Good morning! I’m Lauren, author of EMPOWER Your Students and Curriculum at Your Core. So excited to be moderating #HackLearning today! Let’s start with introductions! Tell us your name, role, and what empowers you.
Hi #hacklearning I'm Sean from Orland Pk IL. Director of Instructional Tech at Marian Catholic High School. Today I'm in Davenport delivering my 2 oldest to St. Ambrose U.
Good morning #HackLearning! John Meehan from Washington DC. High school instructional coach and eleventh grade English teacher. Excited to be heading back to the classroom!
Empowering students doesn't mean you sit back and HOPE they own their own learning. It means you provide the conditions for them to do so. #HackLearning
A1 Meaningful academic work creates opportunities for students to tell their stories, expand their interests, develop empathy, help others, and build community. All of that is empowering! #HackLearning
A1. When the work is meaningful to them, they buy in to it. When students are actively engaged, they see the purpose of why their education is important. They begin to reflect on their past and think about their futures with the connections. #HackLearning
A1 meaningful work gives students something worth working for. If too easy, they see no value. Too hard and they shut down. If they can't see it relate to their lives, then they're just "playing school." it makes it authentic. #hacklearning
A1: Powerful academic work ideally would have some choice. Choice empowers students and provides them with some ownership of their learning. Even a little choice goes a long way. #hacklearning
A1: it gives students agency over their learning. It encourages dissent, allows for questioning. It teaches rhetoric; logos, pathos, ethos. It levels the playing field #hacklearning
Motivation is expectation of success times value ... if the work is valueable and sts feel like they can succeed over & over again, sts are empowered to dig deeper & enhance their own learning 🤩 #HackLearning
A1: Meaningful work empowers Ss bc they focus on the process & not the grade. This Ss just emailed me in July (she graduated in June) and ended my class last January. She asked to update her project 🙌🏽 I call these moments my #teacherbonus#hacklearning
A1: Allows them to have the knowledge base and critical thinking skills to apply to real world issues they are facing now and in the future. #HackLearning
A1: Meaningful academic work is more cognitively engaging, provides purpose, offers a path to success & to participate in something authentic, relevant and worthwhile - all this contribute to student empowerment #HackLearning
A1. When students feel a genuine sense of accomplishment, they take pride in their work! AND WANT TO WORK EVEN HARDER! This .gif is my 11th graders reacting to an @EquityMaps feedback dashboard (a class discussion mapping tool, think Fitbit for Socratic Seminar). #hacklearning
A1 meaningful work gives students something worth working for. If too easy, they see no value. Too hard and they shut down. If they can't see it relate to their lives, then they're just "playing school." it makes it authentic. #hacklearning
A1: meaningful should have a place in their reality- the “why” is more evident to them. It may be a “why” that they’ve been wondering about or struggling with. If they’ve been asking why, they’re probably excited to work towards answering it #hacklearning
A1: Good teaching practices can engage Ss in irrelevant and perfunctory work, but when Ss feel connected to a relevant topic, have choice and autonomy in what and how they learn, they move from engagement to empowerment #hacklearning
A1: Meaningful Academic work to me means students don't have to ask, Why are we doing this? or When will I ever use this? Those answers are evident in the lesson/work. #hacklearning
Making connections from the content that I teach to their everyday lives. I ask them what they're favorite things are at the moment and I tie that to the content. #HackLearning
A1: Meaningful student work has relevance. If there is relevance learners will be able to tell you:
1. What they learned
2. Why they learned it
3. How they will use it
#HackLearning
I’ve been learning about “gadflys” and the importance of them in learning. We have them in our classrooms. We need to embrace the gadflys #hacklearning
A1: I have a Work Study class this yr and the Ss are my SMART Tech Team. We provide technical support for Ts and Ss. They chose 5 Ts to be solely responsible for helping this yr. This made the class meaningful because they had a choice. #HackLearning#gwinchat
A1: Meaningful also assumes a good amount of challenge. If it's too easy it doesn't mean anything. If it's too hard, I can't engage very well. #hacklearning
Agreed. How can we tell where that line of challenging but not overwhelming is for them? What are some things you look for to tell? It’s part of the magic of teaching right? #HackLearning
A2 Students who have a relationship with their teacher feel safe to take academic risks & model this for peers increasing the reach of even 1 teacher #HackLearning
Yes! THIS ⬆️ I was new to my district last year and knew I had a lot to learn. I focused on relationships, everyday. I asked questions and listened. Understanding their past and present dynamics is SO important! #hacklearning
A1: Meaningful academic work helps S's grown into their role as an independent learner, that is able to collaborate with their teacher as guide but recognizes their role in learning. We must provide opportunities for that productive struggle thru meaningful work. #hacklearning
A2 Learning is messy: it involves mistakes, false starts, confusion, and misconceptions. Authentic relationships with teachers & peers empowers students to be vulnerable in the service of meaningful learning. #HackLearning
A2: Kids need to be empowered more than engaged. Positive relationships with learners can inspire and spark passion more than just managing them. #HackLearning
A1: Meaningul academic work empowers students by challenging them to think outside of the box, to perhaps look deep inside themselves, and to ask questions which challenge others. #HackLearning
A2: students cannot and will not learn from a teacher they feel uncomfortable around. Intimidation shouldn't be the goal, motivation should be. #HackLearning
A2 they can inspire, provide students with a sense of belonging and importance. Give students strength knowing that someone cares for them #HackLearning
A2: Meaningful relationships allow Ss to persist through their struggles and revel in their accomplishments. They become a source of fulfillment that sets the template for their future endeavors in college and beyond. #hacklearning
Was it Maya Angelou or Rita Peirson who said, “Students won’t remember what you have taught them as much as they remember how you made them feel.” (Paraphrased) #HackLearning
A2 - meaningful relationships matter to Ss because that may be their only reason for attending. Having an adult that cares and being able to see friends they care about might be what gets them in the door. #hacklearning
A2: "It all comes down to relationships. Without trust there is no relationship. Without relationships no real learning occurs." -@E_Sheninger#HackLearning
A2: Relationships matter. When students feel cared for and feel comfortable, they are more likely to take chances. Open communication also helps students by giving them voice #hacklearning
A2 Meaningful relationships empower Ss bc they’re more likely to take risks and risk failure (goal➡️fail forward!) if they trust the environment #hacklearning
A2: So many studies out there show that Ss won't perform for people they don't like. The "Don't smile until May" mentality doesn't encourage or empower our Ss to learn, it encourages them to shut us out. Build Relationships!
#hacklearning
Julio here from Central Florida - Regional Executive Director FL Department of Education Bureau of School Improvement. Helping Southwest Florida School Districts and Schools improve the quality of education for all students in underperforming schools #HackLearning
A2 Relationships empower students because we may be the only support they have. Knowing that he or she has someone who is fighting for them gives them a sense of purpose and belonging #hacklearning
A2: Meaningful relationships that are built on the foundations of love, mutual trust, respect & value for each other, can afford Ss the opportunity to persist through difficulties, take risks, be the best of themselves & be empowered #HackLearning
A2: Meaningful relationships allow Ss to persist through their struggles and revel in their accomplishments. They become a source of fulfillment that sets the template for their future endeavors in college and beyond. #hacklearning
(2/2) Where are we helping Ss discover the power they have? Where are we blocking their power? We are we asserting our own? These are critical questions #HackLearning
exactly. Kids won't take risks if the only motivation is to avoid bad grades or punishments. If they don't think you're on their side, real learning is unlikely to occur. #hacklearning
A2 Learning is messy: it involves mistakes, false starts, confusion, and misconceptions. Authentic relationships with teachers & peers empowers students to be vulnerable in the service of meaningful learning. #HackLearning
A2: Empowerment means giving up control while still being a vital member of the team=> relationships w/ Ss are a must when empowering them to create their own individual narrative #hacklearning
Q2: Meaningful relationships at school free up students to be creative, take risks, ask questions, & explore possibilities. Without meaningful relationships they may not trust that it is safe to do these things. #hacklearning#KidsDeserveIt
A2: To build GRIT, Ss need to be empowered to make mistakes. When they make mistakes, they need strong relationships with Ts that provide support and actionable feedback to lead them towards success. #hacklearning
A2: relationships is a foundation of trust and when you trust the learning environment you take risks, push yourself, and own the learning because of t #hacklearning
A2: meaningful relationships lay the ground work for empowered students. When the relationships are there, children are empowered to be themselves...then, and only then, can the work around academics and social/emotional learning truly begin to take place. #hacklearning
Do not focus on test scores. Numbers don’t drive the culture. Focus on school culture, people, and relationships. Culture and process drive the numbers. #HackLearning
Meaningful relationships are not built on gimmicks ... when the kids know you are an advocate for them ... then you have a relationship. There is no relationship without the kids believing you have their back. #hacklearning
A2) Who could learn in environment without trust? Trust undergirds the relationship. And building the teacher/student relationship on trust and respect not only facilitates learning, it models the kind of relationship a student should always demand in all arenas. #HackLearning
A2 I always ask my Ss their feedback. Sometime formally thru a GoogleForm but casually too... did you have fun today? Do you want to do this again tomorrow? IMO fun=buy-in=retention! #HackLearning
(2/2) Where are we helping Ss discover the power they have? Where are we blocking their power? We are we asserting our own? These are critical questions #HackLearning
A2: As adults, haven't we all had supervisors we felt empowered by and those who didn't seem to care relationally? How do you react? How much more for kids?#hacklearning
A2: Relationships lead to trust and validation => when people feel supported and validated they are willing to go the extra mile, take a risk, and be open to feedback #hacklearning
A2: As a school counselor I always stress the importance of student relationships. When students feel trust and cared for in school, they are more likely to perform higher. It all starts with relationships! #HackLearning
Empowering students doesn't mean you sit back and HOPE they own their own learning. It means you provide the conditions for them to do so. #HackLearning
A2: Relationships can start with simple genuine statements like: “I’m so glad you are in my class today” or “Thank you for visiting the library!” These can change an Ss day! #HackLearning
Wikipedia; “a person who interferes with the status quo...by posing novel, potently upsetting questions, usually directed at authorities. The term is originally associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, in his defense when on trial for his life.” #hacklearning
A3 In my experience, decreasing teacher-centered instruction has empowered students because it forced me to intentionally provide experiences where students teach & learn from each other #HackLearning
A2: If Ss don’t feel that the people who have been charged to be responsible for them genuinely care about them as a person, they won’t feel they deserve their best efforts! Trust helps empowerment grow #HackLearning#gwinchat
A2: Meaningful relationships, not only in schools but in life as well, are the foundation for a person to flourish & grow. Meaningful, positive relationships where Ss feel supported, safe, trusted, understood, heard, empathised with are powerful & empower Ss. #HackLearning
In how many places is the cart (test scores) but before the horse (culture & relationships)? If we, put the horse up front, the cart should follow!! Or maybe I'm oversimplifying? #hacklearning
A2. As @hopekingteach & @WadeKing7 write so well in their book: Teachers are “The Wildcard.” We can’t control the cards our kids are dealt in their home lives, but we have the power to be the singular wildcard to change the whole trajectory of their entire game! #HackLearning
A1. Give students voice is essential for their learning. Helping students truly engaged in the learning process by providing a more democratic process in class will help enrich learning. #HackLearning
A3: Cliche answer - voice & choice. Don't just give them the questions to answer, guide them to come up with their own questions & explorations. #hacklearning
A2. As @hopekingteach & @WadeKing7 write so well in their book: Teachers are “The Wildcard.” We can’t control the cards our kids are dealt in their home lives, but we have the power to be the singular wildcard to change the whole trajectory of their entire game! #HackLearning
Yes .. authenticity and transparency are crucial to empowering sts ... they have to know our hearts are pure & that we want the best for each one #HackLearning
Meaningful relationships are not built on gimmicks ... when the kids know you are an advocate for them ... then you have a relationship. There is no relationship without the kids believing you have their back. #hacklearning
Test score season.
Do not focus on test scores. Numbers don’t drive the culture. Focus on school culture, people, and relationships. Culture and process drive the numbers. #HackLearning
A2 I always ask my Ss their feedback. Sometime formally thru a GoogleForm but casually too... did you have fun today? Do you want to do this again tomorrow? IMO fun=buy-in=retention! #HackLearning
Introduce units by having students seek common knowledge and diverse perspectives on the topic: https://t.co/5phcSbXyVw
End units by asking students to recognize classmates who support, push, and inspire them: https://t.co/y2kYJvCFCc#HackLearning
A3: Offering Ss choices. Showing how those choices can serve their goals. Connecting goals to to the Ss underlying values. Showing Ss way to observe, track and describe progress towards their values. #HackLearning
EMPOWER ALL READERS!!
Student-Created Google Classroom Classes for Literature Circles/Book Clubs
#HackLearning
Read about how our students do it here:
https://t.co/Usl5pmb23r
Having teacher clarity (ES: 0.75) is likely to double the rate of learning according to @john_hattie@VisibleLearning. Ensure that students know what they are supposed to learn and how they will know they have learned it. #HackLearning.
A2: relationships build foundations of trust allowing for risk taking. Calculated risks leads to failing, learning& growing. This is empowerment #HackLearning
It was great. I still tell people about it. My students were so excited to teach me, the principal, about there culture and people. It was awesome. #Everyonewins#hacklearning
When students know they’re loved, when they know educators are “warm demanders” who practise critical care and are invested in their success and wellbeing, they’re more likely to excel. #HackLearning
Exactly. And we don't know who that kid is and when they're in a bad place. #hacklearning
Our new school vision statement is: Every Student, Every Day.
So powerful, so clear. #CelebrateMarian
A3 I would choose Empowered. This applies to teachers and students! When you feel empowered, you can accomplish anything and learn anything you want! How awesome it would be to see a school filled with those living their passions and being on fire! #hacklearning
A3) My goal is to be such a good teacher you’ll never know I’m teaching. Facilitate their success, then get out of the way! Set the table, but don’t cut up their food. #HackLearning
I have an AP right now who empowers her teachers every day. The result? We want to work harder for her, our kids, and our school every single day. #HackLearning
A3 Empowering Students means asking, and accepting their feedback on many areas. How would you like to learn about topic, What are you interested in learning about? #HackLearning
I teach middle school ... they are cynical ... but they will come around, but it does not happen in the first day or week ... takes months ... years to build a relationship. #hacklearning
A2. Our 1st responsibility as educators is to ensure Ss are safe and feel safe...physically, emotionally and intellectually. Meaningful relationships built on trust and respect are essential to creating a safe environment which sets the table for empowerment. #hacklearning
A3 Creating the student centered classroom wher students have time to investigate, think, talk, dig deeper, sense-make and construct meaning #HackLearning
A3 Create intentional access to content for struggling readers. Turn on text-to-speech #edtech tools, provide audiobooks, podcasts, video, graphic books/novels to keep Ss on grade level. https://t.co/oKALuyKSQw via @CAST_UDL#HackLearning
A3 knowing your students and planning personalized lessons that tap into their strengths, interests while also building in room for growth and reflection. #hacklearning
A3: In my music classroom, one big strategy was #geniushour/#20time (inspired by @AmyLynnRever)! Another was telling them that if they ever composed a piece, we would make time in class to play it together. Small things, big impact. #hacklearning
I’m chewing on this. I’ve seen kindness used by Ts to assert their will on their students. @CarlaShalaby Troublemakers is a great book challenging the notion. Not that kindness is bad; it’s an amazing strategy, but not a source of power; it’s a source of control #hacklearning
RT AngCleveland "RT v_dejesusguzman: A2: As a school counselor I always stress the importance of student relationships. When students feel trust and cared for in school, they are more likely to perform higher. It all starts with relationships! #HackLearning"
A3. I turned my entire syllabus into a welcome back game. Now it’s a team challenge through 10 stations with action-oriented work products at each so we never have to read the class rules again. Day 1 empowerment. Please steal it! https://t.co/fNci7xbwnM#hacklearning
And then I make it clear that I’m listening and make future decisions on their feedback. If they hate a project, I scrap it! If they love a project, I give more time! #hacklearning
A3: Love words from @alicekeeler & @jmattmiller: Provide choice in where Ss go to learn (YouTube, book, podcast, etc), how they demonstrate their learning (poster, infographic, skit, etc.) & who they can learn from (Hangouts, Flipgrid, locals, etc.) #hacklearning
I’m chewing on this. I’ve seen kindness used by Ts to assert their will on their students. @CarlaShalaby Troublemakers is a great book challenging the notion. Not that kindness is bad; it’s an amazing strategy, but not a source of power; it’s a source of control #hacklearning
A3 #OneWord ... helping sts set goals, #sketchnotes ... tchg them note taking strategies ... taught to standards last year ... every lesson connected & as @SteveWyborney stated “All learning is connected” - we made lots of connections #HackLearning
A3. I turned my entire syllabus into a welcome back game. Now it’s a team challenge through 10 stations with action-oriented work products at each so we never have to read the class rules again. Day 1 empowerment. Please steal it! https://t.co/fNci7xbwnM#hacklearning
A3: simple start. Ask your Ss to write down anonymously what would make your class the best they ever took. Challenge them beyond “candy every day”. Have them write answers and collect. Then, over the year? Incorporate them into the classroom. (1/2) #hacklearning
A3 - Stop assigning groups and allow students to form teams! Empower the teams to select their own leaders, cooperate to solve problems collectively, and use each others' strengths to benefit each team member. #hacklearning
A3: Ditch the script! Let genuine student interest and conversation guide decision making => make connections to curriculum while exposing Ss to different perspectives and relevant social issues #hacklearning
A3: In the library, we empower Ss by encouraging them to lead. Library workers at the front desk, tech assistants, presenters, book club leaders - etc. We facilitate and guide as needed. #HackLearning
A3 Relationships first (genuine relationships, of course). Next, show your kiddos that they get to make choices in the learning process. Provide autonomy. #hacklearning
I’m chewing on this. I’ve seen kindness used by Ts to assert their will on their students. @CarlaShalaby Troublemakers is a great book challenging the notion. Not that kindness is bad; it’s an amazing strategy, but not a source of power; it’s a source of control #hacklearning
A3: We can create empowered schools by giving students choice. By teaching them how respectfully question others, and how to advocate for themselves & others. Most importantly, by creating safe and trusting environments where they can safely take risks. #HackLearning
A3 I am about to embark on creating community outreach lessons that I learned about from @teachbetterteam and @RaeHughart These lessons are filled with student empowerment! #hacklearning
A2. “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like” Rita Pierson. This is a true statement even for many adults. Everyone at some point needs to feel like they matter. You can’t expect much out of anyone when you don’t take the time to truly know the person. #hacklearning
Student-Directed, Passion-Based Learning:
Genius Hour and the
Four Pathways to Genius
#HackLearning
Read about how STUDENT CHOICE is weaved into all elements of this awesome learning experience:
https://t.co/GU8HhoKPH7
A3 (2/2) at the end of the year, pull out the list. Ask Sa to talk about how you did. Ask students to draft letters to give your Ss advice next year on how to navigate you as a T. Then apply feedback for next year, repeat the process, post letters from students. #hacklearning
Students know when care involves pandering, when we view them with a deficit lens, when we invest in them societal problems & fail to challenge the root causes of these problems - these don’t empower Ss - only Ts blinded by their own saviour complex #HackLearning
Join #HackLearning chat August 26 at 8:30-9:00am EDT when Starr Sackstein @mssackstein will be guest moderator leading chat on the "hacky" topic of Everyone is a Leader.
A3 #OneWord ... helping sts set goals, #sketchnotes ... tchg them note taking strategies ... taught to standards last year ... every lesson connected & as @SteveWyborney stated “All learning is connected” - we made lots of connections #HackLearning
A2 I always ask my Ss their feedback. Sometime formally thru a GoogleForm but casually too... did you have fun today? Do you want to do this again tomorrow? IMO fun=buy-in=retention! #HackLearning
This is where student empowerment and teacher empowerment are deeply connected. We need to trust ourselves and each other. We need to be vulnerable in order to live our values. #HackLearning
A3: Don't do anything for the Ss that they can do for themselves. Collaboratively build a social contract and encourage Ss to help each other follow it. Ask them to hold YOU to the contract as well! Have Ss manage routines - handout/collection of resources, etc.
#HackLearning
