When teaching online our view of the student is limited by the position of their webcam. If you want to view the student from different angles it will be necessary to ask them to move closer so you can see their fingers or bowing. It may also be useful to have some lessons standing up as well as sitting so that you can keep a check on their posture. Encourage your students to put their lap-top, tablet or phone on top of their case or use a few books so that the camera is above their eye line. This gives you the best view but it may also encourage them to sit or stand correctly.

Make sure at all times that the student can do this without having a light source directly behind them. This can make it very difficult to see the details that you might need to make a good assessment of their technique or posture. Additionally, using good questioning about their posture and technique is essential for online learning. It’s a good way to confirm their understanding of the message you are trying to deliver.

Wearing simple non distracting colours and patterns help keep a clear focus on your instrument and what you are demonstrating. This also applies to the background in your room. Also, make sure that you also consider the lighting of your room.

As with all these things, the important thing is to lead by example and communicate your intentions to the student simply and clearly. Finally, be consistent. These small things make a difference to the quality of the online interactions and the teaching within the session.