Critical Issues Relative to Charter Virtual School
Submitted by deb Gerard
In considering what is most important, the following come to mind:
We need to nail down specifically what it is we are going to do-exactly what kind of school we are looking to develop (and it has to be more detailed than “charter virtual school”!)
Determine who our target students will be specifically.
What we will offer those targeted students.
If we determine to buy curriculum, we will need to make decisions on what curriculum and from where
Once we determine what we want specifically, we need to determine WHO and what we need to bring it about. That includes:
personnel and how we use them,
policy and what it needs to include,
student management and how and by whom that will be accomplished,
marketing and how it will be done and by whom and
how we will evaluate (DPI just told us that we must always make evaluation a part of the original plan for anything!).
The role of our current staff
How and through what medium(s) staff will be trained once we decide their role
There needs to be a specific timeline for this project over the course of the next few months as the next deadline for the grant is not all that far away!
We need to set the next meeting and soon!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
New London Collaboration
Joe Pomrening principal at New Londaon high school contacted us to see if we would be interested in collaborating on some of the curriculum. They are writing a planning grant for a charter school that has a virtual school as one of its components. He indicated that a collaboration with Keil or Appleton is $100,000 for each of two years. His phone number is 920-982-8420 x1001. He attended the Dallas virtual school symposium as well.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Janel's Overall List of Ten Important Concepts from the conference
1. Policies- we need to research policies like mad. There are many things to consider in the set up of our policies and how they will effect the outcome and viability adn effectiveness of our school.
2. Curriculum options- We have to decide if we are going to buy courses and provide our own teachers, have our teachers develop the curriculum adn teach it and sell our curriculum to others, have our teachers teach in a consortium and "exchange" seats (Wisconsin e-network, private companies), purchase on an individual course basis per student like virtual school
3. Community building is important. ways to use the technology and "new space" to create a school community of interactive learners, community, teachers and parents. Therewere some really good ideas of how to accomplish this.
4. Marketing ideas. Marketing the school is very important. Getting training inthis and being able tobrainstorm and network is key. Ideas of getting your name, mission and WHAT IT IS YOU DO out there.
5. Quality Measurementand program evaluation Online progam perceiver by Appleton Virtual School is a great way to measure program effectiveness and monitor what is going on. This shouldbe builtin.
6. Chic Thompson Ways to brainstorm and develop yes and habits. The power of opposite thinking when solving a problem. Turning it into opportunity. What would we never do?
7. Resources Use SREB resources. Lots there.. Also our worthiest competitors will be out best allies.
8. Concentrate on LEARNING not the medium of instruction
9. Student Management System- the current "traditional" (skyward) system will not work. It needs to have many moreoptions and tracking communication piece. This is key so make sure to research both it and the adminstration of it well.
10. Teacher and Student Preparation All teachers and mentors should have to take an online course first. All studnets should have an orientation course so they know how the system works and to troubleshoot technology problems (add-ins, speed, etc) before they are in an actual class.
2. Curriculum options- We have to decide if we are going to buy courses and provide our own teachers, have our teachers develop the curriculum adn teach it and sell our curriculum to others, have our teachers teach in a consortium and "exchange" seats (Wisconsin e-network, private companies), purchase on an individual course basis per student like virtual school
3. Community building is important. ways to use the technology and "new space" to create a school community of interactive learners, community, teachers and parents. Therewere some really good ideas of how to accomplish this.
4. Marketing ideas. Marketing the school is very important. Getting training inthis and being able tobrainstorm and network is key. Ideas of getting your name, mission and WHAT IT IS YOU DO out there.
5. Quality Measurementand program evaluation Online progam perceiver by Appleton Virtual School is a great way to measure program effectiveness and monitor what is going on. This shouldbe builtin.
6. Chic Thompson Ways to brainstorm and develop yes and habits. The power of opposite thinking when solving a problem. Turning it into opportunity. What would we never do?
7. Resources Use SREB resources. Lots there.. Also our worthiest competitors will be out best allies.
8. Concentrate on LEARNING not the medium of instruction
9. Student Management System- the current "traditional" (skyward) system will not work. It needs to have many moreoptions and tracking communication piece. This is key so make sure to research both it and the adminstration of it well.
10. Teacher and Student Preparation All teachers and mentors should have to take an online course first. All studnets should have an orientation course so they know how the system works and to troubleshoot technology problems (add-ins, speed, etc) before they are in an actual class.
Break Out 2 Tues-Collaboration by Deb
Focus on people not places in virtual world
Lots of self-organizers
Weekly collaboration meeting-always agenda and purpose
Comments from new teacher:
Connection is critical
Sharing of best practices
Consensus building-unified front (great idea!)
Broadens perspective
Confidence builder knowing you can talk together
Special Ed collaboration:
Not a lot of guidelines in place nationally
Part of SE job is assigned to VS-come together F2F weekly though also email
Sometimes more difficult to get things done and the collaboration helps here
Lots of discussions relative to policies
Principal involved in meetings
Operations
Pulled into the team and give input on what they believe policy should reflect
Weekly collaboration with adm
Sense in which “we are there for each other”
Collaboration has to be a required weekly thing-part of the job
Collaboration restores community
Marriage at a distance
Three legged stool-people/technology/processes all under the umbrella of purpose
SIT process:
Student Improvement Team-meet monthly collaboratively
Teachers email one week prior on student strengths/weaknesses
Can help all students because of brainstorming even though working on individual student
Can effect change quickly by calling attention to parent and providing tools and methods and very individualized
Part-time contracted teachers are assigned collaboration (well worthwhile)
Mentor for each new teacher
Teachers add informal collaborations with students (ie. 5AM 2 times a week) can build bonds even without sight
Informal parent collaboration: Can deal with issues but will need to address with administration
Analyzing student work: Talking about grading in the same way
Important to know how to do appropriate feedback/communication virtually
Handout: Rubric-apply this rubric to collaboration meetings
Much of the collaboration is NOT administration driven-can give guidance and support and wait to be invited in!
Key to collaboration is that it is safe and secure to express and agree/disagree
Lots of self-organizers
Weekly collaboration meeting-always agenda and purpose
Comments from new teacher:
Connection is critical
Sharing of best practices
Consensus building-unified front (great idea!)
Broadens perspective
Confidence builder knowing you can talk together
Special Ed collaboration:
Not a lot of guidelines in place nationally
Part of SE job is assigned to VS-come together F2F weekly though also email
Sometimes more difficult to get things done and the collaboration helps here
Lots of discussions relative to policies
Principal involved in meetings
Operations
Pulled into the team and give input on what they believe policy should reflect
Weekly collaboration with adm
Sense in which “we are there for each other”
Collaboration has to be a required weekly thing-part of the job
Collaboration restores community
Marriage at a distance
Three legged stool-people/technology/processes all under the umbrella of purpose
SIT process:
Student Improvement Team-meet monthly collaboratively
Teachers email one week prior on student strengths/weaknesses
Can help all students because of brainstorming even though working on individual student
Can effect change quickly by calling attention to parent and providing tools and methods and very individualized
Part-time contracted teachers are assigned collaboration (well worthwhile)
Mentor for each new teacher
Teachers add informal collaborations with students (ie. 5AM 2 times a week) can build bonds even without sight
Informal parent collaboration: Can deal with issues but will need to address with administration
Analyzing student work: Talking about grading in the same way
Important to know how to do appropriate feedback/communication virtually
Handout: Rubric-apply this rubric to collaboration meetings
Much of the collaboration is NOT administration driven-can give guidance and support and wait to be invited in!
Key to collaboration is that it is safe and secure to express and agree/disagree
Break Out 3: Data and by Deb
FLVS overview:
36,000 students enrolled-looks like a district now
School House concept within this district-now have 11 houses with 45 teachers each
35% from EEcon
Wisc is beginning to look like this within partnerships on a smaller basis
Driving factors:
Accountability-proving that we do what we say we do-every three months
Funding-only funded for students that is successful (d or above)-ongoing enrollment
Transparency-hierarchy
If students take this class after school day, state pays for it; if during school day, district pays for it(1/6 of cost/student)
Less than 500 students, can do data on spreadsheet
Ideal model is that the FTE is never received by the district-it goes directly to the state
Accountability:
Hierarchical approach
Accountability: state-district-school-class,
operations: students-parents-teachers-counselor-adm) makes this very transparent
The system:
Diff between leading data and laggard data
Leading-making sure you can impact students in front of you today
Laggard-when data still impacts the new students when designed to impact the students who WERE there
Can’t make decisions outside of data
Operational:
Rolling enrollment-no beginning or ending-serving as needed
Wait lists-a way to provide for all kids to get what they want and to start when they want-most are placed within a week or so, no longer than 3-4 weeks (if that long, will hire a new teacher)
Kids willing to wait max of 4 weeks but evidence shows that longer wait results in higher % of drop-outs
Kids have “weigh factors” (mission is to serve the ones at most need-impoverished, minority, medical, etc)
Student progress and communication:
Looking if students are on schedule or not and when they submitted work-after 3 weeks, no longer a student usually
Principal can access data as well as teachers to determine what is going on
Teacher dashboard-gives teacher all the class information
So much data provided and it is integrated daily to the other management systems
All contact is logged and all can be sort (common comments so all can see it)
28 days to decide if they are going to be a student of that course-if within, WD-no grade--if over, WD-F
Strategic:
Benchmarking data
Trends-Looking at big picture (year to year) data
Retention data
Accountability data
Students who are 65% complete in a course, there is an online survey to evaluate the course!!
36,000 students enrolled-looks like a district now
School House concept within this district-now have 11 houses with 45 teachers each
35% from EEcon
Wisc is beginning to look like this within partnerships on a smaller basis
Driving factors:
Accountability-proving that we do what we say we do-every three months
Funding-only funded for students that is successful (d or above)-ongoing enrollment
Transparency-hierarchy
If students take this class after school day, state pays for it; if during school day, district pays for it(1/6 of cost/student)
Less than 500 students, can do data on spreadsheet
Ideal model is that the FTE is never received by the district-it goes directly to the state
Accountability:
Hierarchical approach
Accountability: state-district-school-class,
operations: students-parents-teachers-counselor-adm) makes this very transparent
The system:
Diff between leading data and laggard data
Leading-making sure you can impact students in front of you today
Laggard-when data still impacts the new students when designed to impact the students who WERE there
Can’t make decisions outside of data
Operational:
Rolling enrollment-no beginning or ending-serving as needed
Wait lists-a way to provide for all kids to get what they want and to start when they want-most are placed within a week or so, no longer than 3-4 weeks (if that long, will hire a new teacher)
Kids willing to wait max of 4 weeks but evidence shows that longer wait results in higher % of drop-outs
Kids have “weigh factors” (mission is to serve the ones at most need-impoverished, minority, medical, etc)
Student progress and communication:
Looking if students are on schedule or not and when they submitted work-after 3 weeks, no longer a student usually
Principal can access data as well as teachers to determine what is going on
Teacher dashboard-gives teacher all the class information
So much data provided and it is integrated daily to the other management systems
All contact is logged and all can be sort (common comments so all can see it)
28 days to decide if they are going to be a student of that course-if within, WD-no grade--if over, WD-F
Strategic:
Benchmarking data
Trends-Looking at big picture (year to year) data
Retention data
Accountability data
Students who are 65% complete in a course, there is an online survey to evaluate the course!!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Tues Breakout 3- 5 Myths of the Mind by Janel
Myths
1. Your mind is that single voice in your head.
-concious internal talk is not all you are
-mind is much more conplex and most are unconscious resources
-learning starts by paying attention and then skill/knowledge becomes natural
-difficult to explain thought process of things that become natural
-awash with data, bt not necessarily to make it conscious
-Things you learn so well that are natural become your basic skills, fast to use, and almost invisible and INDIVISIBLE
-Conscious thought is for the HARD problems, it builds on all of our unconscious- what is already there.
2. Minds are like a computer
-old model- computers have processors andstograge and education makes this faster and stronger and fills the mind with seperate data
-new model- the mind is an association engine, expert minds identify different patterns and see things differently
3. Expert minds just know more than non-expert minds
-professors often know less facts than their students
-nonexperts do not have the associative and problem solving skills that experts do
-all human expertise seems divisible into 10-20 big ideas. same types of structure of knowledge with a lot of stuff tucked in underneath
-the structure of knowledge is subconscious
-experts have had a lot of practice
-most experts are VERY self critical
-get teacher and material experts be able to sncourage kids and guide them rather than frustrate them
4. Your mind works like other minds
-different minds learn best in different ways
-ALL minds can learn more than we expect
5. Talent makes things easier
-American peculiarity- if I were good at X, it would be great, because it would be EASY
-other cultures- mastery is a matter of work not talent
-practice and hard work make mastery
-obsession makes mastery
-mastery is about fluency-the unconcious process
Use flexibility and technology to make the vast amount of work required to make kids masters. HOW DO WE DO IT?
Talent allows you to do truly extraordinary things with enormous effort. Your staff has an incredible amount of unconsious mastery to utilize. Talent only gives you permission.
1. Your mind is that single voice in your head.
-concious internal talk is not all you are
-mind is much more conplex and most are unconscious resources
-learning starts by paying attention and then skill/knowledge becomes natural
-difficult to explain thought process of things that become natural
-awash with data, bt not necessarily to make it conscious
-Things you learn so well that are natural become your basic skills, fast to use, and almost invisible and INDIVISIBLE
-Conscious thought is for the HARD problems, it builds on all of our unconscious- what is already there.
2. Minds are like a computer
-old model- computers have processors andstograge and education makes this faster and stronger and fills the mind with seperate data
-new model- the mind is an association engine, expert minds identify different patterns and see things differently
3. Expert minds just know more than non-expert minds
-professors often know less facts than their students
-nonexperts do not have the associative and problem solving skills that experts do
-all human expertise seems divisible into 10-20 big ideas. same types of structure of knowledge with a lot of stuff tucked in underneath
-the structure of knowledge is subconscious
-experts have had a lot of practice
-most experts are VERY self critical
-get teacher and material experts be able to sncourage kids and guide them rather than frustrate them
4. Your mind works like other minds
-different minds learn best in different ways
-ALL minds can learn more than we expect
5. Talent makes things easier
-American peculiarity- if I were good at X, it would be great, because it would be EASY
-other cultures- mastery is a matter of work not talent
-practice and hard work make mastery
-obsession makes mastery
-mastery is about fluency-the unconcious process
Use flexibility and technology to make the vast amount of work required to make kids masters. HOW DO WE DO IT?
Talent allows you to do truly extraordinary things with enormous effort. Your staff has an incredible amount of unconsious mastery to utilize. Talent only gives you permission.
Tues BreakOut #2- Online Professional Development by Janel
Professional Development pitfalls
Quick fixes rather than systemic
Don’t utilize data
Happiness quotient
Insufficient time
Sit and get
Initiative overload
Pd as frill
Teachersonly
Expert dissemination
Barriers to Online Teaching
Online Textbooks
Banker Design
I'm Already a teachers
Practice Patience
Presence not predominance
quantity vs quality
Online Readiness Checklist
Quick fixes rather than systemic
Don’t utilize data
Happiness quotient
Insufficient time
Sit and get
Initiative overload
Pd as frill
Teachersonly
Expert dissemination
Barriers to Online Teaching
Online Textbooks
Banker Design
I'm Already a teachers
Practice Patience
Presence not predominance
quantity vs quality
Online Readiness Checklist
Monday notes 5 by Marcia
Monday
Session: Effective Methods for Training, Supporting, and Retaining Quality Online Instructors
Presenters: Lisa Watkins, Sandra Richards, Jamie Sachs--Georgia Virtual School (state funded)
According to presenters, Georgia Virtual School has the online program for what it does best—train, support, and retain teachers
To be successful, you must first determine what the term means.
Defining success:
Look at completion rates (“successful” completion rate = 70% score)
Compare standardized test scores
Compare instrucxtional techniques
Teacher evaluations
Student evaluations
Factors that Affect Success:
Teacher standards
Teacher training
Instructional techniques
Teacher evaluation
Student support
Georgia Virtual School has these online teacher standards:
National and State Standards
Organizational Standards
Georgia standards
Instructor manual
SREB Task Force Standard Development
Teacher training (ongoing)
Teacher forum
Application for online teaching positions through Georgia Virtual School is a rigorous process, and entrance into the training program does not guarantee employment.
Teacher Training
Based on set standards
Provides an opportunity for teachers to perform as online learners
Provides the opportunity for teachers to learn the pedagogy of online teaching and learning and the technology requirements for teaching online
Mirrors expectations set in virtual student classrooms
Veteran teachers develop the courses for Georgia Virtual School; Georgia DPI owns the content of the courses.
Georgia Virtual School hires teachers based on need—there are no full time teachers.
There are three semesters, and three pacing models (4 week semester, 16 week semester, 13 week semester). (Explanation was requested several times by several people, and we still did not understand this.)
Questions regarding funding—for example, does funding follow student?—were answered, “That gets worked out among theirselves(sic).”
Fall and SpringTeacher Training
“Desire to Learn” is their trsaining program
Content Requirements:
Well defined learning objectives
Clear and organized content
Varied assignments and assessments that address learning objectives
Instructor techniques
Address individual learning styles through:
Course content
Live chats—“Elluminate” program
Other communication methods
All available sources
Create a community of learners by:
Providing opportunities for collaboration and interaction
Providing timely and targeted feedback
Encouraging communication
Successful completion=mentoring
School provides access, Georgia Virtual School provides materials
______________________________________________
Whoever trains your teachers, be sure to--
model the teaching and dealing with problems
relate to standards set for teacher
have experienced mentors for each teacher
have new teachers shadow veteran online teachers (and teach a unit of the course)
Marcia
Session: Effective Methods for Training, Supporting, and Retaining Quality Online Instructors
Presenters: Lisa Watkins, Sandra Richards, Jamie Sachs--Georgia Virtual School (state funded)
According to presenters, Georgia Virtual School has the online program for what it does best—train, support, and retain teachers
To be successful, you must first determine what the term means.
Defining success:
Look at completion rates (“successful” completion rate = 70% score)
Compare standardized test scores
Compare instrucxtional techniques
Teacher evaluations
Student evaluations
Factors that Affect Success:
Teacher standards
Teacher training
Instructional techniques
Teacher evaluation
Student support
Georgia Virtual School has these online teacher standards:
National and State Standards
Organizational Standards
Georgia standards
Instructor manual
SREB Task Force Standard Development
Teacher training (ongoing)
Teacher forum
Application for online teaching positions through Georgia Virtual School is a rigorous process, and entrance into the training program does not guarantee employment.
Teacher Training
Based on set standards
Provides an opportunity for teachers to perform as online learners
Provides the opportunity for teachers to learn the pedagogy of online teaching and learning and the technology requirements for teaching online
Mirrors expectations set in virtual student classrooms
Veteran teachers develop the courses for Georgia Virtual School; Georgia DPI owns the content of the courses.
Georgia Virtual School hires teachers based on need—there are no full time teachers.
There are three semesters, and three pacing models (4 week semester, 16 week semester, 13 week semester). (Explanation was requested several times by several people, and we still did not understand this.)
Questions regarding funding—for example, does funding follow student?—were answered, “That gets worked out among theirselves(sic).”
Fall and SpringTeacher Training
“Desire to Learn” is their trsaining program
Content Requirements:
Well defined learning objectives
Clear and organized content
Varied assignments and assessments that address learning objectives
Instructor techniques
Address individual learning styles through:
Course content
Live chats—“Elluminate” program
Other communication methods
All available sources
Create a community of learners by:
Providing opportunities for collaboration and interaction
Providing timely and targeted feedback
Encouraging communication
Successful completion=mentoring
School provides access, Georgia Virtual School provides materials
______________________________________________
Whoever trains your teachers, be sure to--
model the teaching and dealing with problems
relate to standards set for teacher
have experienced mentors for each teacher
have new teachers shadow veteran online teachers (and teach a unit of the course)
Marcia
Monday Notes 4 by Marcia
Marcia’s notes…
Monday, November 6 3:00 PM
SESSION: Supporting the Online Instructor: Best Practices in Teacher-Training, Community-Building, and Professional Development Online
Presenters: Jo Wagner and Robin Winder, Florida Virtual School
Janna Vega and Jennifer Quintero, Idaho Digital Learning Academy
What do teachers need to be effective online teachers? It’s all about relationships and support.
This presentation states the professional development and support offered by Florida Virtual School and Idaho Digital Learning Academy
Basic Outline:
Florida Virtual School:
Annual Face to Face Conference
Ongoing Professional Development Online
Outstanding Performance Tool with Bonus Pay
Training and Mentoring
Idaho Digital Learning Academy:
Support Network
_________________________
Face to Face Faculty Conference—one week long
Train new teachers and assemble veteran faculty
Workshops
New technology and resources
Online teaching practices
Online instructional design
State standards
Up-to-date research of online education
Special topics, such as cyberbullying
Team Building! A sense of community…
Ø Teachers are paid for the week, and paid for travel.
Ongoing Professional Development Online
Online training for teachers
o Using Blackboard
o Instructional design
o Formatting and file size
o Creating assessments
o Structuring a course
o Screen design
Online Professional Development Course
o Required annually for all teachers
o Specific focus each year
§ Using digital media online
§ Creating a classroom community online
College credit is always available for the conference and online course
“Outstanding Performance” Measurement Tool
A rubric to measure and guide teacher performance and practice
Clear communication of expectations
Opportunity to earn “bonus pay” for outstanding performance
Students also rate teachers.
Semester classes are 18 weeks.
A score of 32 qualifies the teacher for “bonus pay”--$25 per student
Bonus pay is available each semester
Areas evaluated include:
Ø Quality of feedback
Ø Communication
Ø Teacher’s participation in professional development
Ø Administrative requirements (reports, student grades, up-to-date class schedule, etc.)
Ø Student evaluation of relationship with teacher
Student is charged $50 per semester.
A 9 week course pays the same as an 18 week course.
Teacher is paid for all students who stay after two weeks.
____________________
Support Network—Idaho
Support provided:
Online principals—assigned by subject area (principals take care of problem if student is cheating, for example)
Site coordinators—in student’s home school
Regional coordinators—coordinate individual schools
Technical support specialist—full time 8-5
Team leaders
Content specialists—experts on content
Content area teams—a sense of community
Provide teachers an arena to practice modifying content without doing any “real damage”
Facilitate regular, open communication within a subject area about current issues, “how to” questions, or future development ideas
· Content Area team leaders
o Mentor new teachers
o Act as communication hubs
o Facilitate the work and administration of the team
· Constant Communication
o Email
o Instant messaging
o Online Instructor Handbook/Workbook
o “How to” guides for technology use
_____________________________
FLVS
Training and Mentoring
Ø Establish and model relationships with students
Ø Support teacher development
Ø Institutional support
Ø Community building
Ø Mentoring—improves instructional performance, provide teacher support
Online Training courses—45 days long?
Ø New hire training course
Ø Graded and facilitated by the mentors
Ø Models effective feedback and communication
Ø Content area orientation
Timely Trainings
Ø Mentor corners
Ø Rapid reminder
Ø Monday Mentor Minutes
Ø Thirsty Thursdays
Ø Telephone
Ø Web conferences
All of these are communications aimed at correcting specific problems
Program Accountability
Ø Monthly checklists
Ø Contact logs
Ø Mentee surveys
Ø Teacher retention
Teacher teaching 135 credits is considered full time
Maximum 25 students in class
Majority of staff begin as adjuncts
Currently have 9000 teachers on waiting list
94% teacher retention
Lessons Learned
Ø Mentoring and training teachers is critical to success
Ø Set expectations very early regarding training commitment
Ø Build in accountability at all levels
Ø Simulate student learning via teacher training
Ø Use “just in time” information delivery to reduce frustration
Ø Allocate human and financial resources for mentoring program—this is critical
Ø Work in “chunks,” not chips
Ø Pace charts for students are given to parents
Wow!
Marcia
Monday, November 6 3:00 PM
SESSION: Supporting the Online Instructor: Best Practices in Teacher-Training, Community-Building, and Professional Development Online
Presenters: Jo Wagner and Robin Winder, Florida Virtual School
Janna Vega and Jennifer Quintero, Idaho Digital Learning Academy
What do teachers need to be effective online teachers? It’s all about relationships and support.
This presentation states the professional development and support offered by Florida Virtual School and Idaho Digital Learning Academy
Basic Outline:
Florida Virtual School:
Annual Face to Face Conference
Ongoing Professional Development Online
Outstanding Performance Tool with Bonus Pay
Training and Mentoring
Idaho Digital Learning Academy:
Support Network
_________________________
Face to Face Faculty Conference—one week long
Train new teachers and assemble veteran faculty
Workshops
New technology and resources
Online teaching practices
Online instructional design
State standards
Up-to-date research of online education
Special topics, such as cyberbullying
Team Building! A sense of community…
Ø Teachers are paid for the week, and paid for travel.
Ongoing Professional Development Online
Online training for teachers
o Using Blackboard
o Instructional design
o Formatting and file size
o Creating assessments
o Structuring a course
o Screen design
Online Professional Development Course
o Required annually for all teachers
o Specific focus each year
§ Using digital media online
§ Creating a classroom community online
College credit is always available for the conference and online course
“Outstanding Performance” Measurement Tool
A rubric to measure and guide teacher performance and practice
Clear communication of expectations
Opportunity to earn “bonus pay” for outstanding performance
Students also rate teachers.
Semester classes are 18 weeks.
A score of 32 qualifies the teacher for “bonus pay”--$25 per student
Bonus pay is available each semester
Areas evaluated include:
Ø Quality of feedback
Ø Communication
Ø Teacher’s participation in professional development
Ø Administrative requirements (reports, student grades, up-to-date class schedule, etc.)
Ø Student evaluation of relationship with teacher
Student is charged $50 per semester.
A 9 week course pays the same as an 18 week course.
Teacher is paid for all students who stay after two weeks.
____________________
Support Network—Idaho
Support provided:
Online principals—assigned by subject area (principals take care of problem if student is cheating, for example)
Site coordinators—in student’s home school
Regional coordinators—coordinate individual schools
Technical support specialist—full time 8-5
Team leaders
Content specialists—experts on content
Content area teams—a sense of community
Provide teachers an arena to practice modifying content without doing any “real damage”
Facilitate regular, open communication within a subject area about current issues, “how to” questions, or future development ideas
· Content Area team leaders
o Mentor new teachers
o Act as communication hubs
o Facilitate the work and administration of the team
· Constant Communication
o Email
o Instant messaging
o Online Instructor Handbook/Workbook
o “How to” guides for technology use
_____________________________
FLVS
Training and Mentoring
Ø Establish and model relationships with students
Ø Support teacher development
Ø Institutional support
Ø Community building
Ø Mentoring—improves instructional performance, provide teacher support
Online Training courses—45 days long?
Ø New hire training course
Ø Graded and facilitated by the mentors
Ø Models effective feedback and communication
Ø Content area orientation
Timely Trainings
Ø Mentor corners
Ø Rapid reminder
Ø Monday Mentor Minutes
Ø Thirsty Thursdays
Ø Telephone
Ø Web conferences
All of these are communications aimed at correcting specific problems
Program Accountability
Ø Monthly checklists
Ø Contact logs
Ø Mentee surveys
Ø Teacher retention
Teacher teaching 135 credits is considered full time
Maximum 25 students in class
Majority of staff begin as adjuncts
Currently have 9000 teachers on waiting list
94% teacher retention
Lessons Learned
Ø Mentoring and training teachers is critical to success
Ø Set expectations very early regarding training commitment
Ø Build in accountability at all levels
Ø Simulate student learning via teacher training
Ø Use “just in time” information delivery to reduce frustration
Ø Allocate human and financial resources for mentoring program—this is critical
Ø Work in “chunks,” not chips
Ø Pace charts for students are given to parents
Wow!
Marcia
Monday Notes 3 by Marcia
Marcia’s notes…
Monday, November 6 1:45
Session: Structured For Success: Online Lessons That Work For Every Learner
Presenters:
Dr. Steven Guttentag Connections Academy Sr. V.P. and founder
Patricia Hoge Connections Academy
Camissa French Arizona Connections Academy
This session was basically a sales pitch for Connections Academy.
Connections Academy has full time students in 11 states and is asynchronous, and uses print and online resources. Students use a textbook. One semester equals 90 hours, or .5 Carnegie Units (this was not explained, but it is what students earn for “completing” each semester class—I don’t know if the students must “ successfully complete” a class, or what score must be achieved to successfully complete a course.) The Connections Academy works with Glencoe, Pearson and other publishers. There was a reference to “Wisconsin Observance Days,” and it was not explained.
Basic information:
Parents are involved with their students and the teachers, and are expected to implement and motivate.
Connections Academy works on a five part model.
Lesson components of that model:
Getting Started—access prior knowledge, journaling, graphic organizers, predict, infer, draw conclusions
Instruction—movies (interactive), streaming movies, textbook, CA developed activities
Activity—interactive “itext,” workbook or web extension, projects, science lab
Review—studymate games, text quizzes, online quickchecks
Assignments (Assessments?)—dropbox essays, supportive website, discussion board, online quickcheck, online quiz, unit tests
Monday, November 6 1:45
Session: Structured For Success: Online Lessons That Work For Every Learner
Presenters:
Dr. Steven Guttentag Connections Academy Sr. V.P. and founder
Patricia Hoge Connections Academy
Camissa French Arizona Connections Academy
This session was basically a sales pitch for Connections Academy.
Connections Academy has full time students in 11 states and is asynchronous, and uses print and online resources. Students use a textbook. One semester equals 90 hours, or .5 Carnegie Units (this was not explained, but it is what students earn for “completing” each semester class—I don’t know if the students must “ successfully complete” a class, or what score must be achieved to successfully complete a course.) The Connections Academy works with Glencoe, Pearson and other publishers. There was a reference to “Wisconsin Observance Days,” and it was not explained.
Basic information:
Parents are involved with their students and the teachers, and are expected to implement and motivate.
Connections Academy works on a five part model.
Lesson components of that model:
Getting Started—access prior knowledge, journaling, graphic organizers, predict, infer, draw conclusions
Instruction—movies (interactive), streaming movies, textbook, CA developed activities
Activity—interactive “itext,” workbook or web extension, projects, science lab
Review—studymate games, text quizzes, online quickchecks
Assignments (Assessments?)—dropbox essays, supportive website, discussion board, online quickcheck, online quiz, unit tests
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