I can definitely identify with being a leader from whatever position I occupy at any given moment. I can't seem to help myself....I always want to be the best at whatever I do. So, I strive to obtain as much knowledge/experience as possible. For example, when I was in the traditional math classroom, I wanted to have students with the best scores; I wanted to have the least amount of discipline problems; and I wanted to deliver the most engaging lessons. That mentality led me to attend the annual FCTM conference and to obtain my National Board Certification as means to gain more exposure to mathematical projects and other teaching styles. My students consistently performed well on standardized tests, and I had VERY few issues with parents or students. My success in the classroom allowed me to branch out into other areas of the school, and I was encouraged to obtain a Masters degree in Educational Leadership and Administration. Since then, I have had many opportunities with respect to leadership, in and out of the traditional classroom. My time at FLVS has been similar. I presented a "Big Idea" last week at our main office in Orlando, that may be piloted this summer.I do not say all of this to toot my own horn. This is merely an illustration. If a person wants to lead, he/she can lead from anywhere and any position. Leadership is a state of mind. Of course, I guess you're not technically a leader unless there are followers. However, if you do your job/schoolwork, with integrity and excellence, I believe people will follow.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I made sure to demonstrate that we ALL fail sometimes, and we don't ALWAYS have the answers. It's OK to fail, and to be wrong, and to NOT know something. The students in my classroom always had varying strengths. It was those differences that made us successful as a class. Where one is weak, another is strong, and vice-versa. Collectively, we were a force to be reckoned with (as they say in Calhoun County). :)
Image from Creative Commons - If you can't read the text, it says "Walk the walk, and leave a good trail."
"I presented a "Big Idea" last week at our main office in Orlando, that may be piloted this summer."
ReplyDeleteThis sounds exciting Amanda... what are you working on? I'm intrigued, so please keep me posted.
I agree with your comment on failing... so much can be learned from our mistakes, if we only allow ourselves the freedom and grace and forgiveness needed to see them as a teacher.
The "Big Idea" presentation involved implementing "Specialized Instructors" for some, if not all, FLVS courses. FLVS was created to address the needs of student who, for whatever reason (homebound, home schooled, alternative ed, kids trying to get ahead, etc.) were not benefiting from the traditional school setting. The FLVS motto: any time, any place, any path, any pace, makes perfect sense for students operating outside of mainstream education. In recent years, we have started serving more mainstream kids (blended learning environments, AP, grade forgiveness, etc.). As our students' needs change, we as an organization need to evolve. We have current class loads of 170+ students. We must speak to each student and parent at least once a month, and must complete a discussion based assessment for each module (chapter) of our course. One-on-one assistance is becoming quite difficult as our numbers increase at a staggering rate. In addition, many FLVS instructors came to this job with a passion for teaching kids in a more personalized way. Another FLVS motto: "Where every student has a front row seat," is a major draw to teachers as well. However, these teachers become discouraged when they realize that they cannot meet the needs of all 170 students if they spend too much one-on-one time with 1/4 of their students.
ReplyDeleteMy proposal was to better meet the needs of our students by utilizing our teachers' strengths. Some teachers are excellent in just pushing students through...keeping students motivated and moving through the course. However, they may not have the patience and very little time to accommodate students that need more tutoring and scaffolding to complete the course in the appropriate amount of time. On the other side of the teacher spectrum, are those who can't keep all of the students working or can't keep up with their monthly contacts because they are consumed with tutoring and helping those students that need the extra help to be successful.
So...back to my proposal...let's take 1 teacher for every 10 in Algebra II, and run a pilot. Six Algebra II instructors will be our "Specialized Instructors" and will serve 50-60 students instead of 170. With intensive support, these students should be able to complete the course within the 18-week expected time frame, instead of 50+ weeks (which is the current situation for a high number of students). This will provide better service for our students while at the same time improving job satisfaction for the instructors. So, with a 1:9 ratio, the non-specialized instructors have the opportunity to transfer students to the specialized instructors after the four-week grace period. This leaves the other 54 Algebra II instructors free to spend their time motivating and pushing those students who are finding more success in the online environment.