"Everyone who remembers his own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system." –Sidney Hook
Online education has transformed the face of the world of education completely. Classrooms now have no physical boundaries, no geographical limitations, and no fixed timings. Students, as well as teachers, now have more flexible ways of communicating with each other. Online teaching not only saves time and effort but also makes people more tech-savvy. Online education, which was a need of the hour until sometime, has become a choice for many people now. However, being an online teacher comes with uncountable responsibilities and requires a lot of management. Teachers do try to make their classes as effective and efficient as possible, but teachers are not computers or machines. And hence they tend to make a few errors too. Here are the top 6 mistakes that an online teacher should totally avoid to ace their role-
- Not choosing the right teaching app- Online teaching requires a lot of time management, good technological skills, and the right online teaching app. Since online teachers have the responsibility of managing multiple classes, it is essential for them to choose the right platform for conducting their classes. They should choose an app that is equipped with prime features like automated attendance, live polls, and live class recording, etc. This will not only add to their efficiency but will also help their students perform better in exams.
- Lack of doubt sessions- No matter how well you explain a concept to the students, they will still have a gazillion questions in mind. There can be no happier moment for a teacher than seeing their students putting effort into understanding something. An online teacher should make sure to conduct enough doubt clearing sessions for the students. Clearing each and every doubt of the students is what makes a teacher a wonderful guide and educator. Since both teachers and the students prefer online classes, it becomes even crucial for the online teachers to make sure that whatever they try to deliver, reaches the students the exact same way.
- Not making classes engaging- Since online classes allow everyone to attend classes from their preferred location, physical presence can be avoided. To make sure that the students do not find the classes monotonous or boring, an online teacher should focus more on making the classes engaging and interactive. Teachers can make use of features like live polls or online quiz to make their classes more interesting. Students love it when the classes are interactive rather than being one-sided boring lectures.
- Being too strict- Gone are the days when teachers were expected to maintain a strict image in front of their students to handle them well. The students of the 21st century expect their teachers to understand them well, correct them wherever needed and appreciate them when they excel in something. In short, students appreciate when teachers maintain a cordial relationship with them. There is no rule which states that maintaining a friendly relationship with the students or understanding their emotional needs is inappropriate. In fact, many educational psychologists, therapists, and counselors suggest online teachers to engage with students as much as possible in order to accelerate their learning.
- Uncomfortable feedbacks- Online teachers may sometimes not realize that whatever they say may directly affect their students. A teacher may not have any intention of making the students feel bad, but their unintentional actions like giving feedback in front of everyone may hurt the students badly. In case, if an online teacher wants to correct their students, point out their mistakes, or scold them for something wrong they did, they should always consider having a conversation personally. This will make the students feel safer and trust their teachers even more.
- Comparing students- In order to motivate the students, teachers sometimes compare the performance of the topper with the other students of the class. This may bring the morale of students really down. Online teachers should always make sure to avoid drawing such comparisons and understand that every student is unique. The learning pace of two students may differ from each other and comparing the two of them is not correct. For instance, comparing two colors blue and pink is of no use because both of them are different and have their unique qualities, the same is the case for students. Teachers should rather motivate their students to be a better version of themselves.
"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." –Mark Van Doren
Teachers are the biggest asset any country can have, we are thankful for all the teachers who put all their heart and soul into teaching.
Happy Teaching!
Teachmint is keen on changing the future of education with its advanced LMS and ERP tools. With more than 20+ modules for educational institutions like admission management, attendance management system, performance management, and more; it is changing the teaching-learning experience.
