Online lesson basics: part 2

Last month, I touched on my first few points of what makes a good online lesson. You may have different options or ideas, these are just mine so far. What makes a rich online lesson or experience for our kids. That is what I keep asking myself. By rich, I don’t just mean fun and engaging. It can be easy to confuse fun with a meaningful learning opportunity. After another round of Zoom sessions, here are my final few tips to share:

1. Praise and feedback: simply hearing a positive comment might be the only time that week a student has a good thing happen. We simply don’t know what kids are going through at home so the more we can praise them and build their confidence the better. This is hard work. It’s hard on them, especially our grade 6 students. What a final year of primary school. Often hearing something good, kind or helpful can change the mood. I have watched it on the screen. Self-confidence and feeling good about themselves is always essential for students. Doesn’t mean we have to stop because it is behind a screen. Build up your students. Timely and relevant feedback can also support students straight away. They can action what you say. After all, your praise may be the only praise they hear. 

2. Time for students to work: I have found much better online success when students have time to work. I usually introduce a focus, briefly teach and get them to try the focus independently. They share their work or I ask them to type in their answers in the chat. I usually have two ten minute work times in a forty-minute Zoom session. This helps make the time go quicker.

3. Brief experiences: I love at the end of a lesson when a student comments on how time has flown or wow that went quickly. Good. It is a sign of engagement for me. We want kids to feel that. Time to go by and not drag on. The more they feel time goes slowly, the less likely they are to engage. I didn’t extend Zoom minutes for this reason. You can see primary school students zone out after twenty minutes. Short and sharp mini-tasks has always been more of my style. I
Many students express how they learn better with short and sharp tasks and online is no different. 

4. Lesson summary: I usually email students a summary of the lesson just in case they need a recap. During Zoom or online meetings, there is so much information coming in that you may miss the basics. Students may get lost in the sheer volume of information coming in. Often emailing or posting a lesson summary or cheat sheet can remind students of what the key information of the lesson was.  

5. Call to action: I tried to end every lesson with a call to action or a follow-up task. Why? I want students to have a chance to independently try what they have discovered. A chance to revise or trial new strategies. It also sets the expectations that students need to keep working even when you are not there. I have found great results with my students having a Google form or Doc after an online workshop. 

Whatever system works for your students, you need to build the path with them. The path won’t be clear straight away so allow yourself plenty of time to get to know what is working and isn’t working online with your students. Each class is unique. It is a group of individuals in vastly different situations at home. Allow flexibility and remind yourself that kindness and compassion is the most important skill when teaching online. We simply do not know the full extent of what our students go through in their homes.