Work was about start in fifteen minutes. I was still in last night’s clothing. Managed to find a decent top, grabbed an Ariani tudung and my reading glasses and was right in front of the laptop within five minutes flat.
That’s the beauty of online teaching – this new technology which once frightened me has proven to be quite exciting. Within minutes of logging in, the student came online, hardly aware of the fact that I had a kain pelikat on with different coloured socks. What mattered was from shoulders upwards I was professional looking, ready to do the job at hand.
The first lesson went smoothly as if I had worked with the tools for years; different from the confines of a classroom. While student was doing exercises, I could let the cat out, start the drier and make endless cups of coffee! As long as the camera stays in place, who was to know that there’s a pile of laundry on the sofa, or another pile in the laundry basket near the garden door. All the student could see was an impressive stack of books behind me. Impression counts. And he still couldn’t see my odd socks!
But during the three hour session, I learnt a few things that one must not do during online sessions; teaching or coaching. Do not hover over the camera to reach out for something. Tudung or no tudung, your breasts would be suffocating the person at the other end. DO NOT look over the camera as the other person can see up your nostrils, and DO NOT munch muruku when you thought student is silently doing exercise. If you need to do so, remove the headset…the munching and crunching of muruku can be annoying.
And when you need coffee, remember to remove the microphone or push it aside, as you risk dunking microphone in mug of coffee!
It has indeed been a learning experience!!
(Now excuse me, I need to have a bath!)
That’s the beauty of online teaching – this new technology which once frightened me has proven to be quite exciting. Within minutes of logging in, the student came online, hardly aware of the fact that I had a kain pelikat on with different coloured socks. What mattered was from shoulders upwards I was professional looking, ready to do the job at hand.
The first lesson went smoothly as if I had worked with the tools for years; different from the confines of a classroom. While student was doing exercises, I could let the cat out, start the drier and make endless cups of coffee! As long as the camera stays in place, who was to know that there’s a pile of laundry on the sofa, or another pile in the laundry basket near the garden door. All the student could see was an impressive stack of books behind me. Impression counts. And he still couldn’t see my odd socks!
But during the three hour session, I learnt a few things that one must not do during online sessions; teaching or coaching. Do not hover over the camera to reach out for something. Tudung or no tudung, your breasts would be suffocating the person at the other end. DO NOT look over the camera as the other person can see up your nostrils, and DO NOT munch muruku when you thought student is silently doing exercise. If you need to do so, remove the headset…the munching and crunching of muruku can be annoying.
And when you need coffee, remember to remove the microphone or push it aside, as you risk dunking microphone in mug of coffee!
It has indeed been a learning experience!!
(Now excuse me, I need to have a bath!)
