#2ndaryELA Archive
#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!
Tuesday October 25, 2016
8:00 PM EDT
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Welcome to tonight’s chat! Please introduce yourself. Tell what & where you teach. Share your blog link if you have one.
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Jennifer from MO, teach future Ts in , presently conducting research on chat community! Love it!
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Don't forget: use on responses & replies to others, label your responses w/A1, A2, & follow anyone chatting with us
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So excited about this topic tonight in all about
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Tom from Huntsville, TX. I teach 9th grade ELA.
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Hi, O'neika 7th grade English NYCDOE
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I'm Brynn Allison, chat co-host. 8 yrs teaching HS English & reading interventions in Philly. Blog: https://t.co/cyx1WlfdS8
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Alecia from metro-Detroit area, Michigan // I teach 7th & 8th grade ELA!
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Becky Instructional Coach 5-12 from Iowa! & Co teacher of 10th ELA!
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check out our FB group to continue the conversation all week long. 1,800+ members & growing! https://t.co/w6efwWzXkk
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Hi! I'm Hillary from Indiana - I teach 8th grade ☺️
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Hi! Colleen from Memphis TN. I am coteacher for 8th ELA
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Q1: Do you do project based learning (PBL), genius hour, or 20% time in your classroom? What purpose does it serve?
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Hello! So glad to be here tonight.
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Hi! Jennifer from CA - I teach AVID 8/9, English 8 and Reading. My blog is about teaching and mothering - https://t.co/gPzZEqwbyq
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Who are you guys? You post like teachers but sounds like an org. Which is it?
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A1: We do not - We *must* use SpringBoard but I am thinking I can convince the "team" to do both - maybe?
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What does "coteacher" mean? Do you have a teaching partner & twice the kids? Or is 1 of you a sped teacher?
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A1: I do PBL units with my gifted and talented students. I want them to challenge themselves.
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A1: I haven't done PBL but interested in learning how others have used it in ELA.
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A1 - I tried genius hour last year with my home room class. It was not for a grade but rather for SS growth and enjoyment
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It's worth a try! All they can say is no, right?
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A1 we're looking into some PBL stuff to challenge higher students. Anyone do FPS?
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Are you a primarily G&T teacher? Or do you have ALL Ss?
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That's how my son's 8th gr ELA teacher did with his class last yr! LOVED it! He did his on Learned A lot!
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I think it is very well organized and intellectual. It can be dry though....
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A1 - it was a cool experience to kind of get my feet wet, in a sense. Def think more planning was necessary to set deadlines
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I have 1 ENL class, 1 reg, 1 G&T
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Cassie from MO! First year teacher at FHS!!
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That is awesome! I wish that would have been happening when I was in the reg classroom - almost 10 years ago now!
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Q2: How did you get started with this type of learning and how did you introduce it to students?
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Ts, plz fill out short survey to share thoughts of chat as PLN https://t.co/gGsoheIAnC Help w/ research! Share exp!
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Ts, plz fill out short survey to share thoughts of chat as PLN https://t.co/gGsoheIAnC Help w/ research! Share exp!
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That keeps it interesting!
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A1: Had some exposure to what PBL is & what it can be but no full PBLs yet. I would say more "dessert" projects than anything.
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Great! I've just seen you post a lot and just wondered!
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A2: About 10 years ago I created "Investigation Lab" time. I made binders of activities/projects that could be done with any bk.
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I'm lucky to have a good partner! We support each other and can include SWD. I love it!
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A2 - I had read a blog another T had wrote about doing 20 time with her SS. Thought it wouldn't hurt to try!
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A2: lucky that our school has a grade-wide PBL built in.I've noticed how much Ss learn and want to keep building on it.
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A2: I started with researching PBL. I jumped right in. Sink or swim. We try the growth mindset approach. Trial and error.
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It def was! He created a website to show off his learning. If I get his permission, I'll post it
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A2: gauge student interests and turn them into an applicable driving question to get them thinking! Or videos? ...
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That sounds like a neat idea. Could students look through binder and pick?
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A2: Ea. proj. had a set # of pts. There was a rubric I used for all proj. Ss had to earn 100 pts by end of the qtr
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That's what my son's T said as well. Like everything, you reflect & learn each time
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Q2: Always found that students were quick to grab hold of the process themselves once introduced. Lots of enthusiasm abt it.
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Yes! They chose the project - big ones = big pts.
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A2: I haven't done PBL/Genius Hour yet, but this is a great video I'd use to get students interested https://t.co/vtVT28YEq9
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Where in MO? I'm in Bolivar, about 30 mi north of Springfield I teach at
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A2 - to introduce the project 2 SS I had a slide on board that read "what would you do if I told you to study anything you want?"
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A2: Always found that students were quick to grab hold of the process themselves once introduced. Lots of enthusiasm abt it.
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Love that "dessert" reference!
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Actually that was the beauty part - they could pick what they liked - they just ahd to earn 100 pts by end of qtr.
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Are you always willing to step out and try something new? Not all Ts are!
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Q3: What PBL units have you done or are you interested in doing?
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What an awesome question. I'm wondering what I would choose...
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Was this agreed upon by Ts only or brought to you by admin? Just wondering! Sounds great!
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A3: Units depend on our SpringBoard....sounds lame, huh? But it could be cool w/ just a little twist of thinking!
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Funny! I just referenced to someone else! That's really what you HAVE to have to do this!
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Not sure what you mean by "or videos?" Plz clarify
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started by Ts, but made grade-wide by Administrators Who initiates does make a difference.
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Love that! "Daring" is a great adj for any T who tries something new, & esp by oneself!
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A3: Last year we did a Disability Awareness PBL. It ended with a Shark Tank full of prototypes designed to assist with SWDs.
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But you are not REALLY alone, right? Not with all your Twitter pals around!
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Absoluely! But it's great that you had support from all the right places!
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A3: Interested in PBL for poetry unit. Good places to start?
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Do it! Ss got SO much out of it. I will say...reflection piece really made it more of a rich edu exp.
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Wow! You lone wolves need each other, right? Is this why you are active on Twitter?
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A3 - I liked doing the genius hour and allowing the kids to research and tell other SS about their interests and passions
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Can I push back a little & ask if this is REALLY if the T is telling everything that is going to be done?
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Q4: How do you plan final products that are standards-based and rigorous while still engaging for students?
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Gotcha! Now I understand!
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You definitely have a point! I guess this was my way of dipping my toe in yrs ago!
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A3: I'm interested in one using short stories or around conflict or characterization..anything!
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Yes, that's what I thought, but just wanted to see your response! We do have to start somewhere, & usually .....
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A4 - students can use research skills to gather information for their projects - citing evidence, MLA formatting, etc
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That somewhere is still w/ a little cntrl. Giving total control to Ss from day 1 is unnerving! (& Not very smart)
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I need a better balance of control and not so much control :) .
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A4 - to keep things engaging, SS can create videos to share their work, post their work to online discussion boards like
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A4: With any project, I think choice is key. We all think/learn differently and should have options to exhibit that learning
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A4: Backwards design - start with the grading rubric. :)
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A4 - SS could create websites to show the process of their project - then share the websites and make connections that way too
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Love this! If you hadn't told them anything about this, they prob were taken aback (in a good way)!
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A4: Let students have choice over the medium of how they present their final project... Video, website, options are infinite
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A4: figure out a way to get some real-life application component with and authentic audience. Final project component up to Ss
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Q5: What have been the biggest obstacles? Biggest successes?
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I agree! Allowing choice = setting the kids up to surprise you, in a good way 🤓
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I know! Me too! That advice is coming from a prime Type A personality (so a little hypocritical)
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LOVE this idea! I've heard of admin who did T PD like this...can't remember where I saw it
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A5 - I had a SS tell the class about a disease her brother had. Talk about bringing light to a situation & a personal connection
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A5: Biggest obstacles: time management and losing interest
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Yes! As long as you are mtg Springboard standards, do they care HOW you get there?
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A5 - biggest obstacles would be helping SS who feel like they are lost at where to start and overwhelmed by idea of research
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A5: There is so much prep tied to differentiation. Although it is worth the time/effort, some Ts are overwhelmed
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A5: Biggest successes: when students, parents, teachers, and admin can have fun at the end product presentation
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A5: Biggest obstacles- time management, giving up control, losing interest, not knowing all the details :)
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When I was tchg 1st gr, I had Ss become T for the day to teach others about their passion. on MUCH smaller scale
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I agree - the control thing is hard for me to let go of sometimes 🤓
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A5: Seeing students engaged and in control of their learning while making a difference in the classroom and beyond
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I agree, some students feel defeated at the get go if they don't know where to start
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Absolutely! Sometimes giving choice means assessment is difficult. Solutions?
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Thanks for chatting with us tonight. Next week's chat: independent reading. See you on 11/1 at 8pm EST
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Time management is huge! Some Ss are done in 1 period, others take three weeks!
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I think collaboration with colleagues is crucial. Divide and conquer when it comes to the prep work!
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Time management I totally understand! Got to be lots of scaffolding along the way!
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But "losing interest?" Why do they lose interest if they choose it?
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I think breaking projects into small steps with hard deadlines is helpful for some. Early finishers could help peers
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Sooooo true! Is there a simple way? What's the answer?
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Love that soln! But you have to have colleagues who are willing! I've been in diff situations & wonderful ones
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Hhmm. Good question. Middle schoolers?
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I run a workshop approach. Ss are IN in selecting tasks tied to IN goals. This approach allows time
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How do you break proj into small steps if everyone is working on something different?
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Good pt! I understand....but maybe when they lose interest, you could challenge them to add another/diff element
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I always look forward to this time each week to connect with all you folks out there in the Twittersphere!
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Thanks for a wonderful chat!
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Only a few minutes left until we start chatting about creative writing! Join us!
