Tuesday Teacher Profile: Ms. Misty Palmer

Name: Ms. Misty Palmer

Courses Taught: AP Calculus AB

Location: Nashville, TN

Years Teaching: 16

Hidden Talent: I can wiggle my ears.

Thoughts about online teaching and learning: I enjoy online teaching because I like being able to dialogue with students individually about the work. I do think the classroom environment is great too, but it's nice to feel "conversational" about the material. I think students must be more self-motivated to keep up with things daily, and that is a great skill to learn in high school!

Advice for Students Taking Online Courses: Stick to a schedule. Make a daily plan and get it done. Get in touch with your teacher regularly with questions. Reach out to your classmates to talk about the material.

Thanksgiving Break

Virtual Virginia will be closed Wednesday, November 24, and will resume again on Monday, November 29th. Course content will still be available, but teachers and tech support will not be available during this time. Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday Teacher Profile: Mr. Peng Yu

Name: Mr. Peng Yu

Courses Taught: Chinese 1, Chinese 4, Advanced Placement Chinese

Location: Fairfax, VA

Years Teaching: 2

Advice for Students Taking Online Courses: It is convenient to take an online course; it is also challenging. I want to say to my students:
#1. Log on REGULARLY.
#2. Turn in the assignments by due date. Start early; don't wait until the last minute.
#3. You can learn a lot or you can learn nothing. It depends on you.

Tuesday Teacher Profile: Ms. Laura Light

Name: Ms. Laura Light

Courses Taught: Creative Writing

Location: Charlottesville, VA

Years Teaching: 17

Hidden Talent: I'm a professional fiddler and singer, and I garden and raise goats, chickens and geese.

Thoughts About Teaching and Learning Online: I love the online environment because it is free of social cliques, prejudice and interruptions. It's pure teaching. There's the student, the work, the challenges of the course and the interactions among a community of writers. There's a sense of responsibility and independence that is fostered in online learning that is very empowering.

Advice for Students Taking Online Courses: Stay on pace! The course is so much more fun when you are in the right place at the right time. Also, challenge yourself to go beyond the minimum. You can take this as far as you like.

Do you like the environment at Virtual Virginia? I do. I work with a most diverse and talented group of teachers who also happen to be really kind and helpful and supportive people.

Tuesday Teacher Profile: Mr. Frank Duvall

Name: Mr. Frank Duvall

Courses Taught: AP European History

Location: Chesapeake, VA

Years Teaching: 19

Hidden Talent: I enjoy surfing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Thoughts About Teaching and Learning Online: Teaching in an online environment is a rewarding and challenging experience. Adjusting from the "brick building" model to the online learning environment was something that took time to get used to as I was accustomed to seeing my students every day. I embrace the opportunity to teach students from around the State of Virginia and the unique perspectives young scholars bring to the class.

Advice for Students Taking Online Courses: Any student considering taking an online class needs to realize that discipline and focus are needed to be successful. These classes are designed so the student can have access to the class 24 hours a day, with set deadlines for assignment submissions. Keeping one's focus is paramount for the student to thrive in this online environment.

Reminder

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 is election day. It is also a VVa teacher workday. Courses will be available for students throughout the day. However, teachers will not be available.