What Is the Hardest about Teaching Online and Using Technology in Teaching?

Hi people! 

Let's talk about What Is the Hardest about Teaching Online and Using Technology in Teaching today?

Student 1: Thank you so much! And when you have a time, please have a look at this new app, please, I think its a blast!

Me: Ok, I will. Thank you, for being such a lovely and diligent student. That's all for today. Hope to see you next week the same time. Have a great day! Bye (waves).

Click.. click.. I shut the windows down and close the lid of my computer with a sense of pride and self-importance: I am actually doing something valuable, I am helping people to be better, achieve their goals, be closer to their dreams. Isn't it happiness?

I wish all the student were like this Korean girl from Pusan, whom I secretly call "megalobrain" as her English-name is Megan and whom to teach is a great pleasure and self-improvement, as whatever homework is assigned she is always 100% ready for the lesson. I sometimes think I should be paying her for teaching me about some new staff of the modern digital world.

Student 2: Thanks Miss for the lesson. 

Me: A..., can you please learn at least these three new words and read this small story by next lesson. It isn't hard, is it? 

Student 2: Key, miss.

                                                                     

We both know he wouldn't. Arseniy, 15, a 10 year student from Ekaterinburg is a pain in my... in all my body parts and inner organs. He is a great smart kid: humorous, witty, intelligent, quick. But I guess the word "quick" is the odd one in line. He is very quick to grab the information and process it however, also he is so quick to get bored and needs a constant change of "slide/or swipe".    

                                      
These two students are just some examples of the challenges that I as a teacher face these days teaching online. In the first case the student is so industrious, fast and studios that sometimes everything I prepare for the lesson we manage to do in half of the lesson time (Gratefully, having a lot of different entertaining platforms like Booklet, Kahoot, Canva and many others I am able to keep the lesson going and engaging), while in the second case online tools are used primarily as the source of knowledge as the student refuses to absorb old-fashioned way of learning through writing and reading. That's the new generation. I can either like it or lump it. No other option. That's the way they learn, and as a teacher I shouldn't be breaking their neuron-patterns but guide them and create new ones instead. And as the rule N1 of marketing says, "the customer is always right" I am the one who has to adjust. 

Teaching at school I most of the time make students realize their weak points, work on them and adjust to the assessment requirements. Whereas online I have to do the most difficult part in teaching: adjusting to students' needs. However, gladly there are so many techno tools and programs to help me to meet any students interest.