How to Make Students Feel More Comfortable in Online Classes
It's safe to say that, no matter the activity, most people do their best when they are feeling comfortable and at ease. So an important part of online tutoring is creating a stress-free environment for students to learn and engage with you and the lesson material. There are a number of small things you can do that can have a big positive impact on a student's state of mind. How many of these techniques are you using in your lessons?
Adjust your pace
Do you often feel like you have to fill every moment of silence in a lesson with chit-chat and questions? "Dead air" can be scary, but it's sometimes quite important. Different students move at different speeds, and some require more time than others to process information and form responses. Sometimes much more time!
One key to making students more comfortable is recognizing their pace and adjusting your own to allow them the space they need to communicate as best they can. In most cases, this will mean slowing down your speaking speed and generally giving the students more time to reply. Lower-level students, especially, will really appreciate this. However, keep in mind that it's also possible you may need to go faster than normal for some advanced students, so be sure to stay sharp!
Check your tone
Along with a more controlled pace, changing the tone of your voice and word choice to be softer also helps to create a warmer and more comfortable lesson environment. Naturally, you should sound alert, engaged, and most of all, friendly. Someone who feels like they are being judged or spoken down to likely won't have the most positive experience. This, of course, goes hand in hand with a nice smile, which is simple, effective and often contagious.
Stay cool
As the tutor, you are in charge of guiding the overall flow, pace and direction of the lesson. If you are confident in your ability to do this and familiar with your tools, you will be comfortable and relaxed yourself. This also relates to your ability to handle tech issues or other disruptions that may occur from time to time.
If you are focused and prepared, your student will likely follow your example and stay relaxed as well. But the opposite is also true: tense, nervous or insecure behavior won't create a pleasant lesson environment for either you or your student. Lead by example!
Be willing to share
Share similar experiences to build trust with your students. There are times when you've been the student yourself or have started out learning something new. How did it feel? What did you struggle with and how did you improve? Sharing these experiences with your students can create bonds that make them feel more comfortable opening up to you. You are not just a robotic tutor; you are a person with interests, strong points and weak points just like everyone else. Those common points can help you to build meaningful connections as a tutor.
Be flexible
Having a basic routine for lessons is useful for structure and consistency, especially if you meet a large number of students or are just starting out. However, it doesn't have to be strictly "my way or the highway." Once you get familiar with a student's pace, strengths and weak areas, focus on what they need and customize the experience for them.
Like many of the other tips presented here, this requires looking carefully for signs and clues you receive from students, either verbally or nonverbally. Properly understanding and responding to this information will make you better prepared to give a great lesson that students will be excited to come back for.
Use your space
It's very likely that both you and your students are in your homes during lessons. Hopefully these are spaces in which you are already comfortable. Since you're in your own space, there are likely to be personal items scattered on or around your work areas. We even have contests that are all about decorating your spaces to make things more interesting for you and your students.
Obviously, that is not realistic or practical to do every day, but it doesn't mean your space needs to be boring. Having one or two things that represent your interests visible on camera can catch a student's eye and spark conversations about experiences or hobbies that you share. Common interests are great for creating a friendlier and more comfortable environment.
Wrap-up
Getting the most out of a lesson first means making sure your students are as comfortable as they can be. Basic things like friendliness, preparation and a willingness to share your own experiences as a learner can help you in any lesson.
However, the other tips we've mentioned here require you to pay attention to your students' unique situations and adjust your strategy so that it is the best fit for them. Making students comfortable leads to better lessons, which could lead to more bookings for you, so it's worth it to do all you can!
