Northern Distance Learning (NDL) - A Guide for the In-class Support Persons (ISPs) - Education, Culture and ...
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Northern Distance
Learning (NDL)
A Guide for the In-class Support Persons (ISPs)
OUR VISION
Students in small communities have access to equitable
academic programming enabling them to:
STAY IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITY
MEET THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS OF HIGH
SCHOOL; AND
PREPARE TO ENTER POST-SECONDARY PROGRAMS
DIRECTLY FROM HIGH SCHOOL
ISP GUIDE TO NDL
The success of the NDL program depends upon the progress along on this path. To ensure student success, you
students having an ongoing, patient and caring support need to:
person in their physical classroom who has high
expectations of them. Learning at a distance can be • come to class on time to prepare the technologies and any
isolating. This program tries to overcome this isolation materials provided by the teachers
through a number of policies and practices, but the key • model active learning and engagement
unwavering piece that helps the learners feel
supported is your active presence. You are there to help • stay in class to act as an extension of the teacher
students transition towards more confident and • monitor students’ progress & unfinished assignments
independent online learners who are aware of their
own needs, can advocate for themselves and recognize • reduce distractions (e.g cell phones, off-topic
when they are struggling and how to get help. conversations)
• advocate for further or repeated explanations when
You are part of their journey. They aren’t there yet. You act students need it
as the bridge between teachers and learners to help them
• spend a minimum of 2 days after school helping students
REVIEW THE NDL PREPARE THE WORK-
PROGRAM SPACE & MATERIALS
• Visit the NDL page at the Education, Culture & In consultation with the local principal, ensure appropriate
Employment (ECE) website (https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/ workspace and materials are in place:
en/services/education-renewal/northern-distance-
learning) to see the following documents: • Before the first day of class, check to ensure that workspace
is equipped with the Mondopad(s) and functioning
• Guide for Parents/Guardians network. Ensure you have been trained on the use and
• Guide for Students troubleshooting of the tools and equipment.
• Guide for Principals • Make sure the workspace is equipped with a telephone
capable of making long-distance calls (this is needed when
• Guide for Teachers
there are network difficulties), and make sure you know
• NDL Factsheet how to use it.
• Ensure that a document camera is in place and ready to use.
• Visit the NDL Facebook page (https://www.
facebook.com/Northern-Distance-Learning- • Ensure that students are provided with textbooks and
NDL-186226671747040/) supplies as per course requirements made available by the
NDL teachers in the spring. As of the 2020-2021 school
year, course enrollment hinges on the principal ordering
required materials. You should verify with the principal
where these materials are. Making sure that everything is
ready to go will make classes run much more smoothly.
• As of the 2020-2021 school year, if the principal is new,
there should be a New Principal Transition and Orientation
Sheet in the principal’s office (ECE should also have been
provided a copy). It shows the names of the NDL students
and their 1st semester classes.
• Communicate to the Inuvik-based NDL Coordinator during
the first week of school about whether the number of
Surface Pros required, match the number of students in
the classes. A maximum allocation of 10 is projected in the
event a school has 10 NDL students. The devices are owned
by the school and are meant to be re-used as NDL students
graduate.
• Collect the Surface Pros from students not taking an NDL
course in 2nd semester, and again at the end of the school
year for summer storage.
SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT
Ensure appropriate supervision and support for
NDL students.
• You are essential to student success in this program, learning preferences. You can use a learning preference
which requires you to be in class, on time, every day, survey to help structure this conversation if needed.
and be available for extra help after school. This means Ask the NDL Coordinator if a previous electronic survey
you cannot be excused or removed from those duties to is available. This will help you to support the students
perform other tasks out of the NDL classroom. If you are in structuring their learning environment, and in self-
absent, a substitute teacher must be in place to perform advocating regarding their needs when appropriate.
your duties. • Ask the PST for advice if you are unsure how to implement
or provide certain accommodations listed in a student’s
• Ensure you are maintaining communication with teachers, Student Support Plan (SSP). These should be kept up to
principals, and parents regarding student progress, date and coordinated with local school support teams and
supports, and attendance. While taking attendance is the NDL teachers. It is a teacher’s responsibility to update
NDL teacher’s responsibility, ISPs will be asked to record and attend to students’ inclusive schooling needs (called
students who come late. SSPs), but as the ISP, you are an advocate for the student,
and therefore should be aware of their particular needs to
• At the beginning of the semester, share the student best support their learning. If you notice that a student is
support forms with students so that they have seen them struggling with a particular aspect of their learning, you
and know what they are for. As the need arises, ensure can discuss this with their teacher to ask how to support
you are using the Student Support Attendance Form and that learner’s needs.
Student Appeal Form as necessary. These are intended to
• Learning together is a foundational principle of student
help students to see how their attendance is impacting
learning and success in NDL. This means that part of
their ability to be successful. This is a tool to help students your role is to encourage students to actively engage with
on their path to self-regulated learning. classmates both in your classroom and on the screen.
• If you need support for behaviours that require This could mean discussing their understanding, helping
disciplinary action, work with the school principal; NDL one another, sharing ideas, working on activities together,
administration can provide advice, but does not carry etc. Learning to speak up and share ideas is part of their
development as self-regulated learners.
disciplinary authority or take disciplinary action. Building
good relationships with students will go a long way with
classroom management.
If your school has two NDL classrooms (endpoint ), you
are in charge of both. Some tips to manage both:
• Gather the students and explain that their independence
COURSES
when you are not with them is a part of the NDL
program; it mimics how they must partly depend on
their own resources and partly on supports when they
are at a post-secondary institution.
Northern Distance Learning
• Near the beginning of the course, assess which student
can keep ‘the ball rolling’ in each classroom until you
offers 19 different courses
return.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (10-1, 20-1, 30-1)
• Some past ISP-teacher strategies have included the
teacher repeating the assignments at the end of the class; MATH (10C, 20-1, 30-1) • SCIENCE 10
this will not only accommodate what you missed in the
other class, but also benefit the shy student who doesn’t
SOCIAL STUDIES (10-1,20-1, 30-1)
want to ask a question that the other students might BIO (20, 30) • PHYSICS (20,30)
‘know the answer for already’.
CHEMISTRY (20,30) • ART (10, 20, 30)
• Also, a previous suggestion of an ISP was to ask the
teacher for a cheat-sheet of the objectives/concepts for
the week. NOTE: Beginning in 2021-2022, NDL will be able
to offer all 19 courses each year, eliminating
• Early in the semester, meet with your students and the
multi-year cycles.
Program Support Teacher (PST) and ask about their
COMMUNICATION
• You are NDL’s primary educational support. When • Contact parents:
students are struggling, and upon meeting with the NDL • At the start of each semester
• teacher, you may need to reach out to the student. If • To discuss student supports, goals and progress
necessary, contact their parents/guardians, and/or the • When concerns arise regarding attendance or
principal to let them know what is happening and ask how progress
to best support them. You will be in a good position to help
the parent and NDL teacher meet when it is necessary or • Contact the principal:
beneficial. • At the start of each semester
• For regular check-ins to update student attendance
• You are the point person for parent contact. If a parent and progress
gets in touch with you to ask about their child’s progress, • When concerns arise regarding attendance or
you must alert the NDL teacher that a parent is looking progress
for an update. You can then communicate this information
back to the parent and/or put them in touch with the NDL • Contact the NDL teacher:
teacher directly. • At the start of each semester
• To clarify expectations for assignments and activities;
• You can proactively find out when the next NDL parent- or with tutoring questions
teacher conference is and schedule a meeting to make it • To discuss concerns about student needs
easy for parents to see and interact with the teachers over (differentiation for example)
the NDL technologies. • When concerns arise regarding attendance
or progress
• NDL is a new process for most of the students and parents.
Don’t assume that they know how everything works. • Contact the NDL coordinator:
You may find that students are not familiar with working • At the start of each semester
outside of the class period. Keep the communication lines • With questions regarding technology or internet
open so you can offer services right after class or school • With questions regarding work responsibilities
for students struggling with completing assignments and
projects.
POST-SECONDARY BRIDGING EXPERIENCE (PBE)
Some ISPs may be asked to chaperone NDL students during a week-long event that takes students to a post-secondary
institution for an immersive experience. COVID-19 has temporarily changed this event into a virtual experience.
YEAR AT A GLANCE
AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER JANUARY MARCH TO JUNE
Attend the New to Orientation and Formally support & JUNE Support Principal in this work:
the North Educator Introduction to NDL and improved attendance and Exams • confirm all Student Applications for the next school
Conference (N2NEC) in teachers; meet students achievement by using Meet with continuing year & email Acceptance of Course Supplies Terms are
Yellowknife just before or and parents & discuss the Student Support students & their parents submitted by the April 15 deadline
after your arrival in the needs and supports Attendance Form and / guardians at the end of
community (depending on Student Appeal Form • after notification of students’ acceptance, confirm ready-
January and June to review made order form for supplies is sent off by May 1
which community you are AUGUST / when needed--especially successes, challenges and
working in). NOTE: N2NEC before Oct. 15 (and again goals • make preparations for Gr. 11 students’ Post-secondary
will be modified to comply SEPTEMBER before Mar. 15 for 2nd Bridging Experience trip
with COVID-19 orders Orientation to school, semester)
local staff, classroom, and • if the principal is moving, assist with the New Principal
technology through the Transition and Orientation Form
NDL Coordinator
• June Diploma Exams
SUPPORT FOR THE ISP
The role of an ISP can be challenging since many of you • arrated digital presentations
N
are able to come for only one year. It is a well-known fact on Moodle and Canvas:
that relationships are key to progress in education--and • ISPs and Student Supports
relationships take time. NDL would like to support you • Northern Distance Learning Overview
in your important role by offering live and on-demand • Education in the Northwest Territories
in-servicing. It is hoped that online meetings between ISPs
and NDL leadership will: • Membership in an online ISP community space
• increase an ISP’s sense of connectedness and • Live professional events for ISPs
belonging to other ISPs and the larger NDL web • Participation in the New to the NWT Educator’s
• advance the effectiveness of ISP work by having Conference (N2NEC)
opportunities to learn more about the NWT education • Bi-monthly web-conferences commencing with
system September’s orientation between NDL leadership
• help ISPs adapt to the cultural context of the and ISPs
community where they are now working • The ISP page on Moodle will carry the links and
• enable ISPs to understand and manage the supports dates for the above resources and events.
their students require: • For more information, ISPs should contact
• ISP health and well-being supports ndl@gov.nt.ca
• CUSO volunteers have access to the Family
Assistance Program as described in their CUSO
“Volunteer Handbook”
• Non-CUSO ISPs who are UNW members
have access to the GNWT’s Employee Family
Assistance Program (EFAP)
• Professional documents and on-demand
resources for ISPs
• NDL Guide for the In-class Support Persons (ISPs)You can also read
