One of the great tasks of this year so far has been adjusting to teaching lessons online. I still teach in person, but have been able to take on a lot more students in many more places by offering lessons online. And I love it. There are some distinct challenges that I'm encountering in this new venture.
1) Not always being able to see a students hands. I used to think that I wouldn't be able to tell when they are playing incorrectly if I couldn't see them. That's not the problem. I can't see what fingers they're using or if they are using proper technique. Yes, how it sounds is most important, but I need to know that you're doing it in a way that makes sense/is correct and healthy. (solution: have student's camera shooting in profile view)
2) Not being able to point to the score. I never realized how much easier this simple thing makes things. Both student and teacher can know exactly what spot we're talking about. (solution: teach measure numbers and beats in measures right away so we have a way to communicate about specific notes/chords)
3) Delays! The internet is generally fast and we can have a normal conversation/lesson, but sometimes wifi is slow and there are delays. (solution: connect to the modem with ethernet cable, get closer to the hotspot, be honest and accept that it might not be fixable right then, do a different activity for a couple minutes and hope for the best).
Online lessons are a great way to meet and work with people you normally wouldn't get to. These extra challenges are there, but well worth it for the benefits online lessons provide.
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