Mark Levine, Illinois Middle School Teacher...dropping by for a few before some time with my editor. I hope all have a wonderful week! I am excited about learning about my new students... #teachpos
Hey everyone! I'm Lena, a 4th grade reading teacher from North Carolina. I am excited for one on one conferences with students about reading. #teachpos#booklover
Hello #teachpos peeps. Steph Dill, elementary SPED T in Colorado. I'm excited to pair with our 4th and 5th grade Ts to build their capacity of teaching phonics while I do some whole group teaching in their classrooms.
Patrick, an instructional technology resource teacher in northern VA. Excited for the collaboration and amazing creations upcoming with Ts and Ss this year! #teachpos
Hello #teachpos
Melissa, 7th Grade Sci T from NY. I am excited to be brave this year and dive into blended learning. It will be a new experience for all of us!
#teachpos - Ray - K-8 Math Instructional Coach from Rhode Island. I am excited about starting my new role as an instructional coach next week!
Join me for #edChatRI right after this at 8pm EST. We will be talking about what teachers need from school leaders.
Hey #Teachpos - first time joining your chat! Alicia from NC - Lead Digital Learning & Media Innovation Facilitator at an incredible STEM magnet middle school! I'm so excited to implement #DBC50Summer!
Hi #teachpos! Wendy Hankins, 2nd grade, HouTX, spread thoughts and positivity via #HeardItFromHankins
Most excited thing about this year: Implementing new things like coding and #sketchnoting
Hello! Stacia, school counselor from PA! I’m so excited to reconnect with students and colleagues and to welcome a SECOND counselor to the building! #Teachpos
A1 I jump in with learning with a highly engaging, emotionally charged lesson that gets them reflecting, discussing, and getting to know each other. I ask the question- What is Truth?
#teachpos
A1 My first 2 wks are all about inspiration and hyping us all up to be learners. I do a lot of team building, getting to know you and inventories and growth mindset. Setting us up for success! #teachpos
A1: I love meeting Ss as they walk in the door on the first day! Getting to see my 7th & 8th graders again and welcoming the new 6th graders makes me happy! #teachpos
A1: Throughout our buikidung we are starting morning meetings that are to have an activity daily. It will be great to get into classrooms and watch the interaction and SEL develop throughout the year. #teachpos
A1: Using Play-Doh for some open ended question/answer bonding sessions... example questions for sculpting: What’s your favorite thing to do? What are you most looking forward at school? What do you love? (Dep on grade level can get much more involved!) #teachpos
A1 My first 2 wks are all about inspiration and hyping us all up to be learners. I do a lot of team building, getting to know you and inventories and growth mindset. Setting us up for success! #teachpos
A1: I do a team bldg where a partner is blindfolded and has to listen to directions to get to point B Also bldg obj from PlayDoh that rep them #teachpos
A1 I will be starting my 29th year and I never do the same thing. I don't have a plan yet...probably something with music. definitely won't be talking rules and expectations! #teachpos
Yes I learned a lot over the years that taking the time to get to know them on the front end, saves time on the back end. This year I created a Slide Deck to contain all the awesome ideas I have. Can't wait to see how it goes #teachpos
A1: I dive right in talking about books -- liking vs. appreciating -- and building trust among writers by learning about one another's stories in a story exchange. I only talk about procedures in context (like bathroom, supplies). We build a class playlist. #teachpos
A1. We do a mixture of activities from team building activities to get to know one another, to coloring in puzzle pieces and understanding our own creativity, how we fit in a school, the world, etc. #teachpos
I set up books in different areas of room and it’s like speed dating. They have so long and then move to next section. They keep a running list of books that look interesting to them. #Teachpos
A1: Personalogies! Place a container of random items (buttons, small toys, cards, anything!). Then, Ss choose one & describe how that item is like them or what it means to them. We learn so much about each other & I hope it excites Ss for the year to come! #Teachpos
check out @ParrElem to see some pictures. They had different table set up with different genres and a menu for them to fill out as they were book tasting. They were given about 5 minutes per table to look thrugh and read back covers and talk about what they saw. #teachpos
In reply to
@teresagross625, @LenaTroxtell, @ParrElem
A1: An activity I love to do on Day 1 is a science experiment! Kids LOVE science and who wouldn’t want to come back to school the next day after making a lava lamp on the first day of school! #TeachPos
A2- The hope is that students will find a connection to a genre and to other students who connected with that genre. It will also get them excited for reading this year. #teachpos
A2: It makes Ss feel welcome and safe which opens them up for great experiences in learning. It promotes a positive culture by upholding the 4 Core Principals of Positive School Culture from #Culturize by @casas_jimmy#teachpos
A2: It sets the tone for the year with respect to the depth of expectation and thinking. It shows that ALL opinions count in this classroom and we much work together to find our own Truth. #teachpos
A2: So much of our year is focused on reading and writing as an ELA class. Book tastings and speed book browsing help set the foundation for building our reading lives together. #Teachpos
I found these amazing puzzle pieces that are shaped like people that Ss can decorate to look like themselves at a local teacher store - we will design them 1st day, then fit our people puzzle together, and discuss how our new class family is so much better together!! #TeachPos
A2 If Ss get to know each other on a personal level, it makes it more likely that they will see each other as a team and work to help each other. My running theme this year is "a rising tide lifts all boats"
#teachpos
#teachpos - A2 - By taking a look at math in a different way and beginning the year with collaborative math activities that promote a #GrowthMindset, it really reduces math anxiety and asks the Ss to look at the subject in a different way.
A2: Every activity within the first couple classes should work to build relationships and classroom community. Mixing in a little interesting content (like a movie preview) is great here.
#teachpos
A2: one of our buckest this year is SEL and our morning meetings are focusing on SEL we are reading Mindset for Learning and using the 5 stances to support our SEL actvities. #teachpos
A2~ team work builds communication, sharing resources/tools to complete project, Ss love to take the lead & these projects are great practice in building their leadership skills 😊 #teachpos
A2 Music always allows us to learn to share opinions and express personal feelings. Upbeat tunes help set a positive tone for the year. Spanish songs like Vivir Mi Vida, Mi Gente, and La Gozadera promote multi-culturism and community. #teachpos
A2. The story exchange requires students to ask one another for a story and to listen-really listen-n order to write a biographical sketch about their classmate. Follow-up Qs help us get to know each other at a deeper level, & the stories are shared with consent. #teachpos
A2: Science experiments are a great way to promote learning and classroom community because it encourages kids to form hypotheses as well as communicate and collaborate, which ultimately leads to a positive attitude towards each other, learning, and school! #TeachPos
A2: Ss have to learn to listen and trust the Ss giving the directions. Also, in building the artifact, they are hooked in activity by something that really interests them. They willing to share with the class from that interest. #teachpos
A2: It requires students to draw comparisons between an inanimate object and their personality or experiences. In this way, the group learns more about each other. Each time we play, new things are uncovered and relationships are strengthened. #Teachpos
A2. It allows Ss to understand creativity, but to also promote accepting differences in culture. How do we meet people? How do we get along in the world with different cultures? #teachpos
A3: I bribe my students to want to be in my class and set out a cheese tray at every table. I hope this answers Q3 because I must go to my meeting. #teachpos
A2: We have to build trust if we are to take risks in learning and discovery, but there are no short cuts. I found a bond with one new class member in the story exchange nurtures peer advocacy. And the open mic is just amazing! #teachpos
A1 and A2: this year I plan to help create a welcoming environment for students by having a first day of school photo prop and maps of the school for students. High school can scary. Counselors can help #teachpos
A3: I always used the activities as gateways into the content. Pull an interesting piece, connect and activity, and provide another to build upon it. Always leave time for discussion and reflection.
#teachpos
Q3: Instead of starting with a personal narrative or a class novel in ELA, the biographical narrative creates interdependence and compassion and the choice reading teaches us about one another's preferences and habits. #teachpos
A3: Using the interests and passions that you discover about Ss to hook them in lessons. Encourage them to explore their own passions throughout the year & provide them those opportunities! #teachpos
A1: From my friend @tishrich ...playing the song, “My Favourite Things”, first they draw 3 favs on butcher paper spread on tables, then use Play Do to make one fav, then work in groups to make a common fav with Lego (my K class). #teachpos
A4: The morning meeting activites can be related to academics and there is a morning message that can also have academics tied into that is left up all day and can be refered back to. #teachpos
A3: Upstanders lessons establishes a culture of treating each other respectfully and appreciating each other for who we are and what we have to offer. I use the language and vocabulary all year. #Teachpos
#teachpos - A3 - We do a lot of the getting to know you activities before we get started on content. I'm not a big fan of staged getting to know you stuff. I'd rather just get to know them naturally throughout the year.
A1 I spend the first day getting to know them and have them get to know each other. I have them read articles or watch videos about how we will be learning in class this year and why. It lets them know that my class is about how they learn #iteachjuniors#TeachPos
My daughter will be starting junior high this year and I hope her school counselors will be just as thoughtful and sensitive to new students as you plan to be!! #teachpos
A3: I intertwined those activities with a heavy emphasis on introducing the Growth Mindset. I read aloud powerful books and we had deep discussions about Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets. Ss also wrote about it. Powerful! #teachpos
A3 So simple in Spanish class. We are learning to communicate in another language. Reading, writing, speaking and listening skills are always being honed, no matter the topic.
Anything goes! #teachpos
A2 it’s important for my students to understand why— many of them have gone a decade with traditional teaching so if I have them walk on a balance beam while quizzing each other — and don’t tell them why... I just seem crazy and they don’t buy in as hard #TeachPos
Q3: it’s important for students to understand all that a counselor can offer during their high school Career. It is my job to make sure students know about me and my profession. I believe in going to students vs. then coming to me. #teachpos
#teachpos and @Shapiro_WTHS thanks for a great chat. Between my computer issues and something funky going on with my eyes I'm going to have to go back and read all ther great activities later. Have a great week everyone!
A2: This activity promotes learning and collaboration because Ss are sharing what is most important to them, designing/constructing it and then working together to create some favourite thing they have in common (in small groups). #Teachpos
Bonus: Finishing off summer by reading #Culturize and getting pumped for Ts to come back tomorrow & Ss to arrive next week! Going to be an amazing year! #Lucky13#DBC50Summer#teachpos
