Like many teachers around the world, I have spent most of 2020 teaching remotely. Talking to my computer screen, day after day, has become my new normal. In fact, I am struggling to remember what it is like to teach in the classroom.
I am extremely fortunate to teach at a school, and in an area of Melbourne, where our families have the income to arm their children with the technology at home to enable us to deliver lessons online each day.
To begin with, it was novel. I have participated in many online courses, so the chance to be the instructor, rather than the participant, was fun. I felt I had a grasp of the technology and was able to adapt my lessons for online delivery.
However as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, it was becoming clear that one major element was missing. Face to face interactions. It’ a simple as that. The ability to have a laugh, a deep conversation, a ‘aha’ moment is not the same over the internet. Zoom and Google meets are a way to spend time with each other, but not the best way.
Now don’t get me wrong. I am not saying the only way you can teach is in the physical classroom. In fact, I hope that out of COVID-19 we see a revolution in education. A blog for another day.
However teenagers crave contact. They enjoy each others company, physically. This was no more evident than when we had students on campus at the end of term 2, under stage 3 restrictions, where students were asked to keep 1.5m from each other. They couldn’t do it. No matter how often teachers asked for students to seperate, they wanted to be near each other.
Now technology has come along way and there are so many ways you can connect with your students through the screen. Chat boxes, emojis, Kahoot’s are all interactive ways to keep students engaged. But it can’t replace the opportunity to be in a non-virtual room with each other, enjoying each other physical company.
As a theatre practitioner, an online only model, adds another layer of complexities. While virtual drama classes are currently common practice, and do have a place in an overall educational program, they are not sustainable.
I am going to cherish every moment, for the rest of 2020, when I have students in my classroom again. I will use the skills I have learnt teaching remotely and include them as part of my overall pedagogy moving froward. I will work with those that want to evolve education in Australia.
But no computer can replace physical human interaction to create amazing art.
