Teaching Guide @ Classbuk
Parents have trusted us with their kids, their hopes, and their dreams. It is our responsibility and our collective resolve to exceed their expectations.
Our Teachers are the flag bearers of Classbuk’s mission to inspire a love for learning and provide a professional and trusted online learning experience to learners globally. They constantly strive to bring out the genius in every kid.
The understanding and deep care for students by our amazing women teachers have been central to building trust and the reputation of Classbuk with parents and students across different countries. We’re proud to have talented and passionate teachers, who partner with us in our mission to inspire a love for learning.
A uniform teaching guide ensures consistency, clear expectations, and quality assurance thus enhancing both teacher’s and student’s experience.
The below-mentioned guideline list is meant to be a reference point to be complied with, for online teaching at Classbuk. The list is not an exhaustive list of all the best practices.
Qualitative aspects
- Maintain a professionally pleasing personality.
- Focus on outcome-based teaching with clearly communicated goals, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
- Inspire a love for learning.
- Treat the Client’s ( Parent and Learner) satisfaction to be of paramount importance.
- Be prompt in responses to requests/queries from the Classbuk team or from Parents.
** Please feel free to reach out to your Classbuk Teacher Support Whatsapp group for any help**
TECHNICAL SET UP:
| 1 | Use a laptop /PC for online classes, not mobile devices. Ensure the Laptop / PC is charged or connected to a power source. |
| 2 | Maintain adequate light in your sitting area and on your face. |
| 3 | Sit in a quiet place with an uncluttered backdrop. |
| 4 | Maintain a stable and fast Internet connection (over 20 Mbps upload and download) with power backup in the Teacher’s responsibility for all online classes. Class cancellation on account of electricity/internet failures is considered avoidable by installing power backups or having backup internet connections of different service providers |
| 5 | Keep drinking water, writing material, etc handy as needed for your class. |
| 6 | Test the virtual backgrounds. Use the virtual background for your online classes with Classbuk attached here –Click Here Having a professional background helps to present an uncluttered backdrop for enhanced learners’ attention. If the virtual background is not effective, please consider using green screen background. Example –Amazon Green Screen If you are facing any technical issues with using Virtual background, please approach your teacher support. |
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Ensure the teacher display name is updated to the first name in all places (zoom/ any material used in classes etc). Refer to guidance – How to change the display name on Zoom. Display of full name/contact info/social media links/organization name directly / indirectly is prohibited |
| 8 | Ensure the headset /microphone is connected. Ensure no wires over mouth/face which look unprofessional. |
| 9 | The presentation, if any (to be used during the session) is open and available on the browser. Close all unnecessary screens for the class. |
| 10 | Put the mobile phone in silent mode. Do not talk on the phone unless it is a critical short conversation. |
| 11 | Do not eat during the sessions. |
| 12 | Maintain appropriate posture and attire ( no nightwear etc allowed). |
| 13 | Keep the video on and also request students to keep the video on during the entire session. Immediately escalate to Classbuk in case a student or a teacher’s video is not working |
| 14 | Do not leave the learner/s unattended. |
| 15 | Adjust screens for the best viewing experience for students and also guide your students to do so ( pinning video etc) |
GUIDELINES FOR DEMO SESSIONS:
| 16 | Keep the set-up ready as per 1-15 above and log in a few minutes in advance to avoid delays due to technical issues. |
| 17 | Before the start of the demo with the student, invite the parent if they are around and share your brief intro ( qualifications, teaching experience, teaching style, etc) and understand briefly about the student and their learning goals. This will help to conduct the demo with the student more effectively in line with parent expectations. |
| 18 | Build a connection with the student ( Share your likes/dislikes and ask the same from the student etc) |
| 19 | The demo with the student can be for a duration of 30 mins only or more as required by Classbuk or as may be required for your class. When the demo is about to end, please message your Classbuk teacher support WhatsApp group. Someone from Classbuk may join the demo. Please follow this process even if another Classbuk representative ( eg may be an auditor or admin) is present in the Zoom session with the camera off. Sometimes a Classbuk member may be in the Zoom session with the camera off but not attending the session. |
| 20 | Ask the student to invite the parent ( if he/she was not around at the start of the demo). Introduce yourself and offer the parent to ask any questions that he/she may have. Do not discuss any fees with the parent. |
| 21 | Brief the parent about the learning outcome they can expect from your classes, broad-level lesson plan, ongoing homework via Google Classroom and regular tests and PTMs ( after every 8 sessions). Brief them about access to Google Classroom for the exchange of regular homework. |
| 22 | Check potential timing slot requests from parents ( if they wish to enrol), and advise your availability. If timings are agreed upon, request the parent to inform the Classbuk team as well. |
| 23 | Message in the WhatsApp group brief feedback about the student and timings, if any agreed with the parent after the demo |
| 24 | Update the Student Attendance Class Tracker sheet with the Demo Date after the demo |
| 25 | Do not click or record any portion of the class due to strict privacy controls. |
| 26 | Soliciting or providing any personal information or pricing information directly or indirectly with parents/learners is considered a serious violation of the contract. Make sure any teaching material or site used does not reflect your full name, any other personal info or competitor info etc. In case a parent/student shares or seeks personal information or pricing, please inform the parent/student politely that it is not permitted and report to Classbuk immediately. |
** Please feel free to reach out to your Classbuk Teacher Support Whatsapp group for any help**
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES AFTER THE START OF PAID SESSIONS:
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Upcoming classes with Classbuk are updated on your Google Calendar with applicable Zoom links (i) Classbuk creates class Zoom meeting links including scheduling on your Google calendar. We use paid licenses that do not have a 40 mins limit so that you can take the classes smoothly. . Please click for your Google calendar view. Watch this video for instructions to join. Please ensure to check your Google calendar invites from Classbuk and advise if any changes are needed. Please also enable automatic email calendar notifications. Class Reminders will be sent on the Whats App group as an additional service on a best-effort basis. The absence of a reminder does not mean the class has been cancelled. In case of doubt or mismatch e.g. Google Calendar is not updated or not updated properly or a message has not been received or received incorrectly, please reach out and clarify with the Classbuk Support team. Please refer to this 2-minute video on “How to add notifications to Google calendar events”
(ii) Do not assume class cancellations on account of public holidays, festivals, etc unless cancellation is intimated in writing. Given that we are serving multiple countries, scheduled classes continue to be conducted irrespective of public holidays or festivals unless expressly cancelled much in advance
Please remind students to also review their Google Calendar for upcoming classes and joining links |
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Please join on time every time unless it is not feasible due to medical emergencies. Punctuality is an essential trait of a teacher. Log in a few minutes in advance to avoid delays due to technical issues such as the PC taking time to boot etc). Joining after the scheduled start time is considered late and is subject to a potential deduction and hold for each delay. If you have back-to-back classes, it is recommended to maintain a gap of a few minutes between the start time of the two classes. A delay in joining by a student or an extended class is not an acceptable reason for being late to your class. In case a student is delayed, the teacher is entitled ( not mandated) to finish the class within the scheduled end time and is not mandated to extend. The class schedules are updated on Google Calendar. Delays in joining by teachers could also encourage students to join late.
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In case a student has not joined your class on time ( whether 1:1 or group class), please message or call Classbuk support immediately to ensure that the student is followed up for immediate joining. Please follow this process even if another Classbuk representative ( eg may be an auditor) is present in the Zoom class. If a message has not been seen by the team ( especially during non-office hours), please call for emergency situations ( student not joined, emergency class cancellation). If the parent does not join in about 15 mins after your call to us and there is no intimation of the student joining ( eg student is not reachable etc) please take the ok from Classbuk and then leave the class. The teacher will be eligible for no-show credit in case the student does not join the class after the teacher has waited in the class for 15 mins after informing/calling Classbuk and there is no update that the student is joining. Teachers are requested to call Classbuk in case their message has not been seen so that we can check with the student immediately. In case a student delays in joining ( except for reasons beyond their control such as health emergencies or technical issues faced by students etc), the teacher is entitled to take the class for the balance time. For time-bound urgent messages sent to the Classbuk group, please ensure that messages have been read by Classbuk. If needed, please call your teacher’s support numbers. In a situation of short notice cancellation late at night or early morning where Classbuk has not read your message, we recommend that the teacher joins the class just to inform the student that the class is cancelled and leaves. This is to avoid a situation of students waiting for teachers to join. |
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Keep your Availability Google Calendar, Student attendance ( via Class Tracker Sheet as shared by the Company), and Fees Sheet ( for actual enrolled students before the beginning of paid lessons) updated at all times. Any delay in updating may result in a reconciliation issue and a delay in the settlement of your payouts. Availability Google Calendar – Teachers are required to keep their free teaching hrs updated via the Google Calendar process. The free teaching slots are used by Classbuk for marketing and scheduling your classes. Teachers have the flexibility to update the free slots at their end. Class Tracker Sheet: Teachers are expected to update the student attendance on the day of the classes, demos taken dates & class cancellations, and leave dates in the sheet shared by the Company on a timely basis. In case the teacher does not update the Class tracker, settlement as per Company records will be considered final and binding on the teachers. Fees Sheet: Teachers are expected to update the fees for enrolled students as and when paid classes start. ( not for demo lessons) |
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Student File Please update a) curriculum, b) regular class updates, c) progress reports and d) PTM updates in separate Google Sheets You can continue to use Google Classroom for the exchange of homework/files/worksheets. You should inform students and parents after the progress report and PTM has been updated. Each Student File will be shared with respective parents. Please update the progress report after every 8 sessions ( whether PTM is held or not) and then separately update PTM discussion updates when a PTM is completed. Progress reports help showcase the progress of students and justify the teaching hours. Parent-Teacher meetings (PTMs): PTMs are critical. Teachers should discuss the progress of the student as per the progress report updated and exchange feedback with parents during PTMs.Tracking of PTMs and arranging meetings with a parent is the responsibility of a teacher. PTM frequency: Please fix PTMs directly with the parent at least monthly at the beginning of each month ( for twice-a-week classes ) or after 2 months ( for once-a-week classes) . Teachers should inform the parents( via their students if needed) and Classbuk in advance of upcoming PTMs. Teachers can conduct PTM during a class ( of approx 10-15 mins) subject to the availability of the parent. However, if a parent is not present regularly during class timings., teachers can request Classbuk to arrange PTMs. Please message your WhatsApp group when the PTM is starting for one of the Classbuk team members to join the PTM. What to cover in PTMs: 1) Progress report of students and any escalation to parents. Seek parent feedback on what can be improved. Immediately after each PTM, please 1) update the Class tracker with the PTM dates and 2) update the Google Classroom with the pending action points and parent feedback in brief with the PTM date |
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Google Classroom ( GC): Teachers should give regular home assignments to students via Google Classroom ( unless instructed by *parents* not to give them ). Please update the home assignments class by end of the same day to ensure that parents/students are aware of when to expect and give sufficient time to students to complete their assignments. Please escalate to the parents directly in their meetings or through Classbuk in writing if their students are regularly not submitting their homework on time. Complaining to students only or commenting only on Google Classroom for regular delays in the submission of homework is not sufficient. Parents may not check Google Classroom regularly. Parents should not complain that home assignments are not given or they are not aware that their child is not submitting homework on time. Please comply with the guidelines to avoid implications for non-compliance. In case there are any such students where homework is not given or there are regular delays in homework submissions, please inform us urgently. Please download the app and enable notifications in Google Classroom for easy tracking and guide the parents also to do the same. For instructions refer Google Classroom app and notifications |
| 33 | Limit rescheduling and class cancellations unless due to unavoidable circumstances. Teachers should keep changes to their schedule at a minimum unless necessary due to medical emergencies. Cancellations/Rescheduling can negatively affect the parents and students. In addition, time and efforts by multiple parties ( Classbuk, parents, and learners) to fix a revised schedule and blocking of revised slots. Cancellations/Rescheduling by teachers also encourage parents to raise similar requests in the future. If you are cancelling/rescheduling a class, please write to Classbuk in your WhatsApp group with the reason, as early as and as less as possible and no less than 24 hours before to avoid potential penalties. Classbuk may ask you for medical documents in case of regular medical leaves of yourselves or your family members. |
| 34 | In the event, that a teacher agrees to a class reschedule or class cancellation or revised timing with parents during a class, it is the responsibility of the teacher to inform the Classbuk Teacher support group of the change in writing and also request the parent to inform to Classbuk. |
| 35 | Do not end the session before the scheduled end time without getting permission from the parent or Classbuk. A student requesting the class to end earlier is not an acceptable reason unless in case of emergencies. Early closure of classes without due permission may lead to deductions. |
| 36 | There is no restriction for extending any class for any duration as may be needed as long as it does not delay your joining another class. Such extended timings have to be informed and approved well in advance by Classbuk and should be of a minimum of 30 minutes to be payable to teachers on a proportionate basis. |
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Currently, students may be using their laptop cameras to show their physical classwork to teachers during online classes if they are not using Zoom-integrated whiteboard. Different types of mobile stands are available online/offline: Eg Students can set up the second device with its audio disconnected/muted to eliminate echo sound. |
** Please feel free to reach out to your Classbuk Teacher Support Whatsapp group for any help**
IMPORTANT TIP: Have fun with the student and make learning an enjoyable process. We trust amazing teachers like you to inspire a love for learning in students !!
👩🏫 Happy Teaching!
The above list of guidelines is meant to be a reference point and is not an exhaustive list. Please use your experience to enhance the learning process and have fun with the student
These guidelines are an integral part of the Teacher’s contract with Present Minds Pvt Ltd ( Classbuk) and terms and conditions. Please refresh these guidelines from time to time as they are subject to change without advance intimation. Continuing to teach with Classbuk implies acceptance of the above guidelines and terms and conditions.
In case of any issues, please write to support@classbuk.com