This week is my last week of everyday Zooming! Can't say my neck will miss it. Neither will my blue light fried brain, but it was a lot of fun! The 'Rona made Term 2 challenging for everyone but I reckon I ZOOM LIKE A BOSS! So what were our TOP 10 #whereisthelearning things from our online music classes this past Term in Lynda's Zoom Room? Read On...
1. The children were definitely confused at first seeing Lynda on a screen but they were fascinated that unlike watching someone on TV, they could actually interact with me!
2. The children learnt to self-regulate.
3. The children learnt to adapt to change.
4. The children loved the “Internet Goggles” which were my way of continuing to honour them by recognising each child by name each lesson.
5. We got to hang with the families at home in ISO. My little friends at home delighted in getting all their instruments out when I would get mine out, proudly showing them to me and playing them. I saw children getting buckets out for drums, sticks from outside and lots of home-made shakers. Many parents joined us with huge smiles on their faces. It was lovely to be able to have a chat with them as this is not something I often get to do in person! I also loved seeing all the toy elephants and monkeys come out to play when we sang “Going to the Zoo”!
6. Everyone was a pro at muting themselves by the end of term!
7. I was a pro at spotlighting myself by the end of term and also became very good at time managing my back to back classes (that's two but a Top 11 doesn't have the same ring to it!)
8. I was also a pro at looking at the laptop camera rather than staring out into the wilderness like I had a bung eye!
9. The children learnt that I didn't want to see up their noses or their backs and spun around immediately upon request so I could see them on the screen!
10. Some things I already knew were confirmed to me - if you want to get children's attention even from kilometres away in your bedroom studio through the vast dark web that is the internet:
a) wear bright clothes and fun shoes;
b) bust out a few puppets;
c) sing and dance to songs the children already know and love so they can feel safe and secure even while the world is going coo coo la la around them.
So that's my critical reflection on how to Zoom with little children. If I had to do anything better I would:
a) get some better lighting;
b) get a better cushion to sit on or some ergonomic number so my bum and back didn't hurt so much.
All in all I LOVED online classes but I cannot wait to get back to see my little friends and colleagues in real life (albeit 1.5 metres apart and hand sanitised to within an inch of my life!). Finally a massive thank you to my regular clients for embracing the concept of Lynda's Zoom Room so wholeheartedly, for dealing with the tech niggles and for being so flexible and keeping me on the payroll. You guys are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love and sparkles,
Lynda xo