About Mary Mitchell

Mary Mitchell

Mary Mitchell is an instructor who has held several positions at FLVS over the years. A National Board Certified Teacher, she has been recognized as a Teacher of the Year for FLVS, the United States Distance Learning Association, and Discovery Middle School in Orange County, FL. She has written articles on topics ranging from computer image processing to teacher training for the online classroom.

Learning Forward – Part 3: Leadership, Resources, Data

By on April 22nd, 2013

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Now that we have unpacked the core elements of Learning Communities (view the previous post here), let’s move into the next three standards: Leadership, Resources, and Data.

The Leadership Standard states: “Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning.” Continue reading


Learning Forward – Part 2: Learning Communities

By on March 28th, 2013

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Professional learning programs provide the opportunity to improve educator practices in the classroom and positively impact student learning.  As discussed in my previous post, Learning Forward has revised the Standards for Professional Learning by introducing seven standards that help to ensure that learning opportunities offered to teachers and support staff positively impact student achievement. The revised standards introduce a different paradigm, most notably, the change from a focus on instructor performance to a focus on student achievement – and results. Continue reading


Learning Forward – Part 1: Reflections on the 2012 Learning Forward Annual Conference

By on February 27th, 2013

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

This is the first of an eight-part blog series in which I will explore the Standards for Professional Learning released by Learning Forward in 2011. Learning Forward is an international nonprofit association of learning educators that aims to improve instructional effectiveness through standards-based professional learning (PL). Continue reading