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!)
34 comments:
Salam Kak Teh,
How do you know if your student is not doing the same? If you were to be skyping with me at this present moment, you would know that I'm still in my kain pelikat, heheheh....
Salam Oldstock, yes, i never thought of that!! but i saw him walking off , all smartly dresses too. hehe! well somehow kain pelikat seems to be the in thing. I am in one now. aaaah, too much info. Thanks for the comment. I ahve not blogged for such a long time and its difficult coming back....so, i just wrote about something that just happened. that way, i will record it.
Salam
Nice piece and enjoyed this one...a good laugh as well and really need it at this time of the day.
Dr.Fatimah Kari(UM)
So what do you call an online teacher? "Cikgu Maya"?
Salam Kak Teh.
Wow...it has been looooong overdue.....I mean the new entry!
DR fatimah, thanks for the visit. Am indeed learning the new experience. Glad you enjoyed the piece.
OSH, how about Cik Gu Bergayut? (online) hehe!!
Salam Uncle, I know I hhave been neglecting the blog - there's still so much to do and i guess busy is good. I miss blogging and will certainly come back --surely BUT slowly, I will be back, Insyaallah!
Oh what a wonderful post. Reminds me of Lat's cartoons of the newscaster in kain pelikat!
That was one nice post, thanks for coming back (to blogging I mean;))
Kita di Duyong.. bangun pagi pakai kain batik.. singgoh tengok orang main dam dua tiga papang sebelum gi ita nasi dagang...
Ninotaziz, yes...thanks fr reminding of that Lat cartoon! I remember too my friend, a broadcaster who told me that that was what he did - wear a kain pelikat LOL!
En Wan Sharif, I have been toying with the idea of blogging again, but there doesn't seem to have enough hours in a day..but I kow i mut make an effort , if only to document my sometimes mundane and sometimes not so mundane life...thank you too for coming back to read.
salam kak teh.. keep writing..!! miss your stories etc..
Mulan, thanks!! I missed blogging but its so difficult to make the first step to come back..Insyaallah, will try to keep up with all of you bloggers tegar!!
Hi Kak Teh, it's been a while. Miss reading your very interesting write-ups. Yes, do come back to blogosphere often, if time permits cikgu bergayut! :)
ilene, you are one of the few bloggers tegar!! I think i gave up when i had so much to do...and akthough i had gone places and done so many things which,in thoise days merit a blog entry, i felt tired and drained. Yes, now i am ready to come back...so beware!! hehe! oh, i met up with THE STUDENT and wanted to take pictures to show you, but THAT STUDENT shy laa. she said no make up on.we had a nice time eating student food on student budget!! hehe that student belanja me.
I didn't know THAT student can feel shy! hahaha ... Am glad you both had a good time. Err ... student bribing cikgu? ;)
ilene, ya, that student shy one...esecially when she hasnt got her make-up on! LOL!! But she is not my student. I pity her, her course sounds difficult. I hope to see her agaain, especially on Mondays - when she has got cakes and things she brings from home. That woman pandai masak, you know. She made me some cakes and kaya as well.
"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."
Oh me, oh my. That got me laughing right out loud! You are one amazing lady, Kak Teh. Your students are lucky to have you. :)
Kenny dear, I have had six days of online teaching - three hours a day. I never knew I would enjoy it that much. There's so much that can be done. I never liked teaching but this has sort of injected something new in teaching.
Dont tell anyone - BUT when student was doing exercise - I was playing with Angry Birds!!! LOL!!
Thanks so much for the blog comments, and so glad to have you back :) Great post!
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
Hi Sarah, you have some wonderful tips in your blog! Its always god to have a discussion - and I am always learning. Thanks!
Salamm Kak Teh,
Tenggelam timbul nampaknya Kak Teh. Busyla tu. Very rare updates now. Anyways, emailed you some old pics of you I found in some mags. Dont know whether you got it or not. Take care.
Arena , biasalaaaa, macam bernapaih tak lepaih gitu!! I received yes, didnt I reply?? Ish teruknya kak teh. I have been so busy which is good. Balik baru ni, kak teh dok bangi and teringat Arena. Bila nak mai london lagi?
Well, Angry Birds is a sort of exercise too, I suppose. Hehe.
Kenny dear, says kak teh in all seriousness, Angry Birds is a good exercise to test your reflexes, precision targeting and anger management all in one.
Yup... my former boss (who is a grandmother) plays Angry Birds too! Me, I'm still to tackling angry tweets and comments, haha. :P
P.S. Not that there are ANY angry tweets or comments. No wonder my reflexes are so poor! :P
Kenny dear, just exercise those muscles to produce your gems!! My Angry Birds days should be put to an end as its really making me very angry.. :)
Hehehehe, farni lah KT. Made me laugh while in the midst of my work....
Salam.
Thank God Kak Teh's back again :-) Saya pun dah start blog semula after a year of hiatus.
JoeBangla
Dr ve thru, miss you too. I cant bother you too much as you are now a student and you have to work hard. But am here for you if you need a shoulder, an ear or anything. Call, ya!
Abang Tam, good to know you are back. I was wondering about you. Will stop by at your new blog and read up about your adventures. I am so happy you are okay. Was quite worried about the development of events while you were there.
Dear Kak Teh,
Last weekend, my BFF told me over lunch that she is planning to enrol for the online Creative Writing course with UEA. I am not sure which bowled me over more - her doing a Creative Writing course (my BFF is VERY left-brained), OR the fact that there is an online course, AND/OR that it's UEA. The UEA? Oh, man! nearly spat my coffee onto her crisp white shirt.
Given that I have started working from home in KL vs doing the weekly KUL-HKG-KUL commute (very long story, one that nearly ended in a messy divorce), I am naturally piqued at the prospect of these online courses and hv been doing quite abit of investigating myself. Do you know that there's even an online drawing course with Central St Martins? Uhmmm.. I may enrol for that one coz I always wanted to learn how to draw n illustrate my blogposts. And also, must add..the.. uhmm.. lecturer is quite a hunk! *gelak*
My dear Cara Lim, I felt a lump in my throat reading that bit abt NEARLY ended etc etc...so, it didn't happen? Thank God!!
Oh i didnt know that UEA has an online creative writing course - I know that UEA has one of the best creative writing courses around. Thanks for telling me cos I too might want to enroll. I dont know abt st martins and online drawing course. How does one draw online :)
anyway, will find out, but HEY!!! I 'm glad you are back and still inn one piece!
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