The Tutor.com Blog

As more school districts begin to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), MyLivePD coaches are ready for the challenges and successes teachers will have in their classrooms.  Stephanie B. from Colorado is a certified math teacher who has 18 years of coaching experience.  Most recently, she’s been helping implement the CCSS in her school district.  Stephanie shared her coaching philosophy, what she likes about the CCSS, and most importantly, what teachers need more of – time!

Why were you interested in participating in MyLivePD?  

Most teachers want to learn and want to be the best they can be, but we just don’t have the time in a regular school day.  I thought this would be a great chance to help teachers find alternative ways to get the professional development they want, without sacrificing time at work. I’m excited to be part of this ground-breaking opportunity!

How would you describe your coaching philosophy?

I think the best teachers are the ones who collaborate and reflect.  Collaboration is tough sometimes, but it helps give us a new perspective.  It also gives you permission to try new things and be able to reflect with a group to see what worked and what didn’t.

What is your favorite aspect of coaching?

I love the feeling I get when I have helped a teacher think through his or her question and find resources to use and modify for their classroom.  I love doing the research and finding new activities to use in my class as well.

What do you think is the most challenging issue for math teachers today?  

Teachers today have  no time to make the changes we would like in order to be better teachers.

How are you involved in the implementation of the CCSS in your district?

I have been instrumental as a teacher leader in my district with the implementation of CCSS.  We began implementation in the fall of 2011 and we are continuing with the staggered implementation this year.

Are you involved with Formative Assessment Lessons (FAL) at your school? 

My district has just started being more thoughtful about using these types of lessons, though I personally have been using this method for a good part of my teaching career.  I love using challenges (lessons) that allow the students to build on what they already know, as well as dig deeper into the standards themselves.  I will say, as a teacher leader, this is the most difficult part in leading a department.  It is a change in thinking about how we teach.

Have you begun implementing the eight mathematical practices (part of the CCSS) in your district?

Our district just finished a document that outlines this for the teachers.  I have used it personally in a literacy and comprehension writing cohort I am part of for my district.  I love how these practices tie all aspects of a learner and teacher together.

What do you hope teachers get out of using MyLivePD? 

I would like all of the teachers to be able to say, “WOW – that was really helpful.  I am going to try out that activity, lesson, test, or strategy with my students tomorrow and see how it goes.”  Then come back for more conversation and reflection.  Hopefully our service will give them little chunks of time to be able to learn new things and apply them in the classroom.

Want to ask Stephanie B. or any of our coaches a question about the CCSS?  Sign in to your MyLivePD account Sunday to Thursday from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET. To learn more about getting MyLivePD for your school, go to tutor.com/mylivpd.

Last fall, we introduced a brand new type of professional development support with the launch of MyLivePD® Online Coaching Services. Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MyLivePD offers teachers a new way to collaborate with experienced instructional coaches to get timely, relevant and practical PD support they can use right now.

MyLivePD has been well received by more than 150 math teachers using the service in participating districts including Baltimore County School District, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Tucson Unified School District and several Teach for America regions. We put together a review of MyLivePD’s first year (see link on right sidebar), chock-full of data around why teachers like connecting to coaches online on their own schedule for timely and relevant help.

As we begin a new school year, hundreds of more teachers have signed up to participate. Data from the first year report provides insights on why more teachers want MyLivePD including:

• 85% of teachers connect to a coach and then use the knowledge from their session within one week in their classroom
• 95% of teachers rated the service good, very good or excellent
• Teachers turned to MyLivePD instructional coaches most often to find new resources, discuss specific math concepts or pedagogy

As we begin the 2012-2013 school year, our coaches are excited to help teachers plan and integrate fresh ideas into their classrooms. All of the coaches are well versed in the Common Core Standards and can be a teacher’s best source for integrating new lessons and teaching methodologies that may be part of their district’s Common Core implementation.

If you’d like to learn more about how to bring online instructional coaches into your district, visit tutor.com/mylivepd.

MyLivePD™ Online Coaching Service connects teachers to experienced coaches for help with anything they want from planning to classroom management. While the technology that allows us to connect a teacher to a coach at any time of day—and sometimes thousands of miles away from one another—is pretty amazing; the real power of online coaching is the coaches. Ed L is one of those amazing professionals. Ed has coached teachers for nine years and taught in the classroom for five. Here’s his approach to collaborating with teachers and ultimately helping students learn.

Why were you interested in participating in MyLivePD?

I have been helping teachers for many years and I see the needs and benefits of getting teachers support instantly as the most practical way to improve the success of all students. MyLivePD offers that support to all teachers.

What is your favorite aspect of coaching?

I love coaching because it emboldens teachers to know they are not alone and that they are doing awesome work.

What’s your coaching philosophy?

Coaches have to be experts on getting information from teachers. Using that information, the coach can then determine exactly what key issues may be helpful for the teacher so the teacher can find more success when taking the next step in his or her efforts. Good coaches always offer positive choices and options as well as how each option may help the teacher achieve the goals that have been shared.

Learning is a journey for us all, and coaches help us over the obstacles in our way.

What do you hope teachers get out of theMyLivePD program?

I hope teachers learn that they are not alone in their wonderful efforts, and that by working together, we can all improve how well we help our students learn.

And here’s what teachers have to say about Ed’s  coaching:

“Ed was amazing. Awesome ideas, and very creative.”

“Ed gave me a fantastic idea about how to encourage my TAKS Exit Level students during the next few weeks. Thank you!”

Meet a new coach each  month on the Tutor.com blog!

Every week millions of teachers spend time planning out lessons that will engage a classroom of students. Mat Doty, a ninth grade teacher at the Crossroads Center, an alternative education center that is part of the Baltimore County Public School System, is one of those teachers. But, Mat doesn’t have to plan alone.  Mat has been participating in the MyLivePD™ Online Coaching Service pilot program since September 2011. Thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, several school districts, several Teach for America (TFA) regional districts and National Education Association (NEA) members have enjoyed free access to experienced Algebra coaches online.

Mat uses the service regularly to connect to a coach during his prep period or after-school hours to collaborate on lesson plans especially for upcoming high stakes exams. Here’s how MyLivePD is helping Mat every week.

Tutor.com: Mat how long have you been teaching?

Mat: I’m in my fifth year of teaching at the Baltimore County Public School System. Right now I teach Algebra to classes of 18 ninth graders, who all have different challenges when it comes to school and school work.

Tutor.com: Ongoing professional development is an important part of your profession.  What types of professional development programs have you participated in?

Mat:  I’ve done a lot of professional development (PD) since I started my teaching career. I’ve attended conferences, workshops and I have even provided PD to other teachers, as well.

Tutor.com: What type of PD were you providing?

Mat: I focused on helping teachers make math relevant to their students to help really engage the students in the classroom. The program also brought the elements of urban culture to suburban teachers.

Tutor.com: How is MyLivePD different from other PD programs you’ve done?

Mat : It’s a completely new way to get help. Before MyLivePD, if I had a question about a teaching technique or wanted to try something new in my classroom, I would have to wait for a larger workshop or seminar that may be weeks or months away. Now I can get help from one of the coaches right when I need it, which is really exciting.

Tutor.com: How often do you use MyLivePD and what types of topics do you discuss?

Mat: I started using the program this past September. I have been using it pretty regularly. In the fall I used it to get my courses fully planned and to tweak some of my lessons. I also connected to coaches to prepare for my observation. Now, I’m using the service for suggestions on engaging my students to prepare them for the Maryland High School Assessment (HSA). Our recent benchmark tests were not as high as I’d like and I want to find innovative ways to prep them for the test.

Tutor.com: What do you like best about connecting to a coach for PD online?

Mat: I like how immediate the help is and how personal it is. I get to ask a specific question and get a very personal experience and response. Not long ago, I prepared a lesson and it didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. That day I was able to connect to a coach online during a prep period and work through some other options. I had a new lesson plan ready to go for the very next day. Other PD doesn’t work like this.

Tutor.com: How would you recommend other teachers use MyLivePD?

Mat: There are many ways teachers can use MyLivePD. I recommend it for planning lessons to help make them more exciting and to better engage students. When you are planning alone you can hit a wall sometimes. It’s great to have a coach to share ideas. The service also helps teachers take more risks and try something new like inquiry-based lessons. And I like that I can have a great new idea and lesson plan in 30 minutes or less. It really saves me planning time.

If you or your school district would like to check out MyLivePD go to www.mylivepd.com to watch a video and read more about this new, teacher-driven PD.

Tutor.com is well-known in education circles for our on-demand, one-to-one, tutoring solutions for students. Not long ago, we started seeing an interesting trend with our student services— teachers were connecting with tutors and they loved the experience. Those early teacher comments helped us create a new type of professional development service, MyLivePD™ Online Coaching Service.

First launched as a pilot program in several districts with about 200 teachers as part of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MyLivePD is now available to Algebra and middle school math teachers everywhere. It’s online, on-demand and personalized to teachers’ specific planning and PD needs to make an immediate impact in the classroom.

Why It’s Different

We hear from teachers all the time that their current PD solutions just aren’t working for them. Yet, districts regularly spend thousands of dollars per teacher each year to deliver PD that isn’t helping teachers get the training they need and want. MyLivePD is different.

With MyLivePD teachers choose the topics they want to discuss with an experienced coach. All of our coaches have classroom teaching and coaching experience. Teachers simply login online and then connect to a coach for a session about the topic of their choice. Teachers work with coaches on:

• Differentiated learning
• Classroom management
• Student assessments
• Common Core
• Lesson planning

Teachers are enjoying professional support that is personalized to their needs and their schedules. 90% of teachers report that they are using ideas from their coaching sessions within a week in the classroom. The new generation of teachers are hungry for the same types of technology and blended solutions they use in the classroom with their students for their own PD.

If you and/or your district are interested in a new way to deliver PD, we invite you to learn more by reading “Personal, Private and On-Demand Teacher Support” in the March issue of School Administrator. You can also visit www.tutor.com/mylivePD.

We’d love to hear from you!  What PD programs are working in your district? Let us know in the comments.

Coaches work in real-time with teachers

Back in September, we were excited to launch the MyLivePD™ Online Coaching service pilot thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  We now have almost 300 algebra teachers participating in the pilot to get real-time, on demand coaching.

Today, we’re officially launching MyLivePD for all mathematics teachers.   That’s right.  School districts may now purchase MyLivePD for their math teachers. In early March, teachers will have the opportunity to buy their very own subscription using a credit card or purchase order from their school.

We speak to teachers all the time who have sat through long PD sessions that may have limited to no impact for their day-to-day teaching.  MyLivePD is the EXACT OPPOSITE.   Teachers connect to a coach for an individualized session for immediate real-time collaboration around all planning topics, including differentiating instruction, classroom management, Common Core transitions, creating assessments and much more.  Teachers are using information from their sessions the very next day in the classroom.

Here’s what algebra teachers are saying about MyLivePD:

“Great advice and resources.”

“[Coach] took care of a fairly undirected question and provided some great ideas that went well past the experience I have in aiding student mastery.”

“This was great. I sometimes struggle with real-life connections, and my coach had some great examples.”

“I came in with a pedagogical issue and was helped with a great resource and transition into my next topic! Thank you!”

“I really enjoy working with the coaches I have learned so much I am excited about the process”

“(Coach) was wonderful. I really liked her idea, and look forward to trying the idea in class tomorrow.”

To learn more about planning with a trusted partner online, go to www.mylivepd.com

Kelly Adam Joins the Tutor.com Team

We’re excited to introduce you to Kelly Adam, the newest member of our Instructional Team. Kelly is a veteran high school math teacher with more than 20 years of teaching experience. She has also coached teachers, taught online and created standards of excellence for online teaching.

Kelly joins us after spending over three years working on k-12 online educational services and curriculum. Before that, Kelly spent more than 20 years teaching high school and college math courses in both traditional public schools as well as online or virtual schools.

Tutor.com has made a commitment to finding the best tutors and coaches to offer the highest quality learning experience. As a Mentor Manager, Kelly’s coaching and teaching expertise will help Tutor.com continue to provide the highest quality tutoring for students and coaching for teachers. Kelly will be very involved in the services we provide for the School of One. And, she’ll work closely with our MyLivePD team as we expand our personal, private professional development service.

“I am excited to be a part of a new and evolving way to engage students and help them learn better,” said Adam. “I am honored to be a part of a team that is concerned about quality support for both students and teachers.”

Please help us welcome Kelly!

If you’d like to learn more about the amazing tutors that help thousands of students each night, check out our latest tutor of the month Daniel B.

In September Tutor.com launched MyLivePD™ and in November we announced our partnership with the NEA Member Benefits to expand the project to be provided to NEA members.  As the first and only personalized, private professional development service, MyLivePD™ connects an algebra teacher to an experienced math coach online for a live, real-time coaching session focused on the teacher’s specific needs.

We caught up with one of our coaches, Michelle D.,  to get some of her insights around coaching and the challenges math teachers are facing.  Michelle has been coaching for the past few years and of course has been a classroom teacher. Connect to Michelle or any one of our experienced coaches at www.mylivepd.com.

Tutor.com:  Why were you interested in participating in MyLivePD?

Michelle: I really enjoy helping math teachers discover new approaches to presenting information and appreciate the need for support for new teachers. The idea that teachers can get personal professional help without worrying about how their questions may affect performance reviews was especially intriguing.

Tutor.com: What’s your coaching philosophy?

Michelle: I believe a coach should be supportive, knowledgeable, and approachable. The coach should be a great resource for information in all aspects of the Algebra I classroom – lesson plans, classroom management, helpful suggestions for classroom organization, and any other topic the teacher needs. As an online coach, I hope to help prepare students for future math courses with a solid foundation in algebra by assisting the teachers to create a solid, educational classroom experience

Tutor.com: What is your favorite aspect of coaching?

Michelle: I really enjoy hearing that the teacher feels more comfortable in front of the class because of discussions we had. I also appreciate the times when a teacher who is not strong in math feels comfortable enough to ask for help. I hope to see this online, especially.

Tutor.com:  What do you think is the most challenging issue for math teachers today?

Michelle: For new teachers who may not have math backgrounds, the most challenging issues may be some of the more detailed math lessons that require the use of technology. For many teachers, the greatest challenge can be classroom management. Sometimes, a variety of different methods must be employed before the teacher finds the one that works for his/her students.

Tutor.com:  What do you hope teachers get out of the MyLivePD program?

Michelle: I hope teachers will gain confidence in front of their classes, knowing they are prepared for the lessons and, as a result, be able to enjoy the students and teaching profession as a whole.

Learn more about MyLivePD and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant that funds the program at www.tutor.com/mylivepd.

We’re excited to announce a new partnership with the National Education Association Member Benefits  (NEAMB) to provide MyLivePD™ to NEA members through the NEA Academy.

We launched MyLivePD, the first personal, online professional development and coaching service funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in September with a few school districts and regions of Teach for America (TFA).   Now, we’re expanding the program to NEA members.

Through this partnership, NEA members who teach algebra will get free access to MyLivePD through June 30, 2012.   Space is limited to the first 100 algebra teachers registered.  Current service hours are Sunday through Thursday from 2:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Algebra teachers can sign up at www.mylivepd.com and NEA members can register at  www.neaacademy.org/mylivepd.html.

Teachers using the new coaching service are giving it high marks.  97% of teachers would recommend the service to a colleague and nearly 90% are using the information from their session right away in the classroom.   And here’s what one 8^th grade algebra teacher commented after a session.

“ I’m SOOOO thankful for this program! It’s so great to know if i have ANY question I have someone I can talk to and I don’t feel so alone, afterwards I feel empowered to go in to my class the next day and teach with more confidence! Thank you so much, this is a wonderful resource and help for me!”

Teachers can ask any instructional question from pedagogy to classroom management and work with one of our experienced coaches one-to-one.

If you are an NEA member and algebra teacher, check it out at www.mylivepd.com.

A month ago Tutor.com launched MyLivePD™ – the first and only personalized, private professional development service.  An algebra teacher connects to an experienced math coach online for a live, real-time coaching session focused on the teacher’s specific needs. There are no appointments and teachers may use the service as often as they like. 

One of our coaches, Frederick N., shared his thoughts about this new type of professional development and how he hopes to support teachers as a “thought partner”.

 Tutor.com:   Why were you interested in participating in MyLivePD?

Frederick:  I was excited by the on-demand aspect of MyLivePD – here is a coaching resource that teachers can utilize at their own leisure, from their own homes, targeted towards their own questions and focusing on their own professional development. I am a firm believer in the power of collaboration and I love that teachers can always have a thought partner to connect with whenever they have questions.

Tutor.com:  What’s your coaching philosophy?

Frederick: I see the primary goal of instructional coaching as encouraging deeper professional inquiry into curriculum and instruction. On a practical level, I believe coaches can help teachers in two main ways: analyzing the effectiveness of classroom structures (including curricular scope and sequence); and facilitating the examination of individual student work to improve teacher practice at both the student and classroom level. Having a thought partner to talk through these aspects of teaching, big and small, can only push the quality of teaching to a deeper level.

 Tutor.com: What is your favorite aspect of coaching?

Frederick: I love being a partner in curriculum development. Put two heads together and curriculum and instruction can come alive for both the teacher and the student.

 Tutor.com: What do you think is the most challenging issue for math teachers today?  

Frederick: I think it is becoming increasingly challenging to make math relevant for students and it is up to teachers to engage students in math and help them to see how crucial it is in our daily lives.

Tutor.com: What do you hope teachers get out of the MyLivePD program?

Frederick: I hope that the MyLivePD program can help math teachers feel supported as they do the hard work that is expected of them. I hope they know they are not alone!

 Learn more about MyLivePD and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant that funds the program at www.tutor.com/mylivepd.

Less than a year ago we announced an exciting new project thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .  We were given the opportunity to create a brand new professional development service modeled on our flagship live,  on demand tutoring program used by millions of students around the country and world.    After months of research and conversations with teachers and education leaders this week we launched  MyLivePD. 

The MyLivePD pilot program will be used by more than 200 middle and high school algebra teachers from the Baltimore County School District, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Tucson Unified School District, and four Teach for America regions.

MyLivePD offers a one-of-a-kind PD experience that has never been available before now. Rather than participating in a few teacher professional development seminars during the year, teachers can connect to a live coach as often as they wish throughout the pilot and ask any instructional question.  MyLivePD coaches are available every Sunday through Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to Midnight Eastern Time.

To learn more about this new service check out Professional Development Just-in-Time and One-on-One in THE Journal.  Includes an in-depth  interview with George Cigale, Tutor.com’s founder and CEO.