parent feedback

This whole thing has given me more insight. I  knew that parents take talking about their child very personally.  And they should because they love them.

But it is even more intense for them when it’s not only their child but them as a teacher that gets something wrong.

It’s a higher stake conversation for them. Many parents blame the teacher. That does not work so well for them in this case.  

Just some insights.

wow last year I had no parents showing for parent teacher conferences. This year parents are screaming at me over one point on a Science test. Both these kids got 95 or above on the tests. 

 Names removed to protect the innocent - hey wait that's me! 

Mrs. Alspach,

At this point, I don't really care what the answer key says because it doesn't match the textbook. (We've already experienced countless Calvert Answer Key errors, so I've learned to look further!) Did you even look at the text? This material was covered BEFORE Science Test 1 and wasn't really included in material to study for Science Test 2, so I think he did a really good job remembering it as it is.

His answer is nearly identical to the highlighted section in his text. Pages 38 and 39 discuss the interactions of sound waves through reflection, diffraction and interference. Refraction isn't mentioned!!!! The answer key may have labeled sound bending around corners as refraction, but the text labeled it DIFFRACTION! "Figure 3-Diffraction of Sound-Sound waves can spread out after passing through a doorway, and can bend around a corner." (BTW-refraction refers to LIGHT waves on p19.) So, either the answer key is incorrect or the text the students are using to study is incorrect. Either way, points shouldn't be deducted for referring to sound waves bending as diffraction.

kajdf;lkajd

Ahhhh the joys of involved parents

 Mrs. Alspach,

______, or my other children, is no longer allowed to discuss grades. I have also told all my children to ignore all Calvert grades.
Re: Science- the BOOK uses the word "across" on page 8 as he indicated to you. He did not pull the term out of thin air to use.
Re: Grammar- My family has, and will continue to use the internet, I have taught them about things like wikipedia vs. .edu, .gov etc. If the books are not accurate, and the internet is not accurate then who is? Where should he go for proof? You have ignored the fact that the science book used the word "across" and now are telling him to not use the internet.
Why was a verb question tossed into the middle of concrete noun vs abstract noun lesson???? The checkpoints purpose, I thought, was to check their understanding of THAT lesson. Even though many times it is ahead of what they have read or studied.
Not to be completely rude or mean, but many of your posts use poor grammar and spelling. How are you able to guide him?

We absolutely dislike this program and will be withdrawing when we get back from vacation. I was very patient with the fact that this is the first year. We have dealt with many technical difficulties, supply/book issues, etc. I will not argue or debate over grades. Especially after finding out that their tests will be marked down because they did not type reports. I can handle bumps, I refuse to listen to my children say "why bother, I am sure VLAC will find a problem with it anyway."

_________,
soon to be FORMER VLAC parent

Did you know your are a SEE

we are Shared Educational Entity (SEE)
not sure what that means - more to come

Meaping my flashmob

Wow I am the site supervisor for Howell. It's 50 miles away over an hour drive.
I worked Monday night until 730 putting bar code labels on answer documents. I enjoyed learnign that part of the process. Then I was iste supervisor today. Carol was there so it was not all on me. But I was really working and doing some things on my own.
It's hard to meap for a group that does not attend school. We were calling parent who did not show. One swore at me.
The day was a blur. I want to take the time to connect to the students I have in. There are a few of them that are homeschoolers I think I could have more trust with if they saw my face.
I am soooo behind in test grading it's bad - really bad.  and there are things going on in my family and grad school keeping me out four nights this week. I am going to have to schedule time to grade tests over the weekend but I have class all day saturady. lt's bad. I have to set a goal. Ok all tests returned by Thursday at five pm. that's your goal. Thrusday 5pm.
more meaping tomorrow- hopefuly each day will get better. or smoother.

Count Day

Count Day is a challenge for virtual schools. You cannot count them coming in the door when there is no door. And our system does not have a teacher friendly view of logins. We have been very focused on getting logins before. I have two students that hasve not logged in yet. But I talked to everyone. I am just so tried of asking people to do something on the phone. They say they will and they do NOT.

I have to hand holds through count day. Then we can wash out some. This is not a program for everyone. But I do think it's a valuable program.
Hopefully I will have the piece of mind to post later today.

job description

Explaining the job to a friend who might apply:

You work from home most days. In the beginning you are calling the families. Then hopefully you will be communicating througth email. You have to support a wide range of classes. I support math from fifth grade to geometry. For other subjects is it all subjects 6th to 8th. But you don't have to know every word of all of that. Just able to answer a question when it comes but.
It's like having a caseload of 40 kids. In the beginning it's a lot of custom services type of things. Then it gets to more case load management and mentor teacher.
The curriculum is really good. Very scripted and very complete. You will not worry about what to teach at all. You will not be teaching - the parents do that. The program is 75% working in textbooks and notebooks and 25% taking quizes on line.
In away I am a principal of parents.

Weekly reflection

My job does not give you grey hairs; it makes them go away!
Translation: I can dye my hair while working.

This week saw enrollment climb yet again. 180 to 230 to 318 with another 20 still in the pipeline. We are the size of the elementary that my kids went too.
I am at 47 in my homeroom. What I like about working for a quality organization is they reward you for stepping up. I get $50/ kid/week for anyone over 40. There will be 7 this week. Nothing like Madison, where they viewed their teachers are "Get blood more a stone, then squeeze for more!"

This week I was on a high. Enrollment is climbing. Carol called me to work with Karla on getting activities that they can do without books because the money window open Monday ( count day ). MEAP is riding up on us. Carol called me to be a MEAP site supervisor.

I realized I like to have a leadership role in projects. In fact I can be very judgmental of projects I am not given leadership roles in. I was passed over for the SLC leader. I really felt I could do a good job. I expressed interest but the union said do say anything. And they cornered someone else for it. Then I was put in a team with the only person in the school I asked not to be with. Between those two events, I had a very hard time participating in the program. I hope I did not show it.

The leadership piece is the same as the two computer training firms I worked at. The same as getting all those long term sub jobs. the same as all the extras Madison asked me to do. I have been in enough work places that I am seeing patterns. I like the leadership and I am pretty good at it. Better then when I was younger.

I am physically adjusting to the new job. Sitting all day is hard. I take recess at 10:30 and do ten minutes of house work. I have been good about taking a shower everyday and walking most days.

Some other teachers are expressing doubts that this is the job for them to me. They feel disconnected to students. I do not . I think I am young enough that i can feel that connection on line. I also balance that with feeling more connected and "there" for my own kids. But I totally respect their feelings. This is not the type of teaching for everyone.

Weekly Reflection

I was proud of our response to enrollment this last week. Friday we had 202 kids enrolled. Carol told the staff Wednesday the numbers were there to move one of the "on deck" teachers to full time. She said she was looking at experience to see who she was bringing on. I liked the way she kept the team informed by did not give not gossip information. It was a good level of information for me. Friday we learned Cortney was coming on board. the other teachers were called and let know. Carol was very clear about still wanting them if they were here next year and using them as help when we had extra work. It was a good tone to leave the relationship on. But then Friday I had about 12 new kids appear.  Monday Carol said she had the numbers to bring on Meredith. 

This created a big "dust storm" of moving kids around. We had a plan that would involved creating many new sections. There was a conference call with Calvert Tuesday afternoon. Calvert reacted to our plan with less then positive moves. They went off phone and said that no one else does it that way. Carol adapted to Calvert's standard messier solution that would require more behavior shaping on our part. She stayed up all night and did a spreadsheet she brought back to the staff meeting the next day. 

We called Calvert again with more questions. We doubled checked that everyone was placed. And sent the list to Calvert. 

What I liked about this "crisis" is that it did not feel like a crisis. There was a huge problem and we were changing direction but I never felt stressed. I think that is because we were informed. Reflecting on this week it was crazy but because I was informed and listened to I did not feel as stressed. There were two phone calls with Carol where I had questions and she created a conference call with Calvert and let me ask my questions directly.  I was careful not to be reactive or alarmist. I thought my questions through. But I was listened to and never dictated to. I think it's because we are all learning. We are in uncharted waters. 

Reflecting on the way communications went this week makes me think about my own communications. In my own communications I step on the end of what people are saying and rush myself into verbal mistakes. I am trying to ease this. I see someone else's sentence as a sprig board and I just want to jump off of what they are saying. I feel I am listening and responding. But I still feel I am stepping on them. Working on that one.