Hey friends! I’m Margaret, HS tech coach. I heard laurel clear as day the first time. Couldn’t understand how people heard anything else.... Just listened again and was less clear #novaedchat
Hi #NoVAedchat Brian here - former English teacher, now ESOL data guy writing the occasional YA novel. I'm a Laurel but my son is sitting right next to me and he's a Yanny.
Least Restrictive Environment. I feel that in middle school we don’t do enough for our Extended or Honors kids to get them ready for high scho and the rigor of AP. Nor do we help our lowest and our English learners by placing them all in one room to learn together. #NoVAedchat
A1 It's all about connecting for me. #Relationships make all the difference. I heard from a former student this week that reminded me how important this is #NOVAedchat
A1: I feel most strongly about students leaving school with skills they can actually use - at a job, in society, simply as a productive and inquisitive person. #NoVAedchat
A1 I also feel really strongly about our students having the best experience possible. That means we have to be learning and growing. I love seeing our practices evolve #KnowBetterDoBetter#NoVAedchat
A1: When I think about education I feel most strongly about allowing Ss to investigate and discover. Putting them into real life situations that allow them to be the ones really learning. #PBL#novaedchat
@MCKeatingCHS came to share an example of this from her classroom. Ss asked her if they could substitute a different activity they came up with at a station rotation because it helped them learn more. Um, yes!! Creating learners is our business! #NoVAedchat
It's not an either or!! I think our answers are very much related. We must have relationships to challenge and support our students appropriately #NoVAedchat@ItsMrsDuffy
A1: i also feel strongly ... that we have a responsibility to prepare students to be independent thinkers and problem solvers. All curriculum aside. #NoVAedchat
A1: One very much neglected part of American education is the almost complete lack of direct input from students themselves. They have no say in curriculum, calendar, pedagogy, assessment, pretty much everything about their own education. #NoVAedChat
A1a: I also believe it's about the relationships with the Ss. If you can make connections with them you will be able to get them to do anything. My grandfather used to say a great leader can get you to run through a wall. A poor leader makes you build a wall. #novaedchat
A1: I agree about rapport and relationships. I can't recall each and every lesson from all of the teachers that I had, but I can certainly remember how my favorite teachers always made each of us feel extremely valued & respected as individuals. #NoVAedchat
So my question would be, how do we help students to think independently when most of what they do in school is planned for them by adults? Just askin’ :-) #NoVAedChat
When students are not placed in appropriate classes they learn to dislike and resent the teacher and the content which shuts down all hopes of a relationship.
Krissy from Springfield, teacher in Alexandria.
A1 Providingnskills that are life long, not just reading, writing, and math but processing and critical thinking skills too. #NoVAedchat
I made it when I was in the classroom and my Ss and I loved it. At first it takes some work, but once you get them planned your set. Its also great to see where Ss take them because each class is different. #NoVAedchat
I think activist has a negative connotation because of the media’s portrayal of activists. It’s not until I talk about and teach advocacy that my students learn about activists. I think activists advocate for those who can’t or won’t. #NoVAedchat
Yup...in public school definitely... PBLs allow for more independent thinking. Would love to work at a school that focused on building social and critical thinking skills rather than “standards” and allow students to explore topics of interest. Wouldnt that be fun! #NoVAedchat
I made it when I was in the classroom and my Ss and I loved it. At first it takes some work, but once you get them planned your set. Its also great to see where Ss take them because each class is different. #NoVAedchat
I think we include student choice. The contents are the same but the perspective, topic and product are all chosen by the student with guidance from a teacher. We have to be willing to change our practice. #NoVAedChat
A2: Activist can be positive or negative, depending whether the person supports the activism or not. I’m in favor of embracing the term regardless. Teachers need to be more vocal, as is happing in WV, OK, AZ, and now NC. #NoVAedChat
A2: I used to think being an activist was a bad thing. Though now as I ake the transistion to being and Instructional Coach I feel its wat we are as Ts. Its all about having beliefs and standing up for them no matter what. #novaedchat
A2 - it's so interesting to listen to folks' perception of activism/activists. I think it really is determined by their position on the issue. I believe we have to stand up for what we believe with action - even when it's challenging most times #NoVAedchat
A2: I used to think being an activist was a bad thing. Though now as I make the transistion to being and Instructional Coach I feel its what we are as Ts. Its all about having beliefs and standing up for them no matter what. #novaedchat#novaedchat
Remember that old poster many of us (probably) had in our classrooms - doing what is right isn't always popular and what is popular isn't always right? I think it's like that #NoVaedchat
If we aren’t willing go stand up for ourselves and each other what do we teach the kids in our room and our own (if you have them)? We complain their apathetic but we sometimes don’t set the best example. #NoVaedchat
Start small. Speak up for what you think is best in your classroom or for a particular group of kids you teach that may not be getting a fair shake. Not all activism is on a large scale or will make the nightly news. #NoVAedChat
A3 Asking tough questions is a good start. How do we make this about what is best for kids? How do we create good working conditions for teachers? #NoVAedchat
A3: You're an activist as a teacher because you stand up for whats best for not only your Ss, but all Ss everyday. When others question what you do you need to stand up for whats right and support your thinking. #novaedchat
Personally, I’d like to see more teachers blogging. Writing on the web not only helps you think through your ideas but also opens the possibilities for discussion. #NoVAedChat
A3a: This also means standing up for yourself as a Teacher because whats good for you is good for the Ss. If you aren't worried about about the little things it allows you to focus on the bigger things and help your Ss. #novaedchat
A3 Tricky as a teacher because for many things we need to be neutral. Teach kids to have an opinion, give them tools for research and ways to express their opinions. #NoVAedchat
Sometimes advocacy and activism is thankless and exhausting because hon stand on your soap box and yell as loud as possible me and no one looks up. Keep advocating and standing up, we see you and one day they will too. #NoVAedchat
Thank you! @TechyMargaret All of my students were important & I want(ed) the best for each of them, just like most educators do & my teachers did for me. I still greatly enjoy hearing about their accomplishments & adding to my photo "Album of Pride" whenever I can! #NoVAedchat
I agree, this is an issue that teachers have to balance. Advocate but remain neutral. Personal lives and school lives often intersect and overlap #NoVaedchat
This is so true and is exactly how I feel right now. I know what's best for Ss, but a good chunk of Ts and staff don't agree. Many days I feel like I am a lone wolf and it can be discouraging at times. Though then I see a Ss reaction and it lights my fire again. #NoVAedchat
A3 Struggling with this as a writer as well, feeling like I should be neutral, but also wanting to express opinions. Finally decided that after writing two books about 1960s activism, I better step up to the plate. #NoVAedchat
#NovaEdChat A3: I'm always in pursuit of increasing our enrollment for #CSforall education. Engaging students and getting them excited about education will develop when they understand the world around them. Everyone should bring this to their school. https://t.co/NdnteIAZWT
A3 Struggling with this as a writer as well, feeling like I should be neutral, but also wanting to express opinions. Finally decided that after writing two books about 1960s activism, I better step up to the plate. #NoVAedchat
Standing up for each other. We have a large EL population at our school. They look out for each other, help our newcomers navigate the intricacies of MS. They translate and teach their friends how to survive outside of the bilingual classroom. #NoVAedChat
#NovaEdChat A4: Nothing ignites students more than when they are affected by the issues. #Parkland Also, when they get involved in community issues through #FCPScapstone, they realize issues need their voice. They are the change we need.
A4 I loved persuasive writing when I was teaching, because it was such a great opportunity to see what students think and what is important to them. Totally inspired by the students now speaking out for gun control. #NoVAedchat
Yes! Nothing makes me happier than when a student asks for their accommodations or a dictionary or a translation. Take control of your learning! Know what you’re entitled to and ask for it! #NoVAedChat
A4: I think of a group of Ss I started working with in 3rd grade, trying to teach them to be advocates for themselves. Now in 5th grade and they were given a task by their teacher. Well they had a plan for doing it a different way and they convinced the teacher. #novaedchat
A4 I think helping students see they do have a voice that matters is important. Listening to them. Making change when they persuade you. Starts a spark of something greater #NoVAedchat
A4: I’m not sure schools want activist students. They are most likely to start with the issues closest to them, which often means challenging school policies. That makes for nervous principals. :-) #NoVAedChat
A4: I haven't seen my students take on activist roles but I have seen older students take on activist roles by standing up for what they believe in. #NoVAedChat
Teach them! Show them activism at work in people their age. Malala, Parkland. Encourage them to ask for what they want. What’s the worst that can happen, someone says no? #NoVAedchat
“Good” is a relative term. In my first high school, the principal censored student newspaper articles about the cafeteria food and other seemingly minor issues. #NoVAedChat
A5 By the time a S arrives to school, most have advocated , negotiated, planned and organized their way there given whatever home life they have. Using filters and vocab that identify this type of agency would lay the path for the S to bring his skill set to #NoVAedchat
A5: I think you can foster student activism in our classes and schools by 1. Modeling it ourselves. 2. Allow Ss to be inquiry learners. #PBL#GeniusHour I picture Vygotsky here. Teach, Model, Release. #novaedchat
Ugh. However I think there I a very fine line between censorship and too much student voice. If we don’t model or teach activism responsibly, you have teenagers with more power than they know what to do with. #NoVAedChat
A5b Also teaching them how to sift through all the information that's out there today to find facts and sound research to base their opinions on. #NoVAedchat
We could start by asking students to research local problems and then work with activists in the community to develop possible solutions. And all of it needs to be published to the web as they work. Having an authentic audience helps. #NoVAedChat
#NoVAedChat A5: Offer opportunities to explore local, national and world issues. How might they support local (non-profit) organizations and how can they make their community better? Start with that as your driving question! #PBL
Yep, I would also like to see our students take on the local issues, maybe related to the UN Global Goals and develop their solutions. Like a science fair, but more of a community impact. Share with gov't officials and others #NoVaedchat
We also have a responsibility to show Ss how to react, respond and reflect when activism doesn’t get them their desired result. Student voice is great but we have to teach them what to do when their voices aren’t heard the first or tenth time. #NoVAedChat
It's been great to watch some of my adult friends start to do this work after some recent events and issues. Identifying ways they can make a difference and actually taking action. How cool if our Ss did it too? #NOVAedchat
Even at the smallest age, teach them to write letters professionally to school leaders, local leaders etc. basic skills to build on when they’re older. #NoVAedchat
Have my student become activists an advocate for a change they would like to see happen at our achool next year. This goes in conjunction with our Civil Rights unit. They can write a letter to the principal or request a meeting. #NoVAedchat
Very true. This must start in elementary school. We put off so many things into high school believing that younger students are not capable or can’t understand. ES kids are often more capable than we are willing to acknowledge. #NoVAedChat
