Q: Dream Teachers: Tell us about your experience as a teacher and your background---brief bio.
A: I live in Lafayette, and am currently in my 25th year of teaching high school Social Studies. I teach high school U.S. History at Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy. Prior to teaching at LAVCA I taught in St. Martin Parish for 21 years. I received my BA from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and my Master of Educational Technology from Northwestern State University.
Q: Dream Teachers: What is a typical teaching day like for you? How many students do you serve and what subjects do you teach?
A: A “typical” day at LAVCA is (technically) from 8am-5pm. My day consists of teaching three groups. After group interactions with each, I provide opportunities for students who want to meet with me individually to come to my virtual classroom for office hours in the afternoon, and certain days I hold required remediation sessions that I require students to attend based on that week’s assessment data.
Between sessions, and after sessions, I spend a great deal of time planning and analyzing data, as well as making contacts with students and their learning coaches.
Q: Dream Teachers: How do you develop the curriculum for your students?
A: My U.S. History curriculum is a combination of the K12, Inc. curriculum combined with Louisiana required state standards. I spend a tremendous amount of time ensuring the curriculum of each of my students is properly aligned with those standards and rigorous enough for them to be successful on state LEAP assessments.
Q: Dream Teachers: How do you evaluate the progress of your students?
A: LAVCA is a data-rich environment in which we utilize assessment scores based on each individual standard to analyze specific weaknesses of our students. I use a program developed by our data manager to monitor each individual student’s progress on each individual standard (GLE for US History). Weak areas require remediation and retesting. I also evaluate based on performance in the coursework, and participation in live class sessions.
Q: Dream Teachers: What resources are available through the Community School for Apprenticeship Learning in terms of teaching support, counseling, parental involvement, community outreach, etc.?
A: CSAL has afforded our teachers constant opportunities for training educators in a virtual environment. LAVCA has all the support staff for parents and students that all traditional brick-and-mortar schools have (Special Services, partnership with the Achievement Network; on-site Family Resource Coordinator; Family Academic Support Liaison; Family Engagement Coordinator, LDOE content leader’s training, and LDOE School Summer Institute, and monthly professional development).
Q: Dream Teachers: What is your greatest challenge as a virtual teacher?
A: My greatest challenge is ensuring my students can truly tell how passionate I am about their successes, and my desire to help them succeed. Although I utilize my webcam so they can see me, I feel as though I can never demonstrate that enough.
Q: Dream Teachers: What is your greatest satisfaction as a virtual teacher?
A: My greatest satisfaction is knowing I am working many students who faced challenges in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting that are now thriving because they have found a manner in which to learn that suits them; one in which they can receive individualized instruction as necessary.
Q: Dream Teachers: What motivates you to serve your students?
A: I think I am motivated by the same desires as other teachers; I want to help them succeed and share their successes with them. I know there are many children who think they simply can’t achieve in school, and I enjoy showing them the way to figure out how to do it. I enjoy sharing my love of history with them and showing them it isn’t really as difficult as many of them believe it is when they begin the course.
Q: Dream Teachers: How would you assess your participation in the Teacher of the Year Program in 2019? What has it meant to you personally and professionally?
A: My participation in the Teacher of the Year Program was so inspirational to me. Professionally speaking, having the opportunity to meet so many other educators with different ideas and experiences was amazing. It is always a valuable experience to meet teachers with other perspectives about education. Personally, this experience has, in some ways, had me do something I likely had not done in many years——to examine my own “professional conscience” to reflect on my career, my true feelings and focus on my motives for being an educator. When we begin as educators we feel as though we know “why we became a teacher.” As the years pass that may become vague, however this process has definitely clarified my vision as an educator for myself. I have appreciated that more than anything.
Dream Teachers would like to thank Loretta Wooters and the Community School for Academic Learning for sharing these insights and opening the world of “nontraditional” teaching that makes such a difference in the lives of many Louisiana students. You are greatly appreciated and we salute you!