Save to drive button

+ShakeUpLearning shared this link with me about how to create a "save to drive" button. Here's my test of it. directions can be found here. https://developers.google.com/drive/web/savetodrive

New chapter begins

This blog was about being an online teacher and my journey as discovered what that is and how to do it better. While I will still post about my teacher experience, I am now transition into an administration role.  I have been doing the admin work for a while now. I have had two jobs. A full time teacher and admin as needed. My Director kept telling me now to over do it but the extra stuff she was asking me to do were the pieces of my job that I like the most. So I kept asking form them.

I look forward to the transition over the summer where I will have only one job worth of work. But I am concerned about becoming a leader in the same team that I was just a co-worked in. This will mean higher standards and more oversight for the team. Our Director did not have time to look at online grade books to make sure that test are done. I plan too. But I hope it brings an ease of work and greater support to the teacher too.  I think I now how to do some short cuts that make my life easier that I want to share with the teachers.

I want to me the type of leader that people like to work for . I want to expect a great deal, but be willing to help. I want to be tough but fair and respected. Much like the Director I work for.

I look forward to the mentoring from my Director. It must be so scary to get an admin position when you are not sure of that support. I am sure most people are in that situation. I am lucky. I have a job that was my goal two years ago. I am able to work from home. I am moving into a position that I love with great supports in place. ( big smile) Off to Google training "talk" to you later .......

It's tax time in virtual education! #k12online

As other teachers are having field day, end of the year picnics, and pulling down bulletin boards, as mentor teachers our knee deep in tests. In high school I taught four classes. For the end of the year exams my work load was 30 sets of four different exams. But only four tests.  As a mentor teacher I support 55 kids in all their subject each subject has a first semester and second. That's 18 sections. While most students only have the last test in the second semester left, there are students still in first semester. There are students who have not turned in any of the second semester tests yet. They say they are working in the books.

To add to the gradign load, if a student has less then 70% they need to improve their test. Which I agree with and really supports student mastery. But one student turned in all Algebra unit test for second semester between 5/20 to 5/30. Her highest grade is a 61% with most grades about 45%. She will need to improve these tests. That means I will be grading an entire semester of tests twice in the last week of school.

This makes my end of year more like tax time for an accountant then June for a traditional teacher.

Across virtual programs progress is consistently an issue. I would not say we are self pace because that implies any pace without deadlines. A more accurate term is flexible pace.  At the mid semester teachers put in temporary zeroes for any tests not in by the deadline. This did motive some student to meet the deadline. Those that did not saw their grades dive. However when they did turn in a test they were rewarded with the score they earn and an improved grade.

Progress is an issue we continue to struggle with. I look forward to discussion with our great team of teacher and seeing what solutions we come up with.

Back to grading!!