Today was my last (official) day of teaching online. The adventure that began with a cold-call from the local Educational Service District six years ago ended with my last final grade submission this evening. The program, which has served so many kids for credit recovery, and aided school districts with scheduling and overflow issues is the victim of the current economic situation.
I'm feeling a bit poignant about the whole thing. It's been an interesting exercise in communication. I would guess that most people don't feel how important non-verbal communication is until you don't have it. Now, maybe, with the prevalence of email, blogs, tweets, etc., it's not such a big deal. But from an educational standpoint, that nonverbal is crucial. I understand my face-to-face students' needs, wants and questions so much better than I do those of my online students. Plus, the relationship was different. My online kids were names, not faces and personalities. Bottom line, the last six years taught me a lot about written communication! And I have to be honest, I'll miss that little bit of extra pay.
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