#DITCHbook was created by Ditch That Textbook author Matt Miller. The chat focuses on innovative teaching ideas and disrupting standard textbook education.
Hello! Michelle from Houston, and #CFISDforAll ! I teach Alg 2, Math Models, and Spanish 1 and 2 to students in a DAEP and students with emotional and behavioral disorders #ditchbook
Hey #DitchBook fam! Matt here, #DitchBook author ... excited for @tishrich's evening of magic for us!
I'll be in and out of this one tonight. Can't wait to see what we have in store for this chat!
Ss love to demo their learning for the Ts & staff on campus.
Q1: What magical experiences could you create to involve your school community? π« #ditchbook
A1: At the end of each region we study, I send out a google form via email inviting staff in as customers for our food truck presentations. Teams prepare a dish from the region and share what they learned. Ss & staff love it! #ditchbook
A1: Last year my Ss assessment was to create a newscast to show their learning. They were so proud to share their videos via google drive with our staff! #ditchbook
A1: In Culinary 2, at the end of each unit Ss have MasterChef Challenge to create a dish using a method learned with out a recipe & make it into something AMAZING! I send a email invite out asking for staff to sign up to judge! Ss always shine! #ditchbook
A1: I know this happens more in the elementary schools. but I always love the showcases of learning. I always love to see what students create, especially using the Google tools, which can then be shared out if desired! #DitchBook
Q1 A1 - every spring, my department hosts a Coffee House. Open to any student performance even vaguely connected to literacy. Always magical. I'm "judging" this year! (Everyone gets an "award" aka positive feedback for something) #DitchBook
A1: Doing an Academy Award of Books taken from @burgessdave next week. Ss created book noms to promote their favs Other classes being our audience #ditchbook
Ss love to demo their learning for the Ts & staff on campus.
Q1: What magical experiences could you create to involve your school community? π« #ditchbook
A1: Teachers and staff are GREAT guest judges and commentators on student work! I've judged business plans, band performances, food creations, etc.
It's fun AND makes great connections! #DitchBook
A1: Love bringing in Ts & staff to judge competitions or presentations. In Mythology, Ss have to create a mythological action figure & present to a staff member who must choose 1 he/she would actually purchase. Ss must know cost, target audience, etc. #DitchBook
A1. I just got home from one! Ss submitted art and writing to be considered in @peterhreynolds Hutch magazine. Those who were published became part of the staff and were celebrated tonight! Ps, As, Ts came out to support them! @TmmMPS#ditchbook
A1: I think it would be fun for my students to work on a project that would require them to collect data from others in the building. They love to get out and about, plus it would make the work more meaningful to them.
#ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
A1: After a unit on biography and United States history students write and rehearse a speech to perform, they then dress in costume and pose as βwaxβ figures that come alive and perform at the touch of a button #DITCHBOOK
A1 I had some students create Flip Grid videos with a faculty audience in mind. They tried to pursuade them to start a team for one of the winter Olympic events. #ditchbook
Ss love to demo their learning for the Ts & staff on campus.
Q1: What magical experiences could you create to involve your school community? π« #ditchbook
Ss love to demo their learning for the Ts & staff on campus.
Q1: What magical experiences could you create to involve your school community? π« #ditchbook
A1: I have my students create authentic products with the understanding that they will be shared with their parents, peers, teachers, and beyond. We have a school hashtag that we use to share them via Twitter. #ditchbook
#ditchbook A1: As director of after-school program, what about family night where the kids get to teach their parents how to use some of our STEM stuff.
A1: Parent nights to have the S's teach them how to use the Tech they have at school. Feed them first though, like having them over for dinner! #ditchbook
Ss love to demo their learning for the Ts & staff on campus.
Q1: What magical experiences could you create to involve your school community? π« #ditchbook
Steph here, a science specialist in MA.
A1: A teacher I work with has her Ss present proposals to her admin team at the end of their energy unit on ways to redesign their school building to be more energy efficient. #ditchbook
a1 Our district just had a red carpet event for community showcasing the best of our student made movies, the whole movie theater and everything was all ours. #ditchbook
A1: Also during an after school inventors club students are working to find and solve a problem in daily life, we will end with teachers investing in their product using monopoly money #DITCHBOOK
A1: I really want to host a "maker fair" this year for my district instead of a science fair. Ss can bring in things that they have made (in class or out), describe their #maker process and the skills they learned, and it would be such a cool way to show off skills. #ditchbook
A1 I also had my students create signs in Spanish to post throughout the school. It was cool to introduce them to Google Drawings. Some were serious and some were silly. But all were cool. #DitchBook
A1. Our 4th grade T have a colonization unit summarize event. Ss share their colonization journals and Ts plan colonial times games for all to take part in. #DitchBook
Disney is the BEST at creating magical experiences!
Four ways to create a Disney-quality magical experience in your classroom
https://t.co/0Ufk0LQn4L#DitchBook
When you invite the local community into your classroom, learning becomes relevant!
Q2: Who in your local community could you bring in to make your content come to life in magical ways? π« #ditchbook
A1: Throughout the year, my Ss are creating a website through Google Sites where the reflect on their learning at the end of a unit and keep track of a blog. I often share the website links with parents. #ditchbook
A1: We are looking to excite students about leading and sharing their learning with the #learnitleadit video challenge in which students submit videos leading others to learn a concept theyβve learned so well they can teach it #Ditchbook
A1: I have used Flipgrid lately for students to preaent their work. My shy kids get a chance to shine and parents love the videos e-mailed to them! #ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
A2: Have your Ss connect with your community! I created these postcards on @canva , wrote a food truck name on the back of each one and made it a challenge! Ss were sent on an Adventure Quest to connect with local food truck owners & invite them in for our challenge! #ditchbook
A1: This year my team and I are working hard to recreate the Exchange City experience in our gym! We have pulled in members of the community to teach our kiddos real lie skills. Ask my kids if they can write a check! #proudteacher#ihmarchmadness#ditchbook
A1: I really want to host a "maker fair" this year for my district instead of a science fair. Ss can bring in things that they have made (in class or out), describe their #maker process and the skills they learned, and it would be such a cool way to show off skills. #ditchbook
β¨A1: SO MANY OPTIONS! One of our teachers holds a βwax museumβ, another does a presidents fair, and one of my favs is @aloosvelt βs poetry cafe! Other options could include Flipgrid, gallery walks, social media, ETC.! #ditchbook β¨
When you invite the local community into your classroom, learning becomes relevant!
Q2: Who in your local community could you bring in to make your content come to life in magical ways? π« #ditchbook
A: Any one of our school board members. I know our city mayor comes in to chat. Bringing in the local PD to discuss online safety from their perspective has major benefits as well! #DitchBook
A1: When teaching about the electoral college I have Ss vote on whether they prefer Coke or Pepsi. The Ss also know Ts will cast their votes as well. Each S per class is a state and the Ts/admins fill in the rest of the votes. Lots of student campaigning before voting. #Ditchbook
A2. I love when Ps and As come to read to Ss. We also invite school committee. Local authors through Skype like @robvlock@joshfunkbooks Ss do not see the classroom as 4 walls. #ditchbook
A2: Weβve had police officers, bankers, firemen, and veterans come talk to our classes. It is SO beneficial for Ss to learn from people in the community! #ditchbook
#ditchbook A2 We have had both our Indiana US Senators @SenToddYoung and @SenDonnelly speak to our government students. Allows are students to become active citizens and ask questions of their elected officials.
A2: One group that we need to invite into classrooms more often: news reporters!
Get the GOOD NEWS from our schools out into the community through the media. Many are looking for school stories to share! #DitchBook
A2: I haven't done this, but I met a guy who maintained the tennis courts at a club where I worked. We chatted and I found out he was a Civil War reenactor and he said he would love to come in. He added he was currently a confederate soldier and wasn't happy about it. #ditchbook
Our school sometimes hosts brown bag lunches, business leaders come in and share with students about their career at lunch...we are also championing kid business with local business owners as judges #DITCHBOOK
A1: I think doing something cool with a book would be fun! Like a night with games and stuff centered around a book! Or a living literature type of thing! #Ditchbook
Ss love to demo their learning for the Ts & staff on campus.
Q1: What magical experiences could you create to involve your school community? π« #ditchbook
A2: After storywhere character has βnear death experience,β I bring in community members to tell near death stories then Ss eventually write a research paper based on the guest speakers and story character. One came today who was military & blew up in Afghanistan . #DitchBook
A2: I think anyone in the community that has a connection with what we are learning about. We just studied migration. I should see if someone from the zoo could come share their knowledge with us.
#ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
When you invite the local community into your classroom, learning becomes relevant!
Q2: Who in your local community could you bring in to make your content come to life in magical ways? π« #ditchbook
A2 I am looking into inviting the school board to our class to see their work on their #geniushour projects. It would be a great chance for them to share ideas and make connections.
#ditchbook
Q2 - Craig from PA. We do a monthly student drawing to invite parents into class. It connects students and their parents. Also, itβs a great way to promote our practice. #ditchbook
A2: For our economic unit we had several parents from the community come in and share how they provide a good or service. The authenticity really helped soak in the skill for my Ss. #ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
A2: I would like to bring in the mayor of our city into the class to share about our city and plans. I also want to bring in an accountant- maybe lame but I think it would be cool. #ditchbook#ihmarchmadness
A2: Weβve had police officers, bankers, firemen, meteorologists, and veterans come talk to our classes. It is SO beneficial for Ss to learn from people in the community! #ditchbook
A1: Gathering specific data from other Ts & staff to meet certain Math or Social Science standards - graphing and timelines are major focuses in 2nd! #Ditchbook
A1: I really want to host a "maker fair" this year for my district instead of a science fair. Ss can bring in things that they have made (in class or out), describe their #maker process and the skills they learned, and it would be such a cool way to show off skills. #ditchbook
A2: As a former math/physics teacher, I would have loved to connect my students with working Engineers to show them the math we learn was used in the real world. #ditchbook
A3: Get your class connected with another class using Skype Education's database of classes!
Share big moments, presentations, little moments, daily conversations, etc. with another class virtually. #DitchBook
We live in a globally connected world where our opps to learn from others is endless.
Q3: What magical experiences could you create for Ss to demo their learning for a global audience? π« #ditchbook
A2: Brought in a friend who works in international admissions at Indiana University. His travels to East Asia connected my Ss with their culture. He brought back different snacks for Ss to try along with souvenirs. They always ask about where he travels next! #Ditchbook
A2: During our schoolwide AVID College and Career week we bring in speakers representing a variety of careers. Fantastic way to engage and include our community members and inspire students for their future possibilities! #ditchbook
Math Models involves more real life math skills. It would be fun to have financial people, artists, musicians, landscapers, designers come in and talk about the math. I would also love to get native Spanish speakers to come to my Spanish class and share culture. #ditchbook
A1 We work with our study buddies (older Ss) and show off what we know. We also visit a nursing home nearby and are able to share our talents and skills with them. The Ss love going! #IHMarchMadness#ditchbook
A3: Super excited for my Ss to collaborate on projects w/ @bmilla84 and @MrsCford_tweets classes this semester in our Amazing Race! 1st grade & Jr High collaborating with HS culinary! It's gonna be EPIC! #ditchbook
A2: At the end of he year our unit is being the best me and I want to try to bring in people of different occupations to talk with a focus on what careers Ss are interested in and their passions. Or to spark an interest for some of them and consider dif occupations. #Ditchbook
When you invite the local community into your classroom, learning becomes relevant!
Q2: Who in your local community could you bring in to make your content come to life in magical ways? π« #ditchbook
We are studying presidents right now. A parent knows someone who staffed for Ronald Reagan. S said her dad was trying to get her to interview him. I asked him to skype with the whole class! Fingers crossed π€#DitchBook
#ditchbook A3 my students are participating in a digital meet up with a park ranger in southern california to see the kelp forest ecosystem at Point Lobos
How do YOU make your teaching:
π₯ Different
π‘ Innovative
π» Tech-laden
π¨ Creative &
β Hands-onβ
Share ideas π€ from YOUR classroom π« with the #ditchbook community!
πRT & Reply by Friday π with an idea, tip or resource for a chance to WIN some #Ditchbook swag!
A3: My Ss create #foodsnaps (#booksnaps cousin) of their finished products & post them to padlet. I share them out on Twitter & have my PLN vote! They love to know that their creations are being shared all around the world! Just wish they could taste them too! #ditchbook
A2 when inviting outside sources its best to get the active community and when possible even trying to get people and groups like the news reporters. That way more people can see how police the classroom can be on students. #edfb4338#ditchbook
A2: So far this year I have brought in parents, our mayor, central office staff, and local officials. Involving all stakeholders is so important! We are a team in helping these kiddos progress! #Ditchbook
We live in a globally connected world where our opps to learn from others is endless.
Q3: What magical experiences could you create for Ss to demo their learning for a global audience? π« #ditchbook
A3: I think we are massively under utilizing skype and facetime. We can literally see inside a classroom on the other side of the ocean for free! Anytime! Like it isn't freaking magic. #ditchbook#ihmarchmadness
A3: Created a @padlet to showcase S radio segments & another to house the audiobooks my Ss are making for elementary Ts & librarian. Making some for Middle School Ts too! Work in progress! #ditchbookhttps://t.co/j2X0VOyVaC
A3 I have my classes working on 2 projects, endangered species and recycling, with the goal of publishing something on the web via animoto, Slides, a website ...something beyond us. #ditchbook
A2 I'm strongly encouraging Ss to have mentors for their passion projects this time around. It would be neat to invite those folks into class one day or three. #DitchBook
A2: You never know when a parent has something to share. I once had a Ss father who was a jeweler share some amazing rocks/gems with my Ss for part of our geology studies #ditchbook
Just had an army sergeantcome in and read for Read Across America. He talked about his job and then finished with the kids βgiving him 10!β Push-ups! So fun...did I mention I have a class of 25 boys and 7 girls?? π#DitchBook
Q3 - We havenβt done this yet, but itβs in the works. Creating songs/raps that relate to our content. Sharing out to other students and requesting they respond with a similar response. #ditchbook
A3: Doing a mystery Google Hangout has been a neat experience that I've done in the past. But, if you're worried about matching time zones, there's always the Co-Pilot option in @Flipgrid where you could link up w/ another class across the globe for powerful learning! #DitchBook
A3. We learn so much from the people in our world. Tech has made that possible. Social media helps our students see the possibility. Doing events like March Madness Book challenge alongside the NCAA tournament connects them to things going on #ditchbook
A3: having students create websites for topics rather than the traditional" "poster", pamphlet, or brochure. They can share with family members or students from other parts of the world. π #Ditchbook
#DitchBook A3 We have visited classes in Russia, Canada, Sweden, France, Israel and Denmark this year. Great opportunity for Ss to work on geography skills but sharing our culture was the best experience. Love going beyond the classroom walls.
Had a musically talented Mythology group a few years ago. I wanted them to create song titles for Oedipus Rex & Ss demanded I let them write & perform songs. I did. It was fabulous. #DitchBook
A3: Something I have really wanted to try lately is some sort of program online that connects my Ss with others around the world. I can't think of the name of it. My Ss would prepare ?'s to ask and so would the other class. #ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
A3: I just learned about Mystery Hangouts. It was a great way for my students to connect to a classroom across the county, and work on their map skills at the same time.
#ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
A3. There is also the global read aloud. It connects Ss in ways I would have never expected. We did #booksnaps@TaraMartinEDU@zonie71 with classes in 2 different states in 1 Google Slide! #ditchbook
A2 For our kinders we invite police,firefighters, public library and a dentist. I welcome parents & grandparents to come in and be mystery readers weekly. Would love more ideas! Junior Achievement is also great!
#ditchbook#IHMarchMadness
A3: This is an area that I need to get stronger in... Its extremely important to get other points of a view or allow students to see outside of their school walls. Using @Skype or Google Chat to connect with other schools/people. #ditchbook
A3: Mystery Skype and Myster Google Hangouts are great! Weβre also doing google doc pen pals this year with a group of Ss from Ma. Weβre super excited! #ditchbook
A4: Share the amazing moments from your classroom digitally:
-- Facebook Live or other live stream options
-- Create a class podcast using @Anchor ... here's how: https://t.co/w1msskg26r#DitchBook
I have used padlet for students to showcase their work to my students in my other classes. I find them browsing through each others projects well after the unit has ended #ditchbook
In reply to
@SteinbrinkLaura, @Shapiro_WTHS, @padlet
A3 we should teach in a more replicable fashion. That way if any other teacher would like to do the same teach they could learn from the video and possibly adapt it to their classroom needs. #EDFB4338#ditchbook
A3: I teach world geography with a focus on Asia, Africa, and Australia. My goal is to create FlipGrids to allow for students from other countries to talk about their daily lives from all corners of the world. Hopefully my students will appreciate their opportunities. #Ditchbook
A4. I have an open door policy so Ps can come any time. I share a lot of what we do on our class social media accounts and we have Ss social media ambassadors too! Ps are also invited in for events and volunteering. #ditchbook
A4 I have recently been seeing a lot of teachers post that they have invited families to join in on flipgrid with messages or comments to students. I love this idea but need to consider some more logistics #ditchbook
β¨ππ₯A3: Recently, my students and I had the opportunity to be guest bloggers, reflectors, creators, and collaborators on a #BookSnaps blog post with @TaraMartin ππ₯
β¨Check it out, and find out how to create them in your classroom!
πππΌ https://t.co/FhUdFbPkdC#ditchbook
Adobe Spark recently announced that it will be available for <13 via school accounts. I donβt know all details, but it would be a good alternative #Ditchbook
A4: Love to see galleries where Ss share what they've created. Love to use AR like HP Reveal (formerly Aurasma) so Ss can share their story when their artwork is scanned. So powerful. #ditchbook
A3: last week had students share all of their summative projects for TKAM on a private padlet page. Ss played musical chairs to pick 3 peers to give feedback, then upvoted best overall from whole class. Top 5 shared on class website. #DitchBook
A4 I had a "digital" open house last year where students posted their work to a padlet and I had QR codes to the padlets all around the room for parents to scan and view #ditchbook
Each Ss had their own slide in the presentation. So there were individuals slides per child but in one presentation. Sorry for the confusion. #ditchbook
A4: In @SEPUP_UCB weather and climate unit, students are asked to survey family members about memorable weather events. It is even more interesting when Ss have parents that lived in other countries w/different weather than where we are #ditchbook
A3: I havenβt looked into the #flipgrid options yet, but I am wanting to. My sister teaches science same grade in PA and I want to make connections with her classes somehow too bc we have 2 completely dif cultures! #ditchbook (this Q actually just sparked an idea)!
We live in a globally connected world where our opps to learn from others is endless.
Q3: What magical experiences could you create for Ss to demo their learning for a global audience? π« #ditchbook
We decided to just link the padlet entry to their .wav or .mp3 file in Google Drive. I think I may do one a week for the weekly content we have. Then I will combine them in one location. #DitchBook
A4 I love having the parents come in to help with more hands on lessons in Kinder. I also love sharing what we are doing in the classroom on our private class Facebook Page. The parents love it too! #IHMarchMadness#ditchbook
I used to take it away and make them earn it back. I lived and learned. If I take it away I was punishing myself. And if I made them work for it the same bc I was withholding opportunity #ditchbook
A4: For my flipped classroom, students would have to write summaries of the video lessons and once a week they would have to explain what we'd learned to their parents and have them write/record a summary #ditchbook
Would love to hear about how you are doing this! I have a similar plan for my semester learning about international cuisine with my culinary Ss #ditchbook
A4: digital portfolios are my latest love. Students in my district use #myblueprint , create a portfolio for a project or unit, and share with parents, grandparents, etc. #Ditchbook
A4: I love this idea! My students create digital portfolios using Google Sites, and those can be shared and accessed once they're complete. Or, of course there's @Flipgrid messages that can be sent and received from either party making it totally collaborative! #DitchBook
A4: I like showing off what we are doing in class through DOJO stories, etc. BUT I rarely have parents IN THE ROOM. I would like to have showcase nights, like I am hearing about. #ditchbook#ihmarchmadness
β¨A4: Our team has students reflect on their strengths in a Flipgrid that we show parents at conferences! Love it! Always breaks the ice with lots of SMILES! β¨ #ditchbook
A4: I believe one way is to capture what your students are doing in class. This can be through video or pictures and sharing it with them but showing the great work which is happening everyday is very powerful. #ditchbook
