Big Spring Independent Schools Shared Teacher

Section 0: Introduction

0.1 Purpose

This document is intended merely as a guideline to help Big Spring ISD and other districts to share teachers through EdLink 18 Communication Co-Op. Region 18 does not assume any authority over the relationships that schools establish for the purpose of sharing instruction across district lines. Region 18 also does not assume any responsibility for any problems that may result from schools that enter such relationships. (Adopted from guidelines from Keith Cameron, ESC 18 Consultant)

0.2 Terminology

For the purposes of this document, the following terms will be used:

• Host school: the school supplying the instruction-Big Spring ISD

• Remote school: the school receiving the instruction

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Section 1: Personnel

1.1 Instructor

The instructor should be a member of the faculty of the host school. Each instructor should possess the following:

• Texas certification in the subject area

• A minimum of 2 years teaching experience in the subject area

• Good communication skills

• Basic technology skills

• Good organizational skills

• All instructors will participate in distance learning training by Region 18.

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1.11 Instructor Responsibilities

The instructor should assume all of the normal classroom responsibilities. In addition, the following should be the responsibility of the instructor.

• Grade papers

• Create materials and send them to the remote school facilitator in a timely fashion

• Provide remote school facilitator with lesson plans at least one week in advance

• Establish regular communication with remote site facilitator

• Provide student support outside of class hours

1.2 Facilitator

It is the responsibility of the remote school to provide a facilitator for each class it receives via distance learning. Remote site facilitators should meet the following requirements:

• Be a full-time adult employee of the remote school

• Possess basic technology skills

• Attend distance learning training

In cases where a facilitator may be absent, the remote school is responsible for providing a substitute. At no time should a class of students be unsupervised locally.

It is also recommended that, when possible, a certified teacher be the remote school facilitator. Please note that some lab situations may require a certified teacher be present.

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1.21 Facilitator Responsibilities

Facilitators will shoulder a great deal of responsibility in shared teacher classrooms. In particular, facilitators should

• Assist students with activities

• Collect and distribute materials

• Proctor daily work, quizzes, and exams

• Record student attendance

• Operate equipment

• Record student grades

• Meet pass/fail notification deadlines set by the local district

• Discipline students at remote site

1.3 Employee Evaluation

All employee evaluations should be conducted by the employing school. Thus, the host school will evaluate the instructor while the remote school will evaluate the facilitator.

1.4 Students

Distance learning will not work for every student in a school system. Students should be screened to determine their ability to be successful. In addition, students will sign the Student Contract found in Appendix A.

To be successful in this environment, it is recommended that the student possess certain traits and characteristics

• The student should be willing to participate.

• The student should possess good study habits.

• The student should be capable of independent study.

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Section 2: Training

It is highly recommended that any instructor who will be teaching via distance learning take a 3 day seminar provided by Region 18. The curriculum for the seminar is as follows:

Day 1: Application Tools Useful in Distance Learning Environments

• Power Point (½ day)

• E-mail basics

• Using an FTP site

• Tools for producing document slates

Day 2: Introduction to Distance Learning Equipment

• Identification of equipment

• Environmental factors (room arrangement, dress, etc.)

• Using the remote keypad

• Using the document camera

• Using the scan converter (computer)

• Using the VCR

Day 3: Classroom Management Techniques

• Communicating with remote sites

• Sending/receiving material

• Presentation tips

• Problems to be looking for

• Preparing for a meltdown

• Participant demonstrations

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Teaching via distance learning is vastly different than teaching before a live group of students. Failure to adapt teaching styles to methodology that works best in this medium can lead to failure.

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Section 3: Materials

3.1 Textbooks

Since different schools may use different texts, it is important to agree on a common textbook in the early stages of planning a distance learning course. The teacher should have authority to select the text of his/her choice. The remote school will be responsible for supplying the textbook of the instructor’s choice.

3.2 Teacher Prepared Materials

If the teacher intends to prepare materials to be used in the class, he/she must ensure that these are available to the remote school students in a timely fashion. There are various methods of sending such materials to remote schools:

• E-mail

• Region 18 route mail (for those schools belonging to the media cooperative)

• U.S. Mail

• Region 18 or local school FTP sites

• Personal Web pages

• FAX

The method of delivering and receiving materials is left to the discretion of the teacher.

3.3 Other Materials

Depending on the class, there may be other materials required as well. For example, an Algebra I class may make use of manipulatives or calculators. All materials required by the course should be discussed and agreed on before the class begins. It then becomes the responsibility of the remote school to acquire all required materials. The remote school will provide student email accounts for their site.

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Section 4: Financial Issues

4.1 Teacher Compensation

Teaching a course via distance learning requires a great deal of work. Materials must be converted to a format compatible with the distance learning equipment, new presentation techniques must be learned and incorporated into lessons, additional time outside of class must be provided to students for help, etc. Therefore, it is recommended that a stipend be granted to any teacher willing to provide a course via distance learning.

•  $82.50 per course per day for summer school

• During a regular school term a $2000 stipend per semester will be paid

It is the responsibility of the host school to provide any compensation to the teacher.

4.2 Student Fees

The host school will be paid $250 per student per semester per course for a minimum of ten students.  The maximum number of students in the distance learning class will not exceed sixteen students for a summer session or twenty students for a fall/spring session.  If the minimum seat allowance is not met the contracting entities will share the remaining minimum seat cost equally.

For example, one remote site has contracted for two students and a second remote site has contracted three students equaling five students. Since the minimum is ten students, the costs for the remaining five seats will be split between the two entities.

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Section 5: Technology Concerns

5.1 Technology Support

It is important to plan ahead for technology problems. No matter how well the equipment works, there will be problems at some point. Therefore, each distance learning room should be equipped with the following information.
 

• Local technical support personnel

• Region 18 technical support --
  Steve Welch (915) 567-3292
  Casey Ritchie (915) 567-3296

• Help Desk (915) 561-4321

• Equipment Support Help Line

• Technical support at all participating sites

5.2 Troubleshooting Checklist

Anytime that technology is used over a prolonged period of time, there will be problems. To help deal with those problems, a short checklist of things to do is appended to this document as Appendix H: Troubleshooting Checklist. All personnel involved with distance learning should be familiar with this checklist, and a copy should be maintained in the distance learning room.

5.3 Preparing for Technical Problems

There will be technical problems. Equipment can break down, bad weather can bring down lines, and users can push the wrong button. To help prepare for such times, you might want to do the following:

• All sites should have a list of contact numbers handy.

• The instructor should prepare a few activities for times when there are breakdowns. Send these activities to remote school facilitators at the beginning of the course.

• All sites should be prepared to video tape at a moment’s notice.

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5.4 Taping Students

There are times when classes may be taped. Any time that students appear on tape, there is the possibility of legal entanglements. Therefore, it becomes necessary to secure permission from the student and his/her parent/guardian prior to taping. The attached document, Appendix A: Student Contract, contains a clause granting permission for the student to be taped. Note that this clause only pertains to videotaping.

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Section 6: Local Issues

In addition to the items referenced in the preceding sections, there are numerous other issues to deal with.

6.1 Discipline

Discipline should be handled by each remote school. Although the student is subject to the directives of the instructor, the student’s school is responsible for any disciplinary action.

6.2 Calendar Conflicts

There will be some calendar conflicts throughout the school year. When conflicts arise, the host school’s calendar should take precedence. Some potential conflicts are:

• Schools may start the year on different dates.

• Schools may end the year on different dates.

• Schools may not observe the same holiday schedules.

• Schools will probably have different bad weather days scheduled.

• Schools will have different dates for inservice, staff development, early release, etc.

• Some schools may close for bad weather while others remain open

• Schools start summer classes on different dates.

Other calendar conflicts may arise throughout the year as well.

To deal with such conflicts, it is well to plan ahead and to plan for emergencies. Instructors should ensure that extra activities are available at each remote school for use during unexpected conflicts.

6.3 Class Enrollment

The host school, in consultation with the instructor, will have final say on the number of remote school students that may attend a class (See section 4.2 of this document). There are variables that can influence that number.

• The more sites that an instructor teaches to, the fewer students he/she should have.

• Subjects that require intensive grading should have fewer students.

In general, the following guidelines should be adhered to:

• Maximum number of sites is 3, including the host school.

• Minimum number of students per site is determined by the number of sites.

• Big Spring ISD will have the following total class sizes of twenty students for a Fall/Spring course and sixteen students for a Summer course.

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Appendix A: Student Contract

Name of School:   ______________________________

In order to provide students with courses they may not otherwise be able to take, many school systems have made arrangements to receive such classes via distance learning. Although this is a good way to receive valuable instruction, it is not intended for all students. In order to be successful in such an environment, the student must be willing to agree to the following:

• I will attend class punctually and regularly.

• I will make up work whenever I miss a class.

• I will come prepared to class and will complete all assignments.

• I will sit where I am assigned, and I will remain within camera view at all possible times.

• I will not touch any of the distance learning equipment unless I am instructed to do so by the instructor or the facilitator.

• I understand that classes may be videotaped for instructional purposes. I also understand that my voice and physical presence may be recorded. I hereby grant permission to tape my voice and physical presence.

• I will not tape a class without permission of the instructor.

• I will sign and abide by the Electronic Communication Acceptable Use Policy of my school district.

I have read and understood the policy above, and I agree to abide by this document.
 

 
Student Signature _________________________________________                       Date ___________________

 
Parent Signature __________________________________________                       Date___________________
 

 
Remote School Administrator Signature ___________________________________  Date__________________

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Appendix B: Instructor Memo of Understanding

Name of Employing School: ____________________________________

In order to provide students with courses they may not otherwise be able to take, many school systems have made arrangements to receive such classes via distance learning. Teaching a class using this medium requires different techniques and approaches than traditional classroom methods. In order to be successful in such an environment, the teacher must be willing to agree to the following:

• I will provide all remote schools and, specifically, their facilitators with lesson plans at least one week in advance.

• I will communicate regularly with all remote site facilitators.

• I will provide instructional support for students outside of class time.

• I will provide remote sites with instructional materials in a timely fashion.

• I will receive training in the use of teaching via two-way interactive video prior to the beginning of class, if such training is available. Otherwise, I will receive such training at the earliest possible date.

• I will adhere to all pass/fail notifications of remote sites.

• I understand that the course becomes the property of the instructor.

I have read and understood the policy above, and I agree to abide by this document.
 
Teacher Signature ______________________________________________    Date ______________________
 
Host School Administrator Signature________________________________   Date ______________________

 
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Appendix C: Facilitator Memo of Understanding

Name of Employing School: _____________________________________________

In order to provide students with courses they may not otherwise be able to take, many school systems have made arrangements to receive such classes via distance learning. Teaching a class using this medium requires different techniques and approaches than traditional classroom methods. One special consideration is the employment of a facilitator to monitor students at remote sites.  In order to be successful in such an environment, the facilitator must be willing to agree to the following:

• I will assist students in and out of class with activities and assignments.

• I will collect and distribute materials.

• I will proctor all classroom work, including daily work, quizzes, and exams.

• I will record student attendance.

• I will be the sole operator of the videoconference equipment in the classroom.

• I will record student grades for the remote school.

• I will meet pass/fail notification deadlines set by the remote school district.

• I will receive training in the use of two-way interactive video equipment prior to the beginning of class, if such training is available. Otherwise, I will receive such training at the earliest possible date.

I have read and understood the policy above, and I agree to abide by this document.
 
Facilitator Signature_____________________________________________     Date_____________________
 
Remote School Administrator Signature ______________________________    Date_____________________
 
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Appendix D: Host School Memo of Understanding

Name of Host School: ________________________________________________

In order to provide students with courses they may not otherwise be able to take, many school systems have made arrangements to receive such classes via distance learning. Providing a class using this medium requires special considerations by the host school..  In order for this arrangement to be successful, the host school must be willing to agree to the following:
 

• The host school will ensure that the teacher possesses valid Texas certification in the appropriate subject area.

• The host school will ensure that the teacher possesses a minimum of two years teaching experience in the subject area.

• The host school agrees to provide the teacher with adequate compensation.

• The host school will ensure that the teacher receives training in the use of teaching via two-way interactive video prior to the beginning of class, if such training is available. Otherwise, the host school will ensure that the teacher will receive such training at the earliest possible date.

• The host school will provide the remote sites with a copy of its calendar prior to the beginning of class.

• The host school will provide all remote sites with contact information for its technology support personnel.

• The host school will provide Edlink18 personnel with a class calendar prior to the beginning of class. This calendar will include the names of all sites included, start and end times of daily classes, and all scheduled dates.

• The host school will set class limits.

I have read and understood the policy above, and I agree to abide by this document.
 
Host School Administrator Signature____________________________________________   Date__________________
 
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Appendix E: Remote School Memo of Understanding

Name of Host School: _________________________________________________

In order to provide students with courses they may not otherwise be able to take, many school systems have made arrangements to receive such classes via distance learning. Receiving a class using this medium requires special considerations by the remote school.  In order for this arrangement to be successful, the remote school must be willing to agree to the following:

• The remote school will ensure that a facilitator is present at all times in the classroom.

• The remote school will ensure that the facilitator is a full-time adult employee of the school system.

• The remote school will provide all required textbooks of host school instructor’s choice, materials, including manipulatives, email accounts for students.

• The remote school will ensure that the facilitator receives training in the use of two-way interactive video equipment prior to the beginning of class, if such training is available. Otherwise, the remote school will ensure that the facilitator will receive such training at the earliest possible date.

• The remote school will provide the host school with a copy of its calendar prior to the beginning of class.

• The remote school will provide the host school and any other remote sites with contact information for its technology support personnel.

• The remote school will provide the host school instructor with a copy of the district’s Electronic Communication Acceptable Use Policy.

• The remote school will maintain student discipline.

• The remote school will adhere to class limits set by the host school.

I have read and understood the policy above, and I agree to abide by this document.

 
Remote School Administrator Signature__________________________________________  Date___________________
 
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