Children and parents these days are more attuned towards hobbies to do online, creative expression, additional activities, and fun kids activities which build learning and social skills simultaneously, especially at new-age platforms like Yellow Class. However, no matter how much you specialize in kids’ activity classes and other teaching, it is important to note that there are various hurdles faced by both online learners and their teachers alike. Yet, as professionals and children will both testify to, there are magical rewards at the end of it all!
Learning from home can be lonely not just for children but also for their teachers. The classroom setting or activity center buzz is something else altogether! Some students start feeling this sense of isolation and teachers report the same too. The whole online system also hinders the overall concepts of class discussions, collaborative activity, and group activities. These are naturally transformed into limited varieties in the online mode. Many online learners may experience a loss of motivation owing to the absence of a physical environment. This will affect teachers who are trying to get them to focus and enjoy varied concepts or activities, particularly in the case of young children. Physical distance is a major barrier in these scenarios.
Online teaching comes with its fair share of technical difficulties, from online connectivity and network problems to issues with online teaching software, tools, and so on. Students or teachers may lack access to reliable internet connections or devices at times. These are issues that keep cropping up as major challenges almost every day as teachers will state! Building resources takes time as well; teachers will now have to focus more on supplementing verbal instructions with written follow-ups for students to understand and access. This is like planning double lessons, i.e. one to be delivered online irrespective of the discipline or type of lesson/activity and one that will be video and text-based instructions and communication for children to follow later on.
That’s as far as the major challenges go. Now let’s come to the rewards:
- You get to have a direct impact on the lives of so many children. Teachers cannot witness appreciation or this impact physically at times but they will automatically understand that it is always there. This is the biggest reward at the end of it all.
- Ignite the spark of creativity in children- Teachers are the ones who get to ignite the spark and latent creativity in children. Who knows, many of these children will go on to become future geniuses. Who spotted and ignited that first spark? You of course! Students require their tutors to encourage them, support them and motivate them to bring out their inner talents, creativity and skills. Watching this unfold from an early age is another huge reward for any teacher.
- There is a lot of love all around- Teachers will find it rewarding to find so much love and happy curiosity every day even during stressful days or even while facing so many hurdles. Kids are the best recipe for busting stress and teachers are lucky to have them in droves on a daily basis.
- Boost your inner creativity and learning- Teaching children is also the recipe for continually honing your own skills and learning so much from them. It boosts your inner creativity while inspiring you and them at the same time.
Of course, you create lifetime memories with every group of kids that you teach in some capacity or the other. And you also enjoy the fact that no day is the same; it is always exciting when you have a whole bunch of kids waiting for you! Such are the mostly intangible but immeasurably fulfilling rewards waiting for teachers at the end of all the challenges and hurdles intrinsic to online teaching.
29 comments
Great summary of the challenges and benefits of online learning!
Online learning would be a challenge for some students but others may thrive! Good to learn the challenges and benefits for teachers!
What a crazy year that we’ve had. Online learning has been incredibly tough for our family.
Yes teaching is a rewarding profession that has its own sets of challenges and benefits. last year, online learning has supported kids education so well during hard time of pandemic but now, it feels tiring and exhausting. hope things get normal soon and kids can enjoy their in person school without fear.
Lovely post. My little one had a term of online classes and it was incredibly challenging for everyone involved, the teachers, the parents, and the kids of course. We are looking forward for the next term to begin, hopefully in person.
Online learning works well for some but no so well for others. It can really be a useful tool as lockdown demonstrated. Mine really benefited from doing online lessons. The internet didn’t always work though which was a nuisance.
Our district is moving away from online learning next fall. its great when it works but I don’t think its for everyone
I think online learning definitely has its pros and cons. It’s been such a learning experience for so many this past year.
Online learning can be tough, but if the past year and a bit has taught us anything it’s that kids are more resilient than we think when it comes to learning x
I remember homeschooling my kids online for 6 months last year and there were so much challenges but the reward of seeing them doing so well at school was worth it indeed.
Useful pointers mentioned! Online learning can both be a boon and bane! Very nicely written! For young kids, it can be a bane because this is the time to enjoy with peers and have interactions and build social skills.
I found online learning (during lockdown) a real challenge – but I feel part of it was that the children in my household were not actually talking to a teacher on the computer – everything was sent over in worksheets and they each had one morning video. Then that was it – no other imput from teachers during the day or anything. It made it really, really challenging to teach them!
I am hearing a lot about yellow classes nowadays. seems like a great option to kids creatively busy. will explore more about it from my side. thanks for sharing about it.
Online classes have proved to be quite helpful in these times of pandemic. There are indeed many benefits of these classes and helps in letting kids develop overall white sitting at home itself.
This is a fabulous post and appreciate your sharing. My daughter is doing Anatomy 2 online and it is challenging for sure but she is doing well. Cannot wait until she is back to in person classes though but the bonding time I have had with her is everything 😉
You have balances the challenges and advantages really well. Since this is a new normal that we have to get used to, it is imperative that we should be aware of and accept the pros and cons
When my son first started with online classes, I was only concerned about the challenges he would face. But after talking to his teachers I got to know the difficulties and challenges they go through each day but the rewards they get in terms of appreciation from parents and love from children is all worth it.
Online learning has its own challenges and benefits. We have experienced it all since last year and are still learning.
Online classes have proved to be quite helpful in these times of pandemic. There are other challenge too associated with these classes .
You have encapsulated all our worries and joys of this strange new phase of life, so well in this post. I could really identify with every aspect of this post.
We have had mixed emotions with online schooling. My kids hated it when it all started but gradually adapted and now enjoy it a lot. This pandemic and online schooling has changed the face of education in India.
No doubt this Pandemic has changed the whole pattern of learning for both teachers and students. I remember the struggle of the initial days; teachers were not skillful enough to manage the class in one go; still, they tried their best to keep the education on track, indeed a huge round of applause to all the teachers for their hard work also the students who well-tried to adapt the new pattern of studying. Yes, Yellow classes have an outstanding schedule of teaching in a different mode of learning.
Been asking parents, teachers, and students (who come into the clinic) about their thoughts on online learning, and they have mixed emotions about it. It sure has its pros, but they also have big cons.
I think in the future, schooling can be a mixture of both, though.
Teaching has undergone an overnight metamorphosis, thanks to the Pandemic. Online learning has become the rule, rather than the exception. It is a challenge for both teachers and students as they slowly adapt to this new medium.
The thing which I have observed so far is upper middle class has different challenges while lower middle class has completely different challenges when it comes teaching online.
This was a helpful information, as nowadays all we have are online classes. I agree there are lot of challenges.
Online learning has its own challenges and benefits. It looks perfect for tutors and excellent transfer of knowledge and skill. Great choice for kids fun learning activities.
Online traching definitely comes with a lot of shortcomings but during the pandemic this was the only way and thank god for that. It helped students to stay busy during tough times and helped with their education.
You have perfectly mentioned both sides of online learning. It’s more tough for the younger kids nd keeping up their interest longer is a challenge for parents.