Post # 4 Pacing Guide

You must get through 30 Plus hours of video to complete this course.  This does not take into account any desire to pause, review, rewind and re-watch.  Distance classes sometimes can be problematic in that some participants do not know how to approach a loose schedule which they may partially create themselves.  One of the participants from the last class asked how to approach viewing the "daily" segments; a good question. 

The videos are arranged by "days" of instruction from the live class.  This means that each group of four segments was a single day of the on-site class.  The segments are usually about 1.5 hours each.  This comes out to about three hours before lunch including a break and three hours after lunch including an afternoon break. We break when there is a natural place in the instruction. 

For this class you must complete ½ of a Math “Day” per week.  That would be about 3 hours of video per week. 

Add to that your readings and review of blog postings; and you would have about four to five hours per week.  When you have a 2 hour video conference session scheduled, you will have that as well, but you only have two of those.  Leave time to practice the instructional language and modeling with manipulatives.  Carve out about 4 to 5 hours per week and you should have time to cover the material and get through everything. You will then have one week to complete your project and exam.

                                                                                              

I would suggest viewing an entire segment (1.5 hours) at one sitting.  Pause the videos during play to take notes, replay instructional language, or gain a deeper understanding of a concept. You can practice strategies or techniques with a family member or friend.  Try explaining a concept to someone else and taking that person through the CRA instructional sequence.  

Remember:  Practice Makes Permanent.  The important thing to remember is that the more you watch at once, the less you will retain. And, the most complex parts of the course are at the end!  

The one thing you should NOT do is get behind and try to binge watch near the end of the course.  One participant in an on-site class remarked that there was so much information in the course that it was “like trying to get a drink from a fire hose.” If you are a teacher returning to the classroom, plan on doing more earlier so that you will not be pressed to complete the course in time for school to open.

Remember that one of the most unique aspects of this course is the attention to instructional language and the other is simultaneous processing in which the student uses as many sensory modalities as possible. Take note of this when watching and taking notes.  Do the activities along with the class participants.  If there is a moment to practice something such as Quantity Tracking...practice it along with the class.