A class you can’t hide in.

A few things to set up before we start, and why they change what you get out of the room. Live training only works when everyone is actually present.

Set up your workstation

Running live virtual classes is hard work, and a bad setup gets in your way all day. Sort these before we start.

Microsoft Teams

We run every session here. Install the app on Mac or Windows for the best experience. Joining from a phone is fine as long as we can see you.

Mural

This is where the interactive work happens. It doesn’t work well on a phone, so join from a computer.

Minecraft for Education

Some classes use it. A device with a large screen, a mouse, and a keyboard works best.

A second monitor

Not essential, but following the material on one screen while you work on another makes the day far easier.

Krisp noise cancelling (optional)

Keeps the room hearing you, not the lawnmower outside or the dog at the door.

Show up present

Around 70 to 93 percent of how we read each other is non-verbal. Present the same way you would across a table, and you’ll get far more out of the session.

Camera on, from the waist up

I read the room to shape what I teach: focus, confusion, disagreement. If I can’t see you, I’m teaching blind.

Light on your face, not behind you

A window in front of you or a cheap ring light beats a silhouette. Avoid a bright window at your back.

A real microphone, not your laptop

Clear audio is the difference between contributing and being missed. A headset or a desk mic is plenty.

A tidy background

A plain wall or a blur is fine. Nothing fancy needed.

Wear what’s comfortable

Jammies to a suit, I’ve seen it all. Presence matters here, a dress code doesn’t.

Why this matters

Live training isn’t a webinar you watch with your camera off. I read focus, confusion, and disagreement in the room and change what I deliver because of it.

The more present you are, the more the session bends to what you actually need. That’s the whole point of learning live instead of watching a recording.