Welcome back to our new year of #UTedChat. Tonight’s theme is Homecoming. Please introduce yourself and share a favorite homecoming memory. Extra points for a school photo. #utedchat
Jared Covili from UEN here. I’m excited to welcome you all to our 5th year of #utedchat. Digging out an old photo to help kick off homecoming week. This one’s circa 1986. It may be the only pic of me without a beard!
Q1 Traditions: Homecoming is a time to honor the traditions of the past while trying to make new memories with today’s students. Share a tradition from the beginning of the school year from your classroom or school. What makes it successful? #utedchat
@juabsd Innovation Specialist; here's a Sterling Scholar pic from 2001. Love attending #Homecoming as a student and then as a teacher back at my alma mater. #utedchat
A1: I always started and ended my year reading the book You Are Special and tried to spend every day in between helping them develop their talents, have a growth mindset, and to treat everyone with the respect they all deserve. #utedchat
I’ve never gone back for homecoming either. Maybe this will be my year - Cottonwood High’s football team can use all the positive mojo they can get! #utedchat
A1 After reading an article about West High’s tradition of the oldest living alumni leading the school song at homecoming I taught all my high school students the Hunter High fight song as an assignment. Best project ever! #utedchat
A1: My new tradition: I completely ignore disclosure/syllabus etc. during the first week of school. I instead focus on names, relationships, diving right into projects, etc. It sets such a great tone for the semester! #UTedChat
A1: We are the Bruins so our student government class takes a bag of cinnamon bears to every incoming Sophomore with an invite to Sophomore Orientation. Super fun! #UTedChat#BeuinsRiseUp
Q2 Alumni: What are some ways you try to involve former students or community partners in your classroom/school? Why is it important to make alumni feel part of the school? #utedchat
A2: We've started a #juabalumni hashtag on Instagram; I love the idea of honoring high school alumni and celebrating their successes. Former graduates often come back as teachers! #UTedChat
Love the idea of using social media as a way to involve alumni with the school. Simple and fun way to share what’s going on at the school! I know I follow my alma matters on social media. #utedchat
I was out at Vernal High School for a training this summer at loved seeing their Wall of Fame. So impressed with the many impressive graduates from Vernal High! Could be a fun element to our classrooms as well. #utedchat
Kiera Beddes, English teacher from Bingham High, fav Homecoming memory...returning to BYU after spending the summer away working and seeing the Welcome Home on the Provo City signs. #UTEDCHAT
Q3 The “Game”: Whether or not you’re into sports, they are a huge way to build community in our schools. What are some ways you use sports or games to build community with your students and parents? #UTedChat
A1 We dont have any beginning of the year traditions. At the end of the year, the children or our school's namesake come and give a "scholarship" to two students. Also, the end of year carnival... #utedchat
A3: One of our greatest tradition is our student section which is led by the @Bruin_Crazies ! They are the Best Fans in the State! Kids get their own jerseys with a nickname & represent Win or Lose! #UTedChat
A3 At the high school level I would always encourage my students to attend athletic or extra curricular events. It really really build a sense of community. Even though it meant some long days I would stay late and try to attend as many as possible. #utedchat
A3: I love sports. We have a few high schools in the area. My kids went to the rival of our feeder school. It's fun to tease my current students. I do wear their colors when I go see them play games.
#utedchat
A3: I love it when everyone wears school spirit clothes on the same day; I don't even care which sport, but being united in school colors brings me joy. #UTedChat
Q4 Royalty: While not everyone can be homecoming king or queen, what are some of the ways you try to make every student in your classroom or school feel valued? Why is this so important? #UTedChat
A3: I love asking/seeing kids play in the game and interacting with community/alumni at the games. They get to see me outside of the classroom and they can see me invest in them. #utedchat
Q4: I shake hands as students walk into my classroom. I'm teaching #IntroToEd, so I also call my students "Miss" and "Mr." to prepare them as professionals. They love it. #UTedChat
A4: names are SO important. the sooner I can get their names at the beginning of the year, the better the class goes, the more valued the students feel, and the more connected I feel. #utedchat
A4: My #OneWord for 2018 is Listen. I am doing my best to listen more and speak less. Listen to not only words but I’m striving to listen to actions, body language and to our student and staff’s heart. #UTedChat
Reminds me of the time my school tried to give royalty not based on popularity once, but apparently I used popularity to win. They gave me third, but I didn’t hear my name and then got yelled at for not coming up and was asked if 3rd wasn’t good enough for me. #utedchat
A4: I like to talk to my students about things that are important to them. I occasionally catch a play or a dance recital or even a football/soccer game. It's important because they then know that you truly care.
#utedchat
Kiera, I couldn’t agree more. I wish I was better at learning names. I am getting worse at this as I am getting older (as anyone at my work can attest). #utedchat
It was a weird day. Then I got home and my mom said I heard you were on royalty, I didn’t know you were so popular. Then I had to tell her that it wasn’t based on popularity and that I hadn’t heard my name announced and missed it all anyway. #utedchat
Q5 School Song: Music is a powerful tool that can take us back to our school days. How do/can you use music in your classroom to help create learning moments? #utedchat
A5: in the past, I've used music as a primary source to set the stage (jazz in the roaring twenties, patriotic/protest songs and their messages, etc) once I had english students create a playlist for a text with common themes #utedchat
Dang! That would be kind of awkward. I'm glad I was never in the running. I once was up for best eyes in Jr. High. HAHA! My oldest son was voted homecoming Duke... 3rd place? #utedchat
A5: When I was in college, one of my professors gave "Here Comes the Sun" to analyze. It was our entire final for U.S. History! I've used that idea of "reading" a song in my own classroom. #UTedChat
A5: I love music and have seen it used to transition. Once I moved to Jr. High, I've only used it during tests or during celebrations. I'd love ideas for better. #utedchat
Someone told me I’d gotten the most votes but they weren’t sure if they were going to let me win since I apparently cheated. I didn’t pay attention when they started announcing, but I listened for if I was 1st, didn’t hear my name, so I continued having fun obliviously. #utedchat
A5: One time an assistant principal played the Hallelujah Chorus on the last day of the year when the final bell rang. I laughed so hard I cried. #utedchat
A6: Seriously? I can't remember that far back... GOOGLE!... "Forever Young"... "Living on a Prayer"... "I've had the time of my life"...
This year so far... Crazy Train - Ozzy. HAHAHA
#UTEDCHAT
And they had called all of the parents to make sure everyone would be there. I was bummed that I didn’t get to dance with the 3rd place girl though, I’d always had a bit of a crush on her. #utedchat
