How to Be a Good Host

                                      

Many hosts have been surprised and upset by the way some guests always end up where they are NOT supposed to be. The area of the house that was clearly “Off limits” in the host’s mind, was simply another place to explore to the unchaperoned guest. Similarly, every teacher has learned, often the hard way, that you need to anticipate the ways your students will go wrong or slip through your carefully laid plans. When you teach online, there are many more ways this can happen. You need to very clear of what your role is, both in your mind and in theirs. How will you handle the shy, the pushy, and the Troll? You need to be thinking of what effect each of these would have on your students.

1. As with any course set clear rules, spell out your expectations, and explain how you will be grading the class. Make sure that you model good behavior by following through with your side of the class. If you tell your guests that only one drink is allowed, then they should not see you having several.

2. Encourage mistakes. All learning involves risks. A teacher asks a question and the students try to answer it, knowing that they may get it wrong. With online learning, the facilitator can help the students become comfortable by giving immediate feedback toward the beginning of the class. This helps students know they are on the right track and helps alleviate their fears. As the course progresses, the facilitator should refer students to each other for answers and ideas. The facilitator is still there, but no longer the most important piece of the discussion. By the end of the course, the facilitator should be keeping an eye on things but only stepping in when needed. 

3. Keep in mind that when people interact online, they do not have the tone of voice and body language that we rely on. It is hard to know when a student is struggling, shy or bored when all you have are words to go by. This is one reason that building a sense of community is important. Your students will be more likely to know how to react, to you and to each other, if they are interacting on a regular bases. Just as a host needs to step aside and speak to an unruly guest, if you are not sure how a student meant a comment, a quick aside with the student can help to nip problems in the bud.

4. Fill in the gaps for your learners. When they realize a gap is there, they will want to pull the knowledge from somewhere. If none of the learners have the answer, they will need your help. If you do not want to give this outright, you could provide terms to look for or outside links to use.

 5. Respect the time of the learners. Keep your objectives in mind and help your class stay on track. The party that promises food but does not serve it until guests are leaving is seen as insulting. A course that meanders around subjects instead of staying on track is seen as a waste of time and money.