#RuralEdChat is a chat that focuses on the needs of the rural educator. This chat has been revised by Tammy Neil (@MathNeil), John Martin (@edventures) and Natalee Stotz (@nataleestotz).
I'm great. Florence is more on the North Carolina/South Carolina coast. My country home is open to my PLN in the area that may need a place to be. #RuralEdChat
Goodevening everyone! I'm Matt, and recently, a few people have all independently described me as "energetic". Not-coincidentally, I think, it's always when I'm in or thinking about my students. #RuralEdChat
Thinking about those on the coasts and areas that will be impacted by hurricane conditions. #ruraledchat Water is so powerful, so important and so destructive.
Good evening everyone! I'm Matt, and recently, several people have independently described me as "energetic". Not coincidentally, I think, it's always when I'm in my classroom or thinking about my students #RuralEdChat
Tonight we will be taking about how we are dealing with the beginning of the school year. We will use the Q1/A1 format until a conversation takes over. Don't forget #RuralEdChat so we can all share your brilliance.
Water has receded in most areas, and folks are continuing to clean up. A few schools have only had a couple days so far due to late starts. Infrastructure damage of roads, bridges and dams is significant. #ruraledchat
A1 Kids have been back since right after Labor Day around here, give or take some days. Grad school for me has been in session for almost three weeks. #RuralEdChat
A2: I can honestly say I've enjoyed both getting to know my students and teaching new curriculum. Being at a new school can be overwhelming, but they've made it fun. #RuralEdChat
I thought that was you!!!! Welcome to #RuralEdChat There are several people here that co-moderate with me. They are awesome and can help you find your way.
Hearing about all of the awesome things my students did this summer! Several were so, so blessed to participate in awesome pre-college programs, and it's been amazing to hear what they learned and how they've grown. Wish I had more time to talk to each student #RuralEdChat
A2: as a second answer, I've found it incredibly rewarding to hear from some students that they're taking my class because they heard it was good! #RuralEdChat
You get to see them grow. That's one of the things I enjoyed about teaching in a 6-12 and I will miss now that I'm at a 6-8 middle school. #RuralEdChat
A3: I've changed the way I pack lunches. Making my own "lunchables" and having them ready in the fridge. Also, I really love using @CanvasLMS to manage our workflow. #RuralEdChat
A3b: In my classroom, I've streamlined my classroom procedures. We now have a Google form for leaving the classroom instead of a clipboard. #RuralEdChat
A3 For my own routine, I switched to writing papers and doing homework in the early mornings. I'm finding that evening is not longer working for me to be productive with studying. Makes me wonder about kiddos trying to get homework done... #ruraledchat
A3: getting up a little earlier to do more before school. Even if I'm physically awake in the evenings, I'm usually too tired for mental labor. #RuralEdChat
I agree. I am working hard to use technology like CANVAS features to foster conversations and build relationships with my students - primarily through feedback discussions. #RuralEdChat
I don't have children, but I'm reaching back into my old high school bag of tricks to make my mornings more smooth. Funny how a lot of them are timeless. #RuralEdChat
A4: I was afraid that trying to use the Chromebooks to write HTML would be more cumbersome than it is. My students are taking to it pretty well. #RuralEdChat
A4: I'm teaching a new course to all returning students, so simply saying, "I expect more participation in class this year" and "it's ok to be wrong, just be wrong loudly!" and having it actually work! #RuralEdChat
A3: Since I have planning 1st period, I seem to be getting more things done in the morning which means I am bringing less work home. I, too, am using @lmscanvas to streamline my prep and communitcation with students. #RuralEdChat
A4: Our new Gradebook has been met with excitement and fear. Overall it has been a welcomed advancement for the district. Web based and everything! #2018 #RuralEdChat
Teams is more of a chat and project collaboration application than an LMS, but they've been building out a lot of EDU features - students vs teacher controls, assignments with due dates and submission tracking, etc. #RuralEdChat
In reply to
@robinhosemann, @TG_Neil, @CanvasLMS, @MicrosoftTeams
We're an Office 365 school, so we have access to Teams already built in to what we pay for. Giving it a try, since I have a smaller, very project focused class this year #RuralEdChat
In reply to
@robinhosemann, @TG_Neil, @CanvasLMS, @MicrosoftTeams
A5: I would do 3 weeks of training instead of the one we got. It was a fundamental change to teachers' worlds so we would have all benefited. #RuralEdChat
A4: Honestly, I didn't think I was goinging to be able to make my new room work. Everything is in a different place, but somehow I have managed to make it work pretty well. #RuralEdChat
Can I say "the last two weeks of summer"? Knowing what I know now, I'd have gotten more work done then! Every year, I forget just how much unexpected work comes up in the first few weeks #RuralEdChat
I love that! I am always trying to stress that it's ok to be wrong because that offers us the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. It is so hard sometimes to get kids to buy into putting themselves out there. #RuralEdChat
A6: User Burn Out. We also rolled over to Gmail this year, so lot's of big changes and we have to be aware that some users are feeling overwhelmed. #RuralEdChat
I have moved closer to the school. I've gone from a 70 minute commute (each way) to 20 minutes. Loving it. But it does take some getting used to. #RuralEdChat
I would love to hear how it works out as the year goes on, living far enough away that you can I separate work and family? Living three miles away from the school, and living in the same community, I ponder about moving out so I can have my personal space. #ruraledchat
It really is. I do my best to lead by example and own my mistakes, I think it helps some. Usually it's way more difficult than just saying it this year has been. #RuralEdChat
A6: Keeping my eye on students that seem to be overwhelmed. My class has a LOT of higher level activities. I don't want to leave anyone behind. #RuralEdChat
I have students participate in the most challeging questions/tasks in low risk assignments like warm-ups. The rubric allows for easy grading, and I provide plenty of feedback and assistance. #RuralEdChat
I'm trying to leave assignments a little more open-ended and self-directed, but the "no set length to your summer reflection!" move got me some... very succinct... responses. Need to be prepared to give more detailed "follow up" assignments in those cases #RuralEdChat
#RuralEdChat Only if we understand those mistakes, why they happened, and what can be done differently when the variables or the context changes slightly. #RuralEdChat
A7: I am super excited about the project that #RuralEdChat inspired a few weeks ago. I haven't given the students much information, but I'm leaving "trailers" and hints to get them interested.
#RuralEdChat
A4 I thought that sharing the classroom would be easier than it was, so I am having to come up with creative solutions to keep my things in order and have all things available that I need; thank goodness I have an amazing Ed Assistant! #RuralEdChat
A7: I'm most excited for my students to get to work on their own projects - I've had them start idea notebooks, and they're already telling me all of their plans, and I can't wait to help make them real. #RuralEdChat
I am restructuring my Film Production club, and I'm excited to start working with the students (and potentially @TG_Neil ) on new projects. I am also excited to incorporate new elements of Canvas. #RuralEdChat
A5 I thought I was going to get to try a whole new type of lessons this year, but it turns out that the teachers want what I have already been doing bc it is effective, so I would have begun with that in mind #RuralEdChat
As #RuralEdChat comes to a close, I want to encourage you all to return next Tuesday at 8:30 pm est.
Until then, keep tagging #RuralEdChat as you share your successes or search for support.
