At OTE Academics we believe in the power of a personalized, self-directed approach to education. Our athletes are empowered with the agency and opportunity to create their path to mastery of grade level content at their own pace, with the support of our content specific, professional Learning Facilitators. The OTE Academy experience consists of 6 key components.
During their time with us at OTE, athletes engage in 3.5 - 4 hours a day of academic instruction. We partner with Subject.com to provide a comprehensive online learning curriculum for all athletes that consists of NCAA approved courses. The online curriculum provides them with the resources needed to support their live, in class learning experience. Athletes are programmed into coursework based on their Personalized Learning Plans that track towards high school graduation at the end of their senior year. They will take the required courses to receive a Cognia certified high school diploma and will have the opportunity to select electives based on their interests and passion.
Our "X- factor" is our dynamic team of educators that we call Learning Facilitators. Our on-site Learning Facilitators have a history of success in the field of education, strong content knowledge, and have been trained to ensure that on site learning sessions are engaging, interactive, and filled with debate about complex issues and content that will ensure a strong transfer of knowledge.
Athletes will be placed in the appropriate courses (based on previous coursework and high school transcripts) to ensure that they are on track to graduate with a fully accredited high school diploma at the end of their senior year. While traveling, athletes will work on their classwork online and have the opportunity to use online platforms to schedule remote learning sessions with their learning facilitators. One learning facilitator travels with the team to ensure academic study hall time.
Each athlete will be assigned a "mentor" to check in with them weekly to plan their academic progress and set goals for the week. The term mentor is used to describe an adult on staff who will meet with our athletes at the beginning of the week, check their progress in their online coursework, help them set learning goals for the week, and provide additional support outside of the classroom, if needed. Our mentors understand that each of our athletes are unique and it is our responsibility as adults to respect their advocacy for their own learning, while ensuring that they are equipped with strong time management and executive functioning skills.
We begin each Monday and Friday with an opening huddle to focus us on our commitment to creating a strong brotherhood bond among our athletes. Our opening and closing circles focus on developing connections between athletes and our team and developing social emotional skills that help them on and off the court. Our advisory sessions provide students with structured academic, social-emotional, and future planning support. Most importantly, it's a time for our athletes to develop a relationship with a trusted adult, which research has shown makes a significant positive impact on student performance in school.
The purpose of our Pro Habits Curriculum is to prepare the next generation of elite athletes for a career in professional basketball. OTE was created to train and empower the next generation of professional athletes and our Pro Habits Curriculum is an important part of that empowerment. Our goal is to ensure that our athletes leave OTE with the tools and skills needed to lead meaningful and sustained professional careers and have the ability to create a pathway forward after their time as collegiate and/or professional athletes.
OTE athletes will receive training in the following content areas to help them achieve that goal:
Pro Habits classes are integrated into the weekly academic time and are facilitated by learning facilitators, OTE staff, and industry leading professionals and athletes.
Athletes who are interested in earning college credit during their time at OTE will have the opportunity to enroll in our Dual Enrollment Program with Lens of Sport and Subject.com. Dual enrollment courses give athletes who begin the program their sophomore year an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an associates degree in business at the end of their senior year of high school. Upon completion of the coursework they will have completed two years of college on the path towards their bachelor's degree.
Athletes who have already graduated from high school have the opportunity to match with a business of their interest for an internship opportunity within that organization, with the goal of learning key business skills. The internship opportunity is based on their off the court interests and their long term goals after their careers as professional athletes.
If you have any additional questions, please contact our Head of Academics, Maisha Riddlesprigger, at maisha@overtimeelite.com.