GVSU collaboration supports K-12 charter school teachers delivering remote education

Faculty and staff members in the Charter Schools Office and College of Education are collaborating to support K-12 teachers in GVSU-authorized charter schools and beyond who are delivering remote education because of COVID-19.

Teachers across the state are receiving free educational resources and access to webinars that focus on the essentials of literacy instruction.

Elizabeth Stolle, associate professor of Literacy Studies in the College of Education, and Wendy Miller, director of school support in the Charter Schools Office, spearheaded the initiative.

"We started with offering resources teachers could implement quickly, and now we're pivoting and interviewing teachers to hear what reading topics they feel are most beneficial," said Miller.

Stolle said teachers are being helped with both logistics and instructional practices.

"We're helping them rise up over some of those technical pieces so they can come back to the instructional pieces they know and value. We can help them enact those practices in a remote setting," Stolle said.

More than 600 teachers have registered for the weekly webinars, which are held each Tuesday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The resource page, which includes literacy materials and information on social emotional learning, is updated weekly.

Miller said teachers should take heart and know the investments they've made all year long are not in vain.

"We are seeing a theme start to emerge in realizing the work teachers are doing right now will enhance and afford so many opportunities in the fall," she said.

Webinars are being facilitated by Min-Young Kim, assistant professor of Literacy Studies; Nancy DeFrance, associate professor of Literacy Studies; and Jill Weber, school support specialist in the Charter Schools Office. They are recorded so teachers can view them at any time.

Stolle said COVID-19 has ushered in an important moment in the lives of educators.

"The work of teachers in this time is unprecedented and extraordinary," she said. "This is a really important time in our profession and I'm proud to see educators take this on with enthusiasm and willingness to put students first."

Grand Valley's Regional Math and Science Center is offering virtual professional development for teachers and specialized K-12 resources for online education for parents. Find out more.