OCS NCVPS Pilot

– SUCCESS!

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Think Differently
Image from http://www.podfeed.net/podcast/The+What+if+Radio+Show+-+Ep+1/16169
 "Rail travel at high speeds is not possible because passengers
unable to breathe would die of asphyxiation."
~Dr. Dionysius Lardner

Image from http://fotoset.blogspot.com/2010/03/worlds-most-popular-high-speed-trains.html
"No large steam ship would be able to cross the Atlantic since
it would require more coal than it could carry." 
~Dr. Dionysius Lardner

Image from: http://www.geonius.com/family/rochester.html
"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical
and insignificant if not utterly impossible." 
~Simon Newcom
What If . . .
 Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems. They
depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do
when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!
Teacher’s Conference

1703
What If . . .
Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to
write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They
can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of
paper?
Principal’s Association

1815
Students today depend too much upon ink. They
don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a
pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.
National Association of Teachers

1907
Students today depend upon store bought ink. They don’t know how
to make their own. When they run out of ink they will be unable to
write words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a
sad commentary on modern education.
The Rural American Teacher

1928
 Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They can no
longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow
them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope
in the real business world which is not so extravagant.
PTA Gazette

1941
 Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students
use these devices and then throw them away. The American values of
thrift and frugality are being discarded. Business and banks will never
allow such expensive luxuries.
Federal Teachers

1950
You can’t use those calculators on the test. If I let you do that,
you wouldn’t ever learn how to use the tables in the back of
the book and use interpolation to figure out your trig ratios.
High School Math Teachers’
Association

1980
 Why are you writing a grant for a classroom set of graphing
calculators? We’ll never be allowed to use them and – even if we can
– that’s only one class, and parents in other classes will never buy
them for their students.
High School Math Teacher

1993
Why would you ever want the Internet for student
use? It’s just the latest fad – have them use the
library.
District Employee

1995
 You don’t need a web page for the
school. Who’s ever going to look at it?
District Employee

1995
Teachers will never use email.
Teacher on a District Committee

1996
Why do you want network drops at every teacher’s
desk? You’re not thinking of getting a computer for
all of them are you?
Building Administrator

1999
What can you do with an LCD Projector that
you can’t do with an overhead projector?
Member of School Accountability
Committee

1999
Why are we talking about students having laptops in high
school? I don’t think most parents will even give their
kids their old computer, much less buy them a new one.
Member of Laptop Committee

2000
Why would I want to put my grades on
the web? Who’s going to look at them?
Teacher

2001
I don’t think we’ll have a wireless
network at school anytime soon.
 A Teacher

Spring 2005
Turn off and put away all Cell Phones, iPods,
and Electronic Devices during class!
Signs around many schools in NC (and
country)

Fall 2006
 What If . . .

We’d listened?
 Feedback

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 Caldwell
“Just wanted to let you know that the OCS VPS is going so
wonderfully in our county.  The teachers are having so
much fun and the students are engaged and enthusiastic
every day.  

I keep hearing about how fantastic one particular teacher is

and wanted to let you know.  Her name is Chrystal Brinson,
and her OCS partner constantly sings her praise.  Please let
her know that she is doing a great job with this endeavor!

Thanks so much for all the hard work put into this project!”
 Cleveland

“This blended OCS/NCVPS class is my favorite to teach

and I hope the school chooses to do this with all the
curriculum. I was discussing today with my partner
teacher at what point we would decide to let the kids
move onto the next unit. I told her, ‘I'm not sure I can
convince them to skip any parts with ease.  They love the
course and the activities so much.’ I see the students'
self-esteem and independence rising with each day!”
Melinda Cole, OCS f2f teacher
 Dare

“Yesterday I had one of my most

calm days in 12 years of
education because of all your
help and the other co-teachers.”
 Cleveland
“First I wanted to say how much we (my students and
I) enjoy our online experience every day!  It has been
great for all of us!! The work that everyone put into
this project has produced such positive results!! We
certainly appreciate everyone that helped make this
happen!  WE WANT MORE!!!
Thanks again for your continued support.  My
students are excited about learning and their
successes have set them on fire wanting more!! Their
self confidence is ‘out the roof’"!
 Montgomery
“I had a call on Monday morning from a parent of an OCS student.
Mom was in tears. She said her son had been kicked out of 3 schools
prior to coming to ours and due to his Aspergers he had never had a
friend. She said he used to beg her to stay home. She would send him
to school crying most days. She said he had a pretty good year last
year, but this year with these online classes, he loves school. He never
complains about coming and for the first time in his life he has
friends. She said he spent from 12:00-6:00 on Sunday afternoon
online chatting with video (that they figured out how to do
themselves) with fellow classmates. She walked by his bedroom and
he was laughing and having conversation with friends. She was
overjoyed. This is what it is all about and I want to thank each of you
for your help with this program.”
 Caldwell

"We have a student who was in trouble all last

year, this year he is at the top of the class and
loves working on the computer and making a
relationship with his online teacher.  I have
loved the links provided in the modules. I've
used the websites in my other classes!!!"
 Chapel Hill
"The kids like using a computer. They like the
games and getting messages from their online
teachers.  My online Alg teacher has
embedded lessons into the messages when
my links won't open - Devon has been a life-
saver!  Most of my issues are about
technology. Overall though, the Bio labs and
Alg lessons are surprisingly captivating."
 Montgomery

"My online teachers are also fantastic. I have

biology 2nd block and English 3rd block. My
kids will not even leave between classes. They
love this!!!"
 Dare

“I am able to move slower here with you because

we have discussed the level of my students. In a
regular classroom, I see things speeding along,
and my group getting lost in that speed. I can’t
tell you how I appreciate your patience with our
speed. We are learning, just at a different pace.”
 Catawba
 ”I am currently working with the NCVPS OCS
pilot program.  I wanted to let you know how
much I enjoy the program and the many
resources it provides.  Natalie Holm is my co-
teacher.  She is absolutely wonderful to work
with.  My students and I enjoy being it class
and exploring the program together.  I hope
this program continues to be a success for
years to come.”
 Nash Rocky Mount
“I would just like to update you on my experience so far with the NCVPS OCS
Pilot. In all honesty everything has been very smooth. Of course I have
encountered problems, however, that was mainly due to my own
inexperience with the program. Never have I come across an issue that
could not be easily solved or answered by my VPS teacher (Natalie Holm)
or with me experimenting with the program.

The program has really kept the kids attention and interest. I thought once
they got use to the program they would be bored or ready to complain.
However, this has not been the case. The students enjoy the hands on
activities and the interactive learning keeps them engaged. Moreover, I
think the program's most unique quality is how it is so student paced.

Thanks for all your help!”

 Stokes
"My online teacher is providing the
students with many curriculum
appropriate online games that help
them stay occupied. That has helped.
 I think everything is going
remarkably well!"
 Wayne students
Hi Kate!
I'm glad you're having fun! It will get a little more difficult but you're doing an awesome job! And as it gets tougher... you will just
feel that much more proud of yourself as you continue to do amazing work!
Thanks for the message! I love hearing from you!
~mp
----- Original Message ----
Sent on: Thursday, October 14, 2010 11:23 AM
Hey, this is Kate. i had fun doing all the work. it is getting a little harder but im still getting through it. thank you.
_____________________________________________________________________
Hi Amber!
I'm having a lot of fun, too! You guys are wonderful to work with! Thanks for working so hard. You guys are so cool and fun to
hang out with it doesn't even seem like work! :-)
Thanks for sending me a message! I love hearing from you!
~mp
----- Original Message ----
Sent on: Thursday, October 14, 2010 11:25 AM

Hi Mrs.Parrish I'm I am having so much fun in your class all of the lesson is fun & kool i can not wait to see what we learn next
week.
Love, Amber
_____________________________________________________________
 Haywood

"Working great!! I was really

hesitant on teaching Algebra to
our OCS population, but it has
been a real success. My on-line
teacher has been a real asset to
teaching our special learners."
 Email between NCVPS Teacher, Glenn Shelton, and his partner f2f OCS
teacher, Joyce Whitley, West Caldwell

Leslie and Michelle,

Joyce Whitley at West Caldwell HS sent me this email with activities and pictures of her students working in the classroom. I
asked if I could forward it on because I believe this was probably close to the image that you had in mind when planning this
course. Tomorrow we are going to have a pronto session on the Long Finger Poem and creating a shape collage. Joyce goes out
of her way to see the students succeed and is really into the program. By the way, she became a certified teacher when the
pilot started so she is really trying to learn everything she can about the virtual world and combine the best of both worlds and
would probably be a great classroom resource for other f2f teachers.
Glenn

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Joyce Whitley <jwhitley@caldwellschools.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 5:50 PM
Subject: Thursday
To: glenn shelton <glenn.shelton@ncpublicschools.gov>

These are the abstract art paintings the kids did today. Lexxus was going for anger and named it "Blister". Alicia was going for
peaceful and named hers "Sunset". I don't really know what Joseph was going for but he named it "Tornado". I am also
including the pictures we took for them to download onto their Pronto page so you can put a face to the name. We did not get
to the downloading of pictures for the collage today BUT we did have an awesome time with similes. I have a GREAT book that I
got at NCCATS this summer that is all similes (this was a surprise to me when I opened it last night) LOL so we went through the
book and I thought tomorrow after you talk to them about the collage, they could use materials I will provide to make a
physical collage about someone they know using similes to describe the person. The book is called "My Friend is as Sharp as a
Pencil", if you look online it probably will show you an example of what I am talking about.
Joyce
AND we sang the simile song again today. Love that song!
Joyce

*Pictures in original email*

 KEY WORD:
ONGOING!

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 The Power of Team

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 Success!

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