 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||
 |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teacher uses TEAMS to increase student self-esteem and achievement...
Sharon Harrison, Educator
Towne Avenue Elementary School
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
TEAMS Distance Learning Project
Veteran Los Angeles Unified School District teacher, Sharon Harrison, brings a certain personal vision and pragmatism to her work after 26 years in the classroom. "It is not my job to simply teach," says the 5th-grade teacher at the Towne Avenue Elementary School.
"My job is also to build character and help students see themselves as successful learners."
Many students in Harrison's class worked hard to achieve grade-level expectations. Even average learners in her classroom struggled with low-self esteem, which prevented them from increasing achievement. With TEAMS Distance Learning Project, 20% of Harrison's elementary school students improved enough to place in honors classes when they moved on to middle school. TEAMS delivers a schedule of standards-driven programs for grades K-8 in math, science and social science. These programs are enhanced with extended student and teacher opportunities using the World Wide Web.
For many educators, using distance learning means acquiring and installing complex equipment not yet available in most classrooms. 
Although Internet and satellite access are usually required for distance learning, neither were available at the Towne Avenue School. Instead, Harrison's students interacted with a "live" TEAMS teacher broadcast at 9 am weekday mornings on KLCS, the public television station licensed to the LAUSD. Harrison also facilitated exchanges between her students and the on-air instructor using her own cell-phone, since there was no telephone in the classroom. In addition, students with home computers accessed the Internet-based portion of the project for the class. MORE...