#RuralEdChat is a chat that focuses on the needs of the rural educator. This chat has been revised by Tammy Neil (@MathNeil), John Martin (@edventures) and Natalee Stotz (@nataleestotz).
Excellent! Amy Valentine dialing in from Colorado. I run the Foundation for Blended and Online Learning. We give scholarships to students, grants to teaches, and commission research grants. Our 2018 research report was on-- rural schools!!! #ruraledchat
Such an important topic!! Our foundation was not specifically focused on rural schools until...our grant winners told us how important this area of focus is. Check out the graphic below-- the majority of our scholarship winners hail from #ruralschools. #RuralEdChat
I'm checking out the Foundation's website now - needed to snap out of it and remember we have a chat going on! I can't wait to dig in more #RuralEdChat
Tonight, we'll be discussing student support, specifically the systems we use and build to support our students. Look for Q1 in just a moment! #RuralEdChat
#RuralEdChat Sharing a few interesting statistics related to rural schools, from our report. I don't think that most citizens in our country realize the dire needs, and inequities, that face rural schools. We need to make education a top #socialissue to level the playing field.
Not a problem at all! We do a guided chat on #RuralEdChat every Tuesday at this time, but outside of this one hour, it's a community that loves making connections and learning more. And we're always looking for passionate folks and groups to be guest moderators for a night :)
Q1 brought to you by a recent interaction with students outside of my classroom. I asked, "what makes your favorite teacher your favorite teacher?" Every single answer was, "they asked how I was doing. They showed they cared about me" #RuralEdChat
Another resource for later, in the event that you are not aware. There is a non-profit @nrea1 that exists as "The Voice of Rural Schools and Communities". Lots of support out there for #ruralschools#RuralEdChathttps://t.co/kdbyNjXm5V
A2: By first making sure they WANT/NEED our help. Secondly, depends on the situation. It may mean stepping in front of the student and supporting them that way. #RuralEdChat
That's awesome. I am new(er) to the Twitter scene and absolutely love it! Would be honored to facilitate, moderate, and connect people together on #RuralEdChat in the future. Let's connect on it! 🙏
A2: I feel like it's cheating, but a lot of it is the same as A1 - asking questions, with some suggestions added. "How can I help?", "Would more time on this help you show your best work?", "Would you like someone to talk to more?" #RuralEdChat
A2: Here's my approach:
*listen actively to their words and feelings
*open up space
*seek to understand
*synthesize and repeat back to ensure understanding
*elicit possible solutions together
*empathize again
*identify next steps
*follow-up, send good vibes to the U
🙏🙌🌟
A3b: Contrary to what my students believe, I don't have the answers to EVERY problem. Showing my students that they don't have to take on the world by themselves, that it's okay to ask for help, may just be the best lesson I will ever help them learn. #RuralEdChat
A3c: Being in a rural setting, students are often isolated once they go home. It's not always appropriate for me to be in that environment. Sometimes others have a better handle on the situation. #RuralEdChat
A3: For me, it's usually for any problem that affects more than one aspect of my class, or happens more than once (maybe twice). Especially if any part of it is "my family", I'm usually trying to talk to a guidance counselor, even if just make sure I know what I need #RuralEdChat
A4: I try to stay in touch with the student in question. However, sometimes that just isn't possible. Thankfully, most adults have email/cell phones/or other devices through which we can communicate. #RuralEdChat
Generally speaking our property values (source of funding) are lower than our urban counterparts. It's understandable but definitely an inequity issue. #RuralEdChat
A4: Like just about everything I do, it starts with a note to self, which is often just a reminder to ask the student or the additional support how things are going #RuralEdChat
A5: Parents/Guardians should be in the loop as soon as other staff members are contacted. We should assume (until proven otherwise) that the Parents/Guardians want what's best for the student at all times. #RuralEdChat
A5: for better or worse, for my position, I can't reach out to parents directly, that's the call of the in school teacher or other school staff. Very curious to hear how other's make that call #RuralEdChat
Q6, our last for tonight: When a student comes to you with a problem with another student, how do you decide if it is normal “drama” or something truly actionable? #RuralEdChat
A6: no hard rules, but my two main guidelines are, "what is the student's emotional state when they tell me?" and, "Is it about words, or actions?" - emotional students talking about other's actions raise the red flags more quickly #RuralEdChat
Q6, our last for tonight: When a student comes to you with a problem with another student, how do you decide if it is normal “drama” or something truly actionable? #RuralEdChat
