Hi, I’m Mr. Forrett, a twelfth-grade English teacher at Primavera.
I am a seasoned teacher, with over 13 years of experience teaching English in an online environment.
For me, what works best are positive interactions, filled with encouragement.
I thoroughly enjoy reaching out to my students every single day. I recognize that the world we live in today is much different than the one that existed when I first started teaching. As it stands, students are inundated with various social media distractions, not all of which are healthy. Despite this and other challenges brought about during COVID, these realizations drive me to support my students wholly and guide them to overcome obstacles that might prevent them from finishing a class.
Many online schools do not take advantage of technology, but we, at Primavera Online, use it all the time.
In English composition, students write about interesting topics while gathering research and using free databases. In live sessions that I hold every week, I am glad to work with them, helping them to understand difficult content. I also hold live one-on-one sessions with students over the phone and in our virtual classroom where they can see my face and my computer screen. All my sessions are provided to support learning and help them feel comfortable with other students — like any other classroom! Each trimester, during the first week of class, I hold at least one session per class to allow students to interact in a fun way to help them overcome the fear of failure in the online learning environment. These sessions are fun, and students love them!
This year, I have been making video announcements for students, so they can see and hear me, much like they would in a traditional classroom. This is very important to them because they cannot only hear my voice, but they can see the sincerity on my face. I also record videos explaining various topics within the realm of English composition and English literature.
Last, but certainly not least, I provide my students with different resources to succeed. I am glad to send these to them directly, if need be, but they can also find them in the courses. This provision is a requirement of all teachers at Primavera. Some students work in the middle of the night, and when they need help, it is important to have resources at their fingertips.
I find that flexibility in school makes all the difference.
As a twelfth-grade English teacher at Primavera Online High School, I know too well how important the flexibility of an online school can be to accommodate my students’ needs. Older students have jobs, responsibilities, and commitments that other students do not have. Many of them seek a diploma online because they might have missed the opportunity to finish school before entering the workforce. For them, this is a golden opportunity to move forward in their education in a free online environment; it also allows them to achieve their goals in life, but more importantly they experience the feel-good-feeling of accomplishment!
Our courses are presented in an online parent-student portal that provides an excellent and professional array of materials for them to work independently, which helps them understand the subject they are taking. My embedded recordings (required of all teachers) support that goal as well. Some of my students are also parents. The main advantage at Primavera Online is our flexibility, accessibility, and student-centered approach to education. Without a doubt, this is one school that abundantly provides those measures for success. Whether one of my students is a younger teenager or if they are older and out of the house, Primavera is their best opportunity to get that highly coveted high school diploma!
