I work as a teacher. And I am the youngest in the class

Imagine a class where you are the youngest person, where group's average age is over 50 and the teacher (me!) is only 32. I currently do some weekly hours as a tutor/computer teacher.

A few years ago I have made a choice - I want to become the remote worker. I wanted to stay at home, get up late and just do what has to be done, but I will be the one who chooses when.

Within a period of 7 years, almost 5 I worked mostly at home doing different projects. To be clear, I am no digital nomad of any kind, I have a family and have to time to travel a lot. I am not a programmer or graphic designer. I write and I do some e-marketing and SEO stuff, enough to live, not enough to make a career or to grow big. But I enjoy it.

Yet, some time ago during one course, I have met a guy, who said:

"Hey, you are good with talking to a group of people, did you ever consider being a coach or tutor?"

I was surprised as I have never seen myself in such a role, but after a while, I have decided to give it a try.

After all, so many years of sitting in front of a computer, it will be a nice change. And it was! This new-found job is very refreshing after so many years of keeping a constant with a small group of people and keeping online relations.

First of all, when I am in the classroom I don't sit. At all. I walk for 4-5 hours if needed and it's the thing I was missing a lot. I also talk. And think. All the time as I need to find to way to explain to my students how some things work, things I was taking as simple.

Every course is a new experience

Every group is different and I mean it. Now, every new group is an enigma.

I have groups that consist of people who want to upgrade their skills. They know something about computers, they know how to send an email, watch YouTube, have Facebook accounts and visit most popular sites. They joined the course because they feel that there is more to learn, they keep asking me: "how to stay safe on the Web?", "how to buy/sell on the internet?", "what is this cloud thing?".

Some of them consider it as a chance to get the new skill that will help them at work (or to get a better one), many come to learn to use MS Office, particularly MS Excel.

Others are from the special programme for unemployed. They are people who couldn't find any job for a long time, they get help from psychologists and advisors, who help them find their place in life. They are once again different - I cannot only teach, I have to prove them that the things I am talking about are important.

Still, my greatest lesson was when I started to teach elderly people. Most of them want to learn basics - things that are completely obvious to every one of us. Just imagine, how can you explain a thing so obvious as using a mouse to an 80 years old person who has never dealt with a computer?

How to use a computer mouse?

Working with the oldest people is the hardest one, but also the most satisfying. You need to be patient and explain everything clearly and as simple as it is possible. Realy simple. For example, the mouse. We use it and don't bother to think how we do it, but how would you explain it to a person who has never held it in his/her hand?

I said one time: "mouse up", and the lady lifted the device up. She didn't do wrong, it was me, who didn't think that she may understand me wrongfully. There are many similar stories, common misunderstandings but also lots of fun and satisfaction when you see the progress.

Every person has a different story. I have taught an 80 years old lady, who in the first day told me, that she feels uncomfortable with all these young people around her (the average age was about 50 ) but she's got a laptop from her daughter, who told her that she has 6 months to learn how to use it. If she doesn't they will take the computer back. This can sound brutal, but for this lady, it was the best motivation. She notes almost every word, she keeps training at home and every day she is more familiar with this strange black machine, that for her grandchildren is like a toy - simple and easy to use.

Another lady feels very alone. She is younger than the first one, but she has no one to talk to, even during Christmas time. She lives in a two-floor house, where on the ground floor is her place and on the first floor lives her daughter with her husband and her children. They, of course, visit her from time to time, but not so often as she wants to. The children have to learn, the adults are always busy. So she stays at home alone, reminding all those close people, who have already died: her husband, her best friend. She was always in the classroom, it didn't matter it was cold, there was no bus coming to this direction. She would walk few kilometres, keep training and learn how to use the computer, because she heard, that with this tool she would be able to talk someone through the internet. She doesn't know how, but she believes, that this is the way to deal with her loneliness.

I have already been twice to a computer shop, I helped my students to choose their first laptop. I was there to advise but in fact, I was a moral support ensuring that the seller will not try to sell 'grandpa' computer he wouldn't need. They don't need to play newest games, they need to have it simple, light and with good batteries, so they can take their laptop with them. For example to the hospital, where one of those gentlemen had gone only one week before the end of our course.

Two worlds meet

I had my first computer when I was 12. My children are being raised in a world of new technologies, this is their natural environment now. I may say that our family lives fully in a digital age: we do shopping online, we search the news on the internet, we plan our trip using Google Maps, we watch films and cartoons using our computers. But for many people, especially the older ones, this world came unexpected and suddenly everything changed leaving them confused. I have never imagined the scale before I started to work with them. This is completely new experience a lesson, that so close to us there are people who live in a completelty different world than we do.