In Class or Online

The weather is better today. I will get to be in person with my students for the first time in three weeks. The snow has forced online classes for much of the semester so far. It’s both a good thing and a bad thing, all at once. The amount of preparation is the same, but the delivery is different.

Online classes sometimes feel like I am talking to myself. I can dress casually and have my heater on to keep me warm during the bitter cold we have endured this winter. I inconvenience everyone in the household by making them put in their earbuds or moving to a different area as I conduct class. I intentionally put participation activities into the lesson online, so the students have to interact on a regular basis. Video clips and polls are a norm when I have to go online to break up the lecture. Sometimes breakout rooms give the students a way to talk to each other. Coming up with ways to make things interesting is really difficult and need to be researched to up my presentation.

Some subjects are easier to teach online than others. It’s a lot easier to teach childhood discipline online than phonics! Phonics is a true struggle when teaching online. The sound quality in online presentations is not as good as in person. Sounds of the phonemes are imperative to the success of the class. I told my class that I feel like I am whispering to them online at times, demonstrating the sounds they need to make! For instance, the sound of /b/. It is not pronounced as a robust “buh”. It is a simple /b/ made with the lips, which makes it sound like you are whispering. The same thing happens with /p/! These pronunciations would feel more natural in person. I was assigned “online” only for this class, so I just make the best of it. Using mini whiteboards has been tried by having students write their answers for spellings on them and hold them up to the camera. It’s not the best. Sometimes, too many windows are open, and the computer acts up. Or maybe it is just the instructor’s error. There are many distractions at home for the students and me. Kids, spouses, dogs, cats, Amazon deliveries, and many other distractions. It has been live and learn.

Being in person means more connection with the students. I can have casual conversations with them and get to know their names more easily. They ask more questions and nod when they understand. The students are more focused. They work collaboratively to answer questions and discuss possible solutions. Problem-solving is more effective in person because of eye contact, brainstorming, and the genuine respect for each other’s ideas. There’s more spontaneity in person. I look forward to seeing the students this afternoon. I look forward to their insights and bright solutions to help children learn to self-regulate their feelings.

But when I get home, phonics will be online for two hours after a brief rest. It is a long two hours just because the dynamics are different. Students are much more reluctant to share their ideas online than in person. I understand that the online format helps students on all campuses when they need the class in a certain semester, and it might not be offered where they are. I’m happy that this is a possibility for them. I remember having to wait a year to take a class I needed because it was not offered when I needed it.

I’ll keep doing my best to research ways to make phonics more “dynamic” in presentation. I’m trying!

Later…