Just had my ‘live teaching’ training- someone cheer me up?

[Cathpot]

Up until now we have been setting and marking work online. It’s been busy but I’m in a good routine now, my classes are doing the work, learning new things, I give lots of feedback , I feel like I’m on top of it. The school has starting to trial live lessons via Microsoft teams which are not as yet compulsory but I can see where it’s going. I had a very depressing meeting today- on Teams- to go through it. The kids aren’t allowed their camera on so we can’t see them, they need to be muted most of the time or it is too distracting, And the chat function off so they don’t muck about on it. We have to trust they are there but presumably they could join and then bugger off - as the whole this is recorded so they could watch later. We also need another staff member passively in the lesson as a safeguarding backup. I just can’t see how it is better than a prerecorded video and can see lots of reasons it will be worse, and very time consuming and less effective than what’s in place now . I’m feeling really negative this evening which is not my normal state of mind. Anyone got positive things to say about their experience with live online teaching?

No, sorry. We are being steered in that direction but my home internet is so crap that I'm using that as my excuse. Last week my HoY messaged me on Teams and the connection died, so at least he knows how rubbish it is.

I have managed to run an online quiz & chat with my y7 tutor group on Friday afternoons. I ask them to mute for the quiz, but invariably some don't and it's ok. When we finish, they have a chat to each other and I mute but listen to make sure they are behaving. Keeping it all low-key and "fun" seems to work.

I also do some instrumental teaching using Teams video. It's not bad for 2 kids but disconcerting when the sound & picture don't match. One kid has equally bad connectivity so that's really tricky. Laptop speakers don't flatter lower registered instruments either so I find it really mentally taxing.

Why do you need another teacher? You can just record it on Teams and it remains for around 3 weeks so if some miss it, they can watch it later. I used to record my individual lessons but the parents normally wave to me at the start & end so I don't bother now.

Sorry, probably not much help. Can you do say a 10 or 15 minute part of a lesson as a trial and see how that goes? I would suggest that is more beneficial that trying to do a whole lesson, and then you look like you are showing willing.

Yes , that is a good idea to show willing And do short starter video . I’m also trying out embedding video into PowerPoints - which I do like ( once I’ve got over how I look and sound on video) - and that might also count in some way as not being completely anti technology . I’m just feeling a bit maxed out I think - I’m on a 0.5 contract and I’m already doing a really full week, the thought of having to plan completely differently is making my neck itch!

We do love teaching via Teams but not with some of those restrictions. It's up to us to allow kids to speak or not.. Some record their lessons but I don't so if the kids want to speak or be on camera they can. Private school though so small classes which helps.
One good tip is to set up a 'fake team'. Record lessons into that Team then use Sharepoint to put them into the Team you want it in, Y8 or whatever. Use the Fake Team to practise using Teams, setting up Kahoots and Assignments etc.

Live teaching, not love teaching!!

With those restrictions, you are right, you might as well do a pre-recorded video.

I've started doing them recently and really enjoyed it. it's been particularly useful when I've wanted to go through a test paper, or it's a maths-type lesson (I'm science) that I know the kids will struggle with, or if I want to show them how to do something eg. how to draw graphs in excel/google sheets. However, it's up to us whether they have the microphone on and they do keep the chat function on. We do not allow cameras on. I let them have their microphones on at the beginning and the end, just because I like hearing the sound of their voices, but then I make them use the chat function for the main part of the lesson. I wouldn't see the point of it if we couldn't at least have the chat function on. I'm constantly asking them questions all the way through and getting them to do calculations, and they write their answers into the chat.

We use teams. No cameras on. They can raise their hands to speak on microphone or speak via chat. Lesson is recorded and don't need extra member of staff for safeguarding.

Thanks for positive comments- I feel better today . I’m going to sit in on my own child’s live lessons (same school) just to get a feel, although her school iPad doesn’t have the app she needs and needs to be dropped to IT to sort out, so that won’t be this week . I chatted to a pupil in school today about what she liked about them and it’s basically ( and unsurprisingly) things being verbally explained and in hers the teacher was team teaching and one teacher had put the chat on fielding questions and the other was presenting . I think by the time they become mandatory the kinks will have been ironed out a bit.

Malbecfan - can you not go into school and use the school internet connection?

I’ve really enjoyed it. Different things work with different classes - I have small GCSE classes so we have the mics open and discuss things as we go along. Some of them do bugger off but not much you can do about that. The fact they can’t see each other means they’re either in the lesson listening or they’re not not but what they’re not really able to do is distract and interrupt you as they might in a classroom. They are more focused generally I think.

You don’t need an additional teacher for safeguarding if you record - recording means you can share with those who aren’t there, and when you remind them it’s being recorded they know you have evidence for their parents in a way you don’t in a classroom.

The only real issue I have is me talking too much - the silence is deafening and I am just waffling on and on and on...! I am telling myself jokes and laughing when I do something daft they can’t see. I had an email from a parent last week thanking me for my ‘interaction’ as her son was really enjoying it!