There are many pros to the new lesson system ... like the fact that it makes our lives as tutors way easier. However, some students aren’t happy with the change and keep trying to find ways to get us to use Skype, wasting valuable lesson time.

How can we get such students on-board with the recent update?

Step 1. Use the Audio/Video Check

Some students ask tutors to switch to Skype via the special request section or during the lesson. They are not supposed to do this, and there is no need for us to comply. After all, Skype should only be used if there are issues that cannot be resolved with basic troubleshooting. So the first thing we want to do is to establish that everything is OK.

When your student enters the lesson room, check whether the audio and video are clear, as you usually would. You may also want to send the student a message in the chatbox to make sure that it works as well.

As one tutor (🇵🇭) explains, “Your student will probably say that everything is fine, in which case, they can’t use technical issues as an excuse to switch to Skype.”

Of course, there’s still a chance that we’ll have to use Skype if technical issues arise in the middle of the lesson, but checking audio and video beforehand makes sure that we don’t switch to Skype right away.

Step 2. Be Clear About The Policy

It’s company policy that all lessons should be done in the new lesson system. So, if a student asks to use Skype, we can tell them that the decision is not up to us (in other words, feel free to blame it on the company 😉) and suggest that they contact Customer Support for more information.

At this point, most students will understand. After all, the majority who ask to use Skype aren’t totally intent on using it; they just want to see if the tutor will accommodate their request.

Step 3. Make Use of New Features

Many students appreciate that the new system keeps tutors and students literally “on the same page.” As one student (🇹🇼) put it, ”When I choose a material, I don’t need to tell tutors which material it is since the system makes sure we’re on the same page. Highlighting also makes sure I know exactly where the tutor is.”

Another thing that speaks in favor of the new lesson system is the updated Kids Materials. In response to suggestions from tutors, we’ve recently updated them to make use of all the newly introduced features. The lessons now last longer and are designed to keep kids entertained during the whole 25 minutes. We’ve also added songs and a lot of fun images, like the one below that we created for the lesson on shapes:

And thanks to the new lesson system, when you or the student click on these images, they enlarge on both you and your student’s screens! There are also plenty of interactive quizzes that make use of this feature. For example, check out this exercise:

In addition, kids like the new owl emojis so make sure to use them frequently during the lesson, especially as a rewarding system. By making ample use of the new features, we can show students the advantages the new system offers.

With our regular students, we can also talk about how the system simplifies our pre- and post-class tasks. For example, we no longer have to waste time searching for new students on Skype, adding them to our contacts, and opening up materials … all during our five-minute breaks!

📌 Takeaways

To recap, here are three steps to getting students on-board with the new lesson system:

1. Check that the video, audio, and chatbox work.
2. State that using the new lesson system is company policy.
3. Show students how great it is!

Of course, the system isn’t perfect and we still have plenty of ideas that’ll come out soon. So we ask for everyone’s patience as we all work to make it better. 🙇

In the meantime, feel free to share any ideas you have about the new lesson system or topics you’d like to see covered in this blog with our Tutor Support team!