Every teacher goes into teaching for one reason or another, but many of them share a passion for sharing knowledge with younger folks. That said, being a teacher has never been more challenging than it is right now. COVID-19 has put a major monkey wrench in teachers’ usual processes and environment. If you’re going to teach remotely in the upcoming semester, you’re probably scared regardless of whether you’re a techy person or not. We understand your fear and want to help with these tips for teachers shifting to online classrooms. Read on to learn more.

Keep Ergonomics in Mind for Your Own Sake

Unlike in a regular classroom, you don’t have the option to move around very much. That said, it’d be in your best interest to get a comfortable office chair and possibly a standing desk (if you’re able to stand for long periods of time). If we learned anything during this pandemic, it’s that our health and wellness is crucial and an ergonomic setup is a must for every teacher working remotely.

Record Lectures

You should record your lectures and presentations for two reasons. First, if a student happens to feel ill, they’re encouraged to rest now more than ever. By recording your lecture, you can send them the video file to view on their own time when they’re feeling better. Additionally, playing a recorded lecture as opposed to livestreaming is less demanding on your internet. In other words, you’re more likely to experience audio and video lag when livestreaming than you would when playing a recorded lecture. 

Encourage Student Engagement

The hardest part about teaching online is engagement. If you’re teaching younger kids, it’ll likely be easy to get them to participate compared to teaching high school students. Either way, you’re the teacher––use that to your advantage and encourage students to participate in discussions and activities.

Ensure You Have a Great Internet Connection and Plan

Unsurprisingly, your internet connection is the only medium you have to connect to your students while teaching remotely. That said, you need to ensure the plan you have with your internet provider can support your needs. You can contact your provider to make sure your current plan is suitable. Additionally, you need a reliable connection, and the best way to achieve that is with a wired connection. Get some Cat5e ethernet cables and make sure they don’t show any signs you should replace them.

We understand your job is challenging right now, but you also have one of the most important careers. Students desperately need you, and we hope these tips for teachers shifting to online classrooms will help you focus on your students.