Zoologist in Training: Let's Explore Animals!

Hello parents and guardians!

My name is Stephanie and I cannot wait to meet your learner! I am a stay-at-home, homeschool mom to three children six and under. I live in Northcentral Pennsylvania and have taught over 6,500 classes online. I previously worked in our local school district as a substitute teacher and a behavioral therapist. I also instructed collegiate level math. 

I have a bachelors degree in psychology and a masters degree in counseling. I am a licensed behavior specialist by the Pennsylvania Department of Medicine. I also hold a TESOL certificate. After having my son, I decided to stay home and I have been teaching online since! I absolutely love being an online teacher! 

My lessons are student-centered, engaging, and I encourage a lot of participation. I teach with patience and understanding. I love discussions so there will be many questions asked in class. I enjoy building connections with students. I want to foster a love of learning while making learners feel comfortable and understood in the classroom. I hope that we have a lot of fun together in class!

I currently offer a variety of classes. My hope is that we HAVE FUN together and I foster your childs love of learning!

I can't wait to play and learn with you! I hope to see you in my virtual classroom soon! :)

-Ms. Stephanie

*******************************

CLASS EXPECTATIONS/MUTING:
I do my best to encourage participation from learners enrolled in my classes. I prefer to leave learners unmuted, but as an Outschool parent myself, I understand that there are instances where learners need to be muted due to background noise that cannot be prevented. Parents, please feel free to mute your learners at your discretion. 

As the teacher, there are also instances where I will need to utilize the mute function. If there is background noise that may be distracting to other learners enrolled in the class, I will advise the student that they are being muted to limit the background noise. I will remind them that they are not in trouble, it is just a little too noisy for everyone to focus.

At the beginning of each class, I will also advise the learners of my expectations. Students are required to raise their hand and wait for their name to be called before speaking. To be respectful of all learners and to give everyone a chance to participate, it is important for students to abide by these rules.  I will use visual and verbal cues in an effort to remind young learners of these expectations. 

*******************************
SIBLINGS:
If you have more than one learner enrolled in the class, each learner that wants to participate must be enrolled to be fair to other students participating. Enrolled siblings are always welcome to share a screen during class. 

*******************************
REFUNDS & TRANSFERS:
Per Outschool's limited refund policy: "Full refund within 24 hours of purchase or up to a week in advance of the class." 
For one-time classes:
If within the week, you realize you won't be able to make class, please submit a transfer request from the classroom at least 24 hours in advance. This ensures another student who would like to take the class has enough time to see the opening and enroll. 
If contacted after class, I cannot refund or transfer. I do understand personal/family emergencies come up and will do my best to support you if I am contacted before class. If your learner is withdrawn on your end within the non-refundable period, I am unable to transfer you. It is best to contact me first for your options.

Please test Zoom before class. I like to be fully present with students as soon as we begin class, and do not access my conversations or classroom comments on Outschool after the class has already started.

*******************************
RECORDINGS:
Recordings are not automatically shown in the classroom. I like to create a safe, open space for students to be themselves and want them to be as interactive as possible. If you would like access to the class recording or have missed class, feel free to message me so I can make it available to you. Teachers don't get notifications if recordings are requested from the classroom tab, so messaging me is best.

*******************************
CLASS CANCELLATIONS:
If a class has not met the minimum number of enrollments, it is subject to being canceled. I will send a message asking if you'd like a transfer to another date & time or full refund if the class is canceled. Automatic refunds are issued for no responses after original class start time.