Station Working Groups: Filling The Seats
Making a successful presentation to a school district and getting a commitment for PBS TeacherLine is only part of the enrollment cycle. The challenge for many stations is the direct promotion to the teachers. In this session, station representatives will share successful strategies to fill the seats once a commitment is made by a school or school district.
- What are the barriers/challenges for direct promotion to teachers?
- Zero follow thru after sign-up
- Time of year – state testing, end of school
- Most districts offer enough PD for recertification hours
- Getting teachers attention
- Blocked e-mails
- Competition
- What is the message? Why TeacherLine?
- Lack of interest/access to e-mail
- Extra steps (enrollment)
- Aversion to technology/fear of online learning
- Disconnect within school system
- Implementation must be collaborative
- Graduate credit not an incentive for teachers
- Lack of initiative by teacher
- Easy and cheap PD alternative (“snack and nap”)
- Getting it directly to the teachers
- Getting to present information to teacher groups (huge groups-staff challenges)
- Figuring out who will promote courses (district vs. station)
- Access issues
- Lots of time commitments for station staff
- What is the role of the school district in reaching teachers? Do they have a system in place to encourage teachers to enroll?
- New TeacherLine products will align better with district initiative
- In-district facilitator, own course
- Stipend – added value to teachers
- HQ reporting on sustained PD
- Communication conduit
- We need to make multiple contacts within district
- District should assess need
- We provide tools for them to disseminate
- Assign/organize cadres
- Make this part of PD plan by building and/or district
- Contact media specialist
- Getting educators adjusted to new PD style (online)
- Accountability for those filling seats
- District-specific incentive program
- Offering support throughout district participation
- Within the school district, who is the best person for advocacy? What can they provide that has been helpful?–mailing list, emails etc.
- Gateway person
- Assistant Superintendent
- Curriculum Director
- Technology Coordinator
- Professional Development Director/Committees
- Administrative Councils/Principals
- Curriculum Instructor/Developers
- Facilitators
- Learners (successful/repeat)
- Principals
- Grants coordinators
- Specialists
- Teachers/teacher unions
- School secretaries
- Media specialists
- Peer teachers
- What projects/initiatives (to fill seats)have you developed that have worked in your market? How many initiatives did you launch before arriving at one that worked?
- Teacher Leaders
- Advisory Board
- Stakeholder meetings
- Hybrid face-to-face/online
- Cyber Café
- Incentives
- Curriculum Priorities – tap into grants
- Ask for…
- Cold calls
- Mission statements of school districts
- Utilize facilitators
- Talk to teachers
- Advisory councils
- Linkage with special education service centers
- Regional professional development centers
- Providing credit for in-service hours/presentations
- National promotional campaign
- Have purchaser include costs for graduate credit for learners
- Have teachers commit some personal buy-in (create commitment)
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Group 1 - Nancy Thompson, LPB; Kim Flack, ASSET/Eight-KAET; Nick Carpas, WVIZ; Alan Nowicki, WNED; Rose Poston, KNME; Deborah Webb, NHPTV.
Group 2 – Carolyn Holderman, SCETV; Megan Myers, KNPB; Meagan Taylor-Booth, WHRO; Jeff Allen, OESD 114; Chuck DeVoe, WNED; Gail Strong, WFYI.
Group 3 – Prairie Public Broadcasting; John Church, WVIZ; Jeannie Campbell, IPTV; Marta Bechtol, WI ECB; Ginette Brown, KLRN; Nancy Pearson, NHPTV.
Group 4 – Brian Callahan, WHRO; Linda Forkner, RMPBS; Claudette Holt, AETN; Beth Nagy, WQLN; Heather Lavigne, WGBY; Mary Kemp, WLRN; Emily Castleberry, UNC-TV.