VR Tech Field Day

As many of you know I returned to my old school district in Holland, Michigan this year, having been recalled after three years of lay-off. My current building director saw that I had alternative education experience and asked specifically for me. I have to say it isn’t anything like my old alt. ed. experience, but it was a very remarkable experience all the same. This school is set up based on an on-line education program called E2020. My role as a teacher requires me to circulate between five computer labs and assist students, one on one, when they get stuck. Students come to our program because they fell behind in their traditional classroom setting, had high absences, or just couldn’t function in a traditional classroom setting. At VR Tech, there are no classrooms in the traditional sense. Students work at their own pace on whatever subject they choose. Coursework is highly individualized.

I was skeptical about this when I came, but I found that, for these students, it works really well. I have been shocked by how few student behavioral problems our staff experienced. This year has been one of the most stress-free years I have ever known. There were times when, in my old Alt. Ed. Situation, teachers used to gather at the end of the day, frazzled, burnt-out and low on energy, to commiserate with each other about our frustrations in dealing with the students. That doesn’t happen anymore. There are many reasons for this that I won’t go into here. Suffice it to say, that whatever skepticism I may have had, I am now satisfied that it is a good program.

All I want to do in this blog is simply share with you this video of a really good day with our students. Students who were thought of as trouble in their traditional situation, but who were wonderful for us in this new situation, had a great time, behaved well, and were just plain fun to be around. In short, it was a good year and “Field Day” was a great way to celebrate its closure.