Even when districts are fighting the teacher shortage and a qualified educator can’t be found locally, there’s always a teacher within Proximity. Proximity Learning partners with districts to provide access to livestream certified teachers, case managers, special services, and virtual schools to fill their gaps. No matter where students are located, they can have a high-quality education.
What if the perfect teacher for your students lives in another city?
Meet Marlyn Manuel.
Last year’s Teacher of the Year, Ms. Manuel is finishing her 11th year of teaching, but her students live across the world from her. A very experienced educator, she taught for 4 years in the Philippines before she came to the US to teach. She taught in Arizona for 2 years and in Texas for another 3 years. “My teaching was acknowledged by the whole school because the students I was teaching progressed the most compared to other classes. In the state Algebra test, I had a 100% passing rate. The following year was the same thing.” Then, she returned to the Philippines and has now been teaching with Proximity Learning for 2 years. This year, her students were located in Washington D.C. and Missouri.
“My first year teaching at Proximity was really a great experience because the school was very supportive. Advanced students were given the opportunity to take Algebra 1 even though they’re in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. It was really a great experience for me because my Teaching and Learning Specialist and the district were very supportive. All I had to do was just teach. My first year of teaching at Proximity, I was one of the Teachers of the Year.”
How a Teacher of the Year Teaches Online
“I am always ready to help the students,” Ms. Manuel explains. “When I was in the US, I saw some teachers just give students materials and let them work. But I feel guilty if I’m not teaching, so that really gave me a name in the school. Even though I work online now, I still do the same thing.” She challenges her students while they work and competes with students to see who can answer a question first.
She likes the curriculum she’s teaching because it is more applicable to real life. “I really enjoy it because I can show them different ways or strategies on how we can come up with the same answer.”
Ms. Manuel advocates for supplemental teachers because of their work ethic and teaching culture that supports student outcomes.
An American Abroad Teaches US Students
Virtual math teacher Yvette Garcia was born and raised in East Texas and taught there for 6 years. Two years ago, she moved to Mexico City to take a break from teaching, but she couldn’t stay away. “6 months after I was here, I really missed it. My sister is a teacher, my sister-in-law is a teacher, my best friend is a teacher, so hearing their stories really made me miss it. I looked at other ways I could teach, and Proximity was the first online option that I had and they were the first to contact me so this is where I ended up.”
“I always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was in kindergarten. I really liked school growing up and I really admired my teachers. I was always a teacher’s pet. They were always so smart.”
A Great Teacher Can Provide Engaging Instruction Anywhere
This American teacher living abroad teaches high school math students in New Jersey to fill a vacancy they couldn’t fill locally. Ms. Garcia livestreams onto the big screen at the front of the class and through each student’s laptop. She delivers instruction synchronously, and students use the chat to ask questions as she monitors their work.
In the transition from in-person to virtual instruction, her teaching techniques didn’t have to change much. “Engaging students virtually versus in-person is pretty much the same thing.”
She always makes it clear that she’s there for her students whenever they need anything, even if it’s not subject-related. She personalizes bellringers, so she can get to know them. She even reaches shy students. “Students who wouldn’t ask a question in a regular classroom aren’t afraid to ask in the chat.”
“Teaching at a distance is really the same thing,” Ms. Garcia explains. “Act the same way, talk to your students the same way. The only difference is you have a chat and students have an anonymity that works to your favor a lot of the time. Be yourself. Don’t let it lessen your rigor because it’s online. Even in-person teachers lower their expectations, but I think it’s important to keep your clear expectations. If anything, it’s more important virtually to have clear expectations and rules. But it’s really honestly the same thing. You still use technology. In the first couple of days when you’re getting to know your students, emphasize the importance of communication. The students have to be more responsible. They have to be more in charge of their learning. You have to communicate with students and they have to communicate with you.”
Despite the rules, “I keep things light. I think a big thing whether you’re virtual teaching or teaching in-person is respecting your students. And if they feel like you’re giving them an attitude for no reason or you’re talking down to them then they’re not going to respond. So I speak to them like I would any other person, leave things open, and leave it open for questions. I never say anything negative if a question is asked, never say that it’s a dumb question. It creates more of an open, safe environment for them to voice their opinions or concerns.”
Fill Your Vacancies with Virtual School Teachers
Students deserve access to high-quality teachers, no matter where they are located. Proximity Learning’s virtual school teachers bring experience and engaging instruction into classrooms where a local teacher cannot be found.
Even when short staffed, every kid deserves a quality learning experience. Be creative. Fill your vacancies today.
