Round up: How to Get Started Teaching Online
As schools shift between meeting in person, and moving online, a lot of people are asking questions about how online teaching and learning really works. I’ve been teaching online for 7 years and have learned a lot along the way. Below you’ll find a series of post that I’ve written on the topic. One additional tip that I want to share today, is look outside of your field. When I started teaching online, I did look to other online instructors and reflected on my time earning my masters degree online.
A lot of my learning also came from learning from and being friends with other small business owners. This is helpful, because if you’re looking to leave the traditional teaching environment, then teaching online also becomes about selling. Don’t let the word selling scare you. Selling is really a another form of teaching. You’re teaching people about what you have to offer, and why they want it, or even sometimes why they don’t.
You can also learn a lot about online platforms from other small business owners. Megan Auman and I are always sharing ideas about books, platforms, tools, and so much more. We don’t teach the same audience, or even the same content, that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from each other, in fact, it often means that we learn more from each other because we’re consuming different content and asking different questions. It’s also why we ended up starting, Tractionable, together.
For example, a few months ago Megan , recommended that I read the book, “The Passion Economy.” Based on the title, you can at least guess that it has little to nothing to do with art education. Which is true, on the surface. However, I’ve come to learn, that if you take the time, you can find ways to take ideas and lessons from other industries and apply it to education. “No matter what it is you provide, the greatest value lies in the knowledge, passion, and skill with which you provide.” P.127 The Passion Economy
When it comes to online teaching and learning, there is no one right way. The real art of it all comes through when you bring your passion, knowledge, and skill together. Online aka the internet, is the tool that you are using. The internet is not a teaching strategy, it is a tool that you might choose to use, to present and share a teaching strategy. Video is not a form of instruction, it’s a tool that you use to share your instruction. Online, in person, or somewhere in between, you are taking knowledge, skills and passion, and then selecting different tools and modalities to share that information.
Do not get so lost in the tools that you forget to teach.
What you need to know to move your business or teaching online
Additional tips for teaching art online