Adapting to teaching online

The way teachers deliver the lesson has turned upside down too. Before the pandemic, teachers can meet and interact with students face-to-face in the classroom. Now, we are forced to meet our students from online meeting platforms such as Zoom Meeting, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.

Obviously, there are certain things that teachers cannot do while teaching online, and these have become a struggle for many teachers, even for those who are experienced.

Some may say that I enjoy this new situation where we teach online. Well, let me tell you, there are moments when I desperately want to scream in frustration (FYI, I did this a couple of times after making sure my microphone is mute and my camera is turned off., LOL).

As teachers, we must continually dare ourselves and upgrade our skills. With the pandemic, teachers are challenged to learn and adapt to the new situation. Unfortunately, some teachers need more time adapting to this new situation while other teachers who are pretty used to technology find it easier to adjust.

Here are some things you as an educator can do to adapt to the virtual environment.

I can say that I could adjust to this new way of teaching considerably quickly. Thanks to my dad, who provided me and my brothers computers and gadgets when we were kids. As the Academic Team Leader, I have helped (until now) teachers in my school deal with technical issues. From how to share the screen in Zoom Meeting to creating engaging lessons for online classes.

However, not all of us are tech-savvy. That said, it is essential to familiarise yourself with all the educational tools and platforms. You need to learn the ropes of whatever platforms you are using. Go to Youtube and watch the tutorials or ask for your colleague's help.

I have to admit, teaching online does have some issues which affect my lesson's aims and classroom management. Let's see internet connection as one of the examples. When the connection isn't stable, either my connection or students', like it or not, I have to adjust the time, allowing students to have more time to do the tasks. As a result, I sometimes cannot finish what I'm planning.

Therefore, you need to be realistic with our lessons' aims. There will be times when you have to split the lesson into two meetings in online classes. It's perfectly okay. Just remember, your students are the priority. It's better to extend the lesson so that students can grasp and understand it well.

Be creative with your teaching resources.

One of the struggles many teachers face is how to use traditional resources they have in an online environment. I'm personally very grateful to teachers worldwide who generously share their ideas and teaching resources. They have opened a gate of new ideas, and I can proudly say I have made several worksheets too.

When I conducted a teachers' sharing session in my school, almost all teachers said they didn't know which resources to use. Others said they spent hours searching for the perfect worksheet on the internet or creating worksheets to suit their lessons.

What I can say is that you need to take advantage of your resources. Find a way to blend the traditional learning worksheets with the newer, more collaborative tools. For example, I use Google Jamboard a lot in my classes because I can quickly put the traditional paper worksheet into Jamboard for students to do. Now, there are many websites that provide online worksheets and allow you to create one too.

One thing to bear in mind is that students are also struggling with the transition. Therefore, we need to put students on the top of our priority list. Whatever the lesson is and how it is delivered, make sure we keep it lively and straightforward

How about you, teachers? How do you adjust your teaching in the virtual environment? Let's share in the comment!