Maryalice M. Leister

Who I Am and Why I Am Here

Lifelong educator, trainer, and administrator, I have spent the last 13 years working as a charter teacher and administrator for an online K-12 statewide school. A series of diverse online roles allowed me to fully understand and positively affect the process and expectations for staff, students, school operations, social community needs, and state and national mandates. Most recently, I completed a Masters of Education degree in Online Teaching and Learning through California State University, East Bay, after initial completion of their certificate program. This degree work has expanded my expertise in adult learning theory, curriculum design and implementation, online accessibility, and university online programming.

2014 brings new personal beginnings as I focus on educator motivation and support, teacher training and instructional content, and administrative leadership - all delivered online for the benefit of online educators. I aspire to employ social media via content curation, blog entries, and website creation to insure virtual teachers are connected in the most positive and contemporary ways. By providing current research, timely insight, access to experts and professionals, I am offering the framework for a positive and growing online educator community.

A few personal notes: As a committed writer, I believe clear and engaging communication is at the heart of the virtual learning movement. The shift from face-to-face to online demands we stay informed and connected as never before, but we are faced with the daunting task of sorting out the millions of sound bytes rushing our way. I embrace using my creativity, comfort with technology, and knowledge of the field to motivate and assist all educators in making a comfortable transition to blended or online teaching. Ultimately, there is a right way to teach and lead virtually.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Sample Blog Post: Team Support

All teachers need to be connected to colleagues who are doing the same job. Each of us needs to feel valued in our efforts and listened to when we are frustrated or have ideas to share. The virtual teacher's version of walking down the hall to someone else's classroom looks different for us. It is sharing a Skype call over lunch, jotting off a few quick instant messages of support, or sending an email to a departmental colleague who might not even know he or she shared a "best practice" tip during an earlier phone conference. Virtual teachers can share more information and support than ever before because they are not bound by classroom walls and daily bells. Share your support or frustrations on your time schedule, but whatever you do: share! Target Group: K-12