The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), District C and the SOVA RISE Collaborative (led by the SOVA Innovation Hub and Longwood University) are teaming up to recruit Southern Virginia educators for a cutting-edge coaching program.
Sixteen educators from across GO Virginia Region 3 will be selected to join the 2022 Winter/Spring District C Coaching Institute where they will discover how to prepare students for the modern world of work with a unique, work-based learning model.
The District C Coaching Institute (supported by IALR and SOVA RISE) is a professional development experience that empowers educators to bring Teamship, an equitable, team-based internship model, back to their classroom. In Teamship, students use skills in critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creative thinking and citizenship (known as the five C’s expected by the Virginia Department of Education) to solve a real problem for a local business. Teamship may be executed as part of a class, bringing valuable work-based learning to students and building their social capital by connecting them with real companies rather than case studies.
The IALR has been implementing the Teamship model through its Next generation Of Work (NOW) program since Spring 2020.
“Our first cohort was done completely virtually with our Academy for Engineering and Technology juniors. Despite knowing that they wouldn’t be graded on their participation (due to the pandemic), EVERY student stayed engaged with their team and business partner’s problem and presented their final pitch,” said Jessie Vernon, Advanced Learning at IALR.
Through just four cohorts, 62 students have worked with nine business partners.
“With just a five-hour commitment from participating businesses, the potential for each business to work with up to 12 students… not to mention the ROI for businesses as students work to solve major pain points. We feel very strongly this is an amazing work-based learning model for our region,” said Vernon.
The 2022 Winter/Spring District C Coaching Institute will equip regional educators with the skills and tools they need to implement the Teamship model at their school. Each educator selected will receive a grant to cover the cost of their professional development, and each educator’s school will receive a grant to cover the cost for the first year of membership to District C. The application deadline for the coaching institute is Dec. 14. Educators and businesses interested in more information may contact jessie.vernon@ialr.org.