Join #ICEilchat for the last Thursday of the month at 8pm CST as we discuss topics on ed tech, collaboration, building a PLN, professional learning and so much more!
We are here with @rushtonh (Rushton Hurley), author of “Making Your Teaching Something Special: 50 Simple Ways to Become a Better Teacher”. Hello and welcome! #ICEilchat
Good evening from stormy Freeport, where we just had our Opening Day Institute and talked about the need to tell our story, not just our scores! Seems so appropriate to be chatting logistics with all y'all tonight! #ICEilchat
Q1. Chapters 44 and 45 explore the value of non-teaching personnel and other resources that might be available. What have you done to work with support staff to create opportunities for students? #ICEilchat
A1. Get to know the janitors - they know the school inside and out. They know where the abandoned stuff is! I managed to score all kinds of cool things for my classroom by asking them. #ICEilchat
A1: When I started teaching, my mentor told me to get to know the main office secretary and head custodian first - before teachers or administration!
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Exactly - it's up to us to understand our strengths and be comfortable discussing how to take them to the next level. Then, we need to get the stories out there. #ICEilchat
A1 With custodial and maintenance on your side, your requests sometimes happen faster. And you can score abandoned stuff as previously mentioned. Kids win! #ICEilchat
A1a: We had an issue with messed in the bathroom. The custodian came in and showed how long it took clean up and then he listed all of the other tasks he couldn't do, like fixing playground equipment, because of the bathrooms. Bathrooms were a lot cleaner after that! #ICEilchat
A1b: One of my classroom rewards was helping the office staff for just 15 minutes. Students loved helping and getting to know them and the staff loved being a positive, desired place to visit! #ICEilchat
Q2. Chapter 46, "Be Prepared for Parents," explores the sometimes-tricky relationship teachers have with their students' families. What questions or experiences can you share in this realm? #ICEilchat
A1b: More goodness. The office staff wants that more meaningful interaction with students. That also makes them even better partners to the teachers (and vice versa). #ICEilchat
A2. I once had a student who couldn't stop himself from guessing. His mom kept calling me to ask why he wasn't doing better. I had them both come in and she watched me work with him, which was useful. #ICEilchat
A2. It was odd - it was like his urge to guess would short-circuit his ability to think through an idea. Have any of you seen something similar before? #ICEilchat
A2: Positive phone calls go a long way toward developing a collaborative relationship for those tricky situations that may happen; showing up at a basketball game on Saturday morning and cheering just as loud as the parents speeds the process exponentially! #ICEilchat
A2: I always open in a call with a parent that I am worried about their child. Performance and behavior are secondary - I’m concerned about the well-being of their child, and that I need their help in bringing out their best.
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I once told a student to count to ten before giving an answer. It gave her just enough time to move beyond the guess. I encouraged the parents to try it at home. Didn't always help, but it got better! #ICEilchat
A2: I taught where my kids were also students. My mom friends were often my students' moms. That was difficult to navigate. Often lines were crossed after the second glass of wine (not mine!) #ICEilchat
A3. For me, it was a conversation. Hadar, a friend with years as a school leader, mentioned a kid who often got in trouble. She found him in the office one day and he said, "I'm not in time out. I just have lice!" I love the moments that make us laugh. #ICEilchat
A2: Advice when talking to parents: close the laptop, put the phone in a drawer, face away from the clock, and take notes. Spend most of the time listening, then promise to look into it and get back to them the next day. Don't try to have a ready answer to everything. #ICEilchat
I taught two boys in the same class who were best friends whose moms were best friends who taught in my building and were also my friends. We kept a less fuzzy line by saying "I need to talk to Student's mom" and by having dads come to conferences. #ICEilchat
I have taught in my local public school. spontaneous parent-teacher conferences happened in groceries, restaurants etc. But only if the parent initiated. #ICEilchat
A3: Don't be afraid to ask, but don't ask for everything and don't ask all the time; instead, be specific and make your case clear about how it will benefit the students. #ICEilchat
A4: The PTO, school board, and school fundraisers. I worked at a parochial school so many of those DonorsChoose options are not available to private schools. #ICEilchat
Next week, we'll have our final Twitter chat and wrap up the book study. Please go now (or soon) to the discussion area to describe what you have tried or will try from any section of the book. #ICEilchat
A4: I spent 17 yrs in a major university town, so I have friends in all fields all over the world. Some teachers ask for help getting samples of honey for a bee project. I posted it on Facebook and got 50 replies from as near as right here to as far away as Australia! #ICEilchat
I make sure friends know I can't pay, but they all know they will get handwritten notes from students saying thank you and sharing what they learned! (I stole that idea from DonorsChoose because it is so great!) #ICEilchat
@amber_heffner Can you do me a favour and email me tomorrow to remind me to update my info on ICE? Oh, and @rushtonh, I haven't forgotten about my promised blog post about @kahoot. My blog is blocked at work and I haven't had time to write at home! #ICEilchat
