I work at River HomeLink, a K-12 alternative learning experience (ALE) school in the Battle Ground School District, where I teach 6-12 grade English Language Arts classes. I primarily work with 9-12 graders in our High School Diploma Program, but I took on a class of 6-8 graders about three years ago as well. As an "alternative school," my context has different freedoms and challenges than a traditional high school or middle school setting.
We do not meet for classes five days per week. I have contact with my classes two times per week on either a Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday rotation. The other three days of the week, students are learning from home with their parents/guardians.
In the history of Washington State's Alternative Education, our school is what was once designated as a "Parent-Partnered Program." Ever since I joined RHL in the fall of 2003, I have been working on innovations to my traditional teacher mindset to help communicate and collaborate with parents, which involves relinquishing "control" of 60% of students' total learning time, and to provide structure and support for parents and students who work remotely from me.
Many of my innovations have included technology integrations into my practice. A sample teaching schedule in a 5 Block Class Schedule in this model can be found below.
English 1
English 2
American Literature
British Literature
Prep
Creative Writing
MS Literature
MS Writing
English 1
Prep
PLC
Department Meetings
Writing Support
Creative Writing (0.5 Credit)
Prep
Parent Partnering
HS ELA LAB
Prep
MS Lit
MS Writing
HS ELA LAB
HS ELA LAB
HS ELA LAB
HS ELA LAB
Prep
PLC
Department Meetings
Parent Partnering
Creative Writing (0.5 Credit)
Prep