#collschat Archive

Collingswood Public Schools Book chats and other education topics.
Tuesday November 22, 2016
7:30 PM EST
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 7:31 PM EST
    A4: Unfortunately, yes. I know my ss grades often don't reflect their talents, but how do I change that? #Collschat
  • mmebriggs11 Nov 22 @ 7:32 PM EST
    My fault, rookie mistake! #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:33 PM EST
    Q5: Taylor thought there was nothing worse than a worker doing things their own way. Do we follow this belief in our classrooms? #collschat
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:33 PM EST
    Love this idea - rankings make kids CRAZY and have few benefits in HS. School needs to be less of a pressure cooker. #collschat
    In reply to @kysmith424
  • cwahlCHS Nov 22 @ 7:34 PM EST
    A4: My class is anything but average and we celebrate that every day. Hooray! #collschat
  • colls_academic Nov 22 @ 7:35 PM EST
    A5: Some level of conformity is inevitable. It's the pockets of individuality within the norms that matter most. #collschat
  • CollsCompSci Nov 22 @ 7:35 PM EST
    A5:  I make a conscious effort not to, but I can still fall in the trap. #collschat
  • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 7:36 PM EST
    Its hard to say "do/be YOUR best". doesn't always resonate when the rank exists. #collschat
    In reply to @mr_dfenton
  • JB_Popliteus Nov 22 @ 7:36 PM EST
    A5: it's unfortunately a huge part of school. Conforming to a teacher's way of demonstrating knowledge/skills. #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:36 PM EST
    A5: While I have read about the beginnings of our modern school system before, this particular time it was quite heartbreaking. #Collschat
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:37 PM EST
    Very true! And definitely when it has real-life implications for college acceptances, scholarships, awards, etc. #collschat
    In reply to @kysmith424
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 7:38 PM EST
    A5: Even if I teach the same book for 6 years, new students bring new ideas. I learn from my ss all the time. #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:40 PM EST
    Q6: Bells were introduced 2 emulate factory bells 2 prepare kids for careers. What else about our schools do we cling to? Why? #collschat
  • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 7:40 PM EST
    A5: Same in counseling. We follow the same guidelines, but each work in a different way. No way is wrong..just different. #collschat
  • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 7:41 PM EST
    A6: found this interesting! I had no idea that was where the bells originated. #collschat
  • cwahlCHS Nov 22 @ 7:42 PM EST
    "No way is wrong..just different." LOVE this!! #collschat
    In reply to @kysmith424
  • MrsMues Nov 22 @ 7:42 PM EST
    . A6 Rows. Uniform seating. Uniform assignments. Any assessment that measures compliance more than learning. #collschat
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:42 PM EST
    A6: Latenesses, neatly contained content areas, hall passes, grading...oh, and bad food in the cafeteria! #collschat
  • colls_academic Nov 22 @ 7:43 PM EST
    A6: Ugh, grades, for one. Lesson plans. Tenure. Should I keep going? #collschat
  • msdigiambattist Nov 22 @ 7:43 PM EST
    A6: Lateness, generic grading systems, why? I'm not sure. #collschat
  • mmebriggs11 Nov 22 @ 7:43 PM EST
    A6: Desks facing T is modeled after a religious ceremony #collschat
  • JB_Popliteus Nov 22 @ 7:43 PM EST
    Q6: I think conformity and top down setting of expectations/assessment is the biggest aspect we hold on to #collschat
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 7:44 PM EST
    Q6: homework. I often feel that I should be assigning more homework because well.. That's what teacher do #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:44 PM EST
    A6: Uniform mandated curriculum. I LOVE Biology but couldnt teach a bulk of the topics that I enjoyed so much. #Collschat
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 7:45 PM EST
    same here! #collschat
    In reply to @kysmith424
  • mmebriggs11 Nov 22 @ 7:45 PM EST
    it made sense to me when I learned that...and why so much uniformity. Desks like pews...etc #collschat
    In reply to @whalen
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:46 PM EST
    I pretty much stopped giving HW this year. I feel like a better teacher. The real learning happens in the classroom #collschat
    In reply to @K_Skipper628
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:47 PM EST
    Q7: How often do you see Ss being measured but not reflecting their true ability? WHat about yourself? What do we do about it? #collschat
  • cwahlCHS Nov 22 @ 7:48 PM EST
    A6: Feeling okay - I don't have desks, get to teach real life skills, work is aligned with each Ss skill level,<3 my job #collschat
  • CollsCompSci Nov 22 @ 7:49 PM EST
    A7:  Very often.  Students can’t be measured one moment in time. Maybe didn't sleep well, didn't have breakfast, family issues. #collschat
  • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 7:49 PM EST
    A7: rather often. Standardized tests for one! Ss dont always do well on those tests. Scores dont reflect the Ss ability. #collschat
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:49 PM EST
    A7: We see kids' grades not reflecting their ability all the time. Grades should be about communication, not compliance. #collschat
  • colls_academic Nov 22 @ 7:50 PM EST
    A7: How often does it happen in reverse? A standard system of checks and balances creates standard (read: average) people. #collschat
  • JB_Popliteus Nov 22 @ 7:50 PM EST
    A7: #collschat this is my biggest rallying cry! Students look and grade and ignore the assessment.
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:51 PM EST
    Like how the passing score on PARCC is "Met Expectations"? #collschat
    In reply to @colls_academic
  • MrsMues Nov 22 @ 7:52 PM EST
    A7 seems some Ts are reticent solely to measure skills b/c they're concerned how Ss might feel-or that they can't do the work #collschat
  • JB_Popliteus Nov 22 @ 7:52 PM EST
    A7: I've found that narrative feedback and students self grading leads to students attending to learning/skills #collschat
  • msdigiambattist Nov 22 @ 7:52 PM EST
    A7: Often! Sometimes grades reflect students' ability that specific day, not their overall ability #collschat
  • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 7:52 PM EST
    "I only need to pass the class, so why work hard to get anything higher"? #collschat
    In reply to @colls_academic
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:54 PM EST
    Q8: Thinking of individuals first is not convenient. Do you believe it is possible to move away from averagarian thinking? #collschat
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 7:54 PM EST
    A7: Not a fan of our observation format. Too many boxes to be checked. Numbers can not reflect a great lesson #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:54 PM EST
    A7: I think we have to do LESS in order to achieve more. But we live in a more more more culture. #Collschat
  • MrsMues Nov 22 @ 7:55 PM EST
    A7 We must. #collschat
  • CollsCompSci Nov 22 @ 7:56 PM EST
    A8:  Educators try to individualize student learning. It is easier now that I teach an elective, to evaluate based on ability. #collschat
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 7:56 PM EST
    A8: Like most things that seem daunting, breaking down averagarian thinking is probably easier than we might first expect. #collschat
  • colls_academic Nov 22 @ 7:57 PM EST
    A8: Away from? Yes. Devoid of? No. Like many things, people need the comfort of sameness as much as the freedom of differences. #collschat
  • mmebriggs11 Nov 22 @ 7:57 PM EST
    A8: I'm grateful for smaller class sizes in order to focus on feedback and communication for and to each Frenchie #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:57 PM EST
    A8: While we work in a system that relies on average, I believe we work in a school that celebrates individuals. That's a start #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 7:59 PM EST
    Thanks for joining! Tune in next week for chapters 4-6 of #theendofaverage #collschat by @ltoddrose
    In reply to @ltoddrose
  • CollsCompSci Nov 22 @ 7:59 PM EST
    Thanks, Dan! #collschat
  • MrsMues Nov 22 @ 7:59 PM EST
    A8: We as educators must slow down & see each student as a living, breathing, growing human-not proficient cogs in an old machine #collschat
  • mmebriggs11 Nov 22 @ 7:59 PM EST
    Merci! #collschat
  • mr_dfenton Nov 22 @ 8:00 PM EST
    Great job, Dan and everyone! Learned a lot from it! #collschat
    In reply to @whalen
  • JB_Popliteus Nov 22 @ 8:00 PM EST
    A8: I had students self-grade (writing and a presentation) based on my feedback. It was liberating #collschat
  • JB_Popliteus Nov 22 @ 8:01 PM EST
    Awesome! That's for the great questions and discussion #collschat
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 8:01 PM EST
    It's hard to differentiate when you see almost 100 kids a day, but I try to meet individual needs #collschat
  • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 8:02 PM EST
    So excited that we are doing this chat again! I walk away with motivation to be my best in my job and for my Ss! Thanks Dan! #collschat
  • K_Skipper628 Nov 22 @ 8:02 PM EST
    Thanks everyone! #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 8:03 PM EST
    I feel the same Kylie! Love that we are back! #Collschat
    • kysmith424 Nov 22 @ 8:02 PM EST
      So excited that we are doing this chat again! I walk away with motivation to be my best in my job and for my Ss! Thanks Dan! #collschat
  • whalen - Moderator Nov 22 @ 8:10 PM EST
    yay! #collschat spreads to the west coast!! Missed you tonight Kathryn!
    In reply to @kathrynribay, @mr_dfenton