Professional Learning Community-

Topic: Retention Strategies:March 21, 2013

Mrs. Jennifer SchultzeWyoming Virtual AcademyMusic Teacher 7-12 HS Advisor and Senior Advisor

What are the biggest struggles you face with the Retaining your Students?

March Agenda* Introductions* Vision/goals- Review of our intended outcome (to solve a problem, tackle a

common issue, share best practices, create resources)* Review or Assignment of Roles- facilitator, note taker, time keeper, norms

watcher, collaboration space facilitators, others?* Review of Norms- come prepared, be on time, no sideline discussions,

listen and respect others* Collaboration space- Review purpose, group due dates, frequency of posts,

recordings, notes (blog, uploading resources, etc.)* Review of prior meeting accomplishments* Last PLC meeting date April 25th at 2pm EST* Other group items

Questions?

• Contact the K12 Academic Services Group for Assistance (training, how to use, tips/suggestions)

Web form: http://teacherhelp.k12.com (submit a ticket)

Completing the sessionIf you Enrolled in this class in K12Training, and participated in the session please fill out the completion form:

A Certificate of Completion will be issued within two days in K12Training.com for Enrolled participants verifying full participation and mastery. Find your certificate on My Transcript.

Onboarding – Attitudes

I’m here to help you!– Quick response to phone calls and K-mails– Patience, validation of frustrations, respect of their time– Faith: Assume the student enrolled to succeed– Empathy: Recall how you felt when you started as a

virtual teacher

How can we make the process as easy and understandable as possible?

Increases student and coach feelings of success, motivation, and commitment

Onboarding

• Survey: What can we do to make the transition into WYVA as easy as possible? In what areas did you need more instruction?

• Having one list of everything I need to do to get started• Completing lessons correctly• Submitting work samples• Techinical problems

Onboarding – Middle School

• Created one “Getting Started” list– What do they HAVE to do and know to get started? Don’t

overwhelm– Created central location for helpful information (field

trips, work samples, policies, etc.)

• 45-minute presentation on policies and how to complete lessons in EVERY subject area – recorded or live – most prefer recording

• After watching, parents complete Google survey

Onboarding – Middle School• Students pass “probation period” by completing IOL,

Scantron, and all lessons for three days in a row.– Gives them a goal and early sense of accomplishment– Nips progress problems in the bud

• List of what students can do while waiting for books. (see next slide

We’ve tried to foresee what questions or frustrations parents will have and have created

materials and resources accordingly.

Transitions - 6th Graders Moving to Middle School

End of 6th Grade Year:• Preparing for Middle School Assembly– Differences between K6 and MS

• Different teachers• ClassConnects• Work Samples• Offered at several different times• Parents invited• Moderated by a K6 and MS teacher

Transitions - 8th Graders Moving to High School

End of 8th Grade Year:• Ramped up work sample expectations (to prepare

for work demands of high school)• 8th Grade Transition Week (next slide)

Retention• Communicating where students should be in

progress– Progress Charts (see next slide)– Calls from teachers– Again, make it easy for families to get the information

they need.

• Social/fun aspect to all ClassConnects• Continuation of “I am here for you” attitude – every

student receives a weekly call.• Plan for Success for students who are struggling

Arm them with Info from the BEGINNING

Vision and Goals for this PLC

Review or Assignment of Roles-

Facilitator-note taker- time keeper- norms watcher-Collaboration space facilitators- others?

Encouragement Works Better than Hounding

TRUE or FALSE?

• Not every student is Lazy and it’s easy to just think that when you look at data.

• What’s their: -Story like?-Home life like?-LC support like?-Work/Study Style like?

Remind them to Dream!!

• So many of our students forget to look ahead because they are ‘stuck’ where they are right now.

• Action Plans are not just about data- it’s about reminding them of short AND long term goals

• Be their sounding board to remind them what THEY want- let them have ownership

• Let Students Define Success- Let Students Define Goals for each class, each grade, and each “baby step”

• LC’s MUST be active- It’s ok to advocate for students and get LC’s more involved! Every AP meeting they should be there, be active in the participation and solutions and goals setting!

Share your live and they’ll share theirs!

“In light of the hundreds (if not thousands) of things we might do, are we doing what matters?” (Goodwin, 2010, pg. 4)

(Goodwin, 2010, pg. 9)

What Matters Most :

(Goodwin, 2010, pg. 9)

What Matters Most:

An effective teacher has more influence on a student’s success than any other factor, including a student’s socioeconomic status or circumstances.

Personalizing Contact

• Talk to Parents Like A PARENT- How would you want to be talked to if it was your student? Remember Parents will always be more emotional!

• Talk to students like they are people- “You are WANTED.”

Defining Roles • Learn to take the time to coach the

parent on what their role is, and don’t be afraid to hold them accountable to that role!

• Meet students in blackboard to work if they aren’t logging enough hours.

• Prep for Action Plan meetings ahead of time to be organized and more ‘formal’- but make the meeting about the student creating goals

• Give the student /LC time to talk- get a good picture of the story

Advocating for our Students

1. Be a GREAT advocate for the students.. and for the parents.

2. Stay professional at all times3. My Philosophy- Let them come

to their own conclusions through supportive dialogue and ask GREAT questions to help them make good choices. What will bring this student the BEST possible chance at success?

4. How can I be support staff for the teachers?

Resources help!• Use your resources: • boostup.org website which has a library of student videos to

help motivate and encourage those at risk of dropping out of school. Check it out at this link: http://boostup.org/en/students

• Other Teachers- I often will ask about the student from each teacher before going into a meeting or refresh up on TV notes before the meeting so I get a better picture.

• Special Education Teachers and IEP documents in SharePoint• Data is probably one of my biggest helpers. I use the omnibus

reports to track students log in time, attendance and we use a probation tracker to help assist us in tracking students overall course averages each week.

What it’s ALL About!

The research in unequivocal…

• Parent involvement can have a major impact on student learning, regardless of the social or cultural background of the family

• High performing schools have high levels of family and community involvement

• Learning Coach participation in education has been found to be twice as predictive of students’ academic success as family socio-economic status

You Help Us, to Help your Child!

• Greater teaching effectiveness;• Higher expectations of students;• Increased ability to understand family views

and cultures;• Greater appreciation of parent volunteers;

and,• Improved morale.

Benefits for Communities:

• Greater strength;• Greater impact of services through

comprehensive, integrated approach;• Increased access to services for families.

Research on Involvement

• Effective parent/family involvement improves student outcomes throughout the school years.

• While parent/family involvement improves student outcomes, variations in culture, ethnicity, and/ or socioeconomic background affect how families are involved.

KIDS WIN when we help!

• Our program views children’s learning as a shared responsibility among everyone involved in the child’s education.

What is a Family?

• Traditional?• Blended?• Extended?• Multi-generational?• Migrant?• Minority?• Single-parent?• Divorced?• Other?

Factors in Involvement

• Parents are a child’s first teachers.• The American family has changed dramatically

over the last 50 years.• Schools aren’t always knowledgeable in how

to encourage involvement.• Parents don’t always recognize the

importance of becoming involved or know where to begin.

http://www.boostup.org/en

Why Students Drop Out

• Sample AP- Goals that were created by Student- TRACK Progress!

Boostup.org

Jib Jab- Smile Box- Voki

Data , Data, Data• I also use good

note trackers outside of TV that help a lot as well.

• Note- meeting times, family issues (baby ect), health issues, Spec Ed, LC involvement level and student attitude etc.

Tracking is key to helping kids!• This is my ongoing tracker. • Updated weekly• Tabs indicate how I keep track of weekly ap meetings

WYVA’s Probation Tracker• Note the

Bottom workbook line:

• We sort by start date and then we have a new working list each week of students that need to be called.

We can also track the students that are doing WELL this way and make sure we exctend Kudos and celebrate with these students as well!

What does an Action Plan Look Like?

• Action plans that are student driven- with student goals.

• This is just an example.

Walk Through Tour’s- All The Many Ways To Use Break Out Rooms.

Use them for collecting useful data for you to drive instruction for future use

Use them for FUN- Mix slides like this in to help students to stay motivated to keep moving through the break out rooms.

Social and Surveys

Use them to help students learn more about each other!

Use them to find out what is working, and what the students are responding too!

Helping New Students & Exits

Use them to have your students help NEW students learn the ropes

Use them as a “TicketOut” card before theyLeave the day’s session

Scavenger Hunts & Web Tours

Use them to give directions on Web Tours or practice at fun links during class.

Use them to allowStudents to analyzeAnd think from a World View

Organizers & EvaluationsUse them for Brainstorming Ideas, Coming up with a Plan or Grouping Students, and for Organizers that will assist students in anyway!

Use them for Student and peer evaluations

IF Goal Of The Week- Ex: Context Clues

Daily or Weekly Learning Focus:

SafeShare.TV- Big Help!!

Use them for giving directions !

Use them for a Link of the day

Help Drive Instruction! Surveys

Survey MonkeyAfter Class to Evaluate Self, Peers, Group or YOU. This is also a good way to review a concept of the day.

Help Drive Instruction! Surveys

Review of Information & IdeasFun ways to review for tests…use the breakout rooms for answers, the “help” tabs etc.!

What does an Action Plan Look Like?• I keep a

running record for LC and student to see- Ecollege, Grades and overall course averages by week.

Data , Data, Data

• Behaviors to

Success-

This is a Goal sheet that students fill out together with their LC’s. It puts them ‘on the same page”.

Data , Data, Data• Course

Action Plan

This is a Goal sheet that students fill out together with their LC’s or Teachers. It puts them ‘on the same page” for Course specific Goals.

Data , Data, Data

• Week Long Student Planning Guide

This is 1 of 2 options that the students have to fill out that will help them organize their assignments weekly.

Data , Data, Data

• Week Long Student Planning Guide

This is 2 of 2 options that the students have to fill out that will help them organize their assignments weekly.

Our At Risk Population

• Watching our At-Risk Population is important at WYVA. We make sure to make goals each week to contact students in these ranges in addition to our regular weekly ABC Calls

Celebrate with our students!!

• As a result- this is the 60-100+ Range !!

JING IS a HUGE Help!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwMon5diIvETells you about Jing from download to directions on what it can do!

• http://screencast.com/t/S7YZtXiCQjEMy Jing video showing how to set up break out rooms quickly along with tips right inside Black Board• http://screencast.com/t/7WMCgey08bFJing Video for students on how to Load Content and Move slides around where needed to help them prep for presentations.

Overwhelmed by what’s out there? Here are a few links to

get started.

• Not seeing ideas that you can use yet? Check out a few websites for ideas on your own, or visit a few of the links that I found on the fly:

• http://fcstn.net/show%20me%20the%20strategies.htm(every kind of teaching strategy under the sun is here!)• http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com/• http://

www.dailyteachingtools.com/cooperative-learning.html• http://www.collaborativelearning.org/• http://www.slideshare.net

How to Contact me:

Jennifer Schultzejschultze@wyva.org

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2KHWY5S