Set Teacher Interview Series: Margaret Cox

We’re back with a new addition to our Set Teacher Interview Series, where we talk with OLE set teachers who have transitioned to helping students through our new virtual learning offerings. After our virtual sit-down with set teacher Stacey Hirn, we’re thrilled to discuss virtual learning with one of our international teachers, Margaret Cox.

About Margaret: Margaret taught for 8 years in at an international school in Moscow and has trained children for entrance to many of the UK’s elite schools, during her time as an educational consultant and tutor. She also has a US teaching certification in English and General Education. This permits her to work on US, UK and European Productions. A true polyglot, she is fluent in English, Russian, and French and can speak Polish and Japanese conversationally. The child of two actors, Margaret has been involved in the entertainment industry since birth. Before working as a set teacher and educator, she spent several years working in casting, talent management, production and finally as a writer for US television.

Margaret is also experienced in program consultancy, researching, and writing, which she has carried out on a professional level for the BBC, Redboard Productions, Handsome Dog Productions and HBO. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling and learning foreign languages (and just to keep herself busy, she is also about to embark on a PhD in Development Education).

What is your main area of academic expertise? How has this informed your work on set? When working with students enrolled in SYP? 

I have a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Russian and studied for an MA in Japanese Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, here in London. I also completed a graduate certificate in Psychology and an MA in Development Education and Global Learning. These academic studies have meant that I have an interest in international practices and, in particular, how the cognitive development of children may be nurtured, as well as their all-round academic abilities. On set, I never fear the prospect of remote locations, nor the prospect of working with students of different backgrounds. In fact, working with child actors who clearly have exceptional talent and energy is an absolute privilege, and I see it as my job to keep them on track academically. Similarly, when working with SYP students, it is also always satisfying because of the children I get to tutor. SYP students are often children who have unique circumstances to contend with, and I enjoy being able to create a bespoke teaching programme for each individual student. 

In order for families to understand the complexities of location teaching, could you share about an OLE experience that involved travel and/or a far-flung locale?

I have been very lucky up to now, as most of the projects I have worked on have involved a combination of studio and location shooting. Each time, I have been based in a city, whether it is Paris, Rome, Dublin, Montreal or New York, within a day’s drive to locations. Despite this, location teaching, even for a day, is always complicated.  First of all, self-reporting in a foreign country means you, the crew and talent drivers, have to get yourselves to the remote location, with patchy mobile signal. Secondly, trailers have to be brought to a new unit base site, which might be a good 15 minutes from the actual location itself. Then, set teachers have to be ready to school in a trailer with no internet signal, and be ready to travel with talent to set and tutor in holding areas, which may just be a tent with a heater and a couple of fold up chairs. I am, however, used to this challenge and never travel without equipment and resources. My students also have always understood that making TV and film is a team effort. 

You typically have several hours of face time per day working with students. What challenges has the switch to remote learning created for students and teachers? How do we minimize the negative impacts of COVID-19 on education? 

The biggest challenge that the switch to remote learning has created for students is not being able to show their teachers exactly how they are working. The presence of a teacher physically in a room helps to modify children’s behavior; it also creates a zone for learning, where students understand they need to fulfill tasks. Some students without these circumstances find being motivated to work academically extremely difficult. This is particularly true of younger students. For teachers, the challenge in online learning is not really being able to see the non-verbal cues that children give to indicate their mood and their state of mind. Good teachers observe these behavioural details, to modify their teaching style, in order to better engage students. Also, teachers have severely restricted abilities to enforce discipline. In online learning, children can switch off listening to their teachers, in the same way that can switch off any other device in the house. The way to minimize these negative impacts is to build a relationship, where the student understands the need for the teacher to ensure their progress.  I find that long sessions are only possible if students are happy to continue working independently, with the teacher’s online presence in the background for help. Shorter sessions work when both teacher and student understand exactly what needs to be achieved. Breaks are still essential.

What strategies do you use to keep students engaged and excited through live feed instruction when they are used to working with you in-person?

First, I think it is really important to get to know your students well. Make them post something fun about themselves or else ask them to prepare a list of questions for you, in this way you can establish a rapport with your students. I also make sure I recognize key words or phrases that indicate when my students are having difficulty. These strategies help create a comfortable, safe learning environment, where your student can spend time and develop. I have found that being harsh and trying to discipline students in an online class does not really work, unless the student sees the academic goal needs achieving within a deadline. In other words, it is important to lay out the ground rules, which state that we are here to work, but also to build a relationship with students, where they feel comfortable enough to contact you if they are struggling. It is also essential that I know the classroom mechanics of the online instruction, so students’ frustrations can be quickly allayed. I think that online teachers have a duty to be more accessible and respond to student inquiries in a timely manner, while all learning is online, either through WhatsApp or emails. It is important to do all we can, not to get frustrated during this period. And staying in touch out of lessons means students do not feel alone, and you can send students interesting links to keep them engaged. Providing substantive feedback and positive critique is crucial for their academic progress but equally important is lightening the atmosphere. The Internet is a hugely valuable source for free animated graphics, cool photos, and course related, yet motivating links and videos, so I am not against using these. 

Are there any online resources that you have found particularly helpful in your virtual work?

Although I consider myself a traditional face-to-face teacher, since working on set and studying virtually myself, I have learned that finding appropriate online resources for teaching and learning is a never-ending ongoing quest. Like everyone else, I use Skype, Zoom, and WhatsApp to be in touch with my students and rely on learning platforms such as Firefly, Google Classroom, Moodle for the school tasks and submission. In teaching, I tend to turn to BBC Bitesize, IXL and Twinkl for UK content, Project Gutenburg Ebooks (for classic literature), Arzamas, Khan Academy, KidsConnect to supplement US core curriculum as well as using YouTube links for specific curriculum content.  I think it is also important to learn to embed your own video content, so you can do demonstrations… or else make fun videos, which your students can re-watch to consolidate their learning. 

How have you grown as an educator in this transition to virtual learning? Is there anything from the virtual construct that you will carry with you when we return to set teaching?

I feel the Internet is going through a Golden Age, one that has long been anticipated since the technology became available. Rather like the ‘Golden Age of Television,’ no one using the media fully knows how to film themselves or anticipate the mistakes of spontaneous broadcast. That being said, the majority of students are very forgiving of the limitations of the medium and the older they are, the more conscious they are of needing to do their part in online learning. Another lesson I have learned is that the teaching/learning is really a partnership and if there is anything that I will carry with me when I return to set teaching, it is my gratitude to my students for staying engaged and staying productive.

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We’re thrilled to have Margaret and our global community of teachers who are making education possible during this pandemic. Whether we’re sending teachers to sets around the world or setting them up for virtual learning and/or coaching, OLE remains committed to fostering high-quality academic experiences that are always customized for the specific needs of our students. 

Are you in need of some assistance with schooling from home over the next few months? We’re here to help. On Location Education and The School for Young Performers are thrilled to mobilize our stellar roster of teachers like Margaret and offer the following virtual learning services:

• ONLINE SUBJECT-SPECIFIC TUTORING (The online equivalent of “after-school tutoring”) 
• ONLINE CORE ACADEMIC TEACHING (Teacher guided “homeschooling”)
• ONLINE ACADEMIC COACHING (Academic support and organizational guidance to aid your child’s studies) 
• FULL PRIVATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT (A customized private education through The School for Young Performers)

To learn more about these offerings and how we can help you and your family navigate the coming weeks, visit our virtual learning offerings page. 

We continue to wish you health and happiness in the weeks ahead.

-The team at On Location Education