#UrbanEdChat Archive
#UrbanEd chat is a twitter chat for educators. Topics relevant to the subject of urban education will be discussed, but all educators are encouraged to join the conversation. The chats will be moderated by Ben and Neil, founders of Engaging Educators and elementary school teachers in Detroit, MI.
Thursday August 25, 2016
Twitter is having some issues!
Please introduce yourself, what grade you teach or position, and your location!
Middle school science teacher in NYC. Excited to swap ideas!
Hello everyone! Cindy Emerson, principal and from Vero Beach Elementary
Lindsey Ph.D. student @ Univ. of Miami and former Reading Coach/Teacher in Miami-Dade County Public Schools
6th grade Physical Science BR, LA
Chelsea in Miami - SPEDx10yrs (VA) now doc student in Miami
Question1 How do determine is an instructional strategy has been successful?
A1: Based on Ss interest and successful formative assessments (i.e. exit tickets)
A1: Usually if Ss ask to "do it again" sometimes I don't even consider something a "strategy" until I realize it engages them
A1: student engagement is a huge indicator. Then assessing along the way to see if students are mastering the standard.
What information do exit tickets give you? How do you keep up with them?
A1: You have to be cautious in making this determination because it's about learning and not being a gimmick.
I'm not an exit ticket fan. What do you all think about exit tickets?
Exit tickets allow me to see S thinking on paper. I pull a high, medium, and low to address misconceptions.
Definitely agree that they can easily be a gimmick. Like everything else they need to be purposeful https://t.co/YAfdlza5rN
A1: You have to be cautious in making this determination because it's about learning and not being a gimmick.
A1: What was the intervention for? What is the goal, who set it?
I use them at random when I feel students are not mastering the concept.
A1: I think measuring success depends entirely on what your intention was.
Q2 Differentiation is a hot topic! What are some effective strategies that you use to differentiate instruction?
I think exit tickets are a way to quickly assess whether Ss got something from the lesson or if I totally missed the mark
Question 2 https://t.co/PqSojDZOdU
Q2 Differentiation is a hot topic! What are some effective strategies that you use to differentiate instruction?
They taken over as a new "thing" and lost their purpose as a quick, easy, formative assessment https://t.co/YMMA8uKRfa
I'm not an exit ticket fan. What do you all think about exit tickets?
H, M, L, are the level of responses from students.
What is "high medium and low"?
if used to monitor T? Yes. Allows feedback on Ts and promotes reteaching when majority aren't "getting" it
I agree! I don't like all of that paper.
They're not effective for every lesson but they allow me to hear from each student and get a quick overview so I can revise
A2) Differentiate using a lot of pretesting. Find out where Ss are at & what they need. Tier assignments, Use choice
A2: Ss get the same assignment with some getting more information than others.
A2: The use of testing only shows how students are meeting our expectations, not theirs.
A2 : We must start differentiating based on student needs and responses and not an arbitrarily set "norm" imposed on Ts
Differentiate the quantity rather than always the complexity of text given to students
Differentiation menus are awesome to use.
Agree. Don't expect less, expect different.
Do we ever give Ss a chance to share their expectations? How can we meet them if we don't know them https://t.co/cUuCNfOGq8
A2: The use of testing only shows how students are meeting our expectations, not theirs.
Q3: Coming up in 1 minute!
Not our expectation. You have to measure them to a standard and see where they are. They can get there many ways
I use learning style surveys to address this issue. Ss are more than numbers.
A2: I like to differentiate the product and the process.
Q3 Many urban students are below grade level. How would you explain how scaffold instruction to a new teacher?
A2 When I assign group projects I assign Ss with specific roles and use that as a differentiation tool.
Question 3 https://t.co/6mA59rht0b
Q3 Many urban students are below grade level. How would you explain how scaffold instruction to a new teacher?
"standards" are expectations set by often disconnected power
A3:use Marzano's effective teaching strategies to help build their understanding and move them towards the grade level standard
Sorry I'm late... ugh, phone calls at *just the wrong moment*
A3: Determine the sub skills they need to reach the standard. What are the small parts to get to big goal. Start there
A3) Biggest success I always found was making it relevant, Ss centered & engaging. Have high expectations for all. Ss rise up.
Welcome and jump right on in!
A3: You have to become that S. Make it relevant and relatable to the S, then the rigor will come.
Great minds think alike! Relevance, relationship, and rigor.
A3 - an important component to new teacher scaffolding ability will be ongoing support.
A3) Having a good set (as in many) of intervention resources in your bag of tricks is a big help, too.
Yes!! Support is always necessary! https://t.co/0YdLJrwCAU
A3 - an important component to new teacher scaffolding ability will be ongoing support.
When Ss know you truly care for them, believe in them & will be by their side, they give more effort. You are in it together
Question 4 coming up in 1 minute!
A3 Giving Ss with more control so they acquire confidence. They hear the stats too. They need to know they don't have to be one
And too often we do not give our new teachers access to the type of ongoing support they need
Q4 Dissussion is important. How do you get reluctant students to engage in dialog in your classroom?
A3: Connection is important to struggling students. Ts are BUILDING confidence by teaching with these Ss in mind.
A3 scaffolding is how you handle those deemed "struggling". Making something relevant doesn't ensure understanding.
Question 4 https://t.co/UCkA2Zjwah
Q4 Dissussion is important. How do you get reluctant students to engage in dialog in your classroom?
I agree showing Ss you're working just as hard as they are is a huge factor in S success.
A4 build relationships, model behaviors, make it a safe environment that builds intrinsic motivation to WANT your heard
A4: A safe learning community and trust is key to getting those students to come out of their shells
Effort isn't always a choice. This plays into "they're just lazy" not identifying where an ability is challenged
A4: You have to open the lesson w/a hook (relevant, but attention grabbing). How does it apply to their daily life.
A4 Allowing students to engage in small groups. Sometimes they just have stage fright in class discussions.
This shows the importance of knowing your students
Very important part of teaching https://t.co/qIEQUa1Sbc
A3: Connection is important to struggling students. Ts are BUILDING confidence by teaching with these Ss in mind.
A4) Put them in a position where will feel successful & confident. Let them use notes or a drawing, Write it down, hear others.
Question 5 coming up in 1 minute!
A4 this year I also want to provide ELL's w/ the opportunity to engage in class discussions in their native language.
A4 - feeling success is the first step. Ss have to feel they are part of a system that they can win in
Q5 What formative assessment strategies have you used that have been successful? Why is formative assessment needed?
But it does open the door for them to think about the concept which leads to more ?s from the Ss.
Question 5 https://t.co/StrHi2z1le
Q5 What formative assessment strategies have you used that have been successful? Why is formative assessment needed?
I bet this is something could about
A5: I am huge fan of P. Keely. My fave is 4 Corners. Ss choose answers located in corners of the room and discuss answers.
A5 form. assess. is really a tool to reflect on teaching. Waiting until a unit test can result in reteaching an entire unit.
I think in teacher education we need to work towards a universal understanding of what our lingo even means
A5: I'm not sure if I have a go to formative assessment.
A5) Created a lot of kinesthetic learning games that provided me info on understanding, but was fun review for kids
A5 this is where exit tickets come in. They're quick and don't always have to be written. They can be verbal, gestures, etc.
4 Corners engages Ss in debate and allows me to hear S thinking. It allows Ss to correct themselves when they hear other Ss.
In Edu, we're so trained to attach to the latest buzzwords. I agree with you.
My principal wants them on paper....not my favorite!
A5) the students love . It's free and all u use is your own smartphone to get data.
A5 - I'm not sure I know where I stand on formative assessment...so many pros and cons
I'm trying this in my classroom this year.
Ss need more differentiation than that!
Here is article I wrote that gives information on all games created. Ss just loved being up & moving. https://t.co/fUIlYtqBvq
A5: Exit ticket ideas - Tweet, Facebook status, 3-2-1, Instagram.
And here lies the problem of admin making decisions that should be in the hands of the teacher
A6: What strategies have you found to be effective when engaging black boys?
Agreed. It seems like it's busy-work for busywork sake.
A6: As cliche' as it might sound, music! I use Mr. Lee and Mr. Parr YouTube channels. Sci concepts w/urban beats!
Getting to know the black boys in my classroom since being a boy/being black doesn't make them all the same
Thank you all for another great chat.! Be sure to tune in for another chat next Thursday!
