7 Ways Tutors Connect With Online Platforms
This article explores seven ways tutors connect with online platforms to build meaningful connections with their students, enhance communication, and create a dynamic learning environment. Whether you’re a seasoned tutor or just starting, these strategies will help you make the most of the virtual teaching world.
In today’s digital era, online platforms have become invaluable tools for tutors looking to expand their reach and provide effective learning experiences. These platforms offer diverse features that help tutors create engaging, personalized, and flexible lessons for their students.
Whether it’s through interactive whiteboards, virtual classrooms, or comprehensive resource libraries, tutors are finding innovative ways to connect with learners in the digital space.
Tutoring in the Online Classroom
Teaching from home comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to fostering effective online learning habits in students. Without the structure of a traditional classroom, students may struggle to stay organized, motivated, and engaged. However, as tutors, we have the power to guide them toward success by cultivating habits that support their online education.
Click on the image below to view our teaching in the online classroom presentation tool to help guide tutors, teachers, and online learning with students.
By focusing on strategies that promote discipline, interaction, and active learning, we can create a virtual environment where students thrive.
We include links to our recommend list of important educational tools teachers can use to keep online students engaged.
Learning and the Brain
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Online learning can significantly benefit from insights in Learning That Sticks: A Brain-Based Model for K-12 Instructional Design and Delivery by Bryan Goodwin, Tonia Gibson, and Kristin Rouleau.
This model emphasizes leveraging how the brain learns best by engaging curiosity, connecting new knowledge to existing schemas, and reinforcing understanding through active application.
Online platforms can incorporate these principles by using interactive tools, visuals, and spaced repetition to enhance retention. Amazon’s resources, like this book, guide educators in crafting online lessons that align with cognitive science, ensuring digital learning isn’t just convenient but also impactful for long-term understanding.
7 Ways Tutors Connect With Online Platforms
At the end of this article you can sign up to view our digital resources to use in the classroom for building confidence in teaching and learning. Get a sneak peak at the effective teaching strategies teachers can use to make online learning at home fun for them and for their students.
The year 2020 in education brought tutors and online learning together in a significant way. Tutors are working hard to organize their online teaching strategies to allow for optimal learning in this new educational environment!Â
Tutors, parents, and students need to recognize the positives that may come from online learning so as to keep their mental health in good spirits.Â
Read on to see our recommended 7 ways tutors may inspire great learning when it comes to online learning.Â
I. Establish Class Routines
Even in the online classroom, tutors need to set class routines and schedules.Â
Tutors may look to organize classroom routines as much (as is possible) in the same way as a traditional classroom setting with your daily routines.Â
Classroom jobs for the students may look a little different in the homeschool classroom, but tutors still need help, especially with helping others use the technology!Â
II. Understand Educational Management Tools
Understanding educational management tools is essential for tutors teaching online, as these tools help streamline planning, organization, and communication. Platforms like Google Classroom, Canvas, and Zoom offer features that enable tutors to manage assignments, track student progress, and facilitate real-time interaction.
Tools such as scheduling apps, gradebooks, and collaborative document-sharing platforms help tutors stay organized and ensure students have clear access to resources and deadlines. By mastering these tools, tutors can create a structured yet flexible online learning environment that supports engagement, fosters accountability, and enhances the overall educational experience for their students.
Online management tools can build bridges between tutors and online learning.
Click here to learn more about popular EdTech tools to use in the classroom.
III. Include Online Presentation Tools
Online presentation tools are invaluable for tutors working with students in the homeschool classroom, as they make lessons interactive, visual, and engaging. Tools like Google Slides, Canva, and Prezi allow tutors to create customized presentations that cater to individual learning styles.
Features such as animations, embedded videos, and interactive elements can simplify complex concepts and keep students focused. Screen-sharing options on platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams enable tutors to guide students through the material in real-time, ensuring clarity and understanding.
By incorporating these tools, tutors can bring lessons to life and provide a dynamic learning experience that supports homeschoolers’ unique educational needs.
IV. Ask Questions that Keep Students Engaged
Along with using the right tools to keep students active in participating, asking the right questions is very important. Students may find it hard to concentrate in the homeschooling classroom because of the pressure they have to put on themselves to keep focused.
Access our tool on how to use Bloom’s Taxonomy to ask better questions in the classroom.
To help students stay focused, tutors can ask questions that show students the learning they will do will be easy and fun!
Click here to learn more about asking the right kinds of questions to keeping students engaged.
V. Keep Students Entertained with Educational Games
To keep engagement levels high in the classroom, the questions tutors ask should be both relevant and entertaining.
Tutors may use educational tools like: Kahoot!, Quizizz, or Quizlet to call on students to answer questions so students should be prepared at all times and ready to unmute their microphones! Tools such as these are great ways to keep students engaged with learning.Â
Click here to learn more about our recommended online educational tools.
VI. Engage in Thought-Provoking Discussions
It is important to have student engagement in the homeschooling classroom.
Tutors can use online tools to ask engaging questions on a variety of topics from space to nature!Â
VII. Connect Online with Other Homeschooling Students
Parents may ask their children to work with other homeschooling students to allow for creative communications and building skills.
It is a misconception that students in the homeschooling environment don’t get the opportunity to connect with other students. In today’s technology world connecting is so much easier!
Take Students On A Virtual Field Trip
You as a tutor may plan a virtual trip to popular sites any place across the world, or under the ocean, or even to Mars in outer space.Â
A virtual class field trip excites students and strengths the relationships between teachers and online learning.
And Finally… To Make the Best Use of Online Learning Tools
Remember that this is something that will get easier with time, as do most things in life!
Tutors as teachers who love teaching will find it within themselves to overcome this new challenging to teaching, but the passion and desire to help others does not go away even though the environment has changed.
It is important to always maintain your teacher identity so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the technology which at times may seem to be more in control than the teacher in the online classroom.
With using online learning tools, homeschooling parents or teachers can present their students with a new virtual world that can help improve their creativity and critical thinking skills.
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Related Topics
Click on any of the following topics to connect more to teaching online.
- 5 Classroom Management Strategies for Homeschooling
- How to Use Formative Assessments in the Homeschool Classroom
- 7 Tips for Homeschool Lesson Planning
- 5 Educational Strategies to Support Homeschooling Activities
- The Influence of Parents on Education Policy
Visit us on Canva to get access to this presentation guide for teaching online to have as a reference or to share with others!
Orange and Beige Organic Teaching in the Online Classroom Education Presentation
by Danya Khelfa
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Comment below and let us know if you have any tips, suggestions, or educational tools teachers can use to engage students in the homeschooling classroom.
