Education is quickly moving into the digital realm. There are apps for everything teachers and students need - from lesson planning to flashcards to behaviour monitoring. Classrooms are getting flipped. Classes are taking place online, while practice and remediation are happening in person. High schools are offering online courses for graduation credit and, once students graduate, they can earn certain college degrees without ever stepping foot on campus.
Teaching online may seem like it is the wave of the future, but it is happening now. You have probably even considered making the switch from teaching traditionally to teaching online. But maybe not knowing what it is really like or what has stopped you from moving forward. There is a lot to learn about online teaching. It is not a matter of teaching your go-to lesson plans in front of a video camera and pushing the send button.
Here are a few insights into what it is like to teach online.
1. Can you set — and maintain — boundaries?
If setting boundaries is complex for you, you may find online teaching challenging. Setting boundaries is critical when managing students in the virtual classroom and controlling your home environment. Gentle but firm is the way to go here. Stay objective. Remember always to include a word or two of encouragement. Most of the time, the online student is simply fearful of not succeeding. That anxiety may bubble over into email and inappropriate online communications. Stay gentle, yet within your boundary. Wondering which is the best platform for online tutoring? Check out Mykademy’s cool features that will bring you to the spotlight. Create and Sell online courses today!
2. Do you work well within strict guidelines?
Just because you may have the luxury of working in your PJs doesn’t mean you can’t skimp on professionalism. If your personality is more ‘go with the flow’ than compliance-oriented, you may find becoming an online teacher puts a cramp in your style. However, if you love details and juggling multiple balls at once — without dropping any — then you and Mykademy may be a great match. It is easy and flexible to start and manage your online class with the help of robust Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Mykademy, which provides new and upcoming edupreneurs with everything you need.
3. Are you great at self-management?
Becoming an online teacher requires a high degree of motivation and self-direction. If you’re someone who can’t resist ‘taking a break’ every 10 minutes to see who’s messaging, then online teaching may not be the gig for you. If you can sit and focus on specific tasks for sizable periods — whether it be managing the classroom, conducting administrative tasks, or grading assignments — then becoming an online teacher could be very rewarding. The good news is that online teachers can work whenever and wherever they desire. If the freedom to self-manage your time and work is a high career priority for you, then you’ll love this aspect of online teaching!
If you have access to established online learning platforms like Mykademy, use it to get started today! You will gain access to various features that will relieve you from stressing about the technical side of things.
4. Can you be reliably available?
With great power comes great responsibility. While you have the freedom and flexibility to work whenever and wherever you want, you need to remember that your students need you. The online classroom is open 24/7 and 365 days per year, and nothing turns off online students more than an unresponsive tutor. Are you available for more than 24 to 48 hours a stretch during the class term?
5. Do you take student success or failure personally?
Finally, your mantra must be: an online student’s success or failure is, ultimately, their own. As online teachers, we facilitate classroom discussions, encourage struggling students, provide relevant resources, and give support freely - but each online student must do his or her work. It can be easy to slip into a feeling that you did not do enough as an online teacher to ‘make’ a student succeed. Resist this temptation. Trust that your online students will thrive as they are able.
Lastly, if you’re comfortable with technology and can quickly adapt to the latest and greatest new online tools, you’re probably a great candidate for becoming an online teacher. However, it takes more than just knowing how to teach in a traditional classroom and being proficient with technology to teach online. You have to understand and accept that online classrooms require different skills and mindsets about teaching plus learning.
Join Mykademy today and check out how we can be the perfect partner in your journey towards becoming the best in what you do. Build your own online course today and get a free trial for 14 days.
