Online Classroom Management

With no experience of online classes, I had to switch to a new situation within 24 hours, on my own, without help.

We were "thrown" into a situation that was completely strange to us, completely new to me. I was simultaneously learning to use the online lessons. I had to prepare content for students for week ahead for each lesson. At the beginning it was not really online work, but only through sending files to students, who then sent us their products back from their e-mail addresses. After this first period we learned to use Zoom. We also knew how to prepare online lessons for students. We also had online lessons every second or third hour. In doing so, we adapted to students, especially those who had only 1 computer and also school-age siblings who also had online lessons.

I didn't like anything at a distance: the hours were shortened, the students were "on the other '' side, behind the cameras. In ordinary classes, I always make sure that each student speaks, shows that he/she follows me, that he/she shows presence, etc. . I was dissatisfied with the effects of online lessons. Otherwise it was nice with the students, I saw their cats, brothers, sisters, pictures…. I have personally learned a lot about applications (e.g. snap-chat, Zoom), about using online classrooms, about switching monitors, computers, etc. But I think we all prefer face to face contacts. If the situation repeats itself, we now have experience with using e.g. Zoom, online classrooms; I’m no longer afraid to be in front of the camera like I was in the beginning. Despite the relatively negative experience with online teaching, I agree that an online approach could be used for certain students (sick, gifted) from time to time.