Whiteboards have replaced the colours that use chalk dust to pass on information to students. Slowly but surely things are changing in the education sector; however, the growth has been exponential over the past year since the spread of a deadly virus which has become a household name for everyone these days. In such difficult times, the online sessions help you lift the burden off your shoulders of having to manage other duties from within the physical teaching space.
With the mode of teaching having been under constant change, the teachers would also need to update themselves for more interactive hours in the virtual classrooms. Those rectangular screens may not capture every movement of your body to the tee, but every gesture makes a difference nonetheless. Paying attention to what is being conveyed in a classroom through your actions is as important as researching the topics. There is always something beyond just speaking in a room of students that make your sessions more engaging. Here is a glimpse of the importance of body language in online teaching.
1. Eyes Speak a Language
Bear in mind that you should never keep your eyes glued to the material you are referring to or the comfortable space around you that lets you speak with ease. The connection with students can be instantly initiated with the words that your irises speak. Make sure to maintain eye contact when you are speaking to them.
2. Gesture Your Knowledge
Unless the teacher exhibits an energetic spirit with their body language to keep the session alive, all methods of learning would appear dismal to the students. Impassive teaching is not taking you anywhere in the process of building a career in the educational sector. Retention is an area many teachers lack the expertise to expand on. One of the most crucial factors to improving your current number is by training yourself for a refined body language.
3. Use Your Arms
A proven way to up your game is the proper usage of your arms, meaning you must know when and how to use particular gestures to make a point. Every movement of your arm has the ability to draw the attention of the students. Online teaching is no fun if you idle through the hour to simply get the session done with. Put your hands to use in the classroom so that you don’t generate hundred snores per hour.
4. Take Your Time and Body to Appreciate the Students
Brownie points have become a concept that means more than just materialistic gains. Students crave these achievements and occasional pats on their backs to keep going. Take some time to praise the students who have performed well. Try signalling to students with a thumbs-up, an applause, or even a nod of your head.
5. Encourage Questions by Creating Curiosity
Steepling for a comfortable resting spot for your head isn’t the posture you must adopt. Try and tilt your head a little while you hold your chin so that a sense of curiosity is inspired when encouraging questions from the room.
6. Do Not Forget to Give Them a Smile
It costs no extra dollar to give away a smile that infuses energy into a classroom. Inculcate a culture among the students where they also practice smiling and positivity to ensure a happier course of life. Besides the development of such a life skill, smiling also aids in the process of maintaining the engagement rate in your online classroom. Make your smile a part of your body language to pave a way into the hearts of students and subsequently into their brains.
Learning and teaching are the two sides of a coin, and there surely needs to be a balance between the two. It is only when everyone contributes to a session that it continues to inspire. As a teacher, build a rapport with your students using your body, which is your natural tool to success.
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