One of the more under-appreciated aspects of online education is the vital role our teachers play in creating a successful learning environment for Primavera students. And while the learning environments at Primavera are not defined by a traditional physical space like a brick-and-mortar classroom, this doesn’t mean that the experience is somehow more impersonal or less dynamic. In fact, as the first generation of digital natives continue to enroll and graduate from our school, many of these students report that they communicate with their teachers more often and more effectively at Primavera than they did at their traditional schools.
At Primavera Online High school, teachers are available throughout the school day to provide individual instruction and support through phone calls, instant messaging and email — as well as through virtual classroom instruction. Although the online classroom environment represents a new instructional paradigm for most of our teachers, they have quickly embraced it as a means of focusing on teaching rather than “classroom management.” For all of our teachers, this aspect of online education has alone been especially liberating. And through new technologies that we develop at StrongMind, we continue to make strides in automating some of the more mundane, clerical work teachers have so that they can focus more of their time, talent and energy on connecting with our students.
A good example of an instructor who has adapted our virtual classroom to his teaching strengths and passion is Ramesh Joshi, who has been with Primavera for over a decade. Mr. Joshi holds master’s degrees in engineering and mathematics and became a teacher in order to help adolescent learners discover the joy in math and learning that he does.
“From my experience in engineering and technology, I really enjoy helping students reach their mathematic goals through the virtual environment Primavera made possible,” says Mr. Joshi.
“I enjoy the amount of participation that my students commit to. For example, students talk to me on the phone to participate in whatever situation they are in, be it at home, working in restaurants or out grocery shopping in between classes. I love being able to provide that.”
Far from “depersonalizing” the learning experience, Mr. Joshi finds that his students experience quite the opposite in the classes that he teaches. “My students frequently tell me that they are getting better, more personalized learning at Primavera than they received at their brick-and-mortar schools. Here they can walk into a virtual classroom without any fear of anybody listening in on their questions. They can be getting one-on-one help.”
As a teacher who believes in the power of educators to transform the lives of their students, the one-on-one dynamic that characterizes online learning at Primavera has been particularly gratifying for Mr. Joshi — even as it has transformed the way he looks at his relationship with his students.
“One thing that was immediately apparent to me in the beginning was that I’d never get to ‘meet’ my students — so I had to consider how I could develop a relationship with them where I can motivate and inspire them. So, whenever students contact me, it’s a huge opportunity for me to really build those relationships, and to tell them that I really care about their success. Answering a phone doesn’t come naturally to my students, but texting a message is pretty much a norm for them. And I’ve really built my relationship with students through our messaging system — and that has been key to my relationships with them.”
Mr. Joshi’s success in creating relationships with his students is underscored by the fact that more than a third of his students request to take additional math courses with him. Part of what makes Mr. Joshi so successful as a math instructor is that he makes math applicable to real life.
“I compare math to real-world examples — a satellite dish like the ones we use for our televisions, for instance,” said Mr. Joshi. “Quadratic equations can be explained using their parabolic surface and the point the main focus of the dish receives its signal. Examples like these allow my students to relate to the problems in their own time, versus what they might feel is ancient or non-relatable.”
Ramesh Joshi became an educator over a decade ago as a way to “give back something to my community…and teaching seemed like a good fit.” It has, indeed. In 2010, he was recognized with an “Excellence in Teaching Award.” In 2016 and 2017, he garnered the highly prized rating of “Highly Effective Teacher.” But for Mr. Joshi, as for all our teachers, the greatest reward has been the freedom to teach effectively and with impact. “Believe me,” he says, “there has never been a dull day — it’s been inspiring each and every day. My students are my joy.”
Charters and Traditional Public Schools: It is not “Either/Or”
While the debate over charter schools and public schools tends to be reduced to “either/or,” the operative conjunction should be “both/and,” as the path that works best for one student may not be the same for others. Recognizing that flexible models are required if we are to meet the differing needs of students is the basis of school choice.
Traditional brick-and-mortar schools, as we know them today, remain rooted in models and methodologies rooted in their 19th and 20th century roots. This isn’t always a bad thing, but it often means that these traditional schools are optimized to meet the needs of most mainstream students. For those students who, for any number of reasons, fall outside that norm, district and charter schools have embraced numerous alternative approaches, depending on student need. Some charters focus on more rigorous academics and college prep, some exist to serve students with special needs, while others, like Primavera, focus on providing class flexibility and online access that serves today’s digital natives. Primavera’s unique online model also provides an important hedge against the possibility of students joining the ranks of the more than 18,000 kids who drop out of high school each year in Arizona.
In comparing the charter school model with that of traditional schools, these are a few key distinctions to keep in mind. We briefly highlight these and other distinctions below, and in particular we demonstrate why programs like Primavera’s benefit students and taxpayers alike.
