Showing posts with label Learning. Show all posts

[Teacher Tuesdays]: Heather Novak



Heather Novak


Welcome to yet another installment of Teacher Tuesdays! 
This week I'm sharing teacher Heather Novak. She has been with BlueSky for 11 years! 

What is your role at BlueSky? 
Social Studies Lead/Teacher, curriculum committee at present, but many others in the past.

What is your Education background?

College of St. Benedict: BA in Social Science, minors in History and Secondary Ed
Saint Mary's University: M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning

What are your hobbies or activities that you like to do in your spare time?
I love my book club, traveling, singing, watching sports, being active, and snuggling with my kids.


What do you like most about teaching at BlueSky?
I love that I get to work with students one-on-one and help them with things that they, specifically, need help with. It's so personalized and so flexible. I also love working with other people who want what is best for students and who are just amazing people. I am lucky to count them as friends and co-workers.

What ways do you like to interact with your students?
I love connecting with students in whatever way is most comfortable for them! Email and texting are particularly easy, because they can be done from anywhere, anytime. I also enjoy hosting live sessions, so I can interact with groups of students and answer questions in real time. 

 

Anonymous

5 Resolutions Every Online Student Should Make

5 Resolutions that every Online Student should make: 

1. Create a productive workspace:  So many online students try to work everywhere (couch, bed, floor) except a desk! Creating a set workspace can massively improve your productivity. If you are looking for some ideas, check out my blog post about home work spaces. 

2. Create a good schedule for your schoolwork:  One of the best ways to stay focused and increase productivity in online schooling is to create a good schedule. There isn't a bell telling us when to move from one class the next, but we can create this environment for ourselves! Check out my blog post for some schedule ideas! 

3. Manage your stress level:  Online school can be stressful! There isn't a teacher standing next to your desk to help manage the stress...but there are teachers, counselors, and advisors just a click away! Manage your stress level to increase greater learning. Check out my blog post for some stress reduction ideas! 

4. Pace yourself: It has been widely researched that the brain learns best when new information is brought in at a steady pace. Rather than trying to cram it all in too quickly, create a nice pace for yourself. Student Services Advisors will be contacting their students at the start of second semester to help create a nice pace in which to complete work. This pace is chosen to help your brain learn! Interested in learning more about pacing and the brain? Check out my blog post for some pacing info. 

5. Finish Strong:  Right now at BlueSky Online we are nearing the end of the first semester. Now is the best time to step it up and work at your best. If you are wondering where you should focus, contact your Student Services Advisor and your Teachers. Keep up the amazing work that you have been completing and FINISH STRONG! 

Anonymous

[Reading Strategy]: Active Reading



Have you ever read the same paragraph over and over again...and it just hasn't sunk in? 

I HATE that. 

Do you want some ideas on how to help that reading to SINK IN? 

Well...you have come to the right place! 

You may remember that our school goal is Reading. And if you don't remember...check out THIS BLOG POST to read about it! 

Let's talk about Active Reading. Active Reading is a term that covers a large set of strategies to help students learn from what they are reading. Below are some ideas to try: 

  • Pre-Read:  Before you start reading, help your brain focus by asking yourself a few questions. Why am I reading this? What is the point of the reading? What am I supposed to be learning by reading this? 
  • Chunk it!: Is the reading long? Try to break it into bite-sized pieces! Read a paragraph at a time, then stop and summarize what you read. 
  • Take Notes: As you are reading, jot down what you think about the passage. Taking notes not only helps you summarize as you go, but it helps you keep focused instead of letting your mind wander...
  • Read Out Loud!: Whether you read to yourself, a friend, a family member, a dog, or a house plant...reading out loud can help keep your mind in tune with what you are reading. 


These are just a few ideas. There will be many more Reading Strategies to come to the blog! So keep checking back!

Anonymous

[For Parents]: How to help your struggling online learner


My child is really struggling with their online courses, what can I do to help? 

Parents often wonder what their role is in online education. And the answer is...it's different for every family. I know. Not the answer you were hoping for! 

I do have a list of suggestions of how a parent can actively play a role in a student's learning in an online environment. Some of these may not apply if your student is a senior and managing their work on their own. Some of these may really apply if your student is in middle school and in need of guidance. 

Here are a few tips! I hope they help! 
  • Whatever your role is BE CONSISTENT. 
    • Some parents make a daily schedule for their child to help them stay on track. While other parents check in weekly with their child's teachers. Whatever path you choose make sure that you consistently follow it the whole school year. 

  • STOP the procrastination.
    • You are your child's most important role model. Help your student understand the importance of consistently working and not procrastinating! 

  • Set BOUNDARIES.
    • Whether the boundary is "no texting during school time" or "no video games...ever", make your rules and stick by them. Learning from home has many built in distractions, try to help your child limit the temptation. 

  • Work through challenges and celebrate SUCCESS!
    • Teenagers still need their parents to help them through challenging situations. Guide your child through their struggles. On the opposite side, take time to celebrate successes! Positive reinforcement can go a long way. 

  • When your child needs HELP.
    • Many parents reach a point where they can't help their child with their school work anymore. There's no shame in this! The best thing you can do is help your child turn to someone who can help them...their teachers! BlueSky Online teachers are here to help. Most of their day is spent providing one-on-one tutoring instruction to students who need assistance. Help your child reach out to their teachers!
Whether in a brick and mortar classroom or online PARENTS play a major role in their child's learning success. Use these tips to help you find the balance that works for your family. 

Anonymous

Five Reasons to be THANKFUL for Online Education


Happy Thanksgiving!!

What a great week to reflect on some of the reasons to be THANKFUL for online education: 

5. Flexibility
 Online education is SO flexible. At BlueSky Online, you can choose between My Pace courses and Group Pace courses. You can follow a weekly class schedule or you can budget your time the way that you'd like. 

4. Scheduling Freedom
 Online education gives students the ability to schedule their day in any way they would like. Like to sleep in until 11AM and then do school work until 10PM? You can! Students can also choose which classes to work on each day, how many classes to work each day, and which days to take off! 

3. Personalized Lessons
Each class can be learned at a student's own pace. The lessons are mostly asynchronous. So, if a student needs to pause, rewind, or rewatch an entire lesson, they can! And teachers can easily share more resources with students to truly personalize the learning experience. 

2. One-on-One Help
 The teachers are online schools are here to help their students. Many hours of the day are set aside for one-on-one tutoring help with students. Teachers use email, chat, phone calls, text, online whiteboards, etc. to help students. 

1.  Schoolwork in PAJAMAS!!
 YES!!!! Pajamas!!! ALL....DAY....LONG! Now that's a reason to be THANKFUL! 

Anonymous

[Teacher Tuesdays!]: Brittney Bailey


Another Tuesday..and another BlueSky teacher to showcase!

I'm happy to highlight Brittney Bailey:

Brittney wears two hats at BlueSky Online:
Physical Education Teacher (Group Pace Class)
Student Services Advisor

Brittney received a BS in Health Education from Minnesota State University in Mankato and a BS in Physical Education from Concordia University in St. Paul. 

When asked what her favorite food is, Brittney responded: 

"My favorite food is probably french fries (I know, not very healthy for a health/phy ed teacher)."

Brittney enjoys teaching for BlueSky because: 

"I love the flexibility we offer to our students. I also love being able to interact with students and their families one on one to give them the support they need to be successful."

 In her spare time, Brittney enjoys spending time with family and friends. Shopping, going to the movies, playing with her cat, and watching Minnesota sports teams. She also plays Co Ed Football and Kickball! 

Why Brittney chose to be an Online Educator: 
"Online education is a great option for students who have not been successful in a "traditional" setting. I love being able to help students succeed in new ways where they weren't succeeding previously."

Check back most Tuesdays to meet more of our BlueSky personnel! 

Anonymous

Learning: The Importance of PACING Yourself


It seems like every time you talk to your Student Services Advisor, or one of your Teachers, or your Counselor, they mention PACING.

Am I right? 

But...why?? Why is pace such an important part of learning?

In the article The Science Behind How We Learn New Skills, Thorin Klosowski notes:
"When we're picking up a new skill or learning something entirely new, it's easy to binge-learn and obsessively work on it over time. However, that's not always the best idea. In fact, spreading out learning, also known as distributed practice, is thought to be a better way to learn." 

Many of us are guilty of "binge learning"...there is even an Urban Dictionary entry: 

homework binge
doing the whole week, month or sometimes semester's homework in one night. 
often occurs on sunday night
Hey wanna go out tonight? 
No im gonna homework binge
Learning is one place where binging 
isn't the best option. 
As researchers spend more time learning about how we learn, they have concluded that it's similar to building muscle: 

If you just walk in the gym and try to pick up the heaviest weight, you won't be able to. But, if you spend time each day doing reps with increasing amounts of weight...you will soon be able to lift the heaviest one! 
So...PACE yourselves! Instead of waiting until the end of the week and trying to complete all of your work in one sitting...do some EACH DAY. 
Looking for ways to schedule your school work? Check out the post: A 'Bag of Tricks' for Scheduling your School Work!

Anonymous

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