#TeacherEdChat Archive
We invite all educators to contribute to the conversation of preparing preservice teachers as well as practicing teachers for the realities of the 21st-century classroom. This includes principals, in-service teachers, university supervisors of student teachers, education professors, higher education administration, instructional technology specialists, and so on. Anyone with a vested interest in supporting our teachers in preparation for teaching the diverse K-12 student population is invited to participate.
Monday October 24, 2016
How exciting! Welcome, welcome! We are here to support you, Jennifer!
Joining from Connecticut where I teach graduate education courses. Use many hashtags.
Hi I am Terry and my hashtag would be
Try to jump on which just started.
We will follow Q1/ A1 format & don’t forget to include in all your responses. Let your voice be heard!
Hi ! Akilah, from VA, Professional Learning Specialist. My hashtags are , and
Perfect hashtag, Terry and happy to see you here on
Love this hashtag! Amazing! Welcome, Maureen!
Let’s meet for the next 60 minutes to discuss Intentional School Culture on .
Hi! Vincent Ventura - Int’l Literacy Consultant
Great to see you here my friend! Excited for tonight's !
Your job title is impressive and glad you're here on
A1:Hi I'm Sheri. I teach 2nd grade and my hashtag would be
Hi Suzanne! Love this hashtag! So fitting for tonight's , too! Welcome!
Hi Terry! Great to see you here :)
WV principal of elementary school
Get ready to connect! Q1 on coming up in 1 minute!
Shana from metro Atlanta. Hashtag is and
Greetings all. Greg from Chattanooga hanging out for a bit.
Hopefully we all are a & happy to find you on
Hi Sheri! I am with you! With so many incredible opportunities, I too ! Welcome!
Hi My name is Diona, Principal Pre-K-5 building my hashtags r &
Howdy Dene! Love this hashtag! Great to see you here!
Hi! Kim DeFusco, supervisor of library media in Tampa, FL. b/c that's what the library media center should be
Sorry my hash tag would be . Or
Hi there ! Such a perfect hashtag for you :)
Hello everyone. My name is Ryan Bernardi from Boston now residing in Elon, NC
A1: Willingness, collaborative effort, mindset of growth, innovation, support/encouragement, balance
A1: Leadership of the school. Other stakeholders. Physical location of school.
Yes, the library media center is & thanks for joining tonight.
A1 staff attitude, S engagement, how staff greet campus visitors
A1) Leadership and relationships are some elements that shape a school culture.
Hi my friend! So happy you are here! You model so beautifully in your school!
Hi Ryan! Welcome! Q1 is up-jump right in!
Are you connected with Elon University?
A1: VULNERABILITY, TRUST, WHOLE CHILD, RESPECT, LIFE LONG LEARNING
A1: #1 element is trust; structure your visibility in the hallways, at events, at meetings to build trust- it pays dividends
A1: The people, the words, the learning environment, the intentional and unintentional messages, decorations, books, posters
Yes they most certainly would be :)
Hi Dene, and great to connect w/ you tonight on
It is always an excellent experience exchanging ideas and thoughts with you! https://t.co/mQdClnmpJC
Howdy Dene! Love this hashtag! Great to see you here!
A1- Collaborate and involved stakeholders, consistency, and cohesive faculty
A1: respect, courage, humility, passion, humor, forgiveness, kindness, celebration
A1 trust plain and simple. It all revolves around TRUST
A1: Sense of community - amongst and between students/families/staff. Does everyone really feel welcomed & safe? Is everyone?
That is definitely mutual.
Love that you this out. So important how everyone is welcomed to a school community!
A1 School community must be built deliberately by administration and teachers. It starts with the adults
Hi Nathan and yes, trust is a prime factor
A1- Involved stakeholders, consistency, traditions, and a cohesive faculty!
Yes! With everyone following in the same vision I think! Amazing!
So true. Community engagement and diverse events build bridges to a thriving inclusive culture https://t.co/zln6F3IW3q
A1: #1 element is trust; structure your visibility in the hallways, at events, at meetings to build trust- it pays dividends
A1:Collaboration, trust, positivity, and transparency are key
Leadership is simply key! YES!
A1 open communication is key. Trust is first follow by open communication
Yes, know who is there and some students
Loved the words deliberate and dedication from the discussion.
A1 anything and everything that comes in contact with ur school or students
Hi Rachel! Cohesive & consistent! Yep!
Jove MS principal from MO glad to learn from so many inspiring educators tonight
Deliberate is definitelt a great word! https://t.co/TQztPjP38X
Loved the words deliberate and dedication from the discussion.
A1) Relationships, relationships, relationships.
What are you getting certified to teach?
Hi, Voxer, friend. Happy to see you here on tonight
Yes sir, contact is definitely a Great "C" word. Hey hey hey by the way!
Screenshot! This statement says it all!
communication with feedback among all stakeholders to share the vision https://t.co/A71gJNLAYu
Yes! With everyone following in the same vision I think! Amazing!
Q2 on coming up in 1 minute.
So true! As we say at my school, students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!!
Absolutely...and so many of the other things mentioned helps build those. https://t.co/K0mbD7LSrS
A1) Relationships, relationships, relationships.
Well guess will see your public tweet
Ashlynn from Orlando- assistant principal of high school. Always interested in learning new things.
Adult engagement - Going beyond 8:00-3:00. Invest in the school in order to build the community that is best for learning
Hi ! I think often schools THINK they're building one kind of culture, but behaviors/actions/language tell another story.
Hi Ashlynn! Welcome! Thrilled you are here! Q2 just went up--just right in!
A1 Relationships, transparency and Trust ...make for a great culture
Yes, especially on the "unintentional messages".
Interesting perspective & see your point. We can't as educators be naive
I agree. It becomes less about being a job, and more about following a passion!
Howdy, Justin! Welcome!!!!
What's going on man, always awesome to see you!
Q2- compassion, empathy, data driven goals- and most importantly authenticity in all things.
Unintentional messages create permanent barriers if that are not recognized and addressed.
A2: The students come first...we lie so many other things to the side and go with intention and purpose for them.
I agree, and sometimes I feel this idea is lost in translation.
A2: Also important for personal mission to connect to school mission.
A2- Our tight knit community honors and shows off student success which helps drive our mission of being the best we can be.
Whenever faced with a difficult decision, my answer always comes when I ask "what is best for the students?"
A2:Supporting 1 another thru continuous progress. Da hole TEAM factor. We R representative of 1 another & don't let ne1 down.
Something about that tight-knit community, love it!
That Greg Bagby. He is so smart!
A2: Engagement, growth & development of the whole child demonstrate intentional direction of a school/district
Yes Jen, for the win! https://t.co/shDhrQNzWf
Whenever faced with a difficult decision, my answer always comes when I ask "what is best for the students?"
Individualized learning. See strengths/areas of growth & help others to achieve their dreams/goals. Truly see & support.
Absolutely! So much time on reflection of this very thought. https://t.co/WF2VaW2Q8s
Whenever faced with a difficult decision, my answer always comes when I ask "what is best for the students?"
Love this. How many students/faculty are in your school?
That caught my attention, too, Dene :)
A2: Making sure that all decisions are made based on the whole child.
A2 everyone learning everyday growing together
Always wonder then how missions generated w/o students, community could possibly place students 1st.
A2 A place to think, create, be yourself,aspire to excellence and go beyond.
A2 Creating a heart of gratitude, desire of kindness, and expressing of empathy. Hits school mission and more.
When there is true community, the possibilities are limitless, I feel. Unity moves mountains.
A2: Individualized learning. See strengths/areas of growth & help others to achieve their dreams/goals. Truly see & support.
Interesting you bring up REFLECTION :) Watch for this again tonight on Q5!
Q3 coming up in 1 minute on
What a great point; students should be given voice with regards to the mission.
A2: My office provides Professional Dev to all employees. Our mission statement lets you know we dream big & want the best
Certainly there is much to be said for support, that is not only seen, but felt! Awesome!
A2 personalized learning and exploration
Q3: What faculty rituals & celebrations encourage an intentional culture among teachers? Excited for… https://t.co/lXjDNhsAvR
A2: The child. Plain and simple. Everything we do, right or wrong, we always have the child first in our thinking.
Interesting! I always have students guide class missions. Great thought to extend to school!
Love our school hashtag...truly points to our mindset and culture
Also, how well do students know an institution's mission statement, understand it, value it?
Truly! And, feeling safe to take risks without fear of consequence. Both students & teachers!
A3: Shout-outs to start every staff meeting!
how well does staff know it? (hint: why i didn't answer this ?) https://t.co/o02gFtuQqc
Also, how well do students know an institution's mission statement, understand it, value it?
Q3 Admin must get to know staff on a personal level,celebrate+ engage outside office hours.They need to feel valued as people
A3: Every SIP meeting begins with celebrations; no moving on until we have given props where they are due!
A3 Celebrations & rituals cultivate a culture of learning,failing forward, learning together & growth
A3 Celebrations & rituals cultivate a culture of learning,failing forward, learning together & growth
A3 it does not have to be anything major. Simply talking and caring about each other is a major step in the process
"We dream big!" What an amazing message to send! LOVE THIS! https://t.co/TzXsdHurmN
A2: My office provides Professional Dev to all employees. Our mission statement lets you know we dream big & want the best
Oh yes, what good is it really, if they don't "get it?" You are absolutely right! https://t.co/3dLzZcl1Y5
Also, how well do students know an institution's mission statement, understand it, value it?
Very true. https://t.co/CeoW3rHLCr
Also, how well do students know an institution's mission statement, understand it, value it?
A3- Last year, our team brought potluck lunch every Friday.
A3: Spotlighting teachers' small victories in weekly faculty meetings and morning/after school huddles.
A3: The Rocky Theme song usually accompanies all our celebrations!
A3 Celebrating teacher successes in front of the students- not just among adults.
A3: Staff meetings with awards that t's give to each other. Can be for anything that you want to give a shout out about.
We start every meeting with accolades from teachers to teachers.
Yes, and quite frankly if Ss didn't have agency in its construction, Ans="Not at all".
We love to dress up for Holidays and we also celebrate the end of the week with a song and dance in the halls at weeks end
Just got goosebumps! "GET LOUD WHEN WE SEE INJUSTICE!" Thank you for this! YES! https://t.co/kfA5aZsKzj
A2: In terms of student generated mission, it's that we speak truth to power and get loud when we see injustice.… https://t.co/9edb8d6BP6
Q2: What elements of your school mission guide your school to having a culture of intention & purpose?… https://t.co/g7VSGil9MM
Yes! So much yes! https://t.co/Uq3CA2OXrZ
A3: Spotlighting teachers' small victories in weekly faculty meetings and morning/after school huddles.
Boom! Ding! Survey says yes!
So amazing. I am excited to hear more!
Love it! Music is a great way to bring people together and celebrate. https://t.co/gb7wTRnoFv
A3: The Rocky Theme song usually accompanies all our celebrations!
A3: Celebrating the mistakes we make and what we learned from them.
I just pictured this and smiled :) These are moments students will remember! https://t.co/YTvw7KQc3D
We love to dress up for Holidays and we also celebrate the end of the week with a song and dance in the halls at weeks end
Yes man! I hear you loud and clear! https://t.co/CoN4wDmhYm
how well does staff know it? (hint: why i didn't answer this ?) https://t.co/o02gFtuQqc
Also, how well do students know an institution's mission statement, understand it, value it?
Important to emphasize reflective, critical "ritual". Else, "feel good" events are just placed upon structural inequities.
Oh, I LOVE it! My pal will so adore this! https://t.co/tHnFoy3b5N
A3: The Rocky Theme song usually accompanies all our celebrations!
A3: I think it's important for Ts to know they can count on each other for support; instructional rounds & PLCs grow trust
A3: Shout out board in the office area to celebrate. I also have "Psssst" note cards where I write personal notes for boxes.
Honest Q: Where is the real obstacle here? Admins who won't share power?
A3 Do not take ourselves as teachers too seriously. In moderation, be vulnerable and silly in order to enhance relationships
Thank you Jen:) You know always in color!
I wish I could bottle up all these amazing answers tonight on & send them out to every school! All so special!
My daughter's principal in a nearby school leaves "love notes" as she does walk throughs! Love that.
Believe it is structure of institutions. Ss are rarely present when mission statements are designed/revised/edited
Chocolate chocolate chip, please! With chocolate sprinkles!
Feel good can turn to (micro)aggressions pretty quickly if there's not a PLC wide level of literacy on inequity/injustice.
You are right. I am not sure of the exact involvement at my school but I believe they are involved.
I post every note I have ever gotten from my principal. Great to get the positive intentions!
A3: being involved across the grades &getting Ts up &moving during meetings. Too often we sit with our team &dont branch out
Absolutely. So then, challenge is addressing effectively (not just for mission , but all its impacts).
Q4: What classroom rituals & celebrations encourage an intentional culture among your STUDENTS? https://t.co/6Aj9rCBuDd
This chat was the best I've seen in a while; so much insight and motivation! When is the next one?
Awww! That means so much! Every Monday night at 9pm EST! And, I agree! I love this group!
A4: Responsive Classroom. Morning meetings helps Ss get ready for they day and develop better relationships with Ts and Ss.
A4 every Mon we share out things that happened over the wkend, good, bad, exciting, normal, etc.
A4 Celebrating different cultures by making different foods. Not only is it educational, it is FOOD!
A4: Make time to check in w Ss to see how they are doing; celebrate their birthdays, discuss current events, show you care
A4 big fan of the hug, handshake, pound, chest bump when i first see students. Every student. I ask first
A4 We start each morning with greetings songs. Every student feels connected to our family from the get go!
A4: allowing students to celebrate &share. started a kindness link chain &my Ss love giving out kindness links.
We will have a transcript after the chat, but jump right in! We are going strong until 10pm ET!
A4: As noted earlier, building trust is critical
A4 Allowing students to share important things in their lives not related to the content area.
A4: Every Fri we celebrate growth! Growth charts school wide. All growth is a celebration. Sharing is part of all we do
A4 ice cream party still seems like the right answer
Beautiful! I so love that you refer to your class as a "family!"
I do adore that, Pal! Thanks.
A4:We celebrate at the end of reading & writing units, could be parents coming in, reading to admins or buddies, etc.
A4- We act as a family and take care of each other. Every Friday is Family Friday. We have snack and chat in a circle.
Been at several institutions & not once were students involved in rewriting mission statements
A4: Monday morning meetings; brain breaks; Gratitude Circle; kindness station where students spread .
Ice cream party is ALWAYS the right answer!
A4 Incorporating & into classroom routine.
A4 we greet students at the door and fist bump high five and share jokes sometimes we even announce them as they enter the Ms
A4 Monday meetings have been key. Reflection, goal setting (for self & class), & circle of gratitude
Public/private gratitude notes, Post-up wall of inspirations/calls for help. Class zine. Social justice action org space.
Each day one Ss reads a kindness quote from the principal's office during announcements.
A4: one school I observed had flags hanging from the ceiling. Each flag represented the countries their Ss were from
had about 25 flags hanging
I recently talked about this w/ my students. More time for conversation & sharing.
I love the school I am at, because of the non-traditional infiltration.
Do these kindness messages then permeate the school day & culture?
YES! Teachers UP from desks and greeting students at door! https://t.co/tAnu0y0l4l
A4 we greet students at the door and fist bump high five and share jokes sometimes we even announce them as they enter the Ms
A4: I also think lots of promotes this
love this idea! This would really make a great classroom community!
Oh, on the plus side. Strong union presences devoted to student and community need is a must.
Love that idea and flags should also be hung outside for public to see
I would love to hear more about the social justice space.
I am so enjoying your ideas & practices! Can you tell us more about your school, Xian?
I thought so too, great way to connect with the students and make them feel appreciated
It's a match space where students post their "issue", "plan" and "how you can help".
Thanks for being you, my friend!
that's a good idea! Or a map and you can place a pin where you are from
A4:"We Choose Wednesdays" Ss choose how to dem. knowledge of a skill + Meeting Mondays where Ss critique the class
Extensive work involved, but basic eg: "Overtesting"->"demand test cap"->"write your own experience/
Wonderful. If you ever blog or photograph, I would love to learn more!
This was always my before-class routine as well
Will present this idea to teachers in my grad courses to see if they will implement w/ their Ss
Growth space, so expectation=high level of prep, but students start w/partial attempts, get feedback.
It really made all the difference for the start of the day for us! Eye-contact, handshake, greeting!
A5: I find using Blogging for Ss is great and time to share verbally as well. For Ts, we need to make time. Collaboration.
A5: Ss use to blog their reflections. Also using growth mindset framework to reflect on challenges &areas to grow
A5: Every day after lunch all Ss and Ts spend 10 minutes of silent "Me" time. Meditate, journal, etc.
This year: large K-8 school w/application. Usually at open enrollment schls. All South Side Chi, 99%+ SoC.
Just getting my students blogging. Their insight is blowing me away! Excited to share later this week!
A5: not any easy thing to schedule, but one of the more important pieces. Would love a day after a workshop for reflection
A5: I like to include a "Quick Write" reflection at the end of class for Ss to reflect on specific guided topics of the day
A5: Set aside 5 minutes of silent writing/reflection in class each day. Ss/Ts write. Used to w/ my Ss. We all <3ed that time.
A5: A culture that reflects together thrives together. Use technology. a Google doc; an app. Use staff meeting; journals
It is indeed phenomenal. The motivation. excitement. and overall benefits!! Awesome! https://t.co/jb70EFch2s
Just getting my students blogging. Their insight is blowing me away! Excited to share later this week!
A5: Ts leave 1st 5 mins of plan 4 reflect; Ss reflect during share or in journals: they answer how will they move forward
What kinds of topics are they blogging & are they responding to one another
A5- Our reflection happens all throughout the day; for example,I hold reflective conversations as we are headed to recess
Really see value in this. Conference reflection sessions! Reflect, create plan, act!
Would <3 to hear how it goes. Gauge admin ahead. Do it regardless, but diff prep if hostile
A5 we have time built into our seminar at least 1x a week where Ss are prompted by Ts to reflect on their growth in all areas
A5: Reflection is able to happen a lot more in co-taught classrooms
Last week we started with stories. They are beautiful. I just love my students so much!
I will share them with you Judy once published!!!
GREAT point! One of the MANY pros of co-teaching!
A5: Gotta be okay taking risks and sharing our mistakes, it's the only way we learn.
This needs a blog post, too :)
I always used in my social studies classes. It really allowed students to connect to content
Yes, we need to create a safe environment for one another. Isolation is a killer for edu https://t.co/eCNhdw1q0h
A5: Gotta be okay taking risks and sharing our mistakes, it's the only way we learn.
Look at THAT! So special, Lynell!
A5 Students reflect on positives and negatives to be a participant in parent conferences.
What about anonymous surveys for a way for students to reflect at end of class?
That is awesome! I use quick writes everyday as well and I agree it lets them connect so well
Rachel have you met ! I think you both speak the same language!
A5: Schedule it. If you don't make time for it it won't happen sorry I'm late that darn time zone thing!
All of this. Sometimes begin next class w/it, encourage students to extend time if they need to.
Yippee! Claudio is here! Always love chatting with you my friend! Welcome!
Following :). I can't wait to here more of my native tongue 🤗❤️
I like this. Organic reflections throughout the day when opportunity knocks. https://t.co/gsAdD6PyL0
A5- Our reflection happens all throughout the day; for example,I hold reflective conversations as we are headed to recess
Most of our grad projects end w/ writing a reflection. We also share reflections about readings in a collaborative GDoc
Yes, <3 this. Also Especially helpful in quickly building reflection loops b/w students + student teachers too.
Oooohhh! Can't wait to watch this! I will tag you in next week when we post!
Followed back and happy to connect with you, Pal!
It's a daily reminder to spread kindness and see the good in all. https://t.co/9zHPypXIDt
Do these kindness messages then permeate the school day & culture?
Q6: What tools/resources support the professional growth of educators in the area of building school culture?
I've always told my team members to take a half a day to digest, reflect and put a plan into action.
Use surveys at the end of class to prepare for next class. Student voice counts
Student surveys can be powerful data and reflection.I used them every quarter for growth and celebration
Thank you so much, friend! I look forward to sharing and learning!
A5: as an admin I try to ask as many reflective Qs as possible. Ts and Ss can choose to reflect https://t.co/qYg9WnEYJa
Q5: How can we intentionally incorporate time for reflection for teachers and students into the school day?… https://t.co/nvd25Wr0kK
I use surveys at end of almost every class & archive results for immediate & long-range planning
A6: Don't assume all Ts know how to connect/build rels w/ each other & Ss. Support how they need it - w/ coaching/time/etc.
A6: I'd love to say our supervision/evaluation model, but I know that is not the case, yet! Still waking our state model
A6: Pineapple charts! Getting Ts in & out of each others classrooms and plan periods freely; lots of learning
Hi Enrique. I don't think too hard at all. We can definitely help!
A6: Interestingly, what happens here on Twitter helps me to be a better T in my school each day.
With the proper platform, it can be completely engaging even in math class.
I agree whole heartedly. Exit tickets for formative assessment is a powerful tool
What blogging platform are your students using, Jennifer?
A6: I believe the PLN is a huge asset when it comes to culture, it is in fact a model of culture... https://t.co/zUNAiAmflC
Q6: What tools/resources support the professional growth of educators in the area of building school culture?
Weebly is my first choice, but they have options.
Grateful! Learned so much just now in your amazing contributions to . Look forward to thought partnership w/you.
A6: Weekly PLCs. Ts building relationships with each other and admins. All come together for OUR kids.
Juniors at the university in college of ed. They are amazing! got a preview :)
A5: make it routine! My S know that after each big assignment/test, the first thing we do in the next class is reflect on it
A6: Give T's time to reflect & build relationships with each other. Wish we could do more, but setting positive ex is a start
A6: Giving everyone a chance to shine, whether in an email or at a staff meeting; Creating a culture of leaders
Ahh...Mark, my old friend!
Power of the ! Totally believe in this! https://t.co/BZh7O5wRqr
A6: I believe the PLN is a huge asset when it comes to culture, it is in fact a model of culture... https://t.co/zUNAiAmflC
Q6: What tools/resources support the professional growth of educators in the area of building school culture?
I have learned so much tonight!
A6: Twitter helps a lot! But also growing together &changing for the better together. Using different strengths to do this.
Noticed you use both Weebly & Google Sites. Do you have preference, or prefer both equally?
Thanks for moderating ,. Learning and enjoyed much.
Hi Sean. When did you sneak into ? Just noticed you.
Chuck has the BEST blog posts! Excited to read this one!
Fantastic moderation and great questions to get the conversations ignited!! Awesome job!
A6- Informal collaborating & sharing!
A6: I think having a community of teachers to lean on and collaborate with is key
Many thanks to for guest moderating an outstanding tonight, & thanks to participants.
Thanks for making my first chat so great! Lots of great ideas.
A6: Chats like this., , following amazing people Great books by
Thanks for the chat from a preservice secondary science teacher who snuck in late!
, thank you for a great chat! It was my first one. I'll add it to my calendar! 😊
