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Mentoring a
Virtual K-12 School
Teacher-in-Residence |
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Virtual Schools History |
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1999 Virtual High School Started |
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2001-2002
40-50,000 Virtual K-12 students in 30 schools nationwide |
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2002- 2003 over 100 schools |
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Predicted that in the next 3 years 1 out of
every 5 students will receive a “substantial portion” of their education
online (Fulton 2002) |
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In Colorado there are currently 4 main Virtual
School programs |
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COL
(Colorado Online Learning) |
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COVA (Colorado Online Virtual Academy) |
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Branson Online School |
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Mount Vista Academy |
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University and local districts partnership |
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Teachers who have bachelors degrees in another
field are hired by local districts |
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University supplies training to meet state
competencies for licensing |
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Program includes two year mentoring program |
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TIR’s start with a classroom management seminar
in August and one weekly course per semester, and others in the summer. |
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Need to pass competency tests |
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Need to meet competency in 8 goal areas |
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Create an online portfolio |
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The first year (Fall 2001) was approximately 400
students. |
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The 2003/2004 school year is the third year in
operation, and attendance is near 1700 students in the state of Colorado
alone, making the Academy the largest elementary school in the state. |
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This enrollment includes 8.5% special education
students. |
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Charter School in Adams 12 School District |
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Follow all standards and guidelines of that
District |
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Teachers are hired and paid |
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Curriculum comes from K12.com |
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Funding from state per pupil expenditure |
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Pays for computer and Internet hookup |
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Pays for manipulatives and supplies for each
student |
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Individualized curriculum with regular
assessments |
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Taught by parents in the home |
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Teacher monitors progress and supports parents |
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Includes several alternative lessons for
students who need additional help or another mode of delivery |
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8 Basic Goals |
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Web site with Description of goals and links to
examples |
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Rubrics for each part of the goal |
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Formal evaluation of progress occurs:
1) admission to the education program
2) admission to student teaching
3) completion of student teaching and the program |
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Activities observed for this goal: |
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Discussion Board for class activities |
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Listserv for parents |
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Class picnics |
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Play groups |
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Story Hour at Barnes & Noble |
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Curriculum supplied by vendor includes: |
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Manipulatives |
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Lesson Plan and materials |
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Alternative lessons for different students |
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Teacher offers other alternatives |
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Regular Phone Conferences with parents provides
guidance |
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Limited ability student |
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Blind student |
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Behaviorally challenged |
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Story Hour at Barnes & Noble |
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Sharing favorite story |
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Showcased reading competencies |
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Encouraged to respect each other’s abilities,
opinions and talents |
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Celebrate differences |
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Phenomenal Record Keeping provided by K-12.com
on a state and national level |
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Adapted as per suggestions from parents and
teachers. |
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Matched to Colorado standards for students |
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Progress analyzed by the teacher on a bi-weekly
basis |
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Phone conferences with parents and students |
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Give verbal feedback to student |
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Read to teacher over phone |
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Give suggestions for alternative lessons or
behavior management to parents |
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Teacher frequently recommended alternative
pedagogical approaches to the parent to help extend the learning of the
child |
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Encouraged parents to initiate playgroup
activities, |
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physical education class so that youngsters
could become well rounded. |
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Bowling activity |
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Answering machine set to receive calls from
parents, as well as email utilized as another mode of communication. |
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Parents are informed early in the program that
the teacher will return the phone call or email within 24 hours. |
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This 24-hour turn around time gives the teacher
time to reflect on the question, research for appropriate approaches or
solutions, and to return with answers in a timely manner. |
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Journal entries for each goal show evidence of
her reflections… Jolene’s
reflection |
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Collaboration between parents and the teacher is key…. |
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Bi-weekly conversations |
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Daily email or phone contact is available |
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Between colleagues is regular |
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Turning in statistical information |
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Sharing ideas |
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Picnic and book exchange by region |
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Monthly staff meetings in Denver |
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Teacher was observed working with parents
during: |
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Opening meeting |
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Book exchange/Picnic |
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Testing Reading at Barnes & Noble |
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Story Hour at B & N |
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Shows responsibility when she presents at state
and national meetings |
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Future Research Questions |
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How will this environment affect the morale of
online teachers? |
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Will retention of online teachers increase or
decrease compared to face-to-face teachers? |
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Can some of the need for physical reactions be
relieved with the use of web cams or other emerging technologies during
communications? |
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How can
we assure the safety of children without impinging on the family’s rights
to privacy? |
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What
type of home environment encourages a successful online student? |
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Do
parents need special training or assistance to be successful in this
environment? |
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Do
online teachers need special training in how best to assist parental
involvement? |
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How many higher level thinking skills are the
students actually practicing ? |
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Are the online students learning collaboration
skills? |
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Many activities conducted in the online
environment parallel the face-to-face classrooms, and can be utilized to
evaluate the online teacher |
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Some differences do exist, however, and these
need to be adapted for the online environment. |
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Encouraging flexibility and openness to new
ideas will help administrators and teachers meet the utilization of
standard teacher competency goals in an online environment, thus keeping
the steed on the trail of good educational practices |
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Cifuentes, L. S., Yu-Chih Doris. (2001).
Teaching and Learning Online: A Collaborative Between U.S. and Taiwanese
Students. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, Summer 2001; 33(4),
456. |
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Colorado State University - Pueblo. (2003) Teacher
Education Handbook 2003-2004. Can be viewed online at http://ceeps.colostate-pueblo.edu/tep/frver/port/goals.asp |
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Colorado Virtual Academy (2003). Retrieved
January 12, 2004 from http://www.covcs.org/ |
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K12.com (2003). Retrieved January 12, 2004 from http://www.k12.com/ |
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Dringus, L. P. (2000). Towards active online
learning: a dramatic shift in perspective for learners. The Internet and
Higher Education, 2, 189-195. |
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Fulton, K. K., N. (2002). Preserving principles
of public education in an online world: What policymakers should be asking
about virtual schools. Paper presented at the Virtual High Schools:
Changing Schools, Enduring Principles, Washington, D.C. |
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Gokhale, A. A. (1995). Collaborative Learning
Enhances Critical Thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7(1). |
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Wojnowski, B. S., Bellamy, M.L., Cooke, S.
(2003). A review of literature on the mentoring and Induction of beginning
teachers with an emphasis on the retention and renewal of science teachers.
Retrieved December 3, 2003, 2003 |
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