Evidence of Application with Students
This year I made a move from the traditional brick & mortar classroom to a blended environment. Teaching on the AIS (Academy for Individualized Study) side of The Academy, I get to see students face-to-face, but I also teach classes online. I also received a great opportunity to teach part-time on the VHS (Virtual High School) side of The Academy, teaching one online class. My luck didn't stop there. I took over teaching Topics of Modern Math fully online at the same time that I was enrolled in PDE 3218: Introduction to Canvas. In that course I received the basics that I needed to be successful in the online environment with my students.
I have had the opportunity to create a number of different assignments for students. They have worked on projects, participated in discussions, submitted assignments using Google docs, and taken quizzes, to name a few. There have been a number of different ways that I have had the opportunity to create meaningful lessons and assess them online.
I communicate with my students on a regular basis. I post announcements in their class, and we email within Canvas. They also have access to me via email outside of Canvas, and I have provided them with a way to reach me by phone and via text. I have open lines of communication so that I can assist them as issues arise.
I tutor students online using Centra. Tutoring is available three times per week, and the teachers in the math department attend the sessions to provide the tutoring. I am available in the tutoring sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-8:00. Every first and third Monday we also provide live Centra sessions for our students. I co-present at each of these sessions where we provide a lesson that is relevant for our students. Students then complete an assignment from the session and submit it for credit.
I have had the rare opportunity to be able to take what I have learned in my PDE courses and use it right away in both the blended and online environments. I chose to show the fully online environment for my application for two reasons: 1. I think this class does a good job of showcasing how I have used all that I have learned, and 2. It is my goal to become a fully online teacher, so this is the best representation of what I would like to do with my students in the future. I truly believe online/blended learning is the future of education, and I am happy to be a part of it.
Students who are enrolled in the class access it through Canvas. VHS classes are calendar-based like traditional schools, so students are enrolled for at least one semester, most for the entire year. Students can access the course somewhat at their own pace, but there are due dates that they have to meet along the way. So, I know that students are accessing the material on at least a weekly basis; they are not required to access daily as they have a full course load of classes that they are taking and may choose to work in their time for each class differently. While this has been my first time teaching an online course of this nature, I have had good responses from students, teachers, and administrators. I do my best to accommodate the needs of my students. I have some that have IEP's or 504 plans, and I modify the lessons and due dates to comply with their individual plans. However, regardless of whether or not a student has Sped accommodations, I do my best to meet the needs of my students as individuals, and for that I have received good feedback from my students, parents, and supervisors. As I stated, it is my hope to teach on the VHS side at The Academy, so I definitely plan to continue to use this method of instruction.
Students who are enrolled in the class access it through Canvas. VHS classes are calendar-based like traditional schools, so students are enrolled for at least one semester, most for the entire year. Students can access the course somewhat at their own pace, but there are due dates that they have to meet along the way. So, I know that students are accessing the material on at least a weekly basis; they are not required to access daily as they have a full course load of classes that they are taking and may choose to work in their time for each class differently. While this has been my first time teaching an online course of this nature, I have had good responses from students, teachers, and administrators. I do my best to accommodate the needs of my students. I have some that have IEP's or 504 plans, and I modify the lessons and due dates to comply with their individual plans. However, regardless of whether or not a student has Sped accommodations, I do my best to meet the needs of my students as individuals, and for that I have received good feedback from my students, parents, and supervisors. As I stated, it is my hope to teach on the VHS side at The Academy, so I definitely plan to continue to use this method of instruction.