Get the setup right first
Good audio matters more than video quality. Use a headset, a stable connection, and a tool you can screen-share on. Test it before the lesson, not during it.
Structure for interaction, not lecturing
Online attention drifts faster than in person. Break the hour into short blocks: review, new concept, guided practice, independent attempt, recap. Ask the student to do, not just watch.
Tools that help
You do not need many — pick a few and master them:
- •A shared whiteboard or doc both of you can edit.
- •Screen sharing for worked examples.
- •A simple way to send and collect homework.
- •Lesson notes you can search next time.
Keep students accountable between lessons
The biggest difference online is what happens between sessions. Assign clear homework, have students submit it, and start each lesson by reviewing it — this is where a homework portal beats chat.
Track progress so it stays visible
Log what you covered and what the student struggled with after every session. Over weeks this becomes proof of progress for the student and their parents — and saves you re-explaining old ground.