The Breakfast Club – #BFC530 – is a 15 minute, 1 question Twitter chat every weekday. We chat in 4 timezones Mon-Fri – 5:30am Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times. The mission of BFC is to empower participants to make a difference in education by engaging in consistent reflective practice in a supportive community that inspires and challenges one another.
My 8 year old asked me why we don’t have an elf. Me: Because I can just give Santa an update as needed.
Him: Yeah, I guess you could just email or text him. But that’s a lot of reading for Santa.
Me: Don’t worry. Santa’s an excellent reader. #bfc530 😉
I haven't been able to keep up w/Twitter consistently since Thanksgiving.. Excited by the work that's keeping me busy though -- MLK Day of Service '18! #bfc530
Smart! I was not so smart and am now a slave to that thing for 20+ days. I think I'm counting the good spots and only taking it out that many days till xmas. #bfc530
My 8 year old asked me why we don’t have an elf. Me: Because I can just give Santa an update as needed.
Him: Yeah, I guess you could just email or text him. But that’s a lot of reading for Santa.
Me: Don’t worry. Santa’s an excellent reader. #bfc530 😉
Happy #12daystwitter ! Day 2: fav educational site... it's got to be the #bfc530 crew on Twitter! They give teachers ideas and inspiration each morning at 5:30am! Join them and feel the love! #tscschools
Not sure if it's really a 'skill' but I have seen too many new T's not realize the importance of building respectful relationships with their students. If they take the time to do that all else will follow more easily!
#bfc530
Thinking on my feet. I know I wouldn’t keep up with moving the elf. Lol. The best part—the 8 year old assumed all parents can text/email Santa—hence the comment about so much reading. #bfc530
Not to reinvent the wheel. Borrow & steal good lessons that work; focus on developing the art of teaching that lesson or running that activity.
#bfc530#ntchat
Building relationships w/students. It solves so many other problems. Lod schoo might call it "classroom management" but there is more to it than that #bfc530
Perhaps it’s asking for help when they need it instead of trying to figure it all out or reinvent the wheel. There’s no shame in seeking out help. #bfc530
Wait time ... count to 8 before feeding them the answer; give them time to think.
And waiting for quiet before they talk ... too often I hear new Ts trying to raise their voice above Ss not paying attention.
#bfc530#ntchat
Perhaps it’s asking for help when they need it instead of trying to figure it all out or reinvent the wheel. There’s no shame in seeking out help. #bfc530
This is SUCH a great point. Being collaborative w/others is so important. Also remember that door swings both ways. Veterans can learn something from newbies too! #bfc530
Not to reinvent the wheel. Borrow & steal good lessons that work; focus on developing the art of teaching that lesson or running that activity.
#bfc530#ntchat
Learn from the people around you. I think new teachers often feel they need to prove themselves, so they don't ask for help and don't ask questions. We all need a PLN! #bfc530
Finding a mentor or if they can’t find one of those, a critical friend. Too often I think they feel like they should have all the answers & they don’t know when/how to ask for help until it’s sometimes too late. #bfc530
This is SUCH a great point. Being collaborative w/others is so important. Also remember that door swings both ways. Veterans can learn something from newbies too! #bfc530
Not to reinvent the wheel. Borrow & steal good lessons that work; focus on developing the art of teaching that lesson or running that activity.
#bfc530#ntchat
Building relationships! From the smallest child to the to the toughest parent, the Ts next door and the staff in your building, making connections is where it all begins :) #bfc530
Yes. Pop in to see if they are ok. I will never forget one of our vets just popping in now and then to see if I needed anything. Really made me feel part of the team!
#bfc530
Perhaps it’s asking for help when they need it instead of trying to figure it all out or reinvent the wheel. There’s no shame in seeking out help. #bfc530
I so wish I had a shared space with other collaborative people! Best years were when I shared a room with @MrsElyy - New ELA T - taught me so much! No longer at our school but still great friends & colleagues!
#bfc530
I struggled with both early on—made too many assumptions that the kids were just like me in regard to the former and needed experience to teach me in regard to the latter. An amazing mentor helped me, over years, with both. #bfc530
Yes. Pop in to see if they are ok. I will never forget one of our vets just popping in now and then to see if I needed anything. Really made me feel part of the team!
#bfc530
Perhaps it’s asking for help when they need it instead of trying to figure it all out or reinvent the wheel. There’s no shame in seeking out help. #bfc530
Risk-taking, without fear of making mistakes, is important for all educators (and students). As a new teacher, I would have appreciated understanding how important this is! #bfc530
This is so important! One would hope that there is a culture of deep collaboration and support (not mandated, but organic). It's how folks new to other professions succeed and ed should be no different. #bfc530
Yes! I remember a veteran teacher looking at all the papers that I needed to “grade” and she ask me why I felt the need to grade EVERYTHING. Then she guided me into making it more manageable. It was a life saver for me! #bfc530
Just know that your “balance” is going to be out of whack. It IS a ton of work, that’s okay. Year 2 gets a little easier. But this job IS a ton of work, to be good. #bfc530
This is so true Kathleen! Also helping them realize that they don't have to always be formally teaching - The kids should be doing most of the work!
#bfc530
true, but it does suck to see another teacher getting 100% credit for what you did ... i have no problem stealing lessons, but don't pass them off as your own. #bfc530
We would all benefit from a little more humility, open-mindedness and determination to see and hear what others are conveying, in the many ways they do. #bfc530
#bfc530 When I started #teaching in another #school, someone gave me great dvice: "Let people help you." Now when I go to meetings, and I ask a question, the answer is, "We already talked about that." I couldn't imagine answering students questions that way.
A1: How to ask for help and how to build effective relationships with students and colleagues. Teaching can feel so isolated without those things. #bfc530
#bfc530#bfc530 When I started #teaching in another #school, someone gave me great advice: "Let people help you." Now when I go to meetings, and someone asks a question, the answer is, "We already talked about that." I couldn't imagine answering students questions that way.
My first year, a veteran science teacher stopped to see me once in a while just to see how I was. I’ll never forget that—he was always so kind. #bfc530
I am disorganized ... to the untrained eye ... what looks like chaos to others is a completely organized system of chaos. #bfc530 and the job always gets done
I appreciate how you recognize that a collaborative culture can't be mandated. I'm a firm believer in fostering this type of environment-modeling & providing opportunities - as you say, letting it grow organically.
It can't be forced!
#bfc530
In addition, bus drivers, aides and cafeteria workers. They are all the unsung heros and w/o them our schools would not run. They are our backbone!
#bfc530
too often ... i went to an expo and all the items on display showing off the "awesomeness" of school FabLabs all easily downloaded from the internet ... how honest is that? #bfc530
They never said it was student created or that it was created by them ... but when you set it out for display at a public event with your school name what is implied. We "made" them in our FabLab. #bfc530
it is and I do things like this all the time ... use a template, but i can't pass that off as something I "created" when I just change the title and color of letters #bfc530
Ts ARE willing to help. I’ve got specific Ts who have experience in the newer areas I teach this yr who have said, if you have a Q, come see me. I will help you. Grateful for them! #bfc530
...and, they know if they have a tech/google issue (2 areas I have knowledge in) they can, in return, come find me for help. Solved a printer problem for a T yesterday... #bfc530
Ts ARE willing to help. I’ve got specific Ts who have experience in the newer areas I teach this yr who have said, if you have a Q, come see me. I will help you. Grateful for them! #bfc530
Focus on the students. Remember that they are, in fact, KIDS ...learning how to someday be adults. Nothing has helped me stay more grounded than that daily reminder. #bfc530
Tweeting hugs to lift your spirits. It is your tickletTuesday. Give yourself a little tickle. Puts a smile on your face. Blessings of peace on your day #bfc530
In reply to
@GruntledChalkie, @teresagross625, @kathyiwanicki
