#BMoreEdchat Hi all! This is Sean from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Thanks for joining me and an amazing group of future teachers for what we hope will be a stimulating discussion about supporting student advocacy!
A1: S advocay is going to bat for Ss every day. Always doing things for the best interest of the Ss and how best they can learn and be successful. #BmoreEdchat
Hi! My name is Bri and I'm an elementary Ed student from Loyola university Maryland. I'm currently doing my internship in Baltimore county! #BMoreEdChat#Ed446
I worked for a school system where the district motto was “Whatever it takes”. What a great way to approach student advocacy. I also liked @Pontifex quote “a good shepherd smells like their sheep”. Student advocacy is getting into the fray with the kids #BmoreEdchat
A1: Student advocacy is all about student voice in regards to what they believe is right or ethical. Disagreement and advocacy is a good thing! #BmoreEdchat
A1: I would say that student advocacy is holding space for S voices in your classroom. I also think that its about learning what your Ss need and helping them along the way. #bmoreedchat
A1: I view Ss advocacy on two fronts: advocating for those who haven't realized their voice yet; supporting Ss to use their voice to promote their viewpoints #BmoreEdchat
A1: Student advocacy involves fighting for students rights and helping them fight for themselves, sometimes it’s providing a platform other times you have to be their voice. #BmoreEdchat
I worked for a school system where the district motto was “Whatever it takes”. What a great way to approach student advocacy. I also liked @Pontifex quote “a good shepherd smells like their sheep”. Student advocacy is getting into the fray with the kids #BmoreEdchat
hey! Thanks for jumping in! I love you point about being heard. In order to develop relationships with students they must feel like their voice matters. #BmoreEdchat
A1. Student advocacy is supporting the students to ensure that they are receiving the resources and support that they need to be successful. It is also about believing in the students and letting them know that they are supported. #BmoreEdchat#ed446
A1: Offering a safe forum where Ss can discuss, debate, and ask questions in topics that matter to the—it’s not always the easy thing, but what they need, authentic learning opps #BmoreEdchat
A1: Student advocacy involves fighting for students rights and helping them fight for themselves, sometimes it’s providing a platform other times you have to be their voice. #BmoreEdchat
A1: I view Ss advocacy on two fronts: advocating for those who haven't realized their voice yet; supporting Ss to use their voice to promote their viewpoints #BmoreEdchat
A1: Offering a safe forum where Ss can discuss, debate, and ask questions in topics that matter to the—it’s not always the easy thing, but what they need, authentic learning opps #BmoreEdchat
Yes, I agree with you, Meredith! Being intentional about allowing Ss voice and choice and taking time to learn how to best support them so they can be their best selves #bmoreedchathttps://t.co/c42swYW34W
A1: I would say that student advocacy is holding space for S voices in your classroom. I also think that its about learning what your Ss need and helping them along the way. #bmoreedchat
Student advocacy is standing up for students to help them reach their goals. It's being a voice for students and making their needs heard! #BmoreEdchat#Ed446
A2: We tend to have problems with kids “in their feelings” and walk out of class. Then the issue isn’t why they were upset but the fact they walked out. Instead as a team leader we have developed a culture or students recognizing they need a break #BmoreEdchat
A1: I think that S advocacy is at its core is allowing students to influence the spaces around them, be it in the communities or their classrooms. Letting Ss have input on what they learn is also advocacy #bmoreedchat
A2: I have seen it in so many ways! Most recently, Ss walked out to protest gun violence, but I have also seen Ss advocate for recycling on campus (and now we do!). I think the most impactful thing I have seen is students advocating for others well-being..
#bmoreedchat
A2: One of my PK students was diagnosised with leukemia this year, our class helped raise almost 20k for his family so far. It’s been a amazing, beautiful experience to witness a 4 year olds advocacy #BmoreEdchat
A2: Most of our kids advocate for fairness and justice for others before themselves...Ss have to understand their self-worth b4 they advocate for themselves..this understanding comes from adults who show Ss the way to their voice #BmoreEdchat
A2: I had a student who led the walk out at our high school. She met with our superintendent, spoke to a room of adults, and then our entire school. She asked my mentor to read her speech and give feedback on how to make it stronger. #BmoreEdchat
A1: I think that S advocacy is at its core is allowing students to influence the spaces around them, be it in the communities or their classrooms. Letting Ss have input on what they learn is also advocacy #bmoreedchat
Our first grade students are doing @AlexsLemonade for the second year in a row tomorrow...love the way they are so proud to earn money to support research for children's cancer. #BmoreEdchat
A2: Various ways from large to small. In class students determine and advocate for extra brain breaks and changes. In the community students have advocated for political, social, and educational issues. #BmoreEdchat
A2: if you pay close attention, students are always advocating for themselves. It doesn’t always fit nicely in traditional style classrooms. Lots of room for growth here. #BmoreEdChat
A2: Recently Ss have been sharing more about what should be done with all of the school shootings and what can be done better in our own school as well. #BmoreEdchat
#bmoreedchat Last year, thousands of students, teachers, and families marched for fair funding/Baltimore City Schools budget crisis! Loved seeing everyone together, sharing their voice, and standing up to make sure our schools are funded fairly!
I love the point you make about students needing to "understand their self-worth before the can advocate for themselves", Jessica. I wonder if you could say more about this. #BmoreEdchat
A2: Most of our kids advocate for fairness and justice for others before themselves...Ss have to understand their self-worth b4 they advocate for themselves..this understanding comes from adults who show Ss the way to their voice #BmoreEdchat
A2 effective ways-student council, they meet once a week, all grades- not elected students, just kids who want to make the school better. Give every kid in the school a paper with two questions: what would make our school better, and what makes us great? Boom! #BMoreEdChat
A2: Ss are passionate about humanities but rarely get asked their opinions; teaching some social justice topics, I saw students developing empathy towards classmate of diverse backgrounds and verbally standing up for their ideas in class. It was powerful. #BmoreEdchat
A2 effective ways-student council, they meet once a week, all grades- not elected students, just kids who want to make the school better. Give every kid in the school a paper with two questions: what would make our school better, and what makes us great? Boom! #BMoreEdChat
#bmoreedchat Last year, thousands of students, teachers, and families marched for fair funding/Baltimore City Schools budget crisis! Loved seeing everyone together, sharing their voice, and standing up to make sure our schools are funded fairly!
A2: Ss at @SDMS_Berlin did an awesome walk to support funding for wells in Sudan after reading #ALongWalktoWater; I heard it was an awesome event of student advocating for others #BmoreEdchat
A2. When I worked in Arizona, a group of high schoolers protested against the removal of the cultural studies programs. They were ignored but it meant something that they took a stand. #BmoreEdChat#ED446
Growth on our parts, right? I definitely see the room for taking a breath, taking a step back and seeing how to better let Ss be Ss on my part. #bmoreedchathttps://t.co/2MVbO6y34d
A2: if you pay close attention, students are always advocating for themselves. It doesn’t always fit nicely in traditional style classrooms. Lots of room for growth here. #BmoreEdChat
A3: Building a safe space with comfortable relationships in the classroom to express their own genuine uninfluenced opinion is the first step, next is educating them on important topics they are advocating for #BmoreEdchat
A3: This is a tough question because all humans have their own ideas and bias. Starts with allowing your kids to talk first and instead of responding just listen. #BmoreEdchat
A3: this one is easy! Speak less, listen more. Don’t try to tell people how they feel. Never say I know how they feel -everyone’s emotion is specific to them @NiamhQ14 helped me develop that one. #BmoreEdChat
Children have to know (from the adults around them) that their voice is worth just as much as the adult voice...there is no magical age where your voice suddenly becomes worthy...I think more people need to help today's youth realize that #BmoreEdchat
#BMoreEdchat A2: I recently had the opportunity to help judge a grant proposal competition that a teacher and his colleague sponsored here in Arkansas. Students competed for funding from the school district and proposed projects designed to make their school a better place.
A3: Building a safe space with comfortable relationships in the classroom to express their own genuine uninfluenced opinion is the first step, next is educating them on important topics they are advocating for #BmoreEdchat
#bmoreedchat A2 Right now I am teaching an ELA unit on "Making a Difference." Ss have been reading fiction and nonfiction texts about students who made their schools/ communities a better place. It is interesting to hear...
Yes, they need to be informed, not just so they fully understand the complexity of issues, but also so they convince others of their arguments. #BmoreEdChat#ED446
A3: Building a safe space with comfortable relationships in the classroom to express their own genuine uninfluenced opinion is the first step, next is educating them on important topics they are advocating for #BmoreEdchat
A3 It starts with being purposeful of taking away your authority as a teacher in the classroom. I’m the same as my students. Also having students hold you accountable. #BMoreEdChat
This sounds like a fantastic unit! I'd love to know more about it, and hope you'll share some of the resources you're using later in the discussion. #BmoreEdchat
#bmoreedchat A2 Right now I am teaching an ELA unit on "Making a Difference." Ss have been reading fiction and nonfiction texts about students who made their schools/ communities a better place. It is interesting to hear...
Another idea—create a HyperDoc showing both sides being no bias; let Ss decide their opinion—let the literature and critical thinking guide their path. #BMoreEdchat
A3 It starts with being purposeful of taking away your authority as a teacher in the classroom. I’m the same as my students. Also having students hold you accountable. #BMoreEdChat
I agree, but at some point they deserve to know your opinion too. It’s unfair to ask teachers to always remain “objective” when discussing vital social issues. #BmoreEdChat#ED446
I couldn't agree more, Pat. The challenge for many educators is transitioning from "sage on the stage' to "facilitator of learning". You can be a student advocate if you only give directives. #BmoreEdchat
Q4: Advocacy often has political connotations, especially in the wake of current social movements (e.g., #MarchForOurLives, #BlackLivesMatter). How do you navigate discussions in which students have conflicting viewpoints on complex sociopolitical issues? #BmoreEdchat
A3: always allowing students to share their opinions whether it is vocal or written. This can be done in any subject, and makes students feel like their ideas matter! #BmoreEdchat#ED446
A3. Hi, jumping in late. I would say listen and show compassion. Don’t try to make the conversation about you. It’s about the student and his/her experience. #BMoreEdChat
I agree, but at some point they deserve to know your opinion too. It’s unfair to ask teachers to always remain “objective” when discussing vital social issues. #BmoreEdChat#ED446
A3. By being a facilitator instead of lecturing! Push for the students to have the conversations and form their own opinions.This starts with providing information on both sides of an argument and creating that safe space where students feel comfortable #BmoreEdchat#Ed446
A3: I think one of the most important ways we can support S advocacy without our bias showing is by setting up opportunities for their opinions lead to real outcomes, no matter how small #bmoreedchat
A3: Teachers need to reflect on their own beliefs first and also understand the beliefs and values of all of their students. Stick with the facts, teach empathy and perspective. Model empathy #BmoreEdchat
A4: This is a tough question. I feel like Ss need to be taught how to respond to one another. They need to learn about prompts and some sentence starters on how to respond. #BmoreEdchat
A4: I think b4 we teach advocacy we teach listening and respect. The world is not meant for us all to agree...that's Utopia...but we have to know how to disagree respectfully...that honestly has not been modeled well by many seen as modern day role models #BmoreEdchat
A4: The best thing that I have seen in my classroom is my mentor prefacing every conversation with the idea that we all respect one another, but that we are allowed to disagree. When Ss do get upset, we remind them of our class rules. We listen to every S #bmoreedchat
A4: Establish group norms, use a “talking piece,” keep it organized and structured, have someone take notes, analyze different sides together. #BmoreEdchat
A4: explicitly teach respectful communication; how to listen, body language, to ask questions, and respond in ways that are productive and meaningful without offending others of opposing ideas. Teach that this is a valuable way to learn! #BmoreEdchat#Ed446
A4: @AVID4College strategies are really great for this. I can post pictures later.
1. Reading ➡️ Socratic Seminar ➡️ Philosophical Chairs ➡️ reflection
#BmoreEdchat
A4: Establish group norms, use a “talking piece,” keep it organized and structured, have someone take notes, analyze different sides together. #BmoreEdchat
A4: This is a tough question. I feel like Ss need to be taught how to respond to one another. They need to learn about prompts and some sentence starters on how to respond. #BmoreEdchat
A4: The best thing that I have seen in my classroom is my mentor prefacing every conversation with the idea that we all respect one another, but that we are allowed to disagree. When Ss do get upset, we remind them of our class rules. We listen to every S #bmoreedchat
Q4 This is a tough one. This is something that I think starts with being proactive in creating an environment that is grounded in respect to begin with, before these issues are ever breached. #BmoreEdchat
A4: @AVID4College strategies are really great for this. I can post pictures later.
1. Reading ➡️ Socratic Seminar ➡️ Philosophical Chairs ➡️ reflection
#BmoreEdchat
A4: Tough question--I struggle with this and it sometimes leads me away from having tough conversations. I try to allow Ss to come up with discussion guidelines that are 'agreed upon' and reiterate those during these types of conversations. #BmoreEdChat
A4 Using @facinghistory approach of teaching students to identify laws and policies that create a division into “us” and “them” has proved to be applicable to many current issues. #BmoreEdchat
A4) My school district has vehicles such as @mspscholars and @MBHSOneBlair which provides students the space to process and reflect on the complex social issues of the day. I couldnt be prouder of these #MCPS efforts! #bmoreedchat
A4: Baltimore Urdan Debate Leagues PD on debate and argumentive writing, engaging in PD and participating in a structured debate helped me to better teach students how to do so, our student debate team engages in these debate competitively too #BmoreEdchat
Q5: What are strategies and/or resources you’ve implemented (or could envision yourself implementing) in your curriculum to support student advocacy? #BmoreEdchat
A5: Our enrichment teacher @KadyBoroff did a great job implementing a 5th grade Ss Council this year...kids really like having the opportunity to make campus decisions. #BmoreEdchat
A4) Our students have more access to information than we could ever imagine. Student advocacy is not us offering more opinions. They need educators to help them reflect and decide (on their own) how to act on the information. #bmoreedchat
My students have the authority to call community meetings at any time in which they feel as though a conflict has arisen in our classroom or there something really pressing that the entire community needs to discuss. If I’m being unfair they can call me out... #BMoreEdChat
A4: explicitly teach respectful communication; how to listen, body language, to ask questions, and respond in ways that are productive and meaningful without offending others of opposing ideas. Teach that this is a valuable way to learn! #BmoreEdchat#Ed446
A4) Our students have more access to information than we could ever imagine. Student advocacy is not us offering more opinions. They need educators to help them reflect and decide (on their own) how to act on the information. #bmoreedchat
A5: Centering the texts we read in our classroom that can bring forth conversations about advocacy, designing service projects with my Ss, and allowing myself to be flexible to discuss issues/topics when they arise. #bmoreedchat
My students have the authority to call community meetings at any time in which they feel as though a conflict has arisen in our classroom or there something really pressing that the entire community needs to discuss. If I’m being unfair they can call me out... #BMoreEdChat
A5: I fully embraced Restorative Practices and continue to push for its implementation. Not only does it support student advocacy but also promotes peaceful conflict resolution. #BmoreEdchat
I tend to agree. Only when we display how to comfortable (and respectful about) living in our truth will students decide to be okay living in theirs... #BMoreEdChat
@GMeehle that is a new term for me! Do you have any resources on how this might be implemented? Does this happen at the classroom level or school level? #BmoreEdchat
A5 Our restorative circles in the ESOL small group are student-driven. They offer the questions. It has helped me learn a lot about the students’ perspectives. It is worth the time, definitely. #BMoreEdChat
A5 I think there are a lot of ways that @responsiveclass Morning Meetings & Closing Circles can help support the littles that I work with in their journeys toward advocacy and building community #bmoreedchat
A5: For me, the communities students come to school from represent one of the riches resources available to us as teachers. Positioning students as researchers of their local communities, and creating opportunities for them to address problems, is powerful. #BMoreEdchat
A6: I would like to try and find a way where Ss can share their voices in a digital space that is not like other social media they interact with on a daily basis. #BMoreEdChat
Q6 I love the idea of allowing students to call a community meeting to discuss anything they have concerns about. I think that gives them ownership in their learning. #BmoreEdchat
A6: at the heart of all we do is student advocacy - it’s easy to lose that in the day to day. At least once a day, touch base with a kid outside of your normal class period. Touch base with them at lunch, stop by a practice. Set a reminder on your phone #BmoreEdchat
A6 I will encourage students to think about obstacles they face on their path to their goals and find ways of how they can be actively overcoming these obstacles. #BMoreEdChat
A6: Listen, listen, listen! The most fulfilling, rewarding part of my job is when students develop their voices. I want to always provide that space and let them know that they matter. #bmoreedchat
Very well. The community meetings are led by the defense attorney in our class. So even I don’t have “authority” here. Lol I have influence sometimes but I’m required to explain reasoning just like everyone else. #BMoreEdChat
All the titles and resources people have shared tonight have been great for my professional practice, but not so great for my bank account. I've secretly ordered a few items on Amazon! #BMoreEdchat
Sorry I’ve been driving!
A6: I will continue to listen first and speak second. I will listen to hear my students and their voices rather than responding. I will continue to actually use the word advocate. Also advocacy is more than a vocal request... #BMoreEdChat
Thanks for the invite @profconnors. It was a great chat and gave me lots to think about. #BMoreEdChat Keep the learning going and follow each other to build your PLN.
