#mschat Archive
A chat that offers middle school teachers a chance to have a collaborative discussion about a different topic each week. Our topics change from week to week, ranging from Common Core State Standards to Character Education. During the chat, participants exchanges ideas and resources. The chat group ranges in size each week from 10 to 50+ participants. Discussion can be general talking about instructional style or process to specific. Recently members of the chat group help each other create lessons.
Thursday September 8, 2016
It is 8 pm time for to get rolling as my open house ends
Let's start with introductions! I am Todd 7th grade science teacher from Warren, Mi chat organizer
Colleen MS Modern Language, St.Louis, Missouri! Chat Lurker!
Kathryn from Chazy, NY (hour south of Montreal) currently teaching ELA 7 & 8
Ryan in Flint, MS Social Studies.
How has your first week been ?
good evening Colleen, hope all is well at new position
been busy, just leaving open house
It is going WONDERFUL! I am loving my new district
Thanks for joining in Kathryn
I am Kayla. I teach math in RI. I've taught 7th and 8th grade, this year I am 8th grade
Angela Rembert from here to share and to become better!!
New to chat - learning Twitter so let me know if I'm off / need redirecting! :)
Q1: how do you make your curriculum relevant to your students? Many don't see connections
A1: For my 6th, I actually tell them the connections, 7th and 8th I plan Qs and lessons that lead them to the connections.
Q1: opportunities to read, write, publish for audiences outside of school
Howdy everyone! Robert, former 6th grade math, now Tech Integrator!
A1: In teaching globalization to the 6th graders, I can actually show them the globalization in the classroom Made In...
A1 Just recently, I let Ss dictate next lit piece. While reading about a mom/daughter relationship & boys wanted a father/son piece.
A1: The content should instantly be relate-able. Real-world issues, ideas that S's are passionate about!
A1: When introducing a new topic, I try to open w/ real world examples to connect back to throughout unit
A1: making connections+engaging w/Ss takes time+trust. Doesn't happen overnight.
A1: Having taught 7th, 8th & Alg 1, I try to make connections & prep Ss for what's coming
It has to been intentional, it needs to be planned out. https://t.co/FRRr2Siii8
A1: making connections+engaging w/Ss takes time+trust. Doesn't happen overnight.
A1 continued- I had planned an author study, but now doing a thematic study that appeals to current interests.
A1: know what is relevant to my students and finding ways to connect to their interests really helps
A1: Building relationships is also important b/c it helps to see their interests & connect, making it more meaningful for Ss
8th grade ELAteacher from NH! I'm late but great!
using real world examples?
I am loving my new subject! Most of my assessments and assignments are all based on choice and Ss interest.
A1: I try to incorporate primary sources and as much interaction as possible. If you can experience it, you will remember it
Exactly! Have to build meaningful relationships first in order to know their passions & interests.
Choice is so important in making content relevant to students
taking the time to get to know your Ss is essential ;)
Yes, real world examples and connecting back to what they've seen as well as what's ahead
Good evening, Todd. Great topic for tonight!
Pete from also watching Stranger Things w/wife while trying to
So true!! I'm such a proponent of spontaneous and planned discussion! Ask self, "How can I get Ss excited??"
A1 What you assign students means nothing if they don't do it. Make it relevant. Make it meaningful. Make it serve a purpose.
A1: I try to take as many of the topics we discuss and have Ss find examples in their community. Then share on Instagram with a #.
Hello from Iowa! I'm a little late to the party. I teach 6-8th grade reading and 6th social studies.
If I can find a video, image, or song, I'm super excited about the lesson!
To stay relevant, stay teachable.
Q2: how do you connect with students who see no relevance of curriculum?
Exactly! Ts must model enthusiasm and lifelong learning. Practice what you preach.
A2: No busy work, no boring worksheets, opportunities to demonstrate skill in a wide variety of ways
A2: Like Q1, I think relationships are key. Once you've connected, you can make content/activities more relevant
A2 Open the floor for suggestions. Take it over to their level. Explore what interests lie within. It needs to be here & now.
I agree 100%! Actually planning and trying to avoid as we chat https://t.co/LZwNypJTiJ
A2: No busy work, no boring worksheets, opportunities to demonstrate skill in a wide variety of ways
A2 Meet them where they are to get them to where we want them to be (or at least closer)!
please follow my new colleague she's teaching Spanish with heart and soul..
A2 may not reach all S but that shouldn't stop u from being available. Build a bridge+give space 2 walk over when they're ready
A2
1. Smile
2. Laugh
3. Be honest
4. Make mistakes+model dealing w/them
5. Repeat
because busy work/mindless worksheets destroy joy, curiosity, and enthusiasm faster than anything else will.
A2: Maintain contact with student build relationship and hope work eventually becomes relevant
A2: don't assign homework that has no meaning
This is a great list - showing them your real and human
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
start with being your authentic self. Your passion can be infectious
A2: Have to give students room to find own path, but never give up
If I'm bored giving an assignment, I won't assign it to my students.
It's so true. Ss really respect that just as I do in others
A2: It starts w/ building rapport early so Ss trust what is being discussed is necessary and relevant. W/o that, Ss wont buy in.
True - I don't do boring for me so don't ask my students to either.
Jim from MA joining a bit late.
A2: you need to model the revel acne, model your passion, try new things reach for it, be creative
The Self-Boredom Test. I feel this should be marketed.
A2: Challenge the Ss -- What are you going to do with what you've learned? What impact can you have w/ this knowledge?
I must commend you this is amazing. You have some very lucky Ss
Q3: How do you define rigor? and measure rigor of work/ assignments?
A2: Have Ss generate the questions that guide their learning to promote greater investment.
Sorry for the typo autocorrect didn't catch it before i hit tweet. https://t.co/g8caAObJOq
A2: you need to model the revel acne, model your passion, try new things reach for it, be creative
Checking in late. Had a board meeting
go for it! So much fun and love! Kids need to feel welcome at school. Invitational learning environments
I just laughed out loud. Yes! Please sell it. 😀
A2 must have a relationship first!
A2: Show the Ss that you are learning, too, and that you make mistakes.
A3: rigor is BIG buzz word, people use it all the time but I think the true meaning gets lost, Rigor does NOT mean harder
A3 rigor only means something to each Ss on a personal level. Find out what drives them+help them be their own motivation/passion
thank you, but I'm the lucky one!
I agree, I have been confused by rigor so many use it as harder but don't get it
Ss love to correct my mistake. They see we are approachable.
A3: I feel rigor means the ability to stick with a task through completion
A3: Rigor is a combination of engagement and quality of content. Requires some deeper thinking to complete a task.
agreed I am so confused when Admin says I want to see rigor, what are they looking for, stump the Students?
hitting on question 4 is rigor visible? How do we see it?
A3: Rigor is a challenge. That will be different for different students.
Admin has a hard time explaining it to parents
Agreed. Rigor has to look different or else its just regurgitation of facts/knowledge.
A3: The best rigor challenges Ss to go above & beyond w/out them realizing that the extent of their efforts because they're invested
A3: I look at Rigor as critcal thinking, do they need to "think" to answer the Q or is it just recall.
A4 Rigor is evident through differentiation. If all Ss are doing it, it's not meaningful rigor.
So rigor is higher up Bloom's ... Hmmm that makes sense
I was just thinking the same thing! Not necessarily harder, just deeper w/ more critical thinking
I'd guess they Ss thinking pushed & challenged so they're accomplishing things they didn't think they could
Question 4 is coming up (some noticed it earlier)
Q4: How do you measure or see rigor? Does it look the same for every student?
I see that as Goal Setting, the S set a goal and push themselves to achieve it.
I believe higher Bloom's and higher DOK.
And if it is not regurgitation, it is higher level thinking.
A4 depends on the S but bar must be held hi for all S's. Be careful being satisfied w/understanding an S has trouble.
I see a connection there. Ss often sell themselves short on their goals. Rigor could open their eyes?
A4: If the task is same for everyone, some are bored, for some it is just right, and some can not achieve it.
A4: Rigor is not the same for every S, you need to differentiate to make sure you still being relate-able and relevant to the Ss.
Exactly! The thinking involved in understanding, not simply measured by the difficulty of the text (or concept).
A4: Rigor is hard to measure in the moment: Has to be done by looking at students outputs
A4: Every Ss is a different learner so rigor looks different for each one. We need to hold high standards & meet them where they are
A4: Ss demonstrating learning in their own way. Task might be the same, but the end product looks very different.
Agreed: Students products will all be different in a rigorous classroom
and individual output sense each student is different with different levels of rigor.
Too often classwork all looks the same ... :( not rigorous
which makes learning more fun and gives more opportunities for students to shine
Agreed - the task doesn't necessarily have to be different but the process and outcome need not all be the same.
Awesome graphic Dan!! Sadly rigor has become a buzz word and is used wrong in many schools!
A4: Put the challenge to Ss to go beyond what is expected in regards to expectation (not quantity)
the same...and boring...which results in disengaged kids who don't like school
I use to work with a teacher that designed Tricky Qs, she called it upping the rigor.
thinking...thinking...thinking...thinking...thinking. Make it visible and you see the rigor.
An artist and a scientist do not show their understandings of the same things in the same way.
Q5: How do we get students to understand rigor and be rigorous workers? Many struggle following different paths want same work
we want children who think and aren't simply going through the motions of getting through the school day
Nor do they take the same path to get to their understanding.
A5: Model process, show how different paths lead to same learning, Give students a menu for work ... not assignments
A5: It's all in the feedback we give. Needs to be honest and sometime not what the Ss want to hear. Then, model the process.
A5 we have to get our S's hooked on learning and stop chasing grades.
Feedback is so key and feedback needs to fit student learning style: Some like auditory others need written
Grade seem to kill learning and make education as a race to the A .... Less grades and more show me how to ...
Give choices - always more than one meaningful way to approach and accomplish task or goal
Often Ss look to the teacher to give in and tell the "correct" way to complete a task. Frustration teaches rigor.
Is it right Mr Lisek? Do you think it is right? Why? .... Feedback is better than telling how
A5: Ss will attack learning in a rigorous manner if they see intrinsic value in the learning.
A5 just like all learning. It doesn't happen overnight. It begins with one step
would love to give final report card on first day all A's! Who cares what the grade is. It's about learning! https://t.co/A9r2AEo7oJ
Grade seem to kill learning and make education as a race to the A .... Less grades and more show me how to ...
My 6th Ss described the location of places today w/o using sources. Many asked, "Can I write this?" "idk, can you?"
Ss used to waiting for the one correct way get lazy. Why think it through if the teacher will think for you?
Ask the Ss, What do you think? Give them opportunities to solve their own problems w/ guidance when necessary.
YEAH that would be so cool! I always tell students I don't care about grade, tell me what you want and you can have it
I care about what they learn and know!
