Online Lessons
What equipment will you need?
Most computers will work for online lessons. I have a Chromebook and a Microsoft Windows laptop. You can use a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer, but not a mobile phone as the screen is too small. You can use an Apple or a Windows computer, or a Chromebook. To allow video and audio calls, I prefer to use Google Meet or Microsoft Teams. Skype doesn't allow screen-sharing, which is a key feature of maths lessons. I can use Zoom but prefer not to as 40 minutes in it has cut me off without warning.
I also use a Wacom digital tablet and stylus for handwriting, and the Wacom Bamboo App on my Chromebook, for working through maths problems with students. I have 38Mbps fibre broadband and recommend that you have internet access at decent speeds, otherwise video and audio quality suffers.
I am trialing a platform made for tutors from Bramble.io. It's been purpose-built for online teaching and tuition. It allows lessons to be saved and they are accessible by me and students at any time.
How do lessons work?
For weekly and ad-hoc lessons we agree on a date and start time. 10 minutes before the lesson starts I send you an email with a link, which you click to join the video call. I also send you a text on your mobile phone as a reminder that the lesson is about to start. You join the lesson and I chat to the student before working through any practice questions given at the end of the last lesson. Then we move onto the topics the student will learn with worked examples and questions we work on together.
After using the Bamboo App whiteboard to handwrite maths theory, worked examples, and questions, at the end of the lesson, I switch back to video and audio for a lesson roundup and closedown. A summary of what was achieved during the lesson is emailed to you and any practice questions.
I use the CGP series of study guides and workbooks to ensure I cover the topics from the National Curriculum. Although I use these for reference, the student doesn't need to have them, but it is recommended for further study, test revision and I can assign practice questions from them. They are all available from Amazon and cost around £5 for the study guide or workbook.