A chat that offers middle school teachers a chance to have a collaborative discussion about a different topic each week. Our topics change from week to week, ranging from Common Core State Standards to Character Education. During the chat, participants exchanges ideas and resources. The chat group ranges in size each week from 10 to 50+ participants. Discussion can be general talking about instructional style or process to specific. Recently members of the chat group help each other create lessons.
Welcome to #mschat! Please introduce yourself: name, location, and role in education. Are you new to edchats? Here is a quick video on how to participate: https://t.co/q7hAyzW01h
Hello #mschat Tara, 8th grade math @Creekside_MS in Zeeland, MI. Checking in from the polar vortex and not having school all week due to snow days. Yikes!
A1: We have a picnic together as a district during the start of year in-service. During our January all day in-service we do breakout style PD led by our Ts & local experts. We also have a district-wide weekly e-mail about upcoming events #mschat
I've really liked the new teacher mentoring program in my district and I think the relationships/help from my mentors have helped me feel more a part of the school community. #mschat
A1: Typically before PD sessions we have time to check in with colleagues informally, before we get down to business. Our first year Ts meet consistently as part of our mentoring program. #mschat
A1: @Creekside_MS has a social committee that plans a lot. Birthday lunches 1/month, escape room social, christmas party, fun events in the lounge, etc. #mschat
A1: Our school has a designated time each day for collaborating with our Learning Community team. We discuss student progress and cross curricular activities. #mschat
A1: Community is so essential to maintaining employees & making them feel appreciated. In our MS, we have quarterly potlucks to bring people together. We also have opportunities for staff members to get together outside the school walls, like a book club.
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A1: I will say as much as I LOVE the team structure at my school, I think it makes it harder for staff to be close as an entire building because we work so closely with 4-5 other people. #mschat
A1: Most of our PD is department time so working with peers 6-8 and planning together. Bummed tomorrow's a 1/2 PD day and it's a snowday. #mschat#valueabletime
A1: Generally, we try to dedicate time during staff meetings & district PD to collaborate. I'd say this happens about 1-2 times/month. That's not to say that Ts don't seek one another out when we can, though. #mschat
Q2: What does your school/district do to foster relationships with the community at large (e.g., parents, businesses, service clubs, stakeholders, etc.)? #mschat
A2: We have a website and some have started using social media to share the positive things going on. In our building the admin has parent meetings monthly. We also have community in the classroom day with a local foundation that provides grants to our schools #mschat
A1: Recently, our building has tried organizing events outside school to build those personal bonds as a team as well. From 'book clubs' to our most recent bowling night, it's been a fun way to just hang out with colleagues. #mschat
A2: We also have a local organization, an "educational enrichment partnership," that includes many local businesses. They fund grants for our teachers. #mschat
A1: At the beginning of the school year we do what is called a "County Kick-Off" where all staff members from each school in the county meet at one location to talk about expectations for the year. Each school is represented and has something positive said about it. #mschat
We are really working on this - all Ss have free activity passes, Culinary arts caters, Building Trades, Welding all do work in community. Also, P involvement with activities. #mschat
Q2: What does your school/district do to foster relationships with the community at large (e.g., parents, businesses, service clubs, stakeholders, etc.)? #mschat
Had a blast working with Carla Tantillo Philibert @PaulLiabenow at #CEC2019 on an awesome #ITeachBecause movement, and then watched my dad get his “Michigan 2019 Master Farmer Award” - just got home for #MEMSPAchat
A2: We have facebook, Instagram, and twitter accounts to share what's going on in our school on a daily basis. It's definitely a forumn parents are on. #mschat
A2: We work to do service learning throughout the community. We work with local retirement homes, parks, soup kitchens, and other charity organizations to do service that helps the community. #mschat
#mschat A1: Once a month, our district gives us a Collaboration day to meet with other teachers in the interest group to discuss relevant topics and work together to come help each others.
A2: We have a Parent Advisory group established in all of our schools to help guide us. We have JA speakers (and many others) come in often throughout the year. We due numerous service projects, including an Advent baby shower, food drive, and scholarship fundraiser.
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A2: Our building has a weekly newsletter to parents that informs them of our events, happenings. We promote events via social media too. (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) More one way now, hoping to build relationships & bring in more community. #mschat
Great question! Not so sure how well those things are attended, to be honest, so I'm not quite sure! If I was an admin, I would make sure parents feel heard & see the impact of their involvement with hopes that would get more involved #mschat
A1 We have staff who teach classes, we have weekly grade level meetings, we have common planning time daily by grade level, and we encourage staff to use the Twitters to connect inside and outside of our school. #mschat
A2: We have good relationships with our PTSAs in the district as well as local businesses. I know many of our STEM classes have recruited local businesses to help guest judge & critique projects in the past. #mschat
Literacy night every spring is a big deal where families/parents come in and travel throughout the school completing different activities. I like that it's a fun evening ALL families can participate in (not just music, sports etc) #mschat
A2: We are a very small, rural district, and the school is very much the center of community life. We hold events like art fairs where student work is on display in businesses & businesses run special deals, etc. Also community committees/surveys for any big decisions. #mschat
A2 one thing we do is have great communication and use social media to tell our story and let the community how much we appreciate their support #mschat
Q3: How do you build community for your students? How to you engage them in connecting, collaborating, and networking in the classroom and beyond? #mschat
A2 We have monthly PTO meetings, occasional Principal chats, ask for volunteers for our career and celebration days, and we're working on a ParentCamp before the school year ends. #mschat
A2) Communication! All forms, news letters, positive calls home! I really like how we recognize students on a monthly basis, and send emails home with specific reasons why we are recognizing the kid, always such positive communication! #mschat
A2: At my school we have a Back to School Bash at the beginning of the year. We have basically a big BBQ, games, and stations set up. We will also have casual days for teachers, where we pay to wear jeans, to support those in need. This week we are helping the CG. #mschat
A3: We have START class (Students and Teachers Addressing Responsibility Together) the first 15 minutes of every day to build community & relationships. We plan community service, check grades, read, talk about assemblies & announcements, set goals, etc. #mschat
We have 6 houses. All three grades are divided among them. Teachers are divided as well. House compete in games to earn points. Teacher May award points to houses based on positive student behavior. #MSChat
A3: By providing opportunities that allow Ss to see themselves as critical stakeholders in our classroom, school, & community. It's important that they know & are told how important they are to the communities they are a part of. #mschat
Q3: I spend the first 2 weeks of school helping students become comfortable talking about math, making mistakes, working together. Lots of team building, group activities, etc. #mschat Details here: https://t.co/1mf0gAyxYJ Thx to @KristinFrang for pushing me to document it.
A3: We have clubs that meet weekly. Every student is in a club. But classroom culture is more than that! 2 days of eLearning have shown me that my students interact w/ each other digitally just like they would in class. It’s been really great! #mschat
A3 we have tried to use school wife assemblies with fun activities that give students a chance to work together. We use an Acronym that ties us together and a common mission #mschat
#mschat A3-I use the History Day program. My students collaborate their projects with other classes, and I find people from the town to be judges. I would love to have more community members be mentors and teach students design and building skills.
A2: at our HS we have 'Food, Fellowship, & Finals' at the end of each semester. The Ss are invited in to study for semester tests with the support of Ts. Those not in demand for help, cook a meal for all to enjoy. In the winter it's breakfast & spring is a grillout.
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A3) Helping Ss to learn to care for each other. Finding ways to help Ss celebrate each other, encouraging them to congratulate, say nice things, and treat each other with kindness. Setting an example, and encouraging the kids goes a long way! #mschat
Yeah... doesn't feel as big as it used to be. Our 4th grader gets distracted by the raffle and focuses on the food. But we brought her big sister along and she encouraged her to do a little bit more of the math. #mschat
Not necessarily unique to independent school, but parents are in our school very often and there is lots of communication. More so than when I taught public schools. Probably because we are smaller. #mschat
A2: Once a month, the Director of Special Ed holds a coffee meetup with parents at the district office to provide updates and discuss any concerns parents may have. At the school site, parents in PTSA are actively working with the teachers to help make the school great. #mschat
#mschat A3-I also have students complete online discussion that can be seen by the rest of the school and parents. We have had topics about American identity, immigration, and citizenship.
A3 It starts in the classroom with our teachers facilitating conversations and opportunities to learn about each other. It can grow from there. #mschat
A1: As a science department we're given time several times a year to meet with our colleagues for planning and to exchange notes. It's great because we don't normally get to do this otherwise #mschat
A3: I want my students to know I am invested in them as a person. It really helps them get their creative juices flowing when they know I know what they like and don't like. We can talk about pop culture and use that in their work. #mschat
A4: A friend of mine at a local MS is a constant support for me. The Teacher Forum for https://t.co/rhz9wlzqMD & PLTW are great resources. I also connect with other educators on #sdedchat to get ideas and advice. #mschat
A4: I rely on our MS math dept., @anthonydilaura for tech & geo advice, several @GVSUmath profs for advice & resources, @corytimmer to help modify for sped & struggling Ss, @aquick22 for day-to-day advice. #mschat
A4: I'm fortunate enough to have an incredible team of colleagues that I rely on CONSTANTLY (shout out, @MrsHensley12 & @MrsMainero) as well as Instagram & Twitter. #mschat
A4: I have a substantial #healthed PLN online. The national organization, @SHAPE_America, is active on social media and hosts twitter chats. @AMLE is another great org; I have to renew my membership!! #mschat
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As principal, I often times look to the AMLE website or Sec. School Principal's website. My most valuable resource is my email group of other principals in my state that have schools my same size.
#mschat A4-my school organizes students and teachers into teams which helps with support and keeps our students on task. I also learn a lot form my mentor-mentee relationship
We have 3 separate projects, rotating on a 3 year cycle. Our anti-bullying program is schoolwide (it's done during extended homeroom), and we have monthly meetings w/specific lessons #mschat
A4: I have 2 Accountabilibuddies that I taught with at a previous school that I grew close with. Also, I go to the people of MAMSE and my Twitter PLNs (#mschat, #6thchat, #waledchat).
Q5: How about on a larger scale? Who do you turn to for education advice, motivation, and inspiration (Tweeps, blogs, books, organizations, etc.)? #mschat
A4: I love pinterest! It has given me dozens of projects and ideas for my kiddos. Plus my art department in my county is amazing. We always share and collaborate new lessons. #mschat
A4: I use my team partner first and foremost to share/bounce ideas or get advice from first. Twitter has become a great resource and I use it nonstop! #mschat
A4: I have 2 Accountabilibuddies that I taught with at a previous school that I grew close with. Also, I go to the people of MAMSE and my Twitter PLNs (#mschat, #6thchat, #waledchat).
Q5: How about on a larger scale? Who do you turn to for education advice, motivation, and inspiration (Tweeps, blogs, books, organizations, etc.)? #mschat
A5: Twitter. @travislape & @dellwein are a constant source of advice, motivation, and inspiration to me and to many other educators in SD. #sdedchat#mschat
A3: Almost everything I do in class is group activities, and groupings change each time. Students collaborate in person and online by sharing data and while reporting on their findings. Google education tools are really good for remote collaboration. #mschat
A5: I am hoping to find new places for educational advice. This is actually my first Twitter Chat and I've already learned a lot. This could be a great tool in the future! #mschat
Thanks #mschat for all the shout outs for @AMLE . That is actually how I found you all!
Call for Speed Learning Sessions, Opens on Feb 11
https://t.co/s5oGM9VpYN
#mschat A5-National History Day, Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources, Standford History Education Project, CK-12 History Lessons, and Newslea have helped me create a curriculum that I am proud and that I know reaches my students
We have advisory time built in to our mornings 4 days a week, so one day a week is used for clubs. On Fridays, advisories compete in challenges. It’s fun! #mschat
A3: In my SPED class, I take my students on Community Based Instruction and have them interact with the community. I practice life skills such as grocery shopping, ordering food at restaurant and visiting police department and fire stations. #mschat
A5: I love good conferences! @AMLE brings the best of the best. I’ll be going to my first @ASCD conference in March. I hope to come back with lots of great ideas! #mschat
A1: Our common team planning as a grade level allows for this daily if we need it. As a district, we do district wide inservices which allows for collaboration. #mschat
A5: I love good conferences! @AMLE brings the best of the best. I’ll be going to my first @ASCD conference in March. I hope to come back with lots of great ideas! #mschat
We would LOVE to see this level of conversation & learning continue on #mschat each week on Thursday at 8EST/ 7CST. Interested in hosting? Tweet @blocht574!
Whatever I need to do to answer the question, "How can I make our school better today?" I'm trying to ask myself this as soon as I walk in every morning! #mschat
On behalf of @EdSDAMLE, thank you for being a part of #mschat! We are so grateful for each and every one of you and what you do for middle level education!
A4: When I have questions about SPED, I turn to my colleagues in my Collaboration group. Additionally following other SPED teachers on Twitter and in FB groups have helped expand my PLC and help me improve my teaching practices. #mschat
I like the sound of that. Our high schooler's principal does a coffee every few weeks, but would love a district-wide version (including for special ed). #mschat
#mschat Call to action: I am already organizing volunteers of my community to help judge History Day projects, but afterwards I want to maintain communication with that group and see how we can improve history education in my town.
CtA: Something I can do in the next month to help build community is to add something from the "art department" to our monthly news letter that is sent home to kids. #mschat
Thanks for hosting. One of my goals for this school year was to join #mschat more. It's a great place to get ideas and connect with more crazies that love MS kids!
To build community, we do daily Circles (part of #RestorativePractices). I find it perfect for middle-level learners. I use it to introduce content, build relationships, and tackle issues. Thanks, @iirpgradschool for giving me this tool! #mschat#edchat#education
February 17 - Is designated as 'Random Acts of Kindness Day.' Since it's a Sunday, you can't recognize it at school on that day, but I encourage everyone to participate and, maybe, make it a school wide challenge of it for the week! What a great way to build community!
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CTA Listen to staff and students to find out what I can do for them to make our school experience better for them. And then I'll listen some more. #mschat
A5: On the larger scale, I turn to my mentor teacher and University Professor for education advice. I also follow other teachers in my district and around the world on Twitter to get different perspectives and ideas for the classroom. #mschat
