How To Create A Class For Outschool – Getting Started With This Platform
Let's take a look at how to create an Outschool class if you are thinking about starting to teach on this massive platform.
If you’ve been part of the homeschool scene for a while or are prepping for the summer you’ve probably already heard of Outschool. In a relatively short amount of time, it’s become one of the best online sources for education going these days, offering a multitude of classes on all sorts of subjects, topics, and interest levels. Folks have come about to create a class for Outschool in almost any subject you can think of. In many ways, Outschool is about as comprehensive an educational forum as there is these days. Parents and students need only curate a number of different classes to meet learning needs, and the best Outschool classes rival anything that is happening in schools. Yes, there is a cost associated with Outschool, it’s not free like some other platforms, but the options are nearly limitless here.
And Outschool isn’t just for students, the only key and rather unique aspect of Outschool is that, in many ways, it is teacher-led. That’s because teachers and educators are the ones creating the classes, facilitating the work, and bringing their expertise to the platform. And because of this, Outschool might be right for you to teach a class. Have a topic you are an expert or interested in? Let’s give it a try on the platform. It can be a way to earn some extra money or even start a competitive side gig. So here we’ll go through some of the basics around how to create a class for Outschool.
HOW TO START CREATING A CLASS FOR OUTSCHOOL
To create a class for Outschool is relatively easy at least at the outset in that signing up to become an educator on the platform has been mostly streamlined. The key to begin is picking an area or subject with which you are familiar. This can seem like an easy piece but it’s important you are teaching something that you enjoy. Students will know, right from the jump, whether the teacher is engaged and excited about the subject and lesson.
After that, there are some basic nuts and bolts to create a class for Outschool that you’ll need to get out of the way to start. The first is creating a profile on Outschool and Applying to become a teacher. You will need to complete personal information about yourself, submit ID verification and also pass a Background Check. Once those are done you will be ready to List your first class.
Outschool does make a recommendation about what to do when you create a class for Outschool in order to have it begin to get engagement. That’s to make it a one-time offering rather than something which meets over many days or weeks. The reason for this is presumably pretty simple. This is a way for teachers to begin amassing reviews without parents having to take a risk on a new teacher or class over a longer time period.
Additionally, a one-time class will allow for new teachers to begin getting used to the process of teaching on Outschool to determine if this is the right platform for them. In this way, a one-time offering (which can be offered again btw) is a great starting point for teachers, parents, and students. It’s what you should definitely strongly consider when you create a class for Outschool.
THE BASICS
For your first lesson when you create a class for Outschool, starting simple is the best way. Create a one-time, single objective lesson that will allow you to get used to everything Outschool has to offer. You’ll want to make sure there are key components here.
Lesson Objective
Teachers will know this, but every class needs to have a lesson objective or objectives. When you create a class for Outschool it is no different. What is it you want the students knowing when they walk away from the class by the end? Determining your lesson objective will help crystallize other elements of the overall lesson and will let you and the students both know if there is success being found within the instruction. The lesson objective will also help you sell the class because parents are often coming to Outschool to have their child learn a very specific thing.
Class Rules
These can be relatively simple, and unlike a brick-and-mortar school, Outschool doesn’t have nearly the same number of moving parts. Class rules when you create a class for Outschool can be as simple as respecting when others are speaking or raising hands on-screen when wanting to talk. Beyond that, the teacher has control here and typically the flow of the class will mean that an abundance of rules simply isn’t needed.
Timeline for the class
Setting a timeline for the class is critical ahead of time to make sure you are managing the flow of the class. Because parents have signed students up for a set period of time it’s important you adhere to this within the class. Especially if it is a one-time class that’s meant to help boost some reviews, finishing the class 10 minutes or early or only making it halfway through can be a real problem. Build out a loose timeline you want to follow from start to finish so you know if you are hitting markers along the way. Be prepared to lengthen out a segment of the lesson, or cut something short if need be.
Create Slides for engagement
Because Outschool is done through Zoom, visual aids can be critical components. While not 100% necessary, you will often want to convey something on-screen through the use of slides for visuals. Make sure these are relatively simple though will spark interest from the learners. Don’t overdo it on slides, but you will want to practice getting them up and down off the screen fluidly ahead of time.
Additionally, you might want to model something for the class by doing it yourself on the screen. Make sure you have a method for accomplishing this whether it be a whiteboard, a digital sheet, a second camera to highlight a different angle, or whatever helps show students what you are doing in real-time.
After you’ve completed this you are ready to start your first Outschool class. You’ll want to mark the class open and ready for enrollment once your time-slot and price are selected. It’s the beginning of an awesome journey and you’ll see what Outschool has become the massive platform it is today.
