Things I Have Learned Private Teaching Online Edition

Things I learned teaching privately online

Teaching can be difficult, but teaching online can be a whole different beast on its own.

Make a space you want to work in.

I like to have my space a particular way. It is clean and organized with my flute handy as I need it. I keep all of my students’ music organized in a side pocket on my desk and I have a journal to keep track of everything my students are working on. This creates a more comfortable space for me to teach from.f

Keep music and teaching platform on separate devices.

I always have the music my students are working on next to me whether it is on my iPad or physical paper copy. Do not keep the music on your computer because then you can’t see your student on the screen. You need to be able to go from the music to observing how your student is playing just in case something isn’t working.

Observation tips

You need to make sure you can see your student and the entirety of the flute. I always make sure their phone is set up horizontal so I have a full view of the flute. This way I can see if their hand position is correct, but also if they are tensing in their shoulders.

Always be patient and descriptive sometimes it can be hard to demonstrate when you are not in person.

Make it stand out

I prefer Google Meet. I never have issues with hearing my students and they usually do not need to adjust their audio settings. It also uploads the meeting right into my Google Calendar.

Zoom is a great option, but make sure that you and your students have original sound for musicians on or then you won’t be able to hear them.

Facetime is easy if you are comfortable with your students’ parents having your phone number and if you have an iPhone.

It is just like any other lesson

Have fun and relax. It is just like teaching every other lesson just through a screen. On the picture that goes with this page is a checklist of things your student should have so that these lessons are successful!