#DITCHbook was created by Ditch That Textbook author Matt Miller. The chat focuses on innovative teaching ideas and disrupting standard textbook education.
Welcome and thanks for joining us tonight! The #DitchBook chat tonight is continuing the #DITCHpanel conversation from #ISTE18#NotAtISTE18! We are so glad you are here!
A1: It’s pushed me to make Ss learning more relevant to their everyday lives. I no longer say, “I know this is boring, let’s just power through this.” #NotAtISTE18#DitchPanel#DitchBook#DitchPanel
Hello Everyone!! Reba from Dallas. Educ Consultant w/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Wishing I was at #iste2018.
But ready for the #ditchbook chat #ntchat#edtech
👋 Hi #Ditchbook! Karly, Tech TOSA and Computer Science teacher from SF Bay Area. 🚃 Had MAJOR #ISTE18 FOMO this week.
I have DITCHed that mindset and choose "Task" over "Tool" 🛠
A1. The Ditchmindset has made me a better teacher and learner with my Ss. I pause and listen more to Ss to see how they think we should do things #ditchbook
A1 This quote by @jmattmiller. Always coming back to it and knowing my "why" as I integrate technology in different, innovative, creative and hands-on ways into my curriculum.
#ditchbook
A1: DITCH mindset, like #tlap , is part of who I am. I've always gone against the grain: often just shutting my door to do what's best to engage my Ss since I know them best. Now I have a name for this & a community of like-minded Ts who share ideas freely. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2: Ditch mindset has completely revamped my classes and made me a better teacher. My students are happier, I am happier and we are all learning. I couldn't imagine going back to my old ways. #DitchBook
Heeeeey #Ditchbook!! Evan Mosier, Technology Integrationist Lead Teacher from Davenport, Iowa here. Definotely looking forward to discussing this more!! #ditchpanel
A1: The DITCH mindset has changed me in regards to making my classroom much more student-centered and not being so rigid with assignments. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
Hi everyone in this #ditchbook#ditchpanel chat. I’m Sandy Otto, Instructional Coach and Middle School ELA teacher from MN. Love my DITCH family and our rockstar leader @jmattmiller So excited for this chat tonight.
#DitchBook A1 When we went 1-1 about 6 yrs ago, forced me to change my teaching. Allowed me to be more creative and gave me the idea, thanks to FaceTime (iPad at the time), to search for speakers that could tell their story making history relevant for my students.
A1: I started to think about teaching differently a few years into teaching, when I realized that no one would punish me for trying something I thought would succeed.
It's morphed into this phenomenal group of ditchers that CONSTANTLY impress and amaze me. #DitchBook
A1: Ditching different things every day, every year. If it doesn't work well, there are probably better ways to do it. I've adopted feedback, reflection and innovation are my go-to's #ditchbook
A1: (part 2) Teachers need to quit stifling the Ss, and giving them strict requirements and quidelines and let them do their thing! I'm trying and slowly but surely we are getting there! #DitchBook
A1 the ditch mindset changed me because it gave me freedom to try new things. Having a Twitter PLN allowed me to collaborate with others and grow my ideas based on others feedback, failures, and ideas. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2: Although #ditchpanel was just at #ISTE18 the T (technology) is not the most important to me. I'd say it's the D (different) since it represents changing things up to meet the needs of the Ss in front of me. It means adjusting, tweaking, changing-leading to growth. #ditchbook
A1: As a student that wants to become an educator I am looking for ways to be different with teaching while incorporating technology since it is my passion #ditchbook#ditchpanel
Not a problem at all. It was recorded, and tonight's chat is ALL about the #DITCHPanel, so you're just fine! This is awesome to have you in #ditchbook this evening!
A1: As an #ELA teacher, I've found that there are so texts that go undiscovered when relying on textbooks. Rather than use a curation of "canonical" works, I find texts via social media, read current publications, thus pulling in rich works not in any textbook #DitchBook
#ditchbook A1: The ditch mindset has reignited my love of teaching and passed on that enthusiasm to my Ss... Hopefully helping them become lifelong learners. 🤩
When I was in the classroom, I thought homework was unfair to Ss who have parents that speak no English, parents who work 2-3 jobs to support the family, and those with no support at home. #DitchBook We have to level the playing field!
Here's what I like about that, Todd ...
"It forced me to change my teaching." You didn't teach as before with new tech. You found ways it could improve your classroom.
That's how it should be! #DitchBook
A2. I am going with hands on. Ss learn more from tactile experiences. I try to challenge myself to always have something hands on as much as I can! #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2: Definitely have to go with CREATIVE. I think it's important for every student to realize they can be creative. It might not look exactly like they imagined. It's vital that we help students find their niche. #DitchBook
I found that kids just didn't do it or weren't interested in the HWK. This past year, changing things up, I had Ss ask ME if they could do more at home for fun. Ha! #ditchbook
A2: CREATIVITY!!!! Allowing Ss the freedom to put their own personal spin on an assignment is crucial. As I said at the #ditchpanel and to quote @mrdearybury, "Sometimes less is more" in terms of directions. Ss tend to appreciate that and engage even further. #Ditchbook
A2 Ahhhh how can I choose?? If I HAVE to pick it would be creative🎨 I want my students to be creators and I have found that being a creator or my own curriculum is game-changing.
#Ditchbook
A2: Ditching a static textbook was the best and easiest thing to do. Online resources are updated more often, full of differentiation, and more engaging for students. #ditchbook
A2: Tech-laden has been my focus up to now because we have access. But loving the different angle and want to focus a bit more on the creative #Ditchbook
Q2: Ditch that homework is my favorite because it forces us to look not only at when we are asking learners to do work but what Learning tasks can look like #DitchBook
So true...WE get inspired and energized by our own creativity. Our students can feel that energy and it motivates them to do and try more than they thought they could. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A1: As an #ELA teacher, I've found that there are so texts that go undiscovered when relying on textbooks. Rather than use a curation of "canonical" works, I find texts via social media, read current publications, thus pulling in rich works not in any textbook #DitchBook
A2: I think the I (Innovative) and the C (creative). I held our first school Maker Faire this year, and the projects my students came up with and created was phenomenal! Had I given them a set standard, the innovation and creativity would not have been there! #DitchBook
A2: My informatics major is all based around technology but the creativity aspect is very important to me because it is good to see how students can be creative in there own ways #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2: mine is different. Be willing to try something new! Something different! It’s ok if you fail, try again - persist!!! Right @emosier3?? #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2: Different.
Being open to doing something different is the first step to innovation, tech, creativity and hands-on teaching.
A willingness to try something different is key. #DitchBook
#DitchBook A2 Different. In 2013, Mark Goodman, Original MTV VJ, answered my email about speaking in our 80s class. We had never really experienced something like that before in our school. We have been able to build on our list over the years. Ss liked the change v status quo.
A2: Tech-laden..I want to blend old school effectiveness with the right tech. "Digital natives" term, doesn't mean anything to me. Ss need a ton of practice and guidance on how to use tech for work, proper play, & creation over consumption. #ditchbook
A2: Wow! Tough to choose! I think "creative" is the most important to me as we all have the power to embrace our creative side! (spoken from a tech integrator!) #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2 Innovative because I want to always grow and get better. If we are doing what we have always done, we will get the same results we have always had. The answers for our dilemmas, such as cancer, won't be discovered bc of worksheets. #Ditchbook
A2: Ditching a static textbook was the best and easiest thing to do. Online resources are updated more often, full of differentiation, and more engaging for students. #ditchbook
Bonnie Kramer, PK3/K-12 Gifted from Minden IA(Riverside CSD) Q1 I ditched my 20yr old music textbooks due to a mold problem in my room, but that problem has forced me to be more creative and think about what the students will need as lifelong music consumers. #ditchbook
A2: I love tha hands on. If I can make history hands on - students can experience history in different ways and learn best. Being hands on, students can show their creativity. #ditchbook
A2- Creative! I loved finding different ways for my Ss to create! Using ideas from @GTeacherTribe, #ditchbook, #tlap created so much student engagement! I loved that Ss were able to choose so many different platforms to show off what they learned!
A2: I think Creativity is HUGE! One of my favorite parts of my job is the creativity I get to engage in every day, and I hope that energy and enthusiasm gets the students hyped up too! #ditchbook
A2. I feel the Creative component is the most important for me bc I get to see what is meaningful to them and I see a bit of their personality come out in their work #ditchbook
Welcome and thanks for joining us tonight! The #DitchBook chat tonight is continuing the #DITCHpanel conversation from #ISTE18#NotAtISTE18! We are so glad you are here!
A2 being innovative, taking something ordinary and redefining how it's used. Slides is no longer a presentation tool it's a collaborative one. #DitchBook
Holy cow ... of course I do! We've followed each other for a LONG time and you're an important part of my PLN ... one whose name I recognize immediately from Twitter. And now from F2F! #DitchBook
Looking forward to this... about to finally finish the #eduprotocols and loving everything I've seen... ideas in it will certainly lead to Different and Innovative (and Tech-laden in most cases) #Ditchbook
In reply to
@Eric_Carlin, @Mrjonresendez, @jcorippo, @renathunderhawk
A3: A "Ditchy" lesson is one where I take my ELA standards and use what I know about my Ss (what will best engage) to give them a voice and allow for choice in their learning. This looks different from class to class and year to year. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2 Including more video in the classroom is important to me because you can take students anywhere in the world and talk to experts
#ditchbook#ditchpanel
You're right...texts can be so many different things...including images. Some of my best Socratic seminars started with an image or artwork. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
Excellent points! I'm not a fan of that phrase either. Even the most prolific digital user still needs guidance for audience and purpose. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A2: Creative & Different. Ss need more opp. for open-ended tasks where there are multiple ways to show what they know. Creativity is stifled when we give too many directions & examples #ditchbook
A1: Even w/ the adoption of a new textbook, I was happy to #DitchBook - creating lessons that interest Ss - also allowing Ss to master skills vs. one & done assessments. #ditchpanel
What if instead of using the money we waste on unused textbooks, we give that money to teachers to use on the resources they really need? -@jmattmiller#ditchpanel#WhatIfIste18#ISTE18
A2 #DitchBook
Different. We can’t teach the same way we were taught.
Being different will lead to more innovative, tech-laden, creative, hands-on lessons.
A3: Due to short of time, had to change our research on inventions that changed America over time. So did a bracket system. Each S did a quick research of item, created a slide and @Flipgrid to explain... then Ss voted using Forms until we had a winning invention #Ditchbook
A2: Creativity. It changes perspectives and allows a person to see opportunity in obligation, redifines reality, and allows us to come up with ideas in a world full of problems. #ditchbook
Q2 Hands-on is the most dominant for me right now. Seeing the excitement from my music students when they actually got to create music and play instruments was priceless. My GT Ss LOVE hand-on challenges, so I am trying to add more that will match their interests. #ditchbook
A3: An example of a "DITCHy" lesson that I've done is had my students redesign a Google Classroom banner image using Google Drawings. Amazing to see the creativity and teach them GDrawings and design at the same time! #ditchbook#ditchpanel
LOL ... that sounds almost exactly what I said a couple minutes ago. Great ditcher minds think alike, right??? (And I think @sandyrotto said something like that too!) #DitchBook
A3. As a Spanish T, letting the class pick their own unit or list of vocab boosts the creativity and is different from year to year. Ss love it!
#ditchbook
#DitchBook A3 Our lesson about the Cold War, US-USSR relations & the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team. Fortunate to have Mike Eruzione share his story about the glorious time. One of the best experiences! Continues to visit each year.
https://t.co/9jMOLVu7SN
A3: Rather than asking students to calculate the volume of an image, give them a volume and have them create the shape in @tinkercad and print it with a @makerbot#ditchbook
#DitchBook A3: My Ss asked to learn how to dance the salsa. So we dropped everything and learned! Different, creative, hands-on and tech-laden: Ss watched YouTube videos to learn how to do the dance. So much FUN!!
A3: my Ss used #flipgrid to explain a math standard and determined how they would teach it and determine proficiency. They had free reign to create games and activities to explore the concept #ditchbook
A3: I've always loved thematic units, whether it's Kindness Passion Projects or Camp Fraction to teach math. Take a peek at some "ditchy" examples here: https://t.co/4iS7y4bYGE#ditchpanel#ditchbook
I haven’t used textbooks for years nor do I “write” a textbook for kids - creating learning experiences WITH students based on their passions and strengths is about changing lives. I didn’t do that for the 3 years where I was chained to a textbook #ditchpanel#iste18
A3: we did an investigation on the Black Death where I transformed the room, we did a simulation to see how the Black Death spread, followed by a blog post to finish our Middle Ages Quest unit. #ditchbook
A3: More of a unit, but we ditched the writing pieces and Ss designed & imolemented their own service projects. Writing for permission, supplies, a plan of action, invitations to experts, ads, thank you emails, & more #AgentsOfChange#ditchbook
A3 A Clue Game
https://t.co/6dEfPQDbZ5
Students have to figure out who did it, where they did, and what they did it with. With response Validation they get immediate feedback. Students are engaged because they work in pairs and it uses gamification
#ditchbook#ditchpanel
#ditchbook A3: Using @bloxels to have Ss design video games about human body systems. The students went more in-depth than I imagined and were so excited to produce their products! Students begging for more time?! That's a win. 🤩
A3 I wanted to start a club to give Ss an opportunity for different. They voted and 2nd grade had a robotics/coding club and 3-5 had a Mystery Call Club during lunch/recess once every two weeks. #Ditchbook
A3: Students used Google Maps and went on their own virtual field trip. Students related the content to their learning (adpatations!) and used @Screencastify to capture the moments. Then Ss shared links to videos on a @padlet#ditchbook
A3: My favorite is always the 1st one of the year! We read "The Most Magnificent Thing", then I have kids brainstorm a problem, and build a solution using legos. This brought me to tears! #DitchBookhttps://t.co/VhOWjEggkG
I kept looking from the stage ... then I'd think, "Hey, Matt, you're moderating this panel. You can look at it when he's FINISHED!" #DitchBook#DitchPanel
A3: also when I taught 6th ELA the Ss would use menus for most projects and determine how they wanted to show their learning. They were also pushed to find their favorite genre and author w/o me assigning each book to them #ditchbook
a3: students were give different made-up planets and had to create a make believe organism that could survive in that environment. Then they used @Screencastify to tell a story about their organism on the planet. #ditchbook
A3: I've always loved thematic units, whether it's Kindness Passion Projects or Camp Fraction to teach math. Take a peek at some "ditchy" examples here: https://t.co/4iS7y4bYGE#ditchpanel#ditchbook
A3- Ss were given opportunity to research any place in world they would love to travel to! They went above/ beyond expectations! Ss presented travel plans/discoveries with @BookCreatorApp@Powtoon#GSlides#GDrawings Reading/Writing/Research- never more exciting! #ditchbook
A3: my 5th graders worked with my daughter’s K class and the K kids were able to manipulate spreadsheets and do some math computation! #ditchbook#ditchpanel
#DitchBook A3 Also use @TeachingLC primary source analysis resources to assist with our lessons. Every teacher needs to check out https://t.co/foRpOF2yWy. Go to primary source analysis section to see all the wonderful resources for Ts.
A4: What's important to remember is that lessons WILL blow up in your face...but that's when the best learning happens. Involve Ss in the problem solving process. Even better if Ss are problem finders. Expect the unexpected. Don't hide behind perfection. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A3: I was able to introduce Google Classroom to two of my Kinder teachers this year and their plans for next year are so amazing! I am super proud of them #ditchbook
A4: Isn't this a real life moment? Anything at anytime could blow up in your case at any moment. It doesn't matter what your job is! The best advice for this is to LAUGH it off.Second best advice is to keep some blank copy paper in the room or use collaborative slides #ditchbook
“They kept changing what I had to do with my reading street ciriculum. I said I can’t do this anymore. So, I shut my door and I taught my kids. Now I’m reading real books with real children.” -Reyna. #ISTE18#ditchpanel
A4 In the moment, breath. You are doing what you believe is best for students. Model how we should handle ourselves when we run across difficulty. after- Reflect, Revise, tweak, or discard. Collaborate. Find your tribe! #Ditchbook
A4: it shows that I make mistakes too and I can model how to learn from it and move forward. Everyone is going to fail at some point-it’s what we learn from it and how we move forward that matters #ditchbook
A4 I usually have a back up plan, but most of the time, kids know how to fix it out. I also am honest and say I tried something new and it didn’t work. Being vulnerable, especially in front of students, opens up avenues for them to take chances, too! #DitchBook
A4: Real learning is messy. When a lesson fails I own up to it and go to my students for help to figure out how to make it better. This shows students failure can be the starting point to success. Fail forward. #ditchbook
A4: That humble pie is bitter at first, but the lessons learned in the process are priceless! Sometimes it's good for others to see us in a REAL moment - laughter is the key for getting me through it all! #ditchpanel#ditchbook
A4: Know that Failure is part of the process. If the Ss know we are human and things don't always go as planned, they will be more comfortable to make mistake knowing it's just a part of the process. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
Ar- When things blow up, I usually share with my team! They help find the humor! Then Reflect, revise and try again! If anyone learned any lesson from it, it wasn't a total failure! #ditchbook
#DitchBook A4 We have been fortunate that when technology has failed us when we have a speaker, they have rescheduled with us or have gone to a phone interview. It is frustrating because I always want it to go perfect but have learned to adjust as needed.
A4: At the beginning of the year and before every lesson, I say we learn from ALL Mistakes and the Learning comes from solving the problem. Then the Ss forge on... #ditchbook
A2 Had Ss create songs explaining the process of the scientific method while incorporating their own created beats from Google music lab! It was challengeing but they loved it! #DITCHpanel#ditchbook#champforkids🥊
A4: Let your Ss see your defeat! Mistakes are part of the process, "what can we learn?", "what can we do different next time?"....reflect, regroup, redo! #Ditchbook
A3: My favorite is while we're reading Peak, we take a trip up Mt. Everest. They design camp flags, sit in tents or around the "camp fire" and drink hot tea while they read. At the end of the hour we roll dice to see who survives the mt. https://t.co/e62qtlG3BL#ditchbook
A4 I usually have a back up plan, but most of the time, kids know how to fix it. I also am honest and say I tried something new and it didn’t work. Being vulnerable, especially in front of students, opens up avenues for them to take chances, too! #DitchBook
Q4 It's important to model persistence, but also realizing when to abandon ship make it part of the learning experience because that's life! #ditchbook
#ditchbook A4: When it all blows up, pick up the pieces to create a beautiful mosiac! ;) First, it's ok for Ss to see you are human, then sometimes the greatest learning for Ts and Ss can come from those teachable moments!
A4 Just keep swimming. Don’t stop. Reflect. Tweak. Openly share your learning experiences. Then, cannonball in and try it again. #ditchbook#ISTE18#Realedu#BookSnaps
A2 #ditchbook
Creative - for me that is the springboard allowing us to be "different" in other's eyes. This year gave Ss a Genius Hr w/ emphasis on the journey, not results. Their passionate creativity exceeded my expectations (while hitting CCSS). #ditchpanel
A3: I love using @padlet when working with texts to have students find and share textual evidence. Later we can sort, rank by relevance, etc... when it's time to start finding trends and patterns before analysis begins #DitchBook#DITCHpanel
Thanks for your kind words! I was terrified to start bc I had no idea how it would all work out, but WOW! I can’t even remember what it was like before! No going back now! #ditchpanel#ditchbook
#DitchBook A4Part 2: This year we Skyped with my old college roommate. She was in Madrid. Technology kept going in and out and we just kept calling each other back! 😉😂
A4. I celebrate the positive and ask the Ss for honest feedback. They are mostly understanding and appreciate my attempt to stray from the mundane.
#DitchBook
He was wonderful! Great interaction with our Ss! Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask people to speak. Tell them about your class and what their role will be. Most are willing to assist and help teachers and their classes. #DitchBook
This is why I've always shared my Professional Growth Plan with my Ss...it's important to let them see their Ts learning and growing alongside them. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
A5: Being transparent with Ss, Ps, Admin and colleagues helps keep pushback at bay. Own your decisions (seeking both advice and feedback) and share your reasoning. Admit when an idea doesn't work like it should and esp. when an idea hits it out of the park. #ditchbook#ditchpanel
