#6thchat is used to chat, collaborate, and grow with other sixth grade educators from around the globe. Each session we discuss a topic voted on by #6thchat participants. It's a great way to help grow your PLN and share ideas with others.
Welcome to #6thchat everyone! Please introduce yourself. Tell us what you do & where you're from. And welcome our special guest--author, speaker & innovation expert, Ted Dintersmith (@dintersmith)!
Find out how one 6th grade teacher transformed #familyengagement at her school using Family Playlists. 91% of families participated; ALL families agreed that Family Playlists helped them understand what their child was learning. #6thchat#relationshipshttps://t.co/vdQoeDIvWU
I just got in from my Open House! My head is still spinning from all the activity and meeting all my fantastic students and families! Another year begins! #6thchat
Here's a big shout-out to my colleagues from @LkVlFalconPride! We used #WhatSchoolCouldBe for a book study this summer. It has sparked so many great conversations. If they aren't here yet, they'll be joining. #6thchat
A1) This was an eye-opening observation when I first read it. It used to be considered a good thing that we got students on the "right track" based on skills. Now I feel like we could be shortchanging them way too early.
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A1: I definitely agree with that statement. In classes too often students are compared High/Mid/Low and then not enough is done to really bridge those gaps or develop their skills better.
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Yes, the educational ranking culture (especially at the college level) that we have globally is out of control and ultimately benefits no one. #6thchat
A1) I believe that this statement is true for many schools & even in some classrooms within our district. I have moved away from this thinking as I believe it is in the best interests of our students to help them discover their gifts, collaborate & become makers. #6thchat
And it really bugs me when some students get privileges such as "gifted" status and are provided opportunities that other Ss do not qualify for...#6thchat
A1 I feel like we see some of this in our SD, but do not feel like it is prominent yet. We can still work through the nonsense and focus on what is important at the school level. #6thchat
And so often, the 'gifted' students are good at something not terribly important. How many young kids are labeled gifted in math because they can do basic operations quickly w/o errors? Is that really gifted? #6thchat
And it really bugs me when some students get privileges such as "gifted" status and are provided opportunities that other Ss do not qualify for...#6thchat
Travis Lape Innovative Programs Director Harrisburg SD and just love @dintersmith work. We are working hard in our district. Our elementary has done away with grade levels. Middle school allows learning to schedule their day of core content. #Empowerment#6thchat
Not really until after the trip, when i wrote, threw out, and re-wrote the book! My first draft wasn't at all good, I dumped it, and then spent two months thinking about what I had really observed. #6thchat
Replying to @mrskochheiser Common discussion around math is that acceleation and Intervention can be eliminated with quality tasks- & equity too! #6thchat
A2 The ability to think critically, be able to judge information and sources, to have the confidence to participate and have a voice, and to know how to listen and consider the opinions of others. #6thchat
A2: We believe the 16Habits of Mind are skills that are not going away! This is the foundation to start to get learners to understand Self Efficacy Self Agency and Self Direction #6thchat
Absolutely! For awhile in our school 3rd grade Ss who couldn't read/do math as well were taught a second round of lessons in these subjects while others got science & social studies.I remember a kid who loved history but struggled to read but he had no Soc Studies. #6thchat
A2: One mindset that doesn't get much attention is the ability to deal with, even embrace, ambiguity. That can be very uncomfortable for many, and school piles on. But that's the world our kids will be adults in. #6thchat
A2. The global competencies outlined by Asia Society: investigate the world, recognize perspectives, communicate to diverse audiences, and take action. These are the skills I stress with my 8th graders.
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A2) The ability to problem solve, communicate, collaborate, discuss, persevere...the habits of mind, in my opinion are ones that will drive our Ss to a successful future. #6thchat
A3) Maybe the first big thing we have to do is help the community identify fools gold and real gold. Otherwise, it could be misinterpreted when we do share real gold. #6thchat
A3: Have the students do it. Place them in charge of a class Twitter or Facebook or Instagram and ask them what should be posted or shared w/ parents and other stakeholders. They are the ones that know what is real gold
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So sad for that kid! Although having taught social studies, I did sometimes feel like it was hard to meet the needs of all of the students and give all of them just the right challenge. Teaching LIteracy is easier in that way! #6thchat
Replying to @mpetty39 Q2- exactly- students need to know how to do things the computer can’t do- like discover patterns- it visual not an algorithm. #6thchat
Yeah I did watch that, and it was so tough to hear. Yet at the same time it was hard to argue with them since they are looking for what colleges want #6thchat
I was talking with @CathyNDavidson today, who related a study that showed that kids learning in conventional settings retain almost nothing -- on decent tests, they know 8%(!!) more than S's who didn't take the class. #6thchat
A3: So tricky! I think often the success comes many years later when students are doing well in college or beyond and are able to look back at which classes helped them. Hard to showcase in the moment. #6thchat
A3. Convince parents and school boards that rankings and traditional grades and scores on arbitrary standardized tests are irrelevant and meaningless. That's the world they live in and embrace. We need to offer kids alternative ways to show off their learning. #6thchat
I always worked to find text that interested him in his area of interest. He was much more interested in reading a "Who was Abraham Lincoln?" than other books. Find the Ss interest and there is the doorway to learning! #6thchat
Q3- in math, offering quality tasks with low floor and high ceiling which give everyone and entry point and enormous potential so they find success. #6thchat
A3) Provide Ss with opportunities to work with groups on authentic problems. Lead with Ss strengths and help them develop others. Be intentional in teaching the habits of mind & give Ss time to practice. #6thchat
Q3 pt 2a Every time a door shuts on the opportunity to learn/comprehend math, their future doors are closed. Many jobs of the future include math. #6thchat
A3) Provide Ss with opportunities to work with groups on authentic problems. Lead with Ss strengths and help them develop others. Be intentional in teaching the habits of mind & give Ss time to practice. #6thchat
A4 It brings to mind the student-led classroom and being the guide on the side. Stepping back and helping kids more forward from where they are. #6thchat
Q3 pt 2a Every time a door shuts on the opportunity to learn/comprehend math, their future doors are closed. Many jobs of the future include math. #6thchat
A4: it is about the learning here. When we grade something that means the learning stopped. We need to stop grading and offer feedback so that learning is continuous #6thchat
A4: This brings to mind that it is important to focus on authentic learning. If I want PEAK learning it has to be real and not just based on something that won't matter to them #6thchat
Yes, I agree 100% about meeting kids where their interest is. Pretty easy to do in Literacy. To be honest, it was harder to teach the ones that struggled with thinking in a complex way than with the ones who struggled with reading. #6thchat
A4: Agency is key. If we want our students to become self-driven adults, it's important that we provide opportunities for them to make their own decisions, even "bad" ones they can learn from. #6thchat
A4) Helping Ss understand their "Why" as a target for learning, and then how skills support that purpose. Again, being intentional in providing Ss with authentic learning opportunities. #6thchat
A4) I always say in life we learn things so we can do what we care about. In school we get it backwards. We do things that don't matter much to learn things we might need someday. No wonder they get bored! #6thchat
A4 It brings to mind the student-led classroom and being the guide on the side. Stepping back and helping kids more forward from where they are. #6thchat
A friend of mine at Olin College, Lynn Stein, uses the phrase "just in case" learning. Our S's spend lots of time studying things just in case they ever need them, just in case they even remember them. #6thchat
A4) I always say in life we learn things so we can do what we care about. In school we get it backwards. We do things that don't matter much to learn things we might need someday. No wonder they get bored! #6thchat
A5: Doing things differently than we were taught. Innovation to me means new and better, but if we are teaching as we were taught than it isn't new it is just sticking to what we know is safe
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A5) In general, it's doing new, useful things that haven't been done yet. In teaching, it happens to some degree when we do new things to meet unique needs of students. #6thchat
A5 Innovation in teaching is always questioning, reflecting on practices and trying new things in order to engage learners and make the best use of our limited time. #6thchat
A5) Innovation in teaching is creating opportunities for students to lead, giving them voice, and being responsive. It's trying even if we are uncomfortable with the "newness", being curious, and being reflective. #6thchat
A6) I know some very good teachers who aren't what we might call innovative. There's something to be said for applying tried strategies that work in many cases. In reaching those tough cases, though, all need to innovate somewhat. #6thchat
A6) Ts need to feel safe to innovate. If a school is more interested in a T being at the right place and on time with a pacing guide, then the T will be less likely to innovate. Leadership needs to model innovation and support Ts who are willing to innovate. #6thchat
A6 I think we should always be learning and making changes if they meet the needs of our students. Being innovative does not mean change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of improvement and engagement. #6thchat
A6: I think it is reasonable to ask teachers to be open-minded and ready to try new ideas. However, teachers should not be expected to jump on a new bandwagon every year. Sometimes consistency is good too! #6thchat
A6: I think a good goal could be an even split of 1/2 innovative methods and 1/2 tried and true methods. This is mostly because some Ts take innovation to extreme levels and need to avoid burnout or fatigue from too much #6thchat
To inspire innovation, act like their dreams are amazing and encourage them to make them a reality. Too often there's not time for that in the pacing guide. #6thchat
Based on my travels, and a lot of follow-on work I've done in North Dakota and Hawai'i, we now offer https://t.co/iLBLg3DgWS, with suggestions for small innovations T's can try. #6thchat
@dintersmith Q6- quality, low-floor, high-ceiling tasks in which every student can participate and find success through collaboration and creativity. #6thchat
Invite parents into classrooms as well as the school through exhibitions of learning and constant invitation. People need to see real learning rather than "data." #6thchat
#6thchat question 6 I think we have to be careful how we introduce innovation as a learning tool. Without purpose, innovation can turn into a fade and the learning fades.
A7: Authentic engagement is when that student doesn't want to leave your class because they are so engrossed in what they are doing. They are the 1st to enter and the last to leave knowing that they will be doing great things #6thchat
It emphasizes small steps that, over time, can lead to big changes. With this 'small step' approach, a T can shift practice a little, or a lot, depending on comfort level, results, and match w S's. #6thchat
A7) Helping Ss connect their ideas and learning with community, other problem solvers, global connections, etc. For example, I love global read aloud due to the connections my Ss make with other Ss around the world over a shared text. #GRA2018#6thchat
A7) When students are into the activity for its own sake, I think they are authentically engaged. I see it happen when they make something they care about.
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A7 Authentic engagement is when students are so involved they are on task and digging into what they are doing. @geniushour can bring this type of engagement out in my students. #6thchat
When I visit schools or address groups of educators, I ask them to think about what they'd do differently if their main goal were to get S's excited about a topic. Often, the answer is "lots"! #6thchat
Q7-too often, student turn away/are turned away from math due to lack of understanding “procedures.” Give students quality tasks to develop engagement and understanding. Give learning opportunities! #6thchat
A8: Have them create something that truly displays that knowledge. Any student can regurgitate on a test, but it takes real understanding to take their learning and shift and apply it to a realistic setting #6thchat
A8) Distributing the assessments (whatever they are) over time can ensure learning is being retained. Teaching others is also an excellent way to tell if it's truly learned. #6thchat
I observed a lesson on Romeo and Juliet where the teacher had the kids relate the relationships between the characters to their own friends. Kids were all about talking about how they would feel/react if their own friends treated them that way. They got it. #6thchat
In my film @mltsfilm we described the experiment Lawrenceville Academy (v expensive hs) did. S's returning in the fall retook their finals from June. Avg grade dropped from B+ to F. More schools should come up w their own way to determine whether S's are really learning. #6thchat
A8) Ss should think how they can share their knowledge w/ others. Provide Ss with voice & choice, they are likely to choose a pathway that fits their enthusiasm. I'm amazed at how creative Ss are when given the option to "show what they know" in any way they choose. #6thchat
Thanks so much to @dintersmith for joining us! It was a pleasure planning this with you. I really appreciate your effort to make important conversations happen. #6thchat
@mpetty39 and @dintersmith Thank you so much for a great discussion about What Schools Could Be! Great way to launch our year with this type of future driven thinking! Thanks!! #6thchat
Thanks to all. And deep gratitude for what you do to help the children in your classes. Teachers change lives. Very few other professions have this impact on so many. I wish you all a great school year, and am sure your kids will thrive!! #6thchat
#6thchat Questin 8 I am not sure if teaching others is a turn sign of learning. Being able to recall the learning and use the knowledge to solve a problem that was not used in the learning process would be more telling.
