Our Philosophy

Open Letter to Students:

Welcome to Riverside Virtual School.  If you are a returning student expect some changes that will hopefully enhance your educational experience.  If you are new to RVS, we are looking forward to helping you engage in a new educational experience that will certainly be different from your past experiences.

We love helping students to become inquisitive scholars, and develop and hone their academic skills.  A few thoughts on that so you can think about the journey you are about to undertake:  our purpose is to help students develop a deeper awareness of who they are and how they fit into this crazy world.  Our studies in history, the social sciences, and English Language Arts will lead us to ponder questions that have intrigued mankind since the dawn of human existence.

Much of our time as students and then as a teachers has been focused on the question, “How do we create the good person, living the good life, in the good society?”  As you will see this leads not to answers, but to more questions to ponder.  What is a good person? What is a good life? What is a good society?  As you move through your educational experience at RVS expect more questions than answers if we are doing things right.

Our roles are to be partners in an investigation of eternal questions, the answers that have been posed, developing our own understanding of the questions and answers based on rigorous academic work.  We will ask questions, identify and analyze sources, piece together evidence from multiple sources, and draw our own sound conclusions.

To start you thinking about the journey, we would suggest that one way to define the good person, living the good life, in the good society is that it is an educated person, who uses their knowledge to help create a more just and fair society.  So, what would that look like and how does that relate to your experiences and educational studies?

Our job is to help you become a literate person capable of being “the good person, living the good life, in the good society.”

Respectfully,

Mrs. Courtney Hanes - English Department Chair

Mr. David Dillon - History Department Chair

“It is only this more expansive and demanding meaning of literacy, or what Dewey calls “popular enlightenment," that can inform and animate a vital democracy. Indeed, Dewey reminds us, a successful democracy is conceivable only when and where individuals are able to “think for themselves,” “judge independently,” and "discriminate between good and bad information.”

John Dewey Quote from The Child and the Curriculum

"Abandon the notion of subject-matter as something fixed and ready-made in itself, outside the child's experience; cease thinking of the child's experience as also something hard and fast; see it as something fluent, embryonic, vital; and we realize that the child and the curriculum are simply two units which define a single process. Just as two points define a straight line, so the present standpoint of the child and the facts and truths of studies define instruction. It is continuous reconstruction, moving from the child's present experience out into that represented by the organized bodies of truth that we call studies."
John Dewey - The Child and the Curriculum

The Road to Online Teaching and Learning - Student Spotlight

Those who make a difference in their school, community, and world are those who do things differently than everyone else, those who do not simply follow the ways of others, or settle for the way it has always been. Those who make a difference question, rebel, create, collaborate, and change. Sometimes this gets them into trouble, and sometimes it makes them heroes, or at least really good at what they do. The most innovative teachers are the most innovative learners... they are the ones who dare to lead, in spite of the challenge, in spite of the fear, and in spite of the possibility of falling flat on their faces.

I have always done things a little bit differently than everyone else. In my family, there are not many teachers. Major in business, I was told... that's where the money is. I wasn't looking for money-I was looking for purpose. The reason to become a teacher is different for everyone. All teachers start somewhere, and everyone has teachers. The road to teaching can arise from one or many bad experiences. Teaching can be a profession or a calling. Some may be drawn to teaching because of an amazing teacher, or several amazing teachers who they wanted to emulate, and "be" when they grew up. Some feel teaching is simply what they were meant to do, and they really had little or no choice in the matter. Others try many other things before teaching tries them.

I am intrigued by the various roads to teaching, and learning. I became a teacher because I wanted to share my love of literature, to explore with my students, encourage them to find their powerful and unique place in this world, and because I wanted to continue to evolve. Teaching is a profession that is constantly changing, but after ten years, I felt like it wasn't changing enough. I was restless. I wanted more for myself and my students. I needed to mix things up.

So, in the fall of 2008, I began teaching and learning online. Teaching online is intense and invigorating. It has rekindled my passion for the profession. Teaching online and in a blended learning environment is the most challenging and rigorous experience thus far, which means that it has taught me the most. The goal of teaching is to guide our students in learning, inspiring them to think, take creative risks, and lead compassionately. One of my students does this on a daily basis, and today I want to share his story.

Zachary Dorson came to the Riverside Virtual School as an 8th grader. He was in private school from Kindergarten through 2nd grade, and then home schooled from 3rd through 7th. When his mom decided she wanted to return to the workforce, they began searching for a place that would meet their needs. They wanted rigor, yet flexibility. Initially, RVS was going to be a transition to face to face public school. That was three years ago, and Zachary, now a junior, has experienced great success as an online student.

Zachary is an introvert who admittedly used the internet very little before entering an online school program. "The irony is that learning online has allowed me to be more social, and enabled me to create an online presence," Zachary says. He has come a long way. As a freshman in my English class, Zachary preferred paper and pencil, and was not at all interested in social media. This year, he has flourished with his blogging, is opening up to new things, and follows several favorites on Twitter. Learning online allows Zachary to reflect and critically think, "When my teachers and fellow students post in discussion boards, I do not have to respond right away, quickly, out loud, and on the spot. I can think about things, create rough drafts of responses, and edit a few times if needed before publishing to the class. I like that." Zachary explains that, in his experience, extroverts look down on introverts, and view socialization in a traditional sense. He says with online learning the interaction is there, it's just different. "It is more thoughtful, and that has given me more confidence." When Zachary and I do meet face to face, our meetings are purposeful. It is here that we are able to continue the conversations started online, and work together on his questions, insights, and goals.

Last summer, Zachary joined a discussion forum for young people interested in politics and science, he continues to blog and use Twitter, and has pen pals from various places around the world. What is the biggest challenge for Zachary and many online students? Time management. "Learning to be self-sufficient and organized are very important lessons to be learned right away."

I am beyond proud of Zachary and many online students who dare to do things differently, and who challenge themselves on a daily basis for the love of learning, technology, and growth.

A Five Credit Class Can Be Different for Each Student

Most high school courses are five credits each, and that means all students work through the same curriculum in order to earn them. Even within the structure of a course, online or face to face, a five credit class can be different for each student.

How can we make that happen in a 21st Century (Is there another term we should start using?) school setting?
How can we ensure that there is enough room for our students, individually, within the curriculum?
How can we allow for the fact that some students will need and want longer in certain areas of study while others will be completely uninterested in others?
How can we determine all of this before the school year starts, and be prepared, flexibly, for anything?

Here are six ideas:

1. Take on the role of a teacher guide. Think of a host at a restaurant, or tour guide. They know their menu and terrain, and have the goal of providing an enjoyable experience, but if you compare your meal or excursion to a friend's, they will not be exactly the same.

It is okay if every student does not have the same exact experience. 

2. Wait to create curriculum until you meet your students.

This might sound impossible, but is it?

3. Create projects rather than tests.

No two projects should look exactly the same, unless students choose to collaborate with each other.

4. Have a general focus and direction in mind for each unit of study, with topics and activities you see as beneficial for students, but allow for plenty of choice within those units.

Be ready to go in a direction you could not have predicted. This will take the pressure off of pace, and put the focus on learning for each student.

5. Find out how your students best learn, and share this information about yourself with them as well.

Respect these differences.

6. Create opportunities for them to think, explore, and reflect as much as possible.

Ask questions without correct answers. Inspire them to be curious.

Enjoy the Journey of Learning

Encourage children to enjoy the ongoing and joyful journey of learning. Let go of the fear and pressure that we must teach every child everything they need to know today, in order to prepare for 'the next thing.' Embrace that if they haven't learned it yet, they still can, anytime, on their own, with support, and because they are inspired.

10 Ways to Get Started with Technology, Today!

Teachers and administrators want to integrate more technology into their classrooms and schools. This is an overwhelming, but exciting challenge. What is the best, most supportive, and least intrusive way to do this (today)? 

Here are a few ideas:

1. Create a welcome video for students and families to view before the first day of school. If you can, start a blog, and add it there.

2. Take one project that you enjoy, and use a Web 2.0 tool for the creation, collaboration, publication, and presentation. Looking for a project? Check out The Buck Institute for Education website for ideas.

3. Create a Personal Success Plan for yourself and students. If one goal is to gain confidence with technology, put yourself in the learner role, and seek out mentors. Model curiosity. 

4. Join Twitter. It is a bit overwhelming at first, but it is a great professional development tool. You can find me @courtneyhanes.  

5. Explore ways to connect and collaborate for yourself and your students. Here are a few places to start: Tween and Teen Tribune-Online newspapers for students, ePals-A global community, and great resource for connecting with classrooms around the world, Edmodo-A secure social network for teachers and students, and of course, Blogging!

6. Take students on a Virtual Fieldtrip. 

7. Use Skype and Google Hangout to communicate with students, families, colleagues, and guest speakers. 

8. Check out TED and TED-Ed.

9. Let students bring their own devices into the classroom and use them (Quick BYOD video).

10. Learn as much as you can about changing the way we teach and the way our students learn. Start with Stop Stealing Dreams by Seth Godin, Sir Ken Robinson's Changing Education Paradigms, and Dr. Yong Zhao.

It doesn't matter where you start, just that you do. We do not want our students to use technology because we told them to. Same rings true for teachers, parents, and administrators. We want to share, collaborate, and evolve together, and because we see the benefits. 

Have ideas to add? Leave a comment and let me know!

Learning to Blog

The purpose of my blog is to share ideas, collaborate, connect, learn, grow, and inspire. I am a very curious person, and I am also a very passionate person. My biggest passion is education, particularly online and blended learning. My blog is an extension of my other passions too: my family, ideas, poetry, and things I want to learn more about. What I hope to use my blog for most is creating a connected community, working toward compassion. Online learning helps me teach in a way that is beneficial, personal, and creative, and although also extremely exhausting, it is also extremely rewarding.