Virginia S. Little Ph.D.
email: Drvirginialittle@aol.com

Virginia (Ginny) Little asked Rhonda, a high school English Teacher and one of the teacher/facilitators for Beat Street students about her shifting role as teacher and facilitator in this online program:

Ginny: Talk to me more about your shifting roles online as a teacher/facilitator, if you feel like it. what have you noticed?

Rhonda: I love the fact that a week and a half after we finished reading the book for class we were still talking about it online.  I love how the kids can take so much responsibility in determining the pace of the class.  There is so much pressure on a ftf teacher to be in charge and lead kids.  In here, I don't have that pressure.  I mean, I recognize that there are questions I have to ask, and you both ask questions too, but the kids don't seem to be looking to me to tell them what to do next.  They are able to read what we're reading and process it according to the pace they desire and in the direction they desire.  That's real learning.  When kids create their own learning, it's more meaningful to them.  Watching it happen, especially in comparison to my ftf classes which still rely on me because that's what they're used to, is really great.