are your challenges when teaching online?

When writing the question I have been thinking how to phrase it:
"What are your challenges with online teaching?" 

NO!

I try to avoid using this expression, because I don't think I am 'Online teaching'.  

I also do 'Online Teaching', and I think there is a huge difference between this and 'Teaching Online'.

If you are not sure what I am talking about here, let me know and I will maybe write another article on this.

However - time is sooo limited-  I try to keep it as relevant as possible.

And I do apologize that I have been making myself so rare!  It indeed is a busy time, and I am grateful for it while at the same time I am sad, that I just cannot share more.

​Before going into strategies, I have been asking about

Challenges

Some of the answers I got, expressed  just what I am facing, too.

'It is harder to make it funny and get everyone laughing.'

'It is hard to know what the kids see or hear'

Interestingly many of the challenges shared were things that surprised me and I have been wondering why.

For example:

'Making sure parents don't tell kids the answer'

'Class Management>>siblings intruding, playing with pets, no concentration focus on the camera'

'Teaching writing virtually'

Why am I so surprised?  Because these three are the things I am enjoying most of these virtual classes. 

Change your lens and viewpoint!

Tip for No.1:

1.1.Change your viewpoint!  What are the good points of this?

Parents are finally involved.  Isn't this what we always wanted?  Parents experience first hand HOW our lessons are and what is important.  They become learners, too.
Kids feel secure and save.  This is another way to become confident.  Learning to swim is not always and only about jumping into the zone where your feet don't have any ground.

1.2. Make the questions interesting, engaging and out-of-the box.

If we ask 'textbook style questions' parents and students of course will get the impression that it needs to be a textbook style answer:

How are you>I am ....
When is your birthday?>>It is ...
Where are you from? >>>I'm from ...

These are drills, and I avoid them all together to teach content.  As a drill, I use them ONLY in time raced warm ups.  The stop watch (or what so ever to race against) will not give the time to whisper answers.

Instead of drilled Q and As I create questions that are relevant, and can be answered in different ways.  

1.3  Don't ask too many questions at all!
I really do not ask questions most of the time.  I find this time of teaching online ideal to give input input input, in so many engaging and fun ways.

Where do I get the output?

Assignments!

In these two months, my students have grown and improved amazingly.  Pronunciation, reading ability, writings.  

With most of my classes I would say, they learned as much in two month as it would usually have taken us half a year.

​

What I enjoy Most:  SEeing (and hearing) the Dads

In Japan it was Golden Week, meaning everyone was off, unrelated to the 'Stay Home Call'.
I decided to do lessons as normally, because I saw it as a good chance for everyone involved.

I am happy I did:
I had dads instead of moms next to their kids, I had dads dancing and jumping, I had dads running around the house to find things for a 'out of the blue treasure hunt', I had dads screaming 'WELL DONE' and 'AMAZING' in the back of the room, cheering their kids.  

Sorry, I will need to write another post for the other points, as this one got so long~anyway, I really believe it will help you a lot if you just change your point of view.


If you still have questions on this let me know;  I will try to find the time to answer.