#mschat Archive
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.
Thursday May 26, 2016
It is 8 pm ET time to get rolling with introductions
Topic for tonight's is summer learning
Let's start with introductions Todd here 6th grade science teacher from Warren, MI and chat moderator tonight
Join now to collaborate on decreasing summer slide
Join now to collaborate on decreasing summer slide
Hello! Abby, Bucks County PA, Special Education Teacher, grades 6-8
Hi, Susan from Loudoun County VA
Have an awesome night... This time of year is busy might be a slow night!
Good evening Susan, Hope all is well in VA
Questions will start in a few
Q1: How are you planning on learning this summer?
A1: Travel, spend time outside and with my kids... Become a student again and examine how my kids learn!
A1: I am attending a leadership academy with my team, PD shared as a team can be powerful learning
Looking like a slow night... That busy time of year
YES, PD shared in a relaxed setting is great... Away from the pressures of school
A1: I hope to go to our district leadership team's summer summit to PLAN for next year ...
A1: PD offered from school. Currently enrolled in an ABA program and am excited to work towards BCBA status this summer!
So with all this alphabet soup in education what is a ABA program and BCBA status?
A1: yes, PD with your team gives time to process, explore and plan for what comes next!
Hope I can join late! Leigh Anne 6th grade ELA from Indiana
Always welcome no tardies in
RT Q1: What are your summer learning plans?
Applied Behavioral Analysis, Board Certified Behavioral Analysis. Love the abc soup reference-it feels that way a lot ha!
A1 Several book studies and conferences/workshops. Summer is my time reflect and refine my teaching and learning.
Ah cool programs, not offered around here: Good luck
A1 District literacy PD in August; teaching summer schl so certain 2 lrn lots from the kids! :)
YES summer is reflection time and time to recharge the batteries!!
Ah summer school a great learning experience!!
A1: I hope to meet up with teachers in my and share what works and doesn't!
Yes, well... I'd normally be checking into if it weren't for these amazing middle schoolers. ❤️ https://t.co/BCXyWJxWFo
Ahhh, the .
Be kind to the middle schoolers, twitter.
We've all been there They are the worst years for everyone.
Yes! I have 4 conferences scheduled this summer & 2 I am presenting in-total of 6! I've dubbed this the "Summer of Fun"!
Q2: What are our hopes for our students summer learning?
Will see many of my blogging friends at AllWrite in a couple of weeks. Major refueling there!
Enjoy the learning and fellowship!
A2: I hope my students will get out and experience life! Try something new, ask questions and wonder about the world ...
A2: Hope my students have FUN and don't just sit around all day doing "nothing"
A2: I hope Ss keep reading and getting more familiar with technology to enhance their learning
A2: For my SS, my hope for them is to not regress smmer is a hard time 4 some of our lowincme students. Any skill practice is great!
I hope my students get the chance to just be kids. Many have lives where they have to be the adult sometimes.
YES summer is hard for many of our students, I see many students who hate to see school year end
A2: And climb trees and swim and ride bikes and play till the stars come out :) that they Be kids!
lots of packets will be going home and a lot of information for free opportunities/events in the community!
GREAT, Just hope they make it home... our often in up in the hallways all over the floor (for the ss in most need)
Here's for hoping...there's no paper to spare this time of year!!
OH YES< Kids need to be kids... Hopefully disconnected from WIFI for a couple of days too!
A2: Kids need to be bored and figure out life isn't always go, go, go and discover who they are!
A2 I hope they find something they enjoy doing that they can continually improve upon in the years to come.
Q3: How do our schools help parents continue learning for their students in the summer?
A3 let them know what opportunities are available to them.
A1: My kids school has a summer day camp, with weekly themes and tons of activities for 6 weeks (for about $10 per week)
A2: I hope my students wifi routers break down this summer
Do you just send it home, post on internet, call?
A3: Schools offer academic "camps" where learning keeps them current while they have fun playing!
OR their families turn them off (we do for a 6 hours a day in summer) breaking would cost money to fix
Sadly where I work really only has summer school... Not a good option for ALL
I send it home. As the end of the year nears I'm always talking about fun stuff to do over the summer. Lots to do in KC
Metro Detroit has tons of activities to participate in but sadly most of our students can't get transportation
A3 In my district & my kids' district lots of creative summer classes, diff than usual schl yr
A3: Also camps for the arts, to spend time on cultural activities too!
A3: parents need to take time getting to know their kids, play with them...special programs less important than special parents
That is cool, Are classes staffed by teachers or community members?
NOTHING beats a good old FAMILY VACATION (everyone needs one in the summer for at least a week!)
Running late...Ryan from MI, Social Studies
Q4: Besides learning this summer what activities are on your plate? Fun or other...
A4 moving, canoeing, camping
A1: Doing some reading on Standards Based Learning and adapting my lessons to more project based learning.
A4: sleep, eat, read, play, sleep :)
A4: Trip to the LAKES, Heading to Toronto with Family and hope to spend time hiking with friends
A2: That my Ss take to getting to know their city. It's important to understand their culture and how it became what it is.
Repeat... SOUND like a great plan...
Q4A ANY books on your summer reading list?
A4: I plan a summer of fun! doing standardized tests, turning in worksheets, getting bullied...
A3: Diving even deeper into personalized, blended learning
A4: actually I'll be cutting wood, spending time with wife, volunteering
AWESOME, school has you well prepared for summer
Cutting wood for fun? I have some that needs cutting
A3: "Blended" by Michael Horn & Heather Staker & "Make Learning Personal" by Barbara Bray & Kathleen McClaskey
A4: I hope to catch up reading Explore like a Pirate and if time permits explore some "maker" activities
A3: Provide a list of learning opportunities that are available for them. Tips for making everyday tasks a learning opportunity.
Cool, My reading list is a mile long too: Some much awesome other there!
A4: Rereading 's Move Your Bus to rejuvenate myself and prepare for a year of going above and beyond.
I make campfire wood for state park...punch in/out when I want, tangible results, good exercise, logs don't argue with me
Finally proof that our job is applicable to real life!
Sounds like a stress free summer job... unless the ax slips
Doing a book study with PLN on The Journey is Everything
A4: I re-read George Washington Carver biography every other summer...
Q5: Reflecting on this year, What do you want to retool for next school year?
I actually have his biography and have read it ...ONCE so you know it better than me! Incredible person
A5: I want to give students more ownership of learning! Give them essential questions and let them discover answers
A5: A year more comfortable with the curriculum means I can better adapt my lessons to meet Ss needs.
A5 the science fair, and our hw policy
A5: Move towards more hands on activities ... want to build challenges for students with NO right answers and see what happens
Hi! Coming in late! kristin- 6th grade ELA/Ss teacher from Michigan a5: always tweaking
A5 I want to better utilize Google Classroom next year and try
A5.2: Oh, and more dance parties to celebrate successes.
A5: Helping novice Ts connect, help to expand their networking to engage in collaboration across curriculum and schools
A5: My students are becoming more narcissistic, I need find ways to help them think different
yes!!! is the best thing I've done professionally for me & best way to help my Ss SEE empowerment in action
I think that is MS developmental... BUT yes need them to think more about the world around them and less them
that's a goal of mine for my geometry class...so many ways to inspire kids thru hands on
That is such a hard thing to do. I'm trying to more on Twitter!
Used to do 5 second dance party at random points in class. Our departing 8th graders still ask for them when they see me.
A5: wanting to give better feedback & helping my Ss reflect on it more productively
Would love some tips! Wanted to start this year but just couldn't make the jump by myself!
get those new teachers on Twitter!
A5: More project based learning activities. Also, more opportunities for primary source analysis
Cool! I used to do 10 minute build challenges every Friday and now BEG for them. When they like it, school ROCKS
Agree with both, I always forget about primary source activities need to remember to incorporate
Kids liking school!? Weird. That HAS to be bad for education.
