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Technology offers cyber school teachers opportunity, challenge
Staff writer
On a slippery day like Tuesday, Mary Kay Rohanna doesn't have to leave her house to go to work.
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Rohanna has been a cyber school teacher for two years - a career she embarked on after earning a master's degree in technology and education.
"I love it," she said.
She especially likes the interaction she has with parents. She can have a private conversation online with a student or parent. Each of her classes is 50 minutes long, and she comes online early in case students or parents from the six classes have questions. Her classes have no more than 20 students.
The computers and programs are set up so students can write on a board and everyone else in the class will see it on their monitor.
Each student also is assigned an instructional supervisor, she said. That supervisor meets with the students online once every two weeks and is also available to talk to teachers if they have concerns about a student's progress, Rohanna said. Tutoring is available Monday through Friday, she said.
Her employer, Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, also has training for teachers every two weeks. Rohanna, of Waynesburg, said there's a lot of collaboration with administrators.
Because she enjoys her job, she suggested that a friend, Katherine Kalsey, apply for an opening in August.
Kalsey, of Waynesburg, started at Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School in September. She teaches sixth-grade math and social studies.
When she started, she was concerned about the socialization of students and whether they would interact with her and each other since they are all on computers in different homes.
Kalsey said that hasn't been a problem. She's found that cyber school is the answer for some students. Her students use emoticons for raising hands to ask a question or asking her to slow down if they don't understand something.
Sometimes, she also puts them in groups so they can work together on an assignment.
"They develop friendships," Kalsey said. "It's really amazing."
Kalsey allows them to ask questions privately or to ask them in front of the group.
"They'll open up to me," she said.
Amanda Borrelli, a Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School teacher who works in Cranberry, said charter teachers have to vary lessons in ways that are engaging to their students. Since they can't see their students' faces, they also need to come up with ways to make sure their students are involved, she said.
"It forces you to learn by listening to them," the third- grade reading and language arts teacher said.
She said parents are usually close by when her 8-year-old students are on the computer for each 90-minute class.
"It helps when you have parents involved," Borrelli said.
