The #2PencilChat is a weekly conversation about educational technology. As we enter a more student-centered age, let's talk about using all the tools in our toolboxes to be innovative and dynamic teachers.
Hey, everyone! I'm Priscilla. I teach in a male juvenile detention center in Maryland. I enjoyed this group so much 2 weeks ago, I decided to come back and hang out with you all. #2PencilChat
A1. Total buy in from all involved. Admin, Faculty, Staff, Parents, Students, Community at Large. A positive school culture needs all those components as successful building blocks #2pencilchat
A1 A positive school culture begins with equity in every level. Our pedagogies, policies, systems, and structures create a context for all students to learn, work, and connect meaningfully.
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A1. Understanding. There needs to be an understanding of what the current school culture is like; an understanding of the driving forces of the current culture.#2PencilChat
Q2
What can you do if there's no real leadership in a school?
Is it your job to help fill the vacuum? Is there ever an appropriate time to walk away?
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A1: School culture has so much to do with the staff and their ability to put kids needs above all else. Being there for them in anyway possible. #2PencilChat
A1.2 Positive school culture really does begin with snacks. How can we sustain meaningful learning & relationships if we don’t sustain ourselves? While we’re at it, let’s also create opportunities to exercise, play, rest, connect, spend time in nature, and make art. #2PencilChat
A2.1: It’s our responsibility to do what’s right by kids. If that means stepping up to fill a void then you do it. Hopefully you find a group of devoted teachers to help you do it! #2PencilChat
A2. Walk away when the task is so trying that you know it is killing you. You must save yourself. Put your mask on first. You cannot save others when you are dead. #2PencilChat
A2.2 but yes, there is a time to walk away. When you’re too tired to give it your all inside your classroom because you have to give so much in leading the campus... it may be the time! #2PencilChat
A2) Within every school there is a sleeping giant of teacher leadership that can be a catalyst for school improvement Principals need to embrace power of teacher leadership & create a guiding coalition in their schools #2pencilchat#edchat
A2-If there is a piece missing do your part to fill the whole. Your positive involvement will be an asset to others. They then will see what they can do and fill in with their gifts. #2PencilChat
A2 We should always be looking to add to leadership attitude in school; it can be quiet or loud...just be involved If Ts are #studentcentered they will fill any void as best they can #2PencilChat
While waiting for those with authority to recognize problems and take constructive action, we can model best practices, develop a vision, and cultivate relationships with allies who share our vision.
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A2 Be infectious...with kindness, love and all-round awesomeness. Maybe then you can "infect" others...other faculty, admin, who knows?? Perhaps that can help drive leadership in the right direction #2pencilchat
A2.1 culture happens on many levels. Try working on the culture of your classroom first. Then try expanding to your team. If possible, keep working outwards. #2PencilChat
A2. It is your job to step up & provide leadership where there isn’t any or where it’s weak or overwhelmed. Sometimes they just need your support to step up their game. #2PencilChat
A2: If there's no real leader, take charge. Make it happen. We can't be passive when the education of children is at stake. But yes, there is a time to walk away. After all other resources have been exhausted. You don't just give up. Kids deserve more than that #2PencilChat
A2: Absolutelythere is a time to walk away! When you realize that the task of “fixing” the culture is more than you can handle and/or when it becomes obvious that real change isn’t wanted. #2PencilChat
A2: unfortunately, behind fear of failure is a fear of success. Both bring you out of comfort and into risk. Find that mantra, and go for it. You are awesome. #2pencilchat
Water power is awesome. I could be a lake or a wave or cup of water or a puddle or rain or fill up a water balloon or save Aquaman who is useless without water #2PencilChat
A2: How does a school function without it? #2pencilchat We look to our leaders and to each other for guidance and reassurance. Great leadership makes great schools!
A3 If your school culture is not working, you might want to check to see if it is you that does not fit. You might not be "getting" the culture. #2pencilchat
A3- you can make your class everything you wish the school to be; you can meet negativity with positivity; you can tell kids you're happy to see them; and you can listen to those who feel like they don't have a voice #2PencilChat
A3: I think it’s always up to the teacher to make those connections with students. That doesn’t limit you to your roster... School culture beings with us, every kid we interact with, every day. #2PencilChat
A3 If the school’s culture isn’t working, we can be the counterculture. We can be curious, generous, creative and kind in the face of self-serving and power-hungry leaders—not because the leaders deserve it, but because WE do. And our students do too.
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A3. Again, I say start with your classroom first. What can you change? What part of the culture could be the easiest to change? Go with the low hanging fruit. Allow you and your students to have success in the changing of the culture. #2PencilChat
This is my first twitter chat! A. 2 It takes just a few people who share a similar vision and belief to create a positive school culture. My answer, team up with someone in hopes that your positive energy trickles through the school! #2pencilchat#edci338
A2 I recently read a popular tweet that said culture is what we do, not something we possess. So, it is all of our responsibility and not just the leader with the title. (If you know who wrote it, please share!) #2PencilChat
A3 Find a time and place to NAME THAT ELEPHANT. I am so not into passivity when things affect students, get other smart people in the room and start the convo #2PencilChat
I dig it. So essentially, we can teach the Ss to be leaders and lead the school by example. Use their ideas and creativity to set the spark?? #2pencilchat
#2pencilchat#EDCI338 "If a school's culture isn't working, what can a teacher do to help the situation?"
Promote and Model-start by being the change that needs to occur!
A3: A teacher can do anything. Or nothing. One small change can make all the difference. Taking time to think about why a pattern became the way it did and how we can fix the root is the most time consuming, but ultimately the most beneficial. #2PencilChat
A3. Talk with admin—not in a blame game way, but just pointing out something noticed & offering a possible solution. No admin will listen if all you do is complain. #2PencilChat
A3: Maintain a positive attitude. Model relationship skills with students and staff. Suggest culture building activities like teambuilding, Joy Calls to parents, uplifting messages to teachers, acknowledging students for special effort or accomplishments!#2PencilChat
Q4: Set high expectations in your class in regards to culture. Get the students involved in every facet of classroom culture. From creating it, to running it and monitoring it. Make them stakeholders in the culture and hold them accountable #2PencilChat
A3: Maintain a positive attitude. Model relationship skills with students and staff. Suggest culture building activities like teambuilding, Joy Calls to parents, uplifting messages to teachers, acknowledging students for special effort or accomplishments!#2PencilChat
A2: Wow! That is a tough one... Taking charge is not always the answer but showing great leadership qualities and attitudes can inspire others to join in filling that void. When the conversations or room are no longer productive - walk away! ;) #2PencilChat
A4 Encourage them to let their voices be heard. Look at what is happening in FLA right now. Those students are standing up and speaking out #BeTheChange#2pencilchat
A4. Dialogue with them the same way you would your collegues. This is easier for middle and high school teachers. Ask the hard questions. Continue to dig deeper. Keeping asking "why?" Try to get to the root of things.Then real change can start to happen. #2PencilChat
#EDCI338#2pencilchat
A4-"How can we involve students to help set the tone for our schools?
Provide students with leadership roles, responsibilities within the individual/class/school/community, etc. Have students set the criteria for how they want the tone to be.
A4: We need to get kids invested in the process and it starts with conversations. Ask your students what they want school to be like and then ask what they'll do to make it that way. They have to begin to realize their role. #2PencilChat
A4 Give students ownership and then other students will look to them. Curiosity will compel them to notice things they might have otherwise missed. #2PencilChat
A4 School culture is found in the parking lot. Sometimes it means holding in the negative comments common areas shared by co workers. That can slow the swirl of negativity that Ss begin to pick up #2PencilChat
A4/2. A kindergarten student and I came up with a way for her and her class to learn @BookCreatorApp in less than 5 minutes today. It was awesome! #2PencilChat
A4 If we want to develop our students’ critical and ethical capacities, we can help them question ALL the ways we pre-define what success means—even when we’re the ones doing the defining. Then we can help them choose for themselves how they want to approach school. #2PencilChat
A4 Students should be involved in school culture too but since kids tend to emulate adult behaviour I think the adults still need to be the leaders of culture #2PencilChat
A3: Inspire others with a positive mind set. We encourage our students to create a positive classroom community (family). Sometimes, as adults, we need to listen to our own advice and follow the leads from our kids #kidscanteach#2PencilChat
A4 Expect them to be active participants in their learning and in their school. Allow them to have a voice and to make choices. Ownership. #2PencilChat
A4-Make ss leaders in the class. Show them first and then let them take the lead. Once you have showed them to be positive they can take it far and away. Ss can be powerhouses that can teach us so many things when given the chance. #kidscanteachus#2PencilChat
A4: When students have a voice they feel empowered. They care because they have helped create the process. #2PencilChat The question I have is : How do we reach ALL students and make each one care as much as we do? 🙏🏻
A5 self care is everything. 7 habits of highly effective people is key. Sharpen the saw and make sure to put yourself first so you don't crumble. Know your limits!!
A4. Give students the opportunity to shine! Let them teach/collaborate with other grades. Give them opportunities to lead! They will glow, and will therefore help to create a positive atmosphere. <3 #2pencilchat#edci338
We argue that if we grade students in enacting their values, then that becomes yet another form of compliance. Instead, the extent to which students understand and enact their values is a way to assess ourselves.
A4: our students are leaders in the class and on campus in various ways. I have fourth graders who come 3x a week to help struggling students, and other kids lead our assemblies, etc. #2PencilChat
A5. Self-care is critical. I already mentioned the "oxygen mask." It's important to understand that just because you want positive change & culture to occur, doesn't mean everyone is ready for it. You have to find the balance between the good fight and letting go.#2PencilChat
A5: This is at the top of the #priorities ! Being stressed and overwhelmed definitely has an impact on our moods and attitudes. Don't get the crazy teacher eye twitch! Take time for yourself. Unplug when needed! #2PencilChat
A5...it's like that cheesy saying "Check yo'self, before you wreck yo'self". Self and family comes first. My favorite part of my admin. When I was injured last year by a student, this was the first thing she told me. I will always be grateful for her priorities #2pencilchat
A5: Self-care is HUGE. You aren't going to do anyone any good if you're burned out. Yes, change takes time, but the time is there. Change also takes people willing to fight for it, but real change requires stamina. Self-care allows for stamina. #2PencilChat
A5: You can't fix every situation and you can't be perfect. At the end of the day, you have to try and unwind while at the same time we naturally think of what we could do better. Creating that balance is important. #2pencilchat
A 5 Necessary but also necessary that self care does not become a shield to protect from bruising and nicks of change; which is a needed part of changing a culture or anything . The whole pressure / diamond thing #2PencilChat
Other way around! A happy family is a good class. If we show them that we care about them as people, they'll show us that they care about themselves as learners.
In reply to
@MagicPantsJones, @becksbackyard, @ItsAMrY
A5-If you’re going to be a positive influence you have to take care of yourself so that you can be positive. If you don’t give yourself time to re-energize, your flame will go out. #2PencilChat
A5: Take care of yourself always! I never used to take my days but then something big happened in my life and it made me realize that work isn’t everything. Take a wellness day here and there or pick a day a week where you just leave. #2PencilChat
A6: Invest what you can, when you can. If you can go home knowing you’ve touched that one child or helped that one coworker in need, that’s a win. We cant do it all, but we can do something. #2PencilChat
A6 We know the investment of energy in school culture is worthwhile when it feels meaningful and revitalizing. If we feel heavy, like it’s yet another should heaped on a pile of shoulds, it’s time to pause and take stock.
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A6: That's something only you can decide. You invest what you can, when you can. But it's better to do one small thing than nothing at all. Just imagine the change that could take place if if everyone did one small thing a day. One. #2PencilChat
A6- Do what you can when you can. Some days you will be able to give lots, other days not so much. Do what you can to be a positive influence to others and yourself. #2PencilChat
A6 When you're putting in the time, make sure that you do what you can to make it fun and emotionally valuable to you, or you won't be able to sustain it. #2PencilChat
A6...Good question!! You have to do what feels appropriate for you. Everyone needs to give the minimum & be vested. But, different people have different strengths. Go & do where you feel you csn make the biggest impact. #2PencilChat
Q6: Its all about balance...and recognizing that balance is seldom a 50-50 thing. There are times when I invest more time/energy at school & times when I invest more at home. #2PencilChat
I love you SO MUCH, #2PencilChat Pals!
Thank you for joining us tonight, it's so important that we don't stop until all students have a school culture that nourishes them! Go make your school awesome, and we'll see each other next Tuesday!
If you love what you are doing, it is not a job. Dream big, set goals, and show high expectations. Sometimes goals are accomplished by baby steps. Sometimes goals are accomplished by leaps and bounds. Don't be afraid to ask for HELP! #2PencilChat
