NEA’s Priority Schools Campaign is pleased to announce the debut of the virtual mentoring pilot program for Intensive Support Sites.*
To participate in a Virtual Learning Community, please click here to complete the contact form. (If there is trouble accessing the form, please email Jennifer Locke, NBCT at jlocke@nea.org.)
Forty-one accomplished teachers–many of them National Board Certified Teachers and/or mentors in their own high-needs schools–are ready to serve as virtual mentors to their peers in priority schools.
The mentoring will take place in a number of theme-based, virtual-learning communities (VLCs.) Mentors will work in pairs or groups to support teachers according to teacher interests, needs, and availability. What exactly the guiding themes may be depends on what teachers would like to explore about their practice, but some possibilities include: classroom management, differentiated instruction, National Board or Take One!, family-school-community partnership, technology in the classroom, ELL, etc.
For any particular themed VLC to launch, a minimum of twenty mentees is required. Teachers can sign up alone or in cohorts. The service is free. See the FAQs for more information. All a teacher needs to do is fill out the online form linked below, and we will take it from there.
Download the Virtual Learning Community Brochure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why should I participate in a Virtual Learning Community (VLC)?
Learn from and with colleagues who share a common vision about teaching and learning. Online discussions offer the opportunity to make personal connections, explore areas of interest, and grow in your professional practice. Learning will be embedded in the daily teaching and learning that takes place in your classroom. The community will model effective 21st century tools and strategies. By design, VLCs are flexible, save time, improve your efficiency, and give you quick access to resources and solutions.
2. When would I participate?
The benefit of a VLC is that it provides just-in-time support. The community will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You will be able to access the discussion platform whenever is most convenient. Live webinars will also be offered on a monthly basis at a set date and time. Participate as you are able and interested. Archived recordings will be available for those who cannot participate live.
3. Who else will be part of the community?
Teachers from other Priority Schools will comprise your community. You will be joined by trained, virtual coaches whose job is to support your learning. At all times, you will be able to review the backgrounds of your community’s members.
4. Will my principal or parents be able to read what I share online?
The VLC is a private, online space. Only other members of the community will be able to access your posts. At no time will administrators from your school or district (or parents or anyone else) be allowed access—unless access has been previously arranged and agreed upon by all VLC members (that includes you).
5. What will be discussed in the VLC?
You will help select the topics of focus for your online community. We will offer options for overall content, but your interests and needs—along with those of your colleagues—will drive the day-to-day discussions.
6. Who are the virtual coaches?
Accomplished teachers from across the country participated in a series of training webinars over the summer to become better acquainted with facilitating VLCs. The mentors bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience from a range of schools settings—from small rural to large urban schools. Many have achieved National Board Certification or served as coaches and mentors in their districts. Most important, they bring an excitement and eagerness to guide you in your professional growth.
7. How will I learn to use the technology?
The virtual coaches and NEA/CTQ staff will be available to support you every step of the way. We will ensure you understand fully what’s needed to participate. With more and more technological tools entering our classrooms, participating in a VLC will give you a competitive, experiential edge in a changing world.
Contact Jennifer Locke, NBCT at jlocke@nea.org with additional questions.
*The service is a pilot open only to invited sites.
