#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! Thanks for joining us tonight. Please introduce yourself, where you teach, and what subjects. I am Kristin and teach in Lansing, MI. I teach ELA and SS. I will also moderate tonight's chat!
Is there a #6thchat tonight? About to start baking cookies and I was going to multitask. If not, I'll turn on my audiobook and do a different type of multitasking!
My name is Travis and I’m the Principal of Rossville Grade School in Rossville, KS. Looking forward to the chat and if anyone has an awesome 5th/6th science curriculum or supplemental program please let me know! We’re wanting to do big things in Science! #6thchat
A1) I do think there is a difference. Some classrooms have Ts where there are lots of bells and whistles, but not a lot substance. Ss may be engaged and active, but they may not be deepening their knowledge or understanding of content. #6thchat
A1: I'm going to say no. I think in teaching these these are synonymous, if you are being effective you are being successful and have to be effective in order to be successful
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A1: If you are doing well, you might be both. I think successful would be more likely to be measured by test scores, effective by student impression of teaching. Or maybe those are reversed??? Second guessing myself now. #6thchat
A1: Successful is completely internal. A person makes their own success. Effective is much more focused on others. To be effective, you need to provide evidence against the norm that your Ss are growing at a rate that closes achievement gaps and challenges all Ss. #6thchat
A1: I think how you define success/effective matters. Teachers can be "successful" based on how a class scores on a test. That does not make them effective. Effective teachers empower learners. They teach them HOW to learn, not what to learn. #6thchat
A2) Feedback matters; timely and with an eye toward how to improve; clarity--helping Ss know what the focus for learning is; strong relationships with Ss. #6thchat
A2: Build relationships. Understand HOW each Ss responds, reacts, learns, and what they are passionate about and empower them to learn in those ways and take action. Design together. Discuss everything. Create a safe place for all Ss, establish norms, and stick to them! #6thchat
A2: #1 make connections with students #2 believe that what you are trying to teach is important enough for them to be spending time on #3 continue to improve your teaching strategies so that you are teaching in the best possible way #6thchat
A3) This year I am working on helping Ss "own" their learning through intentional goal-setting and more specific feedback, especially where writing is concerned. #6thchat
A3: Attending this Twitter chat for 1, I am looking into further Google Training to become a Certified Trainer and looking at various blogs, trainings, and other techy things.
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A3: Finding PD that fits my needs as an educator and asking (or begging if need be) admin if I can go. I also research new trends and develop understanding of how I can build them into my classroom. #6thchat
A3) 6thchat I have done a tremendous amount of reading this summer. Implementing the Signposts and #classroombookaday this year. Also focusing on small groups and being more intentional about our meetings.
A3) Each year I develop my own "passion" projects as a teacher. They are built around goals I have for my Ss. I seek out books, online leaders, digital resources, conferences, etc. I develop my own driving question and work to answer it through my research #6thchat
A4) I use concept mapping for reading texts &making connections between characters, plot lines, sequencing, etc. I also use it in Social Studies to talk about a concept & then find examples of that concept. Sometimes the maps are paper/pencil or sticky notes; or digital #6thchat
A3: Constantly questioning how we can do better. Exploring ways to streamline communication/feedback, READING constantly, asking for feedback from Ss and parents, networking w/others (Twitter for the win), etc. #6thchat Love feedback on my latest project https://t.co/Gc85ztICJR
A4: I use concept mapping for myself when I am trying to determine what I am doing curriculum wise and figuring out where to go in future. With students our district uses @ThinkingMaps which has 8 great templates to use
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A5) I like to teach sketchnoting to Ss as well as traditional note-taking methods. I spend time sharing how each of us will find what works best for us and exploring different methods is important, especially as they enter higher grade levels. #6thchat
A4: I have started to create concept maps to provide flow to my content with my Ss. Last year was my first year in a district, and I wasn't willing to do it "the way it'd always been done" so I got my feet wet. This year will be more methodical. #6thchat
A5: I don't, but it is based on my new role now where I am an encore technology teacher/technology coach so my focus is less on notes and more on doing
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Students are doing hands-on "firestarter" challenges. Last week they had to build something that symbolized a strong memory they had from a place they lived; amazing builds (had only 5 min.) and then they wrote, and wrote and wrote! #6thchat
A5: We are doing an interactive notebook this year with input and output pages. We are talking about how to take effective notes and building study skills through our notebooks. It is still early, but I think I can see a difference with my Ss already. #6thchat
A5 Working in a blended environment, know that S's need to be taught how to watch You be for info vs. fun. Nuances same as reading for Info vs entertainment. #6thchat
A3: I am trying to embrace more new technology. Adding in Flipgrid and working to find more ways for students to hear from each other in meaningful ways. #6thchat
I agree! In one of the "hack" series books they talk about having a "pineapple" chart. The pineapple is the symbol of "welcoming" others. Teachers would list "pineapple" times for other Ts to visit. (paraphrase from memory) #6thchat
A7) I use @PearDeck, @Flipgrid@padlet and @Seesaw to help Ss share their thinking. Each of these provides an opportunity to not only share, but to help us process what we share...think about the thinking. I like visible thinking strategies here https://t.co/UFa5fg6yUo#6thchat
A6: When using Google Docs have students use comments to record their thoughts as they go or go back through revision history and comment on changes that they made and think about why they did
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A5: I try to model a variety of methods so students can find one that works for them. Struggled a lot with this when teaching social studies because their physical writing skills are so laborious. It was painful and seemed to take SO MUCH TIME. #6thchat
A6: Providing as many outlets for Ss to reflect on their knowledge as we can helps Ss truly understand their thinking. Giving them choice allows them to find the best/most comfortable way to reflect and they are more likely to do so. #6thchat
A5.2: Often I ended up just giving them notes which defeats the purpose of them determining importance, but does show a model of how notes could be organized. With Literacy, more text marking than note taking. #6thchat
A6: 6th graders are at such a great age for this! Lots of talk about it and discussions of when to stop and question ourselves or the text if it is confusing. #6thchat
A7) Again, I find my classroom discussion better when I allow partner and small group talk before a larger share out regarding a concept. I feel like more Ss share w/small groups; recording ideas for all to see and refer back to is also helpful. #6thchat
A7: I use Kagan strategies when engaging Ss in classroom discussion. Allow more voices to speak with others, I can move quickly from group to group to listen to conversation, then provide a short debrief after conversations. #6thchat
Giving Ss roles during small group discussions allows for all to take part in a different ways. This can lead to great understanding during class discussions. #6thchat
At my former school, we had a 2-day training with a Kagan representative. Though I only got to be part of one day, the depth of understanding in how to incorporate them into class use was amazing. #6thchat
Before folks leave...those of us reading Amal Unbound for Global Read Aloud...there is a teacher sharing @padlet to connect classrooms through authentic student responses. Here's the linkhttps://padlet.com/jengleman/otyd3a8tch2t #6thchat
Question 8 is missing a "what is" a "golden nugget" from tonight....need a proofreader! I am thinking about revisiting the interactive notebooks for Social Studies. I feel like this would help with their note-taking and collecting of vocabulary. #6thchat
Before folks leave...those of us reading Amal Unbound for Global Read Aloud...there is a teacher sharing @padlet to connect classrooms through authentic student responses. Here's the link https://t.co/hC09b5UAMC#6thchat
A8: Building the home to school bridge and finding ways for Ss to effectively reflect on their educational journey this year. All will allow me to be more effective as a teacher and feel more successful in achieving my own goals. #6thchat
