Observations from teaching online
When I first started teaching online a year ago, I had no idea it would become the new “norm.” I also had no idea if it would be effective. There is no replacement for in-person lessons, however, as two people can’t always be in the same place, and even less so now….online lessons have served as a valuable tool to learn from educators previously unaccessible due to location.
Despite what some people may make you believe, Online lessons have a TON of value. We have all gone to “YouTube University” to learn a new skill or learn how to make memes on the internet. I have personally used YouTube to fix a car tail light, build this WordPress site, learn advanced calisthenics techniques, and continually practice my Spanish language skills.
After my first few lessons online, I realized how different it was from live lessons. Virtual lessons required a whole different toolkit. There are many problems that are much harder to address in virtual lessons.
-Latency issues can make it hard to hear time issues in a student’s playing
-It is significantly more difficult to correct major technical problems
-Fixing tone and sound quality
-Bringing energy to the lesson and student can be a challenge
-Student motivation to practice outside of lessons can be reduced
Time issues for students is a big one. When I taught my first virtual lesson, I didn’t realize that zoom might lag, and then the student would hilariously “rush” as the program caught up to real time. Unfortunately, this is just part of the online game. Time, however, is a crucial skill, and it can still be effectively addressed in online lessons.
Start by having the student put on a metronome on their end. (If they don’t have one, have them download one right then and there…Tempo is my favorite). With the metronome on, the student will be able to follow a click, and you will be able to hear if they play with the click. Even if the video lags and the tempo pushes and pulls because of it, if the student is in time, they will still be with the click. This also helps, because you cannot count in real time with the student, or count them in. With the lag, you will find count-ins to lack the same energy, and have an awkward pause. If the student still has time issues, have them count the rhythm out loud with the metronome. This is an essential skill, and it is much more difficult than it seems. It’s hard, which is why many students don’t do it. Encourage them accept the challenge, they won’t regret it!
Most students learn either with a combination of aural, visual, and tactile cues. Every person is different, and personally, I seem to be a tactile learner. Once I know how something is supposed to feel, I can replicate it. I like to help my students feel the correct execution of a technique, and this is significantly more difficult when I cannot physically guide their hand on the proper motion. This lead me to evolve my online teaching techniques.
One evolution was to develop as much descriptive language as possible for every technique. Think of words that immediately put an image in your head, like “the drumstick is a ladybug, hold it just tight enough so it doesn’t fly away, but if you squeeze too hard, you’ll squish it.” For a basic snare drum stroke you could use words like “piston stroke”, which refers to the motion of a car piston, or “free stroke”, making you think no tension, or “dribble the ball”. Advanced techniques like the Moeller “Whip” stroke have their name for a reason. It’s just like cracking a whip. Descriptors can help bridge the gap between visual and tactile learners.
The second was to start doing extra work to try and fix the gap in learning from video lessons. I started making follow-along warm ups, and even before that, I would often post unlisted youtube videos that demonstrated a piece or a technique and send them to the students who needed the extra help. This had a dramatic effect on my student’s success at their next lesson, and often increased their motivation to practice. They had a guidebook to practice along with. It’s like their own personal YouTube university, but they don’t have to sift through all the videos out there to find what they need. This step also helps make the student and parent feel comfortable with the shift to online lessons, and shows that you want to make every effort to keep the value of your lessons despite the lack of your physical presence.
As for student motivation, this one is tough. Everybody has their own issues and tasks they must deal with on a daily basis. With the ongoing pandemic, many people are fairly unconcerned with their musical progress, which is completely understandable during a global crisis. One thing that has helped my students, is hosting a virtual recital scheduled for June 14th. This gives the students a deadline, and gives them a reason to practice. It’s also a chance for them to perform pieces they had worked so hard on for a now cancelled solo and ensemble contest!
I hope this helps you find new ways to reinvent your online teaching technique. It was an adventure for me in the beginning, but it has proven to be a fun and worthwhile undertaking.
Good Luck!
P.S. Comment below if any of these ideas worked for you, just to say hi, or if you’d like to hear about a specific topic in the future!
