#RuralEdChat is a chat that focuses on the needs of the rural educator. This chat has been revised by Tammy Neil (@MathNeil), John Martin (@edventures) and Natalee Stotz (@nataleestotz).
I'm Matt, your comfy, cozy, winter holiday loving moderator for the night. As we get started, take a moment to introduce yourself and your connection to rural edu! #RuralEdChat
Hi everyone! I'm Therese and I'm a pre-service teacher! I live in Montana, so there are a lot of rural schools that my college interacts with!
#RuralEdChat
Just a reminder as @try_rebooting gets us started, don't forget to add #RuralEdChat to your messages so we can all share your brilliant ideas and thoughts.
Tonight, we'll be talking about gifts we'd like to give that can't be packaged up and present. Whether it be thankfulness to your peers, graciousness for your community, we're looking for adds for our own shopping guides! #RuralEdChat
A1: I wish I could gift my students the ability to see their potential. So many don't see what I or others around them see. Just a glimpse of that may just change the way they feel about themselves. #RuralEdChat
Whenever I've worked with students, I've wished I could gift them more confidence. Struggling Ss and gifted and talented Ss put themselves down so quickly when they cannot understand the material right away.
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A1: I wish I could gift my students perseverance. So many of my high successful students are the ones who just kept working and learning though all of the challenges. They can do it, and I wish I could gift them the ability to all see it. #RuralEdChat
A lot of similar thoughts on there for A1, so I want to go on a tangent:
Q1b: What can we do to try to give our students the gift of self confidence? #RuralEdChat
Hi! I live in an obscure area of the #GreatPlains. I work online with other teachers of science, EFL, & technology. Giving the unwrappable gift of empathy for all. Ask honest questions to understand differences and similarities. #RuralEdChat
#RuralEdChat: Tonight, in the middle of the holiday season, let’s chat about the gifts we want to give that can’t be wrapped, boxed, or bagged! What would you give if you could give anything?
See you at 8:30 pm ET!
This is such a good point. There is no way the students can feel confident in themselves if they are lacking food, sleep, or feel unsafe at home or school. #RuralEdChat
This is something I do indirectly, and I wonder if I should just do directly. I.E. I only address the need for sleep individually with a student if they fall asleep in class. Or confidence with quiet students. Maybe just bring up how we all have all of these needs #RuralEdChat
A1b: We have to provide students with as many opportunities for success as possible. Not by manufacturing "easy" activities, but by really paying attention to Ss needs and supporting Ss where they need it. #RuralEdChat
A1b: Students can also benefit from having the opportunity to work towards improvement. Instead of having static evaluations, allowing at least students that struggle to retake tests or assessments can be helpful.
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A2: Because of the switch to standards based grading in some Montana schools, I would gift parents the ability to understand that transition, or at least understand it more, so they can better support their children.
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A2: I want to gift my parents the ability to be involved in more of my class concepts I send students home with - so many of our families and parents work so hard just to put food on the table, they simply can't also learn CS and algorithmic problem solving! #RuralEdChat
This is such a good gift. I'm realizing now that for all the talk of standards I'm involved in, it's all educators and almost no parents... #RuralEdChat
Interesting. It is hard, too, because at least in middle and high school, not a lot of parents come to open house or PTC nights, so there is no effective time to address the concern orally with all parents unless multiple meetings were arranged
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A3: I'm really interested to hear your answers and reasonings for this questions since I have not had the opportunity to work with administrators in a professional setting yet! :)
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A3: I would give the gift of Time if I could give any gift to Administrators everywhere. There is so much required of them. Many don't have enough time to get it all done. #RuralEdChat
A3: I'd love to give my admin my gratefulness! We've had a lot of success in starting our CS program, but there have been a lot of struggles and failures, and they've believed in us through it all. I couldn't be more thankful. #RuralEdChat
A3b: I would also give Administrators everywhere the gift of discernment. The ability to know which spark may turn into a blazing inferno takes a bit of magic. Knowing what spark to stomp out quickly is key.
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A3: I'd also give them the gift of vision. They've had a lot, but we're going to need to continue having a lot more to keep our rural school up to speed in addressing our students' need #RuralEdChat
Need vision. Everyone. Can't all be captains of the ship but must have some ability to interact with visions. Must not always be in the moment.. #RuralEdChat
A4: Education world related, it has to be all of the thank you works and notes I get from my students. They make my day (and often week and month!) #RuralEdChat
So far, just having students I work with come to me about questions has been awesome because it means that I’m building the teacher student relationship with them. #RuralEdChat
A4 Ha! Whoops! In that case, I would say the gift of being a kindred spirit of an educator: sharing the humor, moments of inspiration and challenges. #ruraledchat
A5: Educationally speaking, stronger relationships with my students. It's only my first year at this school. I know that as we grow together, we will know each other better. #RuralEdChat
A5: I wish I had more time! Today in particular, more time with my students. It's December already, and there so much I wish I could help them learn but know I won't be able to #RuralEdChat
One of my students is starting a college prep program with a community college. Half of his day will be classes there, so he will no longer be in mine, and I'm sad to lose him. He's one who pushes me to be a better educator. #RuralEdChat
