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.
A1: I'd say the most significant tool is my sense of humor. It helps students feel at ease, diffuses tense situations, and keeps me grounded. I also couldn't run my class without all of my routines that we rehearse at a class to make sure our class runs smoothly. #mschat
A1: Using the RAFT writing strategy to access comprehension. Ss have choice in their writing & it truly shows understanding & allows for feedback, revision #mschat
More projects have definitely helped me with students this year. They make great products, like the one video one of your students showed me today! #mschat@ERobbPrincipal@KGT_Educator@SarahCaseyPE
In reply to
@TuckerBrownPE, @ERobbPrincipal, @KGT_Educator, @SarahCaseyPE
A1: flexibility - ready to change, leap on a moment, share a story - wherever fits to better the teaching experience. And humor. You have to laugh #mschat
And that iron will to enforce it, even when it is easier to just yell. I think my integration of more procedures this year have shown students that I mean business, and that business is a fun, engaging place to learn! #mschat
Google comments are fantastic too - I love that their ambiguous, poorly explained comments are attached to the assignment they are talking about. It gives me a clue to the conversation 😜😂😂 #mschat
I mostly use it as soft background music. I survey classes at the beginning of the year and a lot of them need it to help them work. It helps set a relaxing tone too. #mschat
A1: Some of my class's most meaningful, powerful lessons involved nothing more than conversation... Voice is an incredible tool for learning, growth, reflection, empowerment & change. #mschat
A1: My clapping cadence to get attention, Kagan strategies to get Ss collaborating, Spotify set to "Pop Goes Classical" so I can set working noise level for Ss to learn comfortably. #mschat
A2: I try to make them laugh. If that doesn't work then I try to show them "why" it is important and the importance of it. If they don't see the why, they won't do it. #mschat
A2: I've tried integrating more student choice. Rather than being a stickler and saying there is only one way to do a task, I try to provide a plethora and let them pick one of them OR find another way! #mschat@gett_marissa@JWCareerExp@ERobbPrincipal@KGT_Educator
This is a key point, Brooke. At it's core, the process of teaching and learning is composed of reciprocal conversations necessary to facilitate continuous academic, social, emotional, and positive leadership growth in our students. #mschat
A2: Taking time to really SEE the student & finding ways to make material relevant and meaningful to their own life and experience can go a long way. #mschat
A2 Unmotivated students don’t need an “extra push” from me - they need to connect their work to their own values and accept the struggle inherent in meaningful work. #mschat
A2: My co-teacher @webb4mrs & I frequently email families w/ success news (grade on assessment, good day in class, being helpful/kind). This goes a long way in motivating & giving confidence to our struggling students. #mschat
A2: When I have a Ss in need of an extra push, I utilize the relationship that we've built & use a little humor to get them back in the game! Most Ss want to be on your team! #MSChat
A2: Definitely choice - and letting them make the choices whenever possible. Also helping them to embed their passions into writing (ELA), for example argument - is Messi better than Maradona was popular #mschat
A2: Building relationships with kids is key. Some will do the work not because they want to but because they know YOU want them to do it and that you care. I also use choice with assignments. Students choose from a menu of options. #mschat
A2: Allowing choice in how they approach learning the content. I have standards I need my Ss to reach, but they should get the power to show me what was learned. #mschat
A2 This question speaks to the importance of planning for and implementing the third "R" (Relevance) in our classroom lessons. Drawing connections with student interests and linking it to instructional content is essential. #mschat
A2: not being afraid I poke fun of ourselves. Our principal @ERobbPrincipal has led by example on this through the year. The kids really enjoy to see the “goofy” version of you.#mschat
I always point out my mistakes to my Ss and explain how I will go about correcting it. Then discuss how they have the same opportunity with all learning in our classroom. #mschat
A2: not allowing kids to settle for failing - hounding him/her to succeed despite him/herself. Relearn, retake...easier to do it in the first place, but if you do and aren’t ready, I’m here to support you whether you want me to or not #mschat
A3: Aside from RAFT assignments, I started encouraging writing through a classroom blog that students have the option to write responses to. I also like to build in time to discuss different writing purposes. #mschat
Choice menus are heavy on prep, but once you create the activities, it opens up your time to conference & work individually with kids. As for grading, not every kid will complete all the tasks-they choose from a few. #mschat
A3: Mentor texts can provide insight, inspiration & scaffolding for apprehensive writers. There are SOOOO many quality contemporary YA titles that engage mid lvl learners through character & story, and lend themselves to the teaching of writing. #mschat
A3: Peer editing using Google Docs is something I find to be very effective in improving Ss writing ability. Makes it that much easier for me to assess writing because most of the work is done by Ss. We all have a stake in the process and it's a team effort. #mschat
A3: lots of samples and mentor texts, permission to imitate as we build skills. For essays/narratives: Feedback given, conference for conversation, and opportunity to ‘fix’ before final grade assigned #mschat
A3 I admit as a Science teacher this is my struggle. I focus on emphasizing evidence. Every claim has to be supported. I am always talking to ELA teammate. #mschat
A3: I love using writer's notebooks for the entire writing process up to the final typed copy. It helps students see the entire process from brainstorming, outlining, rough draft, revisions, etc. #MSChat.
In math I try to provide 2 levels of homework for students. They can choose to do the more straight-forward problems or the higher-level thinking questions. #mschat
Late to the party! A3: We use Yes Ma’am from @SmekensEd for constructed responses. Love these picture prompts for creative writing. https://t.co/Fh8VZZLvpa#mschat
A3: The Single Point Rubric (see @cultofpedagogy) is a student-friendly tool for helping kids build their writing. Not putting grades on drafts & then providing classroom for conference/re-writes for a final copy are key. #mschat
A4: I wish I had more physical space, a more flexible schedule so Ss could utilize every nook and find ways to improve their experiences as writers/learners #mschat
A4: I cannot wait until our division moves to 1:1 tech so that I can integrate programs like Schoology and others as a regular feature into my classroom. We are getting close to having it! #mschat@ERobbPrincipal@KGT_Educator@TuckerBrownPE
A3 It is imperative, especially as we teach writing foundations, to provide a structured purpose for writing, model the process, and guide our students through revising their work to increase its quality #mschat
A4: Flexible seating and Google Classroom. I'd LOVE to prepare my PSTs to utilize such tools for their future classrooms. But, not accessible within my institution. 😔 #mschat
A4: Flexible seating, standing desks, writable walls, and teachers who put connections first and curriculum second would have helped me as a learner! #mschat
A4b: I wish we could build new schools that work for today’s students! Flexible, collaborative, transparent, welcoming, vibrant spaces where communities want to be! #mschat
A4: Simply, time & money. Time to do the quality planning, feedback, collaboration, & communication I dream of. Money for the nonessentials that still help (like a Yacker Tracker or Qball). #mschat
A4: I WISH I had the opportunity to co-teach every class period with @DebDiToro - I LOVE bouncing ideas off of her! When it's right... co-teaching is AMAZING for the Ts AND the Ss #MSChat
A4: Administrators and Lawmakers who value public education and take time to listen to what teachers & students have to say, and use this narrative to inform policy that matters and strives for equity & social justice in our schools... #mschat
I've started to guide students toward sites that they don't realize are super educational games. They are addicted to "Win The White House" on @icivics#mschat
Banning doesn't work we need to train students to be respectful with devices, mine ask if they can use and know I will let them when the time is right #mschat
In reply to
@BrysonBridget, @TeacherRunner42, @cmt215il
A5. Having the same schedule for the same amount of time with the same kids every day can be overrated. Variety is effective!
On another note, I sometimes think all of our acronym-ized learning strategies can be a little overrated. At some point, they don't seem authentic #mschat
A5: Group work doesn’t create collaboration- it creates hogs and logs! Need to purposefully utilize cooperative learning routines like @SpencerKagan in order to get all students into the game! #mschat
A5 Most overrated tools: grades and standardized tests. Unless we’re looking for tools to sort and rank kids and to perpetuate systems of power and privilege. #mschat
There are many digital resources and manipulatives that Ss can collaborate with. It allows for the teacher to use those manipulatives to differentiate instruction. Takes the "whole class instruction" element to a new level. #mschat
YES! Same here. I rarely have problems. I think that annoys some teachers. If there’s little to rebel against, they don’t rebel....plus, I need them to have devices to look things up when needed - saves me from doing it #authentic#usingavailabletools#mschat
In reply to
@blocht574, @TeacherRunner42, @cmt215il
Exactly. That kind of answer was acceptable when I was student and google was just starting to emerge in classrooms. But now we need to make it more transformative, to prepare students for THEIR futures not OUR pasts. #mschat@ERobbPrincipal@ToddRisser
In reply to
@Mr_Lisek, @BrookeEisenbach, @ERobbPrincipal, @ToddRisser
Yes--diversity in our texts and curriculum is critical. It's dangerous and damaging to have a limited, ethnocentric curriculum... this is why we need diversity (gender, race, age) in leadership also #mschat
I have a colleague who takes the adjustable part of the leg off of his tables and has kneeling desks. I'm going to do that to a few during the break. #mschat
One of our favorite @bridge_creek_ms students invited me to his birthday party this evening. I was telling some STUCO kids about and they wanted to help make his party amazing. We had a great time and made a young mans party! #oklaed#mschat#EduGladiators
Q7: FUN... in my room is generated with classroom games/competitions, Emoji's, and GIFs at the moment! It's always changing, but always fun! 😎😍🤩#MSChat
A6: Teaching Ss that their phone is a powerful tool that can be used for good. Always incorporating the word “Trust” when we work in a BYOT environment. #mschat
A6. Anyone have Promethean boards out there? ClassFlow activities are legit--can push them to individual kids devices or complete it on the board. #mschat
A6: Student-led teaching is great, too. Every Monday, a student group created a review "Do Now" and led their classmates through it. They created and asked ?s & called on classmates.They were engaged and challenged in so many ways! #mschat
A6 Graphic vignettes, spoken-word poetry, essays about their neighborhoods, stories in sound—if they’re writing about what matters to them and expressing their creativity, it’s fun AND meaningful. #mschat
