Thank you for visiting #ksedchat. We welcome all educators to our chat that runs Mondays at 8 p.m. Central. Though many of our educators have their homes in Kansas, all teachers are welcome to pop in and join in on the learning.
Jason, ELA T from Buhler HS. #ksedchat Fav film quote is so difficult. Today, let's go with..."I guess it comes down a simple choice: Get busy living, or get busy dying."
Hey everyone! Andrew Bauer, Halstead ELA, debate, and forensics. One of my fav movies is definitely Lord of the Rings": All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." #ksedchat
Hi all! TJ Warsnak here from Halstead High School. I teach history and social studies. Gotta stay in my content area with this classic quote. #ksedchat
Greg, ELA T from Buhler HS. Such a tough decision, but I'm going with "Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." as my fav movie quote tonight. #ksedchat
Hello all! Vance Stegman - ELA & debate/forensics at Ellinwood HS. I loved this movie in high school and have carried this quote with me through life. #ksedchat
Angie Boone from Cheney Middle School. Any quote from the Princess Bride, but favorite is from the book instead “life isn’t fair, it’s just fairer than death” #ksedchat
Megan Blackburn. Clay Center Community High School. Speech, Drama, Debate, and Forensics. It's too hard to pick one movie quote, so I'll do the one that has been hitting home with me lately...and what I'm trying to get my students to see... #ksedchat
A1: For me, it took one huge thing: building confidence through lots of PRACTICE. But even then, I still get scared sometimes. That never totally goes away. But you build confidence that you can master the fear. #ksedchat
I think it was practice more than anything. I had great teachers during my HS years that let me "teach" classes and broke down those barriers early. #ksedchat
A1 Honestly, I overcame my fears by embarrassing myself in front of my Ss. On accident at first, but now it’s 100% intentional. They love it & I’m more comfortable now! #ksedchat
A1: Public speaking is still brutal for me. Hate large crowds & struggle to be my self when people observe my classes. Saving grace is that I over prepare & just keep going when I make a mistake. #ksedchat
A1 I still do, especially if it is sharing something I've written with my kids. If I expect them to be vulnerable, however, I have to be too. #ksedchat
A1: I was rarely afraid of public speaking as a preservice teacher. I have a huge family and we are talkers. A little more unnerving is when admin came in. I just learned to just keep teaching. #ksedchat
A1: Fake it, til you make it! I also had to stop putting so much pressure on myself to be perfect. If I practice too much I sound rehearsed and fake and lose connection with my students. #ksedchat
A1: practice! Also... this is probably a big reason I ❤️ teaching middle school. They are so forgiving & understanding & it’s a lot easier to speak to them than it is to adults. #ksedchat
A1: I'd say I kept in mind the message. We speak to a purpose--just like we teach to a purpose. The message was more important than my fear. Additionally my audience (in this case my students) is more important that my fear. Speech is about communication--the message. #ksedchat
A1: I still fear it but I tell Ss that I will be the most awkward in the room so that they don't have to be. It's never easy but always worth it #ksedchat
A1: I participated in speech oriented activities in HS/college so that definitely helped, but once I made it into the classroom it was really about being “vulnerable” to the students. If they saw I was sincere then they’d be more receptive. #ksedchat
A1) If you tell your students it’s okay to make mistakes and grow from them, you’ll be more willing to try new things and embrace the outcome yourself. Practice what you preach! #ksedchat
A1: I had amazing ed. dept. professors in college who made me feel confident from the get-go and treated me like I was an adult (when I barely was!) #ksedchat
I was TERRIFIED of speech class. I literally threw up before EVERY speech in college. The GTA who taught my class got me through it by taking extra time all semester to coach me through my fear privately. She changed my life. #ksedchat
A1: For me, it is all about getting to know my S's and building those relationships. If I can be myself in front of them and show emotion, they will do the same. I love that environment. #ksedchat
A1: I participated in speech oriented activities in HS/college so that definitely helped, but once I made it into the classroom it was really about being “vulnerable” to the students. If they saw I was sincere then they’d be more receptive. #ksedchat
A1: To this day I struggle speaking in front of colleagues but it never has bothered me to stand in front of kids, any age. I did struggle when I was a preservice teacher as I never used to like talking in front of others. #ksedchat
A1: During my first month of school I was lecturing while seated on a high stool and somehow I fell off of it. 😳 It was mortifying, but also kind of broke the ice? I realized I could poke fun at myself and it made things less intimidating #ksedchat
I was in forensics, plays, cheer, etc throughout my school career. I can get up and speak without preparing a thing - but if I am talking to someone one-on-one, I way overthink it. I'm actually an introvert masquerading as an extrovert. lol #ksedchat
#ksedchat A1: my biggest fear was failure and making mistakes. Making yourself transparent for students, coworkers, admin, and parents is hard but biggest reward.
A2: Every day I look at how easy it is to hide behind a cell phone rather than speak directly to someone or even listen to someone. But the ones who are capable of crafting their messages are the ones that wind up in leadership positions! #ksedchat
A1 Also, my 1st year teaching I read our class novel (Hunger Games) out loud and did the voices. My Ss loved my Effie Trinket voice and how silly it all was. Pushing myself outside of my comfort zone really helps me overcome fears. #ksedchat
A2: Everything is speaking and listening. The sooner Ss understand that the sooner they start to make the connection that figuring out how to be good at those skills makes them better at everything else. #ksedchat
A2 The biggest problem is our society is that we don’t know how to communicate! We have to help Ss w speaking AND LISTENING skills! They need a safe space to practice and learn! #ksedchat
A2: I stress with students that great ideas don't work until they are spread around. You need to be listening for things that work and more important, share your brilliance with others. These kids have things worth hearing. #ksedchat
A1 I have never really been afraid of public speaking maybe that is a reason I was attracted to teaching! My wife was big into forensics and I believe some of these traits have luckily been passed to our kids! #ksedchat
A2 I’ve got a class that talks over each other all the time. No respect for when someone else is speaking. I want them to learn ELA, but more than that, I want them to be respectful citizens. They’re good at the speaking, but not so great at active listening. #ksedchat
A2: I really stress that speaking and listening are the crux of life. You can’t be great at most careers if you can’t communicate well! These are not easy to master either because we get in the way of ourselves all the time #ksedchat
A2) Everyone has a voice, and everyone deserves to be heard. My primary goal as a teacher is to teach my students they have voices, and to give them the tools to express those voices thoughtfully and cogently. #ksedchat
A2) speaking and listening is more important now than ever with the need for respectful discussion to move our society where we could be. Ss need to know how to collaborate and respectfully disagree to solve our problems. #ksedchat
A2: Communication is so important at every level of our lives. If we can't truly listen and then speak calmly and intelligently, we will not make a positive impact in our world. We need to teach this and lead in this way. #ksedchat
A2 I also try to remind my Ss that most people listen to respond, not to actually hear and understand. I think it goes in one ear and out the other. 😅 #ksedchat
We had this discussion in my class. Listening to understand vs listening to respond is important. We have to do a better job modeling this for our kids; what they see on a daily basis from adults is often not exemplary. #ksedchat
Late to the party! Jill Dodge, librarian at Eudora Elementary. My most used movie quote at home lately (due to my two children) is "You're killing me smalls!" #ksedchat
Maybe it’s because it’s been a long rough Monday but I think: If most people could adequately speak and listen to one another, we’d all live in harmony. #ksedchat
A2: Talk about real world skills! This is one of the things I love most about teaching journalism - if students want good interviews they must learn to speak well and actively listen. It’s a powerful learning moment #ksedchat
A2: "...for the same arguments which we use in persuading others when we speak in public, we employ also when we deliberate in our own thoughts" --Isocrates. To learn to speak is to learn to think. It is critical to the educational process. #ksedchat
A1: Public speaking, luckily, has always come naturally for me. It’s the vulnerability of being told I’m wrong and making mistakes that is nerve racking. But that’s being human and when you’re honest about that to your students, it shows character and earns respect. #ksedchat
A2: Maybe it’s because it’s been a long rough Monday but I think: If most people could adequately speak and listen to one another, we’d all live in harmony. #ksedchat
A2 these are skills most of us need everyday! If you can communicate effectively by listening to others and being able to talk with others that can go along way! Can't alway be measured by GPA or a test score #ksedchat
A2: Speaking and listening skills are at the heart of all relationships: personal and professional. Good relationships are the foundation to life! #ksedchat
It’s a book by Stephen Covey called the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. There is an adult companion called the Leader in Me which we are using as a guide to improve our modeling in the school as well. #ksedchat
A3: Peers and trust are biggies! You need the practice to get better, but practice often means failing! Getting students comfortable with failure, with sticking their necks out in front of their peers, is so important for getting started! #ksedchat
A2: This is like asking why oxygen and water are important. To speak and listen is the breath and sustenance of communication. Without these skills we are lifeless. #ksedchat
A3 Well, some Ts have already said it, but social media... Ss don’t see good examples of this online, so we HAVE to be more interesting and informative in the classroom than what they’re seeing on their phones. It’s tough. #ksedchat
I believe that speaking and listening skills are the KEY components of communication. If we can't teach our Ss to communicate, how can they survive? Communication is VITAL to education! #ksedchat
A3: technology. It is wonderful in some ways, but in other ways it is hindering the ability to learn how to communicate properly. Students want to show an emoji over expressing true feelings or problems. #ksedchat
A3) society, models from the media and “news”, technology: all provide examples of poor speaking and listening but also give the evidence of the need for these important skills #ksedchat
A3: I believe that we must model speaking and listening skills to our Ss in order for them to learn. We need to show them what we expect and I believe that all Ts should have the same expectations for Ss to make it easier on them. #ksedchat
A3: what is modeled for them in other places doesn’t match my hopes for their skills. It takes a lot of time & modeling of what is expected when I sometimes wish they were just ready to go. #ksedchat
A3: A huge barrier is technology and the preference for messaging others rather than face to face conversations. When do our S's actually do that with people other than their closest friends? #ksedchat
A3: The biggest barrier to speaking is confidence. People fear speaking, and Ss can't stand to lose face. Going out on a limb to voice your opinion is a hard pill to swallow, and if you don't practice you don't get better. #ksedchat
A3) Cell phones! We live in a world of brevity (ironic to say here, I know). Quick remarks at a fast pace. The need to be complete in thought and expression has disappeared. #ksedchat
A3: The biggest barriers are built by social norms: many kids at my age laugh when it is hard or nervous so it makes others feel self concious. Once we did our 5th reader’s theater they were over it because they knew we would publish it to parents. They were so excited! #ksedchat
A3: Our society is so focused on winning the argument that we've lost the art of real communication. We have to listen to one another. Students struggle with this--I could argue more than adults, but after the day I've had on social media I can't really back that up. #ksedchat
A3: It's definitely time-consuming to prepare & deliver speeches within a regular ELA class; it can take days to get through presentations. Even when I taught speech, I favored daily/shorter/impromptu speaking exercises. #ksedchat
Jumping in super late, Kara 6th grade ELA & SS T from Buhler. Favorite quote right now because #BaseballisBack is “There’s no crying in baseball!” from A League of Their Own. #ksedchat
A3 it is important for Ss to get at bats! Starting with allowing them to talk about topics that are important to them can help. Giving Ss a topic they don't know can add to the anxiety of speaking in front of others #ksedchat
A3: my Ss with disabilities are sometimes discounted in group discussions due to the fact that it takes them longer to process the language-they have great ideas, but need time to express #ksedchat
A3: Blending content with purpose for good discussion and listening. To have a good discussion Ss need depth of content or it's just emotion or opinion, but getting them to learn the content for the purpose can be tough. #ViciousCycle#ksedchat
A3: I feel that a strong barrier is allowing our students the time to formulate a response that represents their voice and what they want their message to be. As well as helping them tap into that voice to be heard. #ksedchat
A3: time for meaningful discourse, teachers who struggle with too much teacher talk and not enough student talk, parents who don’t talk to their kids #ksedchat
A3: My biggest barrier is getting them to care about what their peers are saying enough to actually learn to listen. Many just want to go through the motions and be done. #ksedchat
Growth mindset! Yes! Speech is not a skill most students are naturally good at. Students don't like to fail so they put up barriers. Getting them to realize that it's about growth not perfection is a huge roadblock! #ksedchat
A3: I think a huge barrier for students' speaking and listening skills is that they aren't getting good role models in real life. It's hard to turn on the TV to any 24 hour news channel (including sports) and not see ppl talking over each other & disrespectfully arguing #ksedchat
A3 it is important for Ss to get at bats! Starting with allowing them to talk about topics that are important to them can help. Giving Ss a topic they don't know can add to the anxiety of speaking in front of others #ksedchat
A3: I wish I better understood the way they have grown up communication. It’s so different than what I grew up doing, and the generation gap grows every year. I feel like it makes it hard to understand the best ways to teach them speaking and listening skills #ksedchat
A4: Empathy can be big! It's difficult to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but sometimes you need to do that in order to craft the right message #ksedchat
A4: Listening is the first step, and the way to nurture it is to spend the time needed to build trust for students to want to express themselves. This can't just happen in ELA or speech classes, it has to happen in every period. #ksedchat
A4: I think confidence is the big part of speaking. Start small and formulate answers in class, then go into sharing a story, then present. Baby steps will hopefully take away the nerves and build pride in speaking clearly. #ksedchat
A4: Similar to writing, having a true purpose for speaking is important. Not just 'giving a speech' but having a desire for people to hear you. This is why choice and letting students have options is important. #ksedchat
A4: Listening is the first step, and the way to nurture it is to spend the time needed to build trust for students to want to express themselves. This can't just happen in ELA or speech classes, it has to happen in every period. #ksedchat
A4) listening skills for empathy and comparison. How is this the same as your thoughts? How is it different? Why is it different? Ss must evaluate what they are hearing. #ksedchat
A4 to echo @androo88 and @thewarsnak empathy and understanding the content. Both can be challenging! We must me models for them and show them other good examples! #ksedchat
@MeganJBlackburn already mentioned it, but growth mindset. Students won’t be perfect within their 4 years of high school and they need to understand that. I have a student who is deathly afraid of public speaking - her doing it > someone doing it ok #ksedchat
I tried to teach empathy all last week. It’s so difficult, especially trying to get middle schoolers to understand that sometimes their world shouldn’t revolve around themselves. #ksedchat
A4: students need to have good interpersonal skills and be able to have empathy to those they’re speaking so they can not just listen to others, but truly hears them on a higher level #ksedchat
A4: they need listening skills. You can’t reply to others without active listening. Modeling! Also providing sentences frames for meaningful responses. #ksedchat
A4: Not only critical thinking skills, but also critical viewing, reading and speaking. Students need to learn to critique the arguments they take in AND the arguments they make--looking for logical fallacies and propaganda techniques from media and from themselves. #ksedchat
A4: Echoing others - confidence, content knowledge, and give them lots of low stakes practice opportunities. I like pop up debates a lot, as well as informal, quick one-minute “speeches.” #ksedchat
A4: I feel that confidence as finding your voice are huge foundational skills along with empathy and compassion. We nurture this in small progressions, in ALL courses, to help strengthen them and show that their voice does count. #ksedchat
A5: I've particularly liked what @coachschutte has done by having his students participate in a mock congress. They wrote their own legislation in Government class and debated what should be passed using parliamentary procedure! #ksedchat
A5: Having genuine discussion is where students have showed their speaking skills best for me. Daily roll questions like "what's your favorite ice cream" evolve over the year to "What is your biggest fear" and they learn to feel safe to share. #ksedchat
A5 Does blurting out count? 😂 No but seriously, I need to get better at providing them opportunities to use their voices for collaboration instead of distraction. #ksedchat
A5: Lot's of opportunities in social studies. I love ignite presentations and acting out scenes in history. Tried, a tonight show set up this year as well which I will expand on in the future h/t @CoachTyUnrau#ksedchat
A5: March for Our Lives was a kick in the pants for me and how little I was doing outside my debate/forensics class. Now, we are going to be doing a speech of the week and regularly participate in classroom debates. #ksedchat
A5: the classic think-pair-share. I also have Share the Love Monday’s, where my students have to listen to a partners weekend. Then share 2 things they liked from the weekend story and one question to ask more about the event. It helps speaking & listening with littles #ksedchat
A5) @Flipgrid@seesaw are great ways for students to record themselves and receive feedback. I also have them play educational board games once a week. Excellent soft skills practice. #ksedchat
Lawyers presenting their opening & closing statements to the jury in the case of the State of Mississippi vs. TJ Avery. #ksedchat#nerdcampks#swatherpride
A5: I have students practice in a mirror and then work up to speaking in regards to peer conflict or approaching teachers and they ask me to watch. Their confidence over the progression is amazing! #ksedchat
A5: We started saving and sharing all of our speeches/presentations in Seesaw, which really opened the door to better feedback from authentic audiences & opportunities for later student reflection. #ksedchat
A5 Our Ss teach lessons to el and HS classes, speak to clubs they have formed, present to organizations as part of their Passion Pursuits classes. #ksedchat
A5: Something I did for the first time this year was having them give book talks at the end of an independent reading assignment. They had to “sell” their book to us and the top five sellers got a prize. The twist - I invited parents in to be judges. It was fun! #ksedchat
A5: I remind my students that "It's not about you"(movie quote) Speech and drama are powerful skills to enact change. My classroom is full of world changers and that's what we focus on showcasing. Instead of talking only about their skill, we talk about their message. #ksedchat
A5: Beyond the traditional class presentations... Socratic Seminars, author’s chair sharing (in class and in local bookstores), connecting with experts for research, class debates. #ksedchat
