#6thchat Archive
#6thchat is used to chat, collaborate, and grow with other sixth grade educators from around the globe. Each session we discuss a topic voted on by #6thchat participants. It's a great way to help grow your PLN and share ideas with others.
Tuesday September 20, 2016
Greetings! I am Kristin from Lansing,MI and teach ELA and SS! I am the moderator for ! Welcome!
Hello, Nick Smallwood 6th grade Lang Arts teacher in Davenport, Iowa
Hello , I'm Sam and I teach 6th ELA in Waukegan, Illinois
Welcome Nick! Glad to have you here tonight!
Hi, . I teach 6th grade in southern California. Love my tweeners.
We will be answering with a Q1/A1, Q2/A2, etc...format.
Hello! Lorena, 6th gr Social Studies teacher, Dodge City, KS
Anna Kron, preservice teacher at UNI in Iowa. El Ed with math, literacy, ss, and edtech... not sure what grade I'll teach yet!
Wendy from New Jersey. ELA and Reading
Hi Sam! Glad you are here tonight!
Hi Lorena! Thanks for joining us tonight!
Welcome! Glad you are with us tonight!
Hi Wendy! Hope you have been having a good week!
First question coming up in 1 minute!
Tweeners are so fun! I love it too!
A1) Ss must first understand the goals so I start there, share examples of what I am looking for, Ss look at their work &set goals.
Q1: W/ Chromebooks we have students check grades often and then use that data to plan how they are doing in class
I agree...such a pivotal time in their lives.
A1) Start with pre tests and essential questions for the unit. Self check(when possible) the pres test for reflection
A1) We're actually in the process of writing SMART goals in class. Each S is choosing two overarching goals for the year.
Hello everyone! Michelle, principal and grade 6 ELA and Health teachers from Saskatchewan, Canada jumping in late again.
Hi Michelle! Happy to have you join us!
I'm an RA at UNI, and I use SMART goals to help my freshmen residents set academic goals! I check in every month!
A1- looking for answers to this. But one thing we do is graph our grades for our home room class for each subject
A1 This is something I need a lot of improvement on. We look at reading scores and set goals for improvement.
I like using exit tickets. Google forms has some forms pre-made and google classroom, too
A1- we also set SmART goals.
Question 2 coming up in one minute!
Back in the day, I was an RA at Michigan State for 2 years and then a Grad Advisor for 1! Loved it!
A1: at start of year I model writing and reading. In hopes they will follow. Review vs rubrics.
A1 I think because I am also a school administrator when I think "data" I always think scores. I forget the smaller every day data.
A2) This is what I need to figure out to make it a more routine part of my practice. Graph paper in their binder--ideas?
Q2: This is something I could use some work on, but most is through our grading system where students can keep track of grades
I agree. There are many data points to consider and progress points. Prioritizing these is half the battle
Me too Sam. I am trying to figure out the "where" so it is student friendly, accessible and front of mind
A2) I do not, aside from their pre test scores being recorded in online grade book,but its seems like a good idea for them to do
A2: Learning management systems - eLearning in college, but used PowerSchool K-12... nice that students AND parents can access
A1 Evaluation is crucial. Ss should look at what they are learning/searching/sharing & Learn from each. Eval tools are a good start
A2 About the ony example I can come up with was done by our math teachers with basic facts and students graphed their results.
John Hattie's work talks about importance of them setting goals in a visible way. Something I"m also working on.
A2- so this I why I am here tonight , to learn how to do this better!
2 yr RA and now an SRA (we no longer have live-in grad positions so that's kind of me)
Yes learning has to happen one small step at a time and progress takes time.
Yes! Graphing facts and reading fluency is a common data collection point and they are easy to graph!
For the teachers who do goal-setting: Do you set aside time for this? Whole class? Small groups? Individually?
A2 As a teacher, I haven't bought into the importance of this practice.
Figuring out a great place fore this is essential, especially in a near paperless class, maybe a board
Exactly. In writing, for ex, some goals are simple like writing complete sentences.Teaching them to collect evidence.
A3) All Ts can have Ss working toward the same goal, have PLN discussions, and share lessons toward target goals
I wondered about padlet or google spreadsheets.
A3: Provides direction for students and teachers and motivates community to work toward common goals
A3) Students comfort level grows through repetition
I wonder if there's any research on keeping data by hand vs digital.Is one more visible and "present"?
A3) School wide data is important to plan & implement intervention and enrichment opportunities.
Watching Canada and USA battling it out in the World Cup hockey game.
Q3: Last year we used this to provide common assessments schoolwide to gauge growth as a school and grades (ie. for ELA)
A3 allows Ts and Ss to celebrate wins or hitting benchmarks
I have enjoyed using Newsela
good evening, - michael from columbus oh - math & science checking in late!
Liking the score so far! Ha, ha.
Usually in whole group, then set up small group time during the week to revisit goal, even 1:1 https://t.co/myvVza2QAk
For the teachers who do goal-setting: Do you set aside time for this? Whole class? Small groups? Individually?
What time intervals were used to measure growth?
Also LOVE ; it's a popular resource preservice teachers use for lesson differentiation at UNI
A4) Ensuring assessments show direct correlation between a learning strand and achievement; student attendance; timing; retention
a4) challenge: sometimes the data and the observation / conversations don't match
Yes! Ss get excited when effort pays off! If taught in growth mindset way, Ss set & achieve goals=great motivator.
A4: Not all data is numerical, so how to collect and organize observations so they're clear for ss and families to see progress
Hi MIchael! Glad you made it to share some ideas!
Q4: Challenge is that to see growth requires Pre and Post check and in order to get causes losts of testing.
A4) challenges- attendance, motivation, common ground with other teachers
Hubby just turned it on....see what you mean!
A4 Challenging to find time and make it authentic.
and sometimes numbers don't meet Parent's expectations. I'm happy w/ 65% early in a unit - Parents - not so much
you can choose news articles to read by category and choose a reading level
A4 The challenge is trying to keep track of the skills not mastered per student and being able to hit on all during interventions
A3- school wide is consistent for both Ss,Ts and parents! Makes it easier to see growth or lack of.
Did you use these news articles as a common assessment?
This is https://t.co/OWggSz4si7
A4: Not all data is numerical, so how to collect and organize observations so they're clear for ss and families to see progress
True. Trying to compare apples to apples is very hard when common ground not found.
A5) Ts need to know how to interpret data & how to use data to inform teaching; need to know how/where to collect it (and why)
A4) I find it challenging to track writing improvement over time
A4 Another challenge is when data driven person refuses to look at anecdotal notes
Yes my data team used it for pre and post tests
A5: Ts need to know how to read data and then determine next path of action from it. It shouldn't be for nothing
A5 How to choose data that clearly demonstrates skills necessary for learning target. How to gather, organize and share.
Just saw and heard....not lookin' good for the folks south of the border! PS Going to Stratford next weekend!
Thanks for explaining it to me. I am definitely going to check it out.
Thanks for sharing with me. I will check it out.
A5 You have to have relationships with Ss to know exactly why their data results are what they are
a5: determining what data is authentic and what data is "had a bad day"
A4- sometimes the goal is not reached. Now what? Reteach or was goal unrealistic?
: Our kids are more than numbers; requires us to see beyond number https://t.co/7HCMyK6Gc7
A5 You have to have relationships with Ss to know exactly why their data results are what they are
A5: Presenting areas that need improvement in an encouraging/supportive way, AND celebrating successes with groups/individuals
Lots of game left! Stratford-wonderful!
preparing for btsn. See you all soon!
So true! It can be difficult when we do one shot assessments and use that to determine levels.
A5) Knowing where each S started compared to where they ended. Looking for positive growth in relation to the individual S.
Our assessments must be as multi-dimensional as our kids
I am jealous for sure! Have a wonderful time!
A6) Use data to determine Ss who need extra practice/add'l support from resourceTs; also what target do a majority of Ss miss
A6 They are a good baseline piece of data as long as many other assessments and data tell the rest of the story.
A6: I use data to tell me if I need to spend more time on a topic or to keep going on with new topics
A6: Don't have Ss yet... personally, I struggled K-12 to set goals from std. tests because I always scored high. Needed more info!
We use more data from NWEA test than our state standardized test as the data is not timely on state test. NWEA we get in 24 hours.
in the past this data has informed us if we need to reteach certain aspects, or change focus in the future
Curious: Are folks turning to standards based grading? Traditional project/assignment grades? Or, throwing out grades altogether
A6 in Indiana, we do not receive results until more than 6 months after the fact, so those are useless
A6: did ability grouping last year with other ELA teachers and used NWEA MAP data for 1st and 2nd swap for last gave test on unit
Yes, as the "cut" scores can be low so hard to know where Ss really are. Agree.
Agree completely! This relates to what said earlier. https://t.co/jRreGKLCju
a5: determining what data is authentic and what data is "had a bad day"
I use traditional mostly, district is pushing standards based lately
That seems ridiculous! What are they used for then?
A7) Quality of Ss work; observe; ask Ss for feedback on assignments; Think Ss could track this on ongoing google doc/spreadsheet?
There are some in our district going towards standards based training. I don't know enough about it yet https://t.co/KG1LpqxvYk
Curious: Are folks turning to standards based grading? Traditional project/assignment grades? Or, throwing out grades altogether
We used learning outcomes and a MABE scale-Mastered, Attained, Beginning and Experiencing difficulty
A7: Anecdotal records, work completion, and general atmosphere of the classroom. If Ss don't look engaged they probably aren't
Similar in Michigan My students took test in early May, & just got score. Kids in new school now.
A7-I dont, but having students track their own engagement sounds like a great idea. Every day have them self rate their engagement
A7 On task behaviour and quality of work.
A7: I've had ts/profs who tallied # of times each person spoke. I don't like that though; not speaking doesn't equal not engaged!
Good Conversation tonight. Feel like many of us have same challenges, concerns, wonderings about this
Oh Lordy! So nothing to do with student improvement and growth. That is too bad.
agreed - introverted doesn't mean disinterested
Also ridiculous! Sometimes you just have to shake your head and move on.
I agree, sometime the most engaged are the quietest
Agree...better to use , or other backchannel means so quiet Ss can participate in comfortable way.
A7) We debrief lessons orally as a group and I've started to add self-evaluations into G-Form activities. Good Ss feedback.
You have to be careful about the data you value. It seems like some educators blindly trust the validity of it.
I agree!My daughter would have never been engaged if that was the case.I think she was since she is now a pharmacist.
Used but never . Thanks for the resource, I'll have to check that out! I also use
Thanks for the chat tonight. I'm heading out. This is an area I need to work on, it was very helpful to see what all had to say!
That is true! https://t.co/0NQPqingfd
You have to be careful about the data you value. It seems like some educators blindly trust the validity of it.
A8 Blood, sweat and tears felt by my school team has taught me many things about data and what is important.
A8: , (Google Forms), , are all great sources for data collection
Students LOVE Kahoot, they ask everyday if we can play
A8: Students benefit from reflecting on progress toward goals, so I would suggest journaling apps. Stigma could tie feelings to it!
Of course, pinterest and teachers pay teachers have lots of ideas
I haven't heard of stigma before Will check out.
Thanks everyone...a small but involved group tonight! I appreciate your time and thoughts!
its a neat app that could have lots of uses in LA classes
You are awesome! Thanks for all the sharing.
I should give credit - and told me about Stigma :)
TY! Trying to work smarter not harder by sharing! RT : You are awesome! Thanks for all the sharing.
See you all next week for !
