We have all experienced surprising and amusing moments as online teachers. Here are some of our most unusual anecdotes that we hope will make you smile as much as they amused us.
Agnès, content creator at espaceproffle.com and French teacher:
A few months ago, I started working with an American student, a retired judge. Imagine a dignified elderly man translating American songs into French. Then, he sings them to me at full volume, with a tremolo that would make an opera tenor blush… even if his voice isn’t perfect. But I love it! It’s like having a private concert in every lesson. Although the translations are sometimes approximate, his enthusiasm is truly contagious.
Another unusual experience: in 2011, I was in Guatemala, near Lake Atitlán. I needed to work because I didn’t have much money, but the Internet connection was very poor. The only place where the connection was good enough was a bar. So, I set up on a beer crate in front of the closed bar, sometimes at dawn, to get a good signal. The sun would rise, the crate hurt my backside, but I was just happy to be able to continue working in such an incredible setting.
Miguel, teaching on line for 10 years:
“My Irish student is a case apart. He has five children and to follow his French lessons, he hides in his camper van, parked in the family garage. As soon as he hears the slightest suspicious noise, he goes silent and pretends not to be there. One day, he said to me: ‘Oh shi**, they’ve found me!’ before disappearing from the screen. It felt like we were in the middle of the German occupation!”
Claire, young teacher on Preply:
“One of my Russian students lives in a tiny studio in Paris with his girlfriend. One day, during our video lesson, I saw his girlfriend in the mirror behind him… in her birthday suit. I chose to ignore it and continued the lesson as if nothing had happened. But it was an extremely awkward moment for me. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice.”
Marc, English teacher on Preply:
“One of my students fell asleep during the lesson. At the beginning of the class, he said to me: ‘I got home at 3 AM and have a huge hangover, but I’ll be fine.’ He didn’t turn on the camera, claiming he wasn’t presentable. After five minutes, silence. ‘Colin? Colin, are you there?’ Yes, he was there… snoring!
I also have a student, a young mother, who tries to work while her two little boys play in a park. She seems to have Tourette syndrome: ‘Yes, if I had known, I would have… Kevin, get off there right now! … I would have told him… Kevin, I won’t repeat it!’ It’s quite a mental workout for her to juggle English and watching her kids in her language. But it reminds me that behind every student, there’s a life full of surprises and unexpected moments.”
And you? Do you have any anecdotes to share? Tell us in the comments section below, we look forward to reading them!
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