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Class Facilitation: Facilitating a successful trial class

Trial classes are a fantastic opportunity to connect with a new learner, assess their strengths, and build excitement for future lessons. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth and engaging experience!

Top tips to facilitate an amazing class!

Set up a quiet, well-lit environment

Your teaching space should be distraction-free with good lighting so the student can clearly see your face. Avoid noisy areas and background interruptions.

Ensure Zoom and your device are updated and working

Before class, check that:
✔ Zoom is updated to the latest version.
✔ Your microphone, camera, and internet connection are working properly.
✔ Your device (laptop/desktop only) supports all necessary Zoom features.

Be happy, high-energy, and welcoming

Set a warm, positive tone from the start! Smile, use expressive body language, and make the student feel excited to learn. Your energy sets the stage for engagement!

Keep the student engaged and actively participating

Encourage the student to speak, annotate, and interact throughout the class. Ask open-ended questions, give positive feedback, and adjust pacing based on their responses.

Build a strong connection with both the student and family

At the end of class, invite the parent/guardian to chat. Share positive feedback, discuss learning goals, and guide them through scheduling the next session. A great relationship builds long-term success!

Trial class step by step

1. Access the Trial Class Information

  • Log into your Dojo Tutor Dashboard.
  • Locate the class with the "Trial" tag.
  • Click on the class to review key details about the student.

2. Prepare the Assessment

  • Open the Dojo Tutor Drive and make a copy of the appropriate pre-made assessment.
  • Personalize the template by filling in the designated sections to tailor it to your learner.

3. Join the Class

  • Five minutes before the scheduled start time, the "Join now" button will appear in your Dashboard.
  • Click it to open the class in the Zoom Workplace app (Ensure you have downloaded and updated Zoom beforehand).
  • Be sure to have one of our fun Dojo Tutor Zoom backgrounds on!

4. Set Up the Learning Environment

  • Open your personalized Google Slides assessment and display the welcome screen with the student’s name.
  • Use Zoom’s advanced sharing options to share only a portion of your screen.
    • Why? This helps keep learners focused and prevents distractions from pop-ups or ads.

5. Admitting the Student

  • Admit the student from the waiting room only at the scheduled class time.
  • If they arrive early, send a friendly waiting room chat message instead of admitting them early.
  • If they arrive late, follow the current late arrival flow.

6. Facilitate the Trial Class

Follow the Google Slides deck step by step (Speaker’s notes provide extra guidance!).

Slide Breakdown:

Welcome Slide
Say hello and welcome your student!

Intro Slide

  • Share a slide with your photo, name, and three things you like.
  • Ask the student to share their interests and add them to the slide!

Map Game

  • Move the star to your state and invite the student to do the same.
  • Discuss how far/close you are—it’s a great way to note their timezone for future scheduling.

Emotional Check-In

  • Ask how they feel about the subject.
  • Show them how to annotate on the screen to engage them early.

Goal Slide

  • Read the pre-set trial class goals aloud.
  • Remind them that today’s focus is fun and connection—not strict testing!

Main Assessment Slides

  • Guide the student through the assessment questions.
  • DO NOT let students struggle in silence—jump in to assist and encourage them!
  • If you don’t finish all the questions, that’s okay! Quality over quantity.

Goal Review

  • Recap the class goals:
    “We wanted to finish our first class together and have fun. What do you think—did we meet our goals today?”
  • Ask the student:
    “What do you want to learn next time? Is there something specific you’d love to practice?”

Family Chat

  • Ask the student to bring their parent or guardian over.
  • Greet them warmly and share positive feedback about the class.
  • Walk them through setting up the next session:
    “Please scan the QR code to log into your portal and finalize your next class.”
  • Ask parents about their goals and expectations and record notes in the slide.

7. Wrap Up the Class

  • End the class on time (If there’s extra time, play a quick game or review an assessment question).
  • DO NOT end early!

8. Generate the Written Assessment

  • One hour after the class, you’ll be able to generate a written assessment.
  • Review and edit the AI-generated report.
  • Suggest how many sessions per week would be best for the student.

9. (Optional) Leave a Note for the Family

  • Send a quick thank you message in the class portal.
  • Express your excitement to meet with the student again soon!

Frequently asked questions

Q: If the student doesn’t show up, do I still write an assessment?

A: No, if the student is absent, you do not need to generate an assessment. Follow the no-show procedure and report the absence as needed.

Q: Who do I contact for tech help?

A: Reach out to the ClassDojo Customer Support (CS) team for any technical issues. They’re available to assist with troubleshooting and platform-related concerns. Email: tutoring-support@classdojo.com 

Q: Do I need to use the Dojo Tutor premade assessment?

A: Yes, please always use the premade assessment we have provided for you during your trial classes. 

Q: What device should I use to host classes?

A: You must use a laptop or desktop computer. Zoom’s full features, including backgrounds, screen sharing, and annotation tools, are only supported on these devices. Do not use tablets, Chromebooks, or phones, as they do not fully support Zoom’s advanced teaching tools.

Q: My computer won’t let me use a Zoom background. How do I fix it?

A: If you’re unable to use a virtual background, try the following:

  1. Check Zoom settings – Open Zoom, go to Settings > Background & Effects, and enable virtual backgrounds.
  2. Update Zoom – Make sure you are using the latest version of Zoom.
  3. Check system requirements – Older computers may not support virtual backgrounds. You may need to enable "I have a green screen" in Zoom settings.
  4. Restart Zoom – Close and reopen Zoom after changing settings.

Q: My computer won’t let me share a portion of my screen. How do I fix it?

A: If the option to share a portion of your screen is missing:

  1. Ensure you are using Zoom Workplace App – The partial screen-sharing feature is not available on Zoom’s web version.
  2. Enable Advanced Sharing – In Zoom, go to Share Screen > Advanced > Portion of Screen.
  3. Update Zoom – Older versions of Zoom may not have this feature, so check for updates.
  4. Check system permissions – If using a Mac, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Screen Recording and ensure Zoom has permission.

Q: Can I use the web version of Zoom in my browser?

A: No, using the web version will impact the number of zoom resources available to you and hinder the class. You must use the Zoom Workplace app. 

Q: When can I join the class?

A: The "Join now" button will appear in your Dojo Tutor Dashboard five minutes before the scheduled class time. Click it to open the session in Zoom Workplace.

Q: What if the student arrives early?

A: Do not admit them early. Instead, send a welcoming message in the waiting room chat to let them know you’ll start right on time.

Q: What if the student is late?

A: Follow the late arrival flow to guide them into the session smoothly. If a student is significantly late, continue with the class as best as possible within the remaining time.

Q: What if the student does not show up?

A: If no student attends, even if a family member does attend, you will not need to fill out the written assessment after the class. Please have the family reach out to our team, you do not need to reach  out and let anyone know about this. 

Q: What if two kids join the session at the same time?

A: Kindly let the family know that these classes are meant to be facilitated 1:1 and they should reach out to our support team to set up another class for their other kid(s).

Q: Do I need to finish all the assessment questions during the trial?

A: No! It’s more important to support the student and showcase your teaching style than to rush through all the questions. If only a few are completed, that’s okay!

Q: Why should I share only a portion of my screen?

A: Using Zoom’s advanced sharing options ensures that students see only the relevant content, minimizing distractions and avoiding unnecessary exposure to ads or personal files.

Q: How do I prepare for the family chat at the end?

A: Before class, enter your availability into the scheduling slide. During the chat, warmly greet the guardian, share positive feedback, and guide them through setting up the next class using the QR code on the slide.

Q: What if the kid joins from the phone and cannot scan the QR code?

A: Check the speaker’s notes, you can share that link in the chat and they will be able to open the link and log in to pick their next class.

Q: What should I do if I finish the session early?

A: If you have extra time, engage the student with a fun game or review more assessment questions. Do not end the class early.

Q: When can I generate the written assessment?

A: The written assessment will be available one hour after the trial class. Review the AI-generated content, make edits, and suggest how many sessions per week would be ideal for the student.

Q: Where can I generate the written assessment?

A: You can click on the kid’s name for the trial class you just facilitated and generate the written assessment in the window that pops up. 

Q: Can I leave a message for the student and their family after class?

A: Yes! It’s optional, but highly encouraged. Leave a thank-you note in the class portal expressing excitement for the next session.

 

 

More questions? Email our team at: tutoring-support@classdojo.com

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