Have you ever wanted to teach online but don’t know where to start? Look no further! This ultimate guide is here to help you through the process of becoming an online teacher.
But first, know that the TakeLessons team is here to help teachers transition to online lessons. Our signature online learning platform was created to ensure that teachers and students can continue to thrive at home. In this article, you’ll learn how to activate your profile for online teaching, what technology you need to teach online, best practices for online lessons, and resources you have for support during this difficult time.
Read on for tips and tricks for setting yourself up for success in the online teaching world.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Teach Online?
Teaching online is becoming increasingly popular, due to the convenience it provides and flexible teaching schedules. Before you can earn an online teaching job, however, there are certain qualifications you must possess:
- In some cases, though not always, you may need to have earned a teaching degree online or have some sort of online teaching degree that will prepare you for the rigors of the job. However, this can often be waived if you have enough subject matter expertise (more on this below).
- It is also beneficial to be well-versed in teaching techniques used for teaching students in an online format – research about these teaching strategies can be found for free on the internet.
- Having good communication and technology skills will help enable successful teaching sessions.
While teaching qualifications vary from one job to another, possessing all of the necessary credentials and expertise that come with qualifications will make it much easier to find suitable opportunities for teaching online.
Ready to get started with teaching English online (or any other subject matter that piques your interest)? You can browse online teacher jobs at TakeLessons or even sign up for a lesson yourself to get the lay of the land. Check out the video below for more information on what these sorts of teaching online jobs entail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmnNn-u9SXA
What is the Best Online Teaching Site?
Wondering where to find online teaching jobs? You have lots of options. Let’s take a look at some of the top contenders.
TakeLessons
TakeLessons is an online learning platform that connects students with experienced teachers in dozens of different subjects. Whether you’re interested in learning a new language or mastering a musical instrument, TakeLessons offers something for everyone. It also offers one-on-one lessons with certified instructors who have been vetted by TakeLessons to ensure quality instruction. Plus, it has an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to find and book lessons with qualified instructors.
Coursera
Coursera is another popular online teaching platform that provides access to courses from over 150 universities and companies around the world. The courses are taught by experienced professionals and range from computer science to business management and more.
Plus, Coursera offers specializations in specific topics that help learners build their skills quickly and effectively. On top of this, Coursera also provides certification programs so learners can prove their knowledge and expertise in a particular field.
Udemy
Udemy is yet another great online teaching site that offers thousands of courses on a variety of topics including programming, marketing, design and more. Unlike other platforms, Udemy focuses on providing affordable courses so anyone can learn without breaking the bank—in fact, some Udemy courses are even free! Additionally, Udemy features reviews from past learners so you can see how helpful each course is before signing up.
Can I Teach Online With No Experience?
Have you ever wanted to try your hand at teaching online but were too intimidated by the lack of experience? Well, never fear! You don’t need a degree or even any previous teaching experience to get started. All it takes is a passion for teaching and some determination. Here’s what you need to keep in mind before taking the plunge into the world of online teaching.
Know Your Subject Matter Inside and Out
The good news? You don’t need an online teaching degree in order to teach online. However, if you want to teach an online course, you do need to understand your subject matter inside and out.
Even if you have no formal education or previous teaching experience, your knowledge of the subject will be invaluable in helping students learn, retain, and apply that knowledge. So make sure that you have a solid understanding of the material before you start teaching online.
Research Your Platform Options
There are many different platforms for hosting online courses, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Research them thoroughly so that you can select the one that best suits your needs. Some popular options include Udemy, Teachable, Skillshare, Coursera, and the best of all, TakeLessons!
It’s also important to consider how much money each platform charges for hosting courses as well as whether they offer any additional features like analytics or support services.
Market Your Course
Once you’ve chosen a platform and created your course, it’s time to start marketing it! The most effective way of doing this is by creating content around your course topic—blog posts, videos, podcasts—and then sharing them on social media sites like Twitter or Facebook. Some sites, like TakeLessons, will market your course for you, but it never hurts to do a little legwork for yourself, either.
This will help build up interest in your course and attract potential students who may not have heard about it otherwise. You can also reach out directly to influencers in your niche who may be interested in promoting your course on their channels as well!
How Are Online Lessons Different?
Teachers around the world are able to share their specialties with students in an online classroom through two-way video that streams live. This is not your average YouTube tutorial; it’s live, one-on-one instruction in real time. Teachers and students receive a custom link that is the access point to their shared online classroom. When logged in, the teacher can guide the student through a lesson plan in their subject of choice. Through video, students can ask questions and teachers can provide feedback.
Online lessons are different from in-person lessons in three main ways.
- Teachers and students rely on technology for connection.
- Teachers and students may have external audio and visual distractions, making it more challenging for focus and concentration during the lesson.
- Teachers and students gain scheduling flexibility, without physical travel needs.
Best Practices for Teaching Online Lessons & Preparing Online Lesson Plans
If you are new to teaching online, you may be wondering how your lesson preparation and teaching style should adjust and evolve. We collected best practices to help you succeed. If you’re an experienced online teacher, share your tips in the comments below!
Before
- Collaborative Lesson Content: When you’re preparing an online lesson plan, aim for subject content that requires active participation from students. Teachers and students will benefit from collaboration during online lessons. Rather than lecture at students, get creative and engage your students in the lesson.
- Step-by-Step Instruction: Outlines and lesson plans are every teacher’s secret weapons for success. During your preparation, write down step-by-step instructions for students. Practice your lesson; speak clearly and slowly, and articulate thoughtfully.
- Always Test Your Tech First: Before online lessons are scheduled to begin, make sure you test out your internet connection, TakeLessons Classroom link, camera, and speaker. Don’t wait until the last minute to address technical problems.
During
- Get to Know Your Student: Just because you’re not in the same physical room together doesn’t mean you can’t get to know your student. Consider starting each online lesson with a new ice-breaker question. Topics could include favorite travel experience, favorite live concert, or subject-specific goals. The personalization will lighten the digital mood, and it will help with online student retention.
- Encourage Questions: Don’t assume that your student understands the subject. Online lessons are live in action! And that means that teachers should encourage questions throughout the lesson. Student questions are essential for learning.
- Give Feedback in Real Time: Whether you’re teaching language, music, or academic lessons, there is always an opportunity to provide feedback on student performance. Pay close attention to your student’s progress, and provide positive or constructive feedback during the lesson. Your student will appreciate the one-on-one attention.
After
- Ask for Feedback: How did the online lesson go? Communicate with your students to learn what went well and what you can improve on for the next session. Student interests and goals can change, and with proper communication, you can stay on track.
- Create Virtual Office Hours: When the lesson ends, learning doesn’t have to stop. To add value for your students, consider allowing them to send you questions during off-lesson hours. You could respond in real time, or you could prepare your answers for the next online lesson. The extra effort will help with online student retention.
How to Get Started Teaching Online
The good news is, you are just a few steps away from activating your profile for online teaching. We have step-by-step instructions for how to opt into online teaching in your TakeLessons account. Teachers with active TakeLessons accounts should follow these seven steps. When these updates are complete, you are on your way to teaching online.
- Log in to your TakeLessons account.
- Open your Profile page.
- Open the Locations tab.
- Under Teach Online, click Set Up Online.
- Click Use TakeLessons Classroom with New Students.
- To accept online students in your subjects, click Add All My Subjects to This Location.
- Click Save.
Next up, it’s time to adjust your availability for online teaching hours. Is your online teaching availability different from your in-person schedule? Let your online students know. Here are the step-by-step instructions for updating your online teaching availability.
- While logged in to your TakeLessons account, open your Availability page.
- Select your Online location.
- Click and drag your mouse in the schedule area to set availability. Times you’re available to teach should be colored in; times you aren’t available should be blank.
- When you’re finished setting up your online availability, click Confirm Availability.
For screenshot examples and more information, read our support article.
Technology & Tools for Online Teaching Success
With the right technology and tools in place, online teaching is a convenient, enjoyable, and profitable way to connect with students and advance your skills from the comfort of your home studio. All online teacher partners have access to TakeLessons Classroom, our customized video chat software that enables live, interactive lessons with online students. In order to use the software, teachers are required to have a computer, internet access, webcam, and microphone. Optional add-ons to support teacher performance include headphones and multiple cameras. Read on for more details.
- A fast and reliable computer: This can be a desktop, laptop, or tablet. A faster system means a more reliable connection for lessons.
- High-speed internet: At least 400 kbps (standard Cable or DSL connection should work just fine – no dial up). If you want the best video chat experience, plug directly into the wall. Test your connection here. (Note: 1 Mbps = 1000Kbps)
- Video chat software: Partners can teach online students through TakeLessons Classroom. It’s free, easy to use, and doesn’t require you to download software.
- Webcam: Preferably HD – your students will notice a difference. If your computer or tablet was purchased within the last 5 years, your camera is good enough.
- Microphone: Most laptops and tablets have great mics built in. If you are teaching a subject like singing, you may want to invest in a USB external microphone.
- Headphones: Many teachers use the speakers in their computer. Headphones can enhance the experience and eliminate distracting background noise.
Can You Make a Living Teaching Online?
People who are successful at teaching online have to be self-motivated and organized; they also need to possess excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Teaching online requires you to think through every step of what your students will learn from the material, how it will benefit them, and how best to communicate it in a way that is engaging.
You must also be prepared for the technical aspects, such as setting up virtual classrooms or troubleshooting any technical issues your students may encounter when working with your instruction. With hard work and dedication, though, it can absolutely be done – so don’t count on making a living teaching online just yet!
We are all in this together! We have a Facebook group for TakeLessons teachers, and you’re officially invited to join. Connect with your fellow teachers and share stories and advice with each other during the transition. Join the Facebook group!
Do you want extra help to promote your online classes on social media? Take a photo of your online teaching setup, describe your lessons, and share it on Instagram. Tag @takelessons or #takelessons so we can re-share your photo with our followers.
Do you have more questions? We offer more answers in Teacher Support.
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