By Sharon Kebschull Barret, May 2, 2019
We know that in traditional student teaching today, incoming teachers are eager to learn and help students, and some “cooperating teachers” help their student teachers tremendously. But we also know that most student teachers are in the classroom for a short while, unpaid, and not necessarily learning under the school’s strongest teachers. Alternative residency programs, while a great idea, reach only a very few student teachers, at high cost—often funded through temporary grants.
What’s Happening
Opportunity Culture® News and Views
Opportunity Culture® News: New Opportunity Culture® Site, Multi-Classroom Leaders Share Impact
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, April 8, 2019
Opportunity Culture schools and educators continue to attract attention…check out these posts from new sites, multi-classroom leader columns, and an exciting award for a multi-classroom leader. Read more…
Arkansas Opportunity Culture® Pilot Adds 3 Districts and 8 North Little Rock Schools
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, March 14, 2019
Opportunity Culture continues to grow: After an initial year at North Little Rock Middle School, the Arkansas Department of Education has expanded its Opportunity Culture pilot to three more districts. Read More…
High-Growth Learning, 56K Students Reached: Opportunity Culture® 2018–19
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, March 7, 2019
As student learning continues to benefit, teachers want to keep and grow Opportunity Culture: That’s just one of the many findings and stats to report from the 2018-19 update of the Opportunity Culture data dashboard. Public Impact, which created and leads the national Opportunity Culture initiative, updates the dashboard annually. Read More…
The Best Tool—Sometimes: Using Tech in Elementary School
By Amber Hines; first published by EducationNC, March 5, 2019
“Our students are digital natives, so they’re confident with technology; it can give them the freedom to share their thoughts and think critically about both their own and their peers’ work.” For Multi-Classroom Leader® Amber Hines, who uses two-way video recording and QR codes with her students, technology enhances instruction by drawing out and engaging her teaching team’s students. Read More…
Learning to Lead as a Multi-Classroom Leader®
By Hadley Moore, March 4, 2019; published by EducationNC, April 3, 2019
“The MCL role allowed me to grow and feel confident as an instructional leader. Without this experience, I would not have pursued administration.” Hadley Moore gained skills as a multi-classroom leader that helped her succeed as an assistant principal. Read More…
Three More N.C. Districts to Launch Opportunity Culture® with New State Funding
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, Jan 31, 2019
In the latest round of funding for the state’s Advanced Teaching Roles pilot, the North Carolina State Board of Education awarded grants to three districts that will implement Opportunity Culture roles—Halifax County and Hertford County in eastern North Carolina and Lexington City Schools in Davidson County. Read More…
Voices from Vance: How Opportunity Culture® Is Working for One N.C. District
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, January 25, 2019
What do teachers, multi-classroom leaders, and administrators think about Opportunity Culture? In Vance County, a school district north of Raleigh on the North Carolina-Virginia border, their feelings about Opportunity Culture reflect the district’s motto: Vance County Proud. Read More…
College Board, NC School of Science & Math, Public Impact® Join Forces for Rural Schools
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, January 17, 2019
Public Impact is excited to announce that our Opportunity Culture initiative is partnering with the College Board and the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) to reach rural school districts with excellent NCSSM teachers. Read More…
Opportunity Culture® Schools in N.C. Outpace State on Student Growth
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan C. Hassel, first published by EducationNC, January 2, 2019.
As the founders of the Opportunity Culture initiative to extend the reach of great teaching to many more students, we keep a tight focus on how students and teachers benefit from Opportunity Culture implementation in their schools. Read More…