#Edchat is a hashtag, a movement—it is a weekly organized Twitter discussion of educators and people interested in education that meet virtually from all over the world. #Edchat serves as a conversation thread on Twitter and is also used for organized weekly discussions.
I suspect the impacts would be numerous. Some students may learn faster than others, but perhaps there might be a benefit for students who are a bit behind to have peers to look up to and encourage them. #EdChat
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Register here >>https://t.co/Khd8NPsdZo#mathchat#edchat
I've always taught engineering, which is an elective so we are grouped by interest. It generally works great because of the common interest and shared ideas. #edchat
#edchat: Grouping kids by their perceived mastery of a subject area is basically tracking and it’s done everywhere, although often under different names. It’s not such a great practice overall.
I’d be curious to know how that differs from, say, how at my high school we had career prep, tech prep, college prep, honors, and AP placements. Would this be an extension of that concept to lower grade levels? #EdChat
Interesting take on things. I believe there’s a better way to group kids than by age, but maybe this kind of grouping would be best in middle school? #edchat
#edchat:
1. What does mastery look like? Easy to see at the extremes but it is hard to differentiate at boundaries.
2. Arbitrators of mastery are likely to let subjective and unconscious bias cloud their judgment of who has mastered what.
I’d be curious to know how that differs from, say, how at my high school we had career prep, tech prep, college prep, honors, and AP placements. Would this be an extension of that concept to lower grade levels? #EdChat
I think "choice" is more manageable in that you select based on the available options. "Interest" means that you can design your own curriculum. Much more difficult to implement wide-range and long-term. #Edchat
Still group by social/emotional maturation. Are they oldest in their family? Probably slower to growup. Are they youngest in family? Probably trend older, exposed to what siblings doing. #edchat
Middle school is where I see this being most important to help kids be exactly where they are and who they are. A lot of insecurity comes out of the mismatch of where they are and where they perceive peers to be. #edchat
So right now, I'm encouraging the use of hands-on self-reg activities in my room (knitting, braiding, origami, loose parts K'nex). I have a handful who are thrilled. Would love the chance to teach STEAM to them through these skills. #Edchat
Why do we have to group them at all? Couldn't we start to plan for how to best nurture environments that allow learning partnerships to emerge organically? #edchat
...grouping students by interest or mastery rather than age would have a positive effect on learning BUT NOT NEARLY THE EFFECT that would come from use of effective and research proven instructional approaches. #edchat
Fact: Socially and emotionally skilled students are able to seek help and feedback, ask questions, and regulate their own emotions. https://t.co/srs9Hx1GIC#sel#edchat#cpchat
#edchat If we group kids by interest, we defeat the purpose of three of the primary motivators of a liberal education:
1. To act as the ONE place in society where people are likely to mix and mingle with people who aren’t like them.
...in the current educational system changing how students are group -- from age to interest or mastery -- is akin to relocating the deck chairs on the Titanic. Grouping matters...but it's not the big problem in education. #edchat@sgthomas1973@wmchamberlain
#edchat 2. To prevent kids learning broadly about the world and in so doing learn more about what interests them.
3. To increase the odds that our society has at least some common knowledge so we have a hope of functioning as a society.
I teach ESOL, so I have a *bit* of flexibility in curriculum (for now), so I try to bring in S interests. I am in a huge district, though, so I can't imagine how this would actually work for us. #Edchat
In reply to
@ShiftParadigm, @nobleknits2, @tomwhitby, @ktenkely
We've found it gives kids permission to be where they are. It also seems to make vulnerability in the classroom and learning easier. It helps that we have small class size. Not sure how it would scale in bigger. #edchat
So, for example, in grade 7-8, for obvious reasons, many students stop wanting to sing. Being able to teach a vocal music class at that level for the kids who wanted it? Still a dream. #edchat
In reply to
@ShiftParadigm, @tomwhitby, @sgthomas1973, @ktenkely
...grouping students by interest or mastery rather than age would have a positive effect on learning BUT NOT NEARLY THE EFFECT that would come from use of effective and research proven instructional approaches. #edchat
A3. It depends. Being a digital native can help in that they’re comfortable with the volume of information and entertainment being served up. The setback comes when they’re consuming only one type of media. #ToolkitTalk#edchat
#edchat Here’s an alternative to grouping by age, mastery, and interest - group kids randomly when they enter school. Yes, it would be basically be like the Hogwarts Sorting Hat.
As an engineering/elective teacher, I can tell you - interest level makes a HUGE difference. If a kid has a high interest level, it is much easier to raise academic levels where needed and have immediate application. #edchat
No science lab, no problem, with #Chromebooks + @labster. Now, students can practice more than 40 different labs that map to AP/IB/high school standards across their Chromebooks—no extra hardware needed. https://t.co/zVdo4P8T1k
Let's get real...approaches to grouping students (age, interest, mastery), while an interesting topic, is not the reason why only 6 of 10 ninth grade students graduate on time. #edchat
#edchat: Grouping kids by their perceived mastery of a subject area is basically tracking and it’s done everywhere, although often under different names. It’s not such a great practice overall.
It would be an interesting social experiment to group kids by interest. Would it be a lord of the flies scenario or would kids take charge of their learning? I think probably the latter. #edchat
Le classement 2019 par @macleans a été publié! Félicitations à tous les institutions canadiennes d’enseignement postsecondaire! Découvrez les classements des meilleures institutions au 1er et 2ème cycle. @ideas_idees est fier de ses membres! #EPSCdnhttps://t.co/kzVO6jwarg
This sweet THANK YOU from a thoughtful group of colleagues made my day! Also reminded me how important it is to express appreciation for each other - I need to be better! #edchat#TeacherLife
Just for a bit of clarification, if we remove grade levels and group kids my different means, would a desired effect be for some students to be able to fast track and graduate sooner? #EdChat
Let's get real...approaches to grouping students (age, interest, mastery), while an interesting topic, is not the reason why only 6 of 10 ninth grade students graduate on time. #edchat
I kind of disagree. In my class, grouping by interest (for example, drumming vs choral vs guitar vs wind ensemble) would totally socio-economic, academic and gender blend them! #edchat
The 2019 @macleans University Rankings are out! Congratulations to all top ranked PSE institutions in Canada! Discover the rankings at undergraduate and graduate levels. So proud of our @ideas_idees membership! #CdnPSEhttps://t.co/U9WC773hp9
There are a very small number of children for whom fast tracking makes sense - kids who need the challenge of college by the time they are 12 for example. For most kids the problems introduced to the system aren’t worth adding fast tracks. #edchat
You cannot hold a student back because they excel. That is the student that needs to be pushed to greater heights and can reach greater heights. Don't hold them down because they're smart - challenge them. #edchat
On the flip side, @tomwhitby, should socially/emotionally immature Ss be grouped with more mature Ss simply b/c they can master content quickly? #Edchat
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @CISOFPA, @davidwees, @tomwhitby
There are lots of ways to challenge kids without fast tracking them. The breadth of math in any given topic, for example, is FAR beyond what the minimal requirements of the curriculum are. No need to create a fast track, just create better assignments within classes. #edchat
It's often more complicated than a simple either/or choice.
I hope you'll join tonight's #TeacherMyth chat to talk about how to work through oversimplified conversations.
October 16th | 8:30-9:00pm CST
#edchat#TLAP#KidsDeserveIt
I think we have the technology to do this effectively now, while ensuring that basic mastery of all disciplines is still reached. It will take a radical redesign of the school day. All I need now is a few 100k to build it 🤣#edchat#gatesfoundation
I feel like most agree that in classes more technical in nature, such as math, competency-based grouping is best for kids, but it's tough for schools to execute in extreme circumstances (i.e. skipping multiple grades).
How are schools pulling this off? #edchat
Agreed. These are wise words as well. We often need to reach beyond curriculum and and standards to take lessons to another level. Differentiation, yes - but actually doing it. #edchat
💡Ideas for inviting students to share their backgrounds without pressuring or positioning them to speak as representatives of their culture {thread} 🔽
#edchat#education
Grouping shouldn’t be be on content mastery alone, there’s mastery of skills too. A student may understand the concept but the associated skills may need work #edchat
What constitutes as "holding them down" ... fast tracking them into higher level classes may not be the answer either. Just because you can "handle" high school math as a 7th grade student does not mean you are emotionally capable of handling HS math. #edchat
In reply to
@3DChampion, @tomwhitby, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
Why must we race kids through learning? Is it good for them or are schools just chasing bonus points for their school grade ... are we really caring what is good for the kids? #edchat
#edchat Give those Ss a shot at helping their peers. Demonstrate mastery by passing on knowledge. Some might argue that that's the best way to demonstrate it in the first place! (Of course, then how come the T hasn't made it work for those peers?!)
We don’t have any research handy at the moment, but is there evidence that higher achieving students act as an inspiration of sorts for those who need more help? Does it drive them to want to achieve more or put their shortcomings at the front of their minds? #EdChat
Exactly. This is mostly my point. Just because not everyone can handle them at the moment, doesn't mean these types of questions shouldn't be asked - know your students. #edchat
In reply to
@franziski123, @tomwhitby, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
Understanding the difference between accommodations that help your child “get by” vs. interventions that address your child’s needs and help bring them to grade level, achieve their best
That, and we are consumed by world rankings. We're so concerned about forging ahead that sometimes we aren't as thorough as we should be. Sometimes we know a little about a lot. #edchat
3. If & ONLY if it's relevant to something in class/school (or as part an ongoing focus, etc), invite students to share something...
But always check AHEAD of time! (Don't put students on the spot!)
This also lets you vet what they share & frame it in a broader context. #edchat
We thank our sponsors, speakers & @Kennedy_School for the opportunity to hold this public forum on our new book & the best path forward to help all students access high-quality education options! https://t.co/xtkpp9MS9n#edchat#edreform
I have 8th grade students taking HS Geometry ... for HS school credit. This is a ton of pressure for a middle school student ... many of them are not ready. #edchat Not to mention that we have MS teachers who may not have the academic background for HS level courses.
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @3DChampion, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
Perhaps we could look at ways to encourage high-performing students to stick around and help students in need of extra help. Sort of like the role of our Site Coordinators. True mastery of a subject means being able to explain it in a way someone else can understand. #EdChat
A7. At the root of all of this is empathy. Can we respect a variety of vantage points while maintaining our own? Can we seek truth and relinquish ego? Are we capable of learning to let go of long held biases that aren’t founded in fact? #ToolkitTalk#letsk12better#edchat#SEL
"Accountability allowed us to close schools that are really struggling. If you can’t demonstrate that you can grow students, you don’t have the privilege of running a school here" - New Orleans' Recovery School District CEO @Kunjan19#edchat#edpolicyhttps://t.co/9Al1JzT1hm
I have to push back on that. I am certified to teach ESOL K-12, but I would do a disservice to any S in grades 6-12. Certification does not equal ability. #Edchat
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @DennisDill, @3DChampion, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
Key word there is ‘should’… but in reality, many in the MS level stagnate and no are not familiar with the rigor required in HS. My daughter is taking Chemistry as a 9th grader. 8th grade science did not prep her like it should have. Lots of daddy/daughter study time. #edchat
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @DennisDill, @3DChampion, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
A couple years ago, @_cornettjumpers mentioned to me that as a principal he would often cook for his staff! Now that I am a principal, I’m taking his advice! Tomorrow we treat the staff to homemade chili, sandwiches, pumpkin pies, & cookies! #edchat#myofficestaffishelpingtoo
Certification is just a piece of paper ... I am certified in Social Sciences grades 6-12 ... with a BA in Social Sciences ... i would never say I could adequately teach a HS economics class even though I am certified to teach it. #edchat
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @3DChampion, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
While in theory this is true...we tend to forget things we may have learned years ago. As a result, that might not be what is best for the student. #edchat
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @DennisDill, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
I agree completely. I am certified k-6 all, 7-12 ELA, 7-12 Social Studies, k12 Drama, k12 ELL/ESL, but there are certain subjects I would do a def. disservice to teach. Just b/c I got the college credits 25 years ago doesn’t make me an Econ teacher. #edchat
In reply to
@DennisDill, @tomwhitby, @3DChampion, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
I have had many conversations with students who were taking a high school class with a certified teacher who did far more damage than good. #edchat To much relying on Khan Academy and other videos instead of actual teacher-student interaction/teaching #edchat
In reply to
@3DChampion, @tomwhitby, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
Join @mscott & I for a TeachMeet on 5 Dec 2018 at our State Office. The theme of the TeachMeet is 'Every student is known, valued and cared for in our schools'. Register to attend https://t.co/bEREEALV3d…
Complete an EOI to present https://t.co/dqQr0EWdcA. We hope you join us!
"It is this “not aloneness” that may be the greatest gift of the Modern Learners Community and others whose work seeks to dismantle separateness and offer connectedness as a better way." https://t.co/pMJUGFd5AG Many thanks to Rich for his support of MLC! #edchat#cpchat#suptchat
Inclusivity MATTERS! ⭐️ Teaching kids to champion inclusion through respect, empathy and understanding will make our world a more compassionate place. How do you bring allyship in your classroom? 💭💗 #CelebrateDiversity#edchat#InclusiveEDhttps://t.co/coYnqL61t5
Indeed. There is no replacement for quality teaching. Videos and screencasts are great supplements and can be a HUGE help, but shouldn't be the main method of instruction. Not sure it was ever intended like that either. #edchat
In reply to
@DennisDill, @tomwhitby, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
I don't think there's one solution to class grouping. There are benefits and deficits with homogeneous AND diverse classes...no matter what the variable is. It depends on the goal of the class/T/school/Ss. None-the-less, it is a great Q to ask! #edchat
It is definitely filling a gap. Sometimes I can say something to a student, another teacher can say it different and the cycle continues. However, it might not register until they've heard from the right person. Tough to accept at times, but it's what's best for student. #edchat
In reply to
@tomwhitby, @DennisDill, @CISOFPA, @davidwees
Interesting, #education salaries are climbing, in particular: "The #vocational sector performed particularly well, with higher average salary figures recorded for both teachers (up 13%) and management roles (up 12%) compared to 2013." #vet#edchat#tafe#auspol
As #EdChat winds down, we’d like to introduce ourselves to anyone not aware. We’re the Pennsylvania branch of the largest dropout prevention organization in the country! We love what we do and are #AllInForKids every day. We love the insights this chat gives us!
Hola please find the unroll here: Thread by @punitarice: "Ideas for inviting students to share their backgrounds without pressuring or positioning them to speak as representative […]" #edchat#educationhttps://t.co/e4EkT84WSU
Talk to you soon. 🤖
Cognitive dissonance is the giant wall preventing innovation in education. Almost every engaged parent, teacher, school leader, and policymaker (aka the decision makers) spent 15+ years in the system, and we are prisoners of that experience. #edchat
When it comes to culture & staff morale, "If things are going great, it's because of leadership. If things are going poorly, it's because of leadership." @ToddWhitaker#edchathttps://t.co/VFCbbH2wSl
