When online technology fails it can be stressful for many tutors. Suddenly they are in a situation where the expectations of how they thought the lesson would be are eroded, this can cause stress as many tutors will want to correct the situation as they care about their tutees and the families they work with.

This policy sets out the guidelines and the steps you can and cannot take to help the situation you may find yourself in. Remember all online tuition WILL at some point have technology failures. Whether it is an unexpected Windows update, a stubborn blank screen, sound and video issues or household internet speeds. Online tuition can never be a perfect service because it relies on the internet which is far from perfect. Tutors have no control over what the internet decides to do.

The definition of Failure in terms of our online technology: No sound, no video, unstable connection or failed connection.

Note: When the sound issues or Whiteboard glitches arise, it is often because there is a drain on the bandwidth. Is anyone streaming games or Netflix in the house? Have you or the student got other browsers open as well as the whiteboard? Often shutting down anything that causes a pull on the bandwidth and refreshing your page will fix the issue.

New Clients: Note this policy is not for first time students or students that have moved their tutoring location and plan to continue there. The lesson will have to be abandoned and these issues will have to be reported back for investigation.

Online Failure Guidelines. Can the lesson still continue? Clients know when they sign up for online tuition that there will be occasional sound and video issues. Clients that have needed a perfect service are supported to find alternative arrangements as it can never be perfect, and these expectations will be impossible to manage.

So, can you make the most of the session? Can you type, can you still find something teachable? Sometimes the answer will be yes. Just remember you are modelling to a student how to be flexible and adapt to unplanned learning sessions. You are modelling how to cope in exams, when work seems harder than they first thought.

Sometimes, the answer will be no. This is especially true if a student cannot read at all, so you cannot type. Can you use the Westcountry SEN mobile phone for sound? When you are in Westcountry Practice, there is a mobile phone for you to use (sound only). The code is the same as the practice door. This phone is Westcountry SEN’s mobile, you can use it for a whole hour’s session. Just remember to return it back to the main desk after use so it is not trapped in your room when you see your next student.

If you are at home and have a mobile with unlimited minutes, could you use your own phone for sound? Important please withhold your number so you don’t get into a situation where clients can start texting you and set yourself up for conflict further down the line.

Do you want to rearrange? Often you will have gaps, cancellations or may have some availability on another day – e.g weekend. If you want to rearrange, you must take responsibility for the scheduling of that yourself. This will avoid the offer of replacement happening where there isn’t room for replacement, or the client accepting a replacement offer and not understanding it will be at a different time.

Things to consider:

• You must tell the client that you don’t normally have another space, but on this occasion, you do for the one you are offering. This is important. Clients are never guaranteed a replacement, you must try to avoid at all costs setting up a ‘you did it before, why won’t you now!’ as this then puts you and the client into a power struggle that will be uncomfortable for both parties. It must be within 7 days of the original lesson. E.g., if the lesson is on a Thursday, you can only offer a lesson up to the Wednesday.
• As long as you have negotiated with the client and there is mutual agreement, you are free to move the session to a time that is convenient to both you and the student. However, it must not affect another student’s session, or be a permanent change of time/day. Hence you saying you do not normally have this space but can offer it on this occasion.
• Make the changes on the calendar yourself. You need to click on edit lesson and enter a new date and time. Make sure you do not tick apply to all changes.
• The client, student, yourself and the learning manager will all receive an email with the new session time.

Do not use an alternative video streaming method which involves sharing data. Facebook, Facetime, Zoom and other video sharing platforms are outside of Westcountry SEN’s data protection policy so all our insurances, and safeguarding measures become at risk if you use another platform. Do not use another platform unless it is an option that you can access from your Westcountry SEN online calendar.

Do not disrespect the clients wishes to have online lessons. Westcountry SEN is a service that supports clients’ decisions in regard to the tuition they purchase. Some families are very busy so coming into the practice is not an option. Some children also feel safer at home. If a client chooses online tuition over coming into our centre, please do not try to imply they are making the wrong decision or not doing the best for their child.

We are a service that supports children and families, we should never shame clients regarding any choices they have made for the tutoring provision.

Be mindful about:

– Session reports commenting on technology difficulties. These reports go to the parents so technology should not be a factor within it. Please notify Westcountry SEN of any technical difficulties [email protected]

– Advising parents to come into the practice instead of online, or implying it is better. If the family is stressed by the travel commitments, or the child is anxious it will not be better.

– Do not enter financial negotiations such as: cancelling any lessons. Client Managers will investigate to see where the fault was and make a decision after the event.

– Do not offer a fee reduction / split the difference

Parents enter a contract with Westcountry SEN when they start. This contract can only be negated against by the company director and they will put it in writing. Even suggesting something can happen will make the client feel it’s possible when often it won’t be.

Due to tutors wanting to help the families they have a relationship with, it’s very easy to offer suggestions to a client without thinking about it. You are letting clients know that your suggestion is possible within the organisation you are working for, even if it isn’t.

Sometimes through the desire to help and be helpful for the company and clients they care about, tutors unconsciously place themselves in the problem-solving position, when it’s not their problem to solve. If your Client Manager or Mentor has to talk to you about your actions or suggestions when you were only trying to help, you may feel attacked or persecuted for just trying to do your best.

It’s important to remember your boundary here and where task become the responsibility of the Client Manager. Anything that is a financial negotiation it is safer to say “I don’t know” and then let the client know you will refer back to someone who will get in touch.

In summary

• Offer to replace sound with an approved phone (Westcountry SEN mobile, your own phone if you have unlimited minutes and you can withhold your number. Your service provider will tell you how you can withhold your number).
• Offer a replacement session if you are happy to do so and if you have space. Make sure to negotiate with the client at the time of the failed session and ensure the client will not  be under the impression that this is always possible. Make the changes on the calendar yourself. You only have a 7 day window to do this.
• Refer difficulties back to Westcountry SEN [email protected]

If none of the above are possible, then it will be an abandoned session and this is not your fault or responsibility. You will not get in trouble or disappoint anyone or be working outside of Westcountry SEN’s guidelines if you followed all the steps above and the session could still not take place. It is just an acceptance of online technology. Just make sure you email [email protected] and inform the Client manager.