#2ndaryELA Archive

#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!

Tuesday February 5, 2019
8:00 PM EST

  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:00 PM EST
    Welcome! What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:01 PM EST
    I'm Lisa, your co-host with @literarymaven 23 yrs teaching MS ELA & Inclusion in FL. Blog: https://t.co/2JZ9rBovpB Tonight's guest host is @pernilleripp so look for questions from her! #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:01 PM EST
    Welcome! What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:01 PM EST
    Michelle in Alabama. 9/10 ELA #2ndaryela
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:02 PM EST
    My name is Pernille, I teach 7th grade ELA in Oregon, Wi and my random thoughts baout education and life can be found on my blog at https://t.co/zJ8knxT4OA #2ndaryELA
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:03 PM EST
    I teach 7th grade LA in Indiana. #2ndaryELA
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:04 PM EST
    Angie, 7th grade LA teacher in Indiana. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:05 PM EST
    Q1: How do you make a dynamic and engaging learning environment? #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:05 PM EST
    Welcome everyone, I am so glad you are here to discuss student engagement with us #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:06 PM EST
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:06 PM EST
    Try to keep things relevant. Kids always want to know why they have to know if. Also be willing to do weird stuff #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:07 PM EST
    One of the ways I am trying to grow this year is to teach with an active anti-racist and equity lens and giving the space for students to lead their discussion and learning #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:08 PM EST
    A1: I am always looking for new ways to do ordinary things. I love to incorporate music and movement as much as possible. #2ndaryELA
  • whaley_devan Feb 5 @ 8:08 PM EST
    A1: I think that giving students as many ways to control their education. The difficult part is keeping the balance between state standards and student owned education. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:09 PM EST
    And always being responsive to kids - what are the ways they can tell you when things are workin gor not working? #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:10 PM EST
    Q2: How do students invest and take ownership of their learning journey? #2ndaryELA
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:10 PM EST
    A1: Be prepared with multiple activities, be flexible, mix up lessons, whole class, group work, and ind. time, flexible seating and students get choices. #2ndaryELA
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:10 PM EST
    I try to offer as much choice as possible. Collaboration opportunities and structured to talk while ss read and write. #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:10 PM EST
    It’s also challenging for kids who get scared when the responsibility shifts to them! #2ndaryELA im dealing with pushback from a few students still
    In reply to @whaley_devan
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:11 PM EST
    A2: Students invest & take ownership through various choices in project-based opportunities #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:11 PM EST
    A2: the power of choice! Small Choices lead to bigger choices. It eventually leads to self paced learning. #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:12 PM EST
    A2: I’ve recently started creating learning target ladders where a target is written in tiers. Ss can see that mastery is a process and know what they’re working towards. We do a lot of reflecting. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:12 PM EST
    Students reflect, self-assess, give feedback on curriculum, and also help me plan what we want to do #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:13 PM EST
    In fact, due to the amazing conversations we are having right now, I am totally changing our TED talk exploration #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:13 PM EST
    I find my students with IEPs and the advanced students are the most scared about choices. The average students just roll with whatever you give them #2ndaryELA
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:14 PM EST
    I love PBL but I’m terrible at managing it. There is so much happening at once! How do you handle this organizationally? #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @SpanglerMiddle
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:14 PM EST
    And I wonder; how many learning explorations are missed because we don't tap into the best professional development that we have - the students we serve? #2ndaryELA
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:14 PM EST
    A2: Ss set goals and reflect on them, keep track of their data, have choices with book selection, writing topics, and with technology components. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:15 PM EST
    Q3: Describe a time when you allowed students to take ownership in the classroom. #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:15 PM EST
    I use rubrics and check-ins with the Ss. #2ndaryELA
    • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:14 PM EST
      I love PBL but I’m terrible at managing it. There is so much happening at once! How do you handle this organizationally? #2ndaryELA
      In reply to @SpanglerMiddle
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:15 PM EST
    And realizing that we need to grow too, I keep looking back and being grateful for how far I have come and then looking ahead and being glad I still have a lot to learn #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @GaryRGrayJr
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:16 PM EST
    Ownership is shared at all times - kids have control over manipulating the room, but also how we go through learning, the best ideas are usually kid generated #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:17 PM EST
    A3: To review the reading standards that would be on the state test, groups of Ss chose a standard to present in their own way. #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:17 PM EST
    Over thinking. Too many choices. Lots of ideas. Can’t commit. And heaven forbid if you make it a broad question ... mindmelt #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @_jennymcbride
  • whaley_devan Feb 5 @ 8:18 PM EST
    A3: I teach private percussion lessons. During these I allow the students to pick their own music, because otherwise would they really feel the need to learn it? I feel this is relative across all literature. #2ndaryela
  • cybraryman1 Feb 5 @ 8:18 PM EST
    On Our News page https://t.co/67XlWeWsn2 I showed how my students took over the news show. Read: "The Day I Stepped Aside" #2ndaryELA
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:18 PM EST
    A3: Here’s your learning target. Show me you’ve mastered it. Organized chaos, but Ss really rose to the occasion. #2ndaryELA
    • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:15 PM EST
      Q3: Describe a time when you allowed students to take ownership in the classroom. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
    That is amazing and a true example of what student ownership can look like #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @GaryRGrayJr
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
    My 10honors wanted to read something we only had 2 weeks to do. I showed them the standards we had to cover and the calendar. Told them to make a plan. I didn’t teach a thing. #2ndaryela 1/2
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
    Q4: What do you use for classroom management other than rewards and punishments? #2ndaryELA
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
    A3: Daily during independent reading. Ss choose where to sit, how to read, PB, audio, Epic, online, on their own, with a partner, with an Instructional aide. (At the beg. of the year, they kept asking permission; now it’s automatic.)#2ndaryELA
    • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:15 PM EST
      Q3: Describe a time when you allowed students to take ownership in the classroom. #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:21 PM EST
    The kids worked independently for two weeks on projects they designed #2ndaryELA 2/2
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:21 PM EST
    Pretty sure there’s a typo in there. My bad. #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @cbfulk
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:21 PM EST
    I keep coming back to that school is bigger than what I teach, that it is not just about learning English, that it is about growing to be equipped to be a part of the broader world #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:21 PM EST
    A4: I spotlight great work and great things that happen naturally - a kind of random acts of kindness meets pay it forward. #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:22 PM EST
    A4 sarcasm. The look. Baby shark on a loop #2ndaryELA #whyiteachhighschool
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:24 PM EST
    A4: Feedback? I’m pretty good at giving feedback, but I won’t give feedback unless it’s their best work, so my students work to get it ready. #2ndaryELA
    • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
      Q4: What do you use for classroom management other than rewards and punishments? #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:24 PM EST
    Tbh I don’t really have issues. My admin team deals with things in such a way that the kids rarely act up. I can just teach + build relationships #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:24 PM EST
    Can I publicly state that I dislike the term "classroom managment" - I am not controlling kids, we are trying to create a community that works for everyone #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
    Q5: Share your best engagement techniques and resources. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
    And part of building that community is realizing when I am the problem and not the kids, so we talk a lot, and I ask "Are you okay?" a lot #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
  • whaley_devan Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
    Simply having the students make the rules on the first day and asking them what breaking the rules should mean. #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
    A4: Lots of teacher and student talks, try to find out why the behavior is happening, and parent contacts. #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
    How many situations could be made better if we just sat down next to a kid and asked them if they are okay rather than assuming we need to fix or control something #2ndaryELA
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:25 PM EST
    Relationships. I genuinely like my Ss and they know that. I try to talk to them about non-school things regularly. #2ndaryELA
    • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:24 PM EST
      A4: Feedback? I’m pretty good at giving feedback, but I won’t give feedback unless it’s their best work, so my students work to get it ready. #2ndaryELA
      • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
        Q4: What do you use for classroom management other than rewards and punishments? #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:26 PM EST
    And keeping the humanity of someone at the center of everything we do, I don't need kids to fear me #2ndaryELA
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:26 PM EST
    @padlet is one of my favorite activities for student engagement. #2ndaryELA
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:27 PM EST
    Yes! This act alone teaches Ss to be better communicators and problem-solvers. #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:27 PM EST
    They must not have been ready for that "radical" notion #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @sig225
  • ADDEnglishTeach Feb 5 @ 8:28 PM EST
    They wanted to read the crucible and the standards covered textual evidence and characterization #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @whaley_devan, @pernilleripp
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:28 PM EST
    I like to recognize my Ss too. Our school has a brag board. I write brag slips every month. #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @SpanglerMiddle
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:28 PM EST
    A5: peardeck is great for adding engagement pieces to a “boring” lesson, like slides. Direction instruction becomes collaborative with immediate feedback #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:29 PM EST
    Another way is to give genuine praise, I sat down and wrote 26 "I have noticed..." postcards to a class, it matters so much to share that you see how hard they work #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:30 PM EST
    Special thanks to @pernilleripp for being our guest host tonight! And thank you #2ndaryELA nation for another great chat! Join us next week for Teaching Advanced Courses!
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:30 PM EST
    My best engagement technique will forver be to ask the students how I can be a better teacher for them and then actually do something with the advice they give #2ndaryELA
  • _jennymcbride Feb 5 @ 8:30 PM EST
    A5: I also have a love/hate relationship with Kagan strategies. #2ndaryela
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:31 PM EST
    Remember, we keep the conversation going all week long at our Facebook group and we'd love for you to join! https://t.co/JGbfk4DP78 #2ndaryELA
  • whaley_devan Feb 5 @ 8:31 PM EST
    A5: We put large posters on the wall with everyons picture on it for the first week. Every once in a while we will all go write nice things on somebody's poster. #2ndaryela
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:32 PM EST
    An incredible book to read is @CarlaShalaby Troublemakers - just the intorduction will change and cement your view of kids forever #2ndaryELA
  • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:33 PM EST
    Thank you so much for having me #2ndaryELA chat - I will now resume my Twitter hiatus but can be found on Instagram recommending books, on my blog sharing https://t.co/U0INRomYRj, and in my classroom learning from the kids
  • smsMrsJohnson Feb 5 @ 8:33 PM EST
    A5: Flipgrid, make writing for real purposes (authors, military, other teachers), make connections and celebrate reading throughout the year. (GRA,WRAD, RAAD) #2ndaryELA
  • SpanglerMiddle Feb 5 @ 8:34 PM EST
    Thank you for the recommendation! #2ndaryELA
  • LauraPatranella Feb 5 @ 8:40 PM EST
    Adding classroom jobs has done so much to increase our sense of community and accountability, and in turn, reduce disruptions. #2ndaryela #EdChat
    In reply to @pernilleripp
  • thatmags Feb 5 @ 8:42 PM EST
    I do a lot of work with GT learners' needs -- multipotentiality is a common trait, as is perfectionism. Sometimes both. When you see multiple roads, it can be tough to settle on one -- what if it's not the best or most appropriate? What if I see value in many? #2ndaryELA
    In reply to @ADDEnglishTeach, @_jennymcbride
  • mrbgilson Feb 5 @ 8:43 PM EST
    A4: community and conversation. #2ndaryela
    • pernilleripp Feb 5 @ 8:20 PM EST
      Q4: What do you use for classroom management other than rewards and punishments? #2ndaryELA
  • mrbgilson Feb 5 @ 8:45 PM EST
    A5: TQE has really stepped up the engagement game. But generally I find when students get talking they tend to find engagement more easily. #2ndaryELA