#whatisschool is an award winning edchat space where people can express an unbiased response to questions about schooling, where educators have a voice in shaping the future through their experience, recommendations and interests. Join us Thursdays 7pm ET / 11pm GMT / Friday 7am SGT/WA (Perth) / Friday 9am AEDT / Friday 11am NZT.
Please help me welcome the incredible & inspiring @nathan_stevens & @BevLadd as co-hosts of today's #whatisschool chat - please make them feel welcome!
Justine Hughes from a very chilly and sunny Auckland, NZ. Previously a DP and now fulltime PhD student focusing on gifted and talented ed. Love to challenge thinking and have my thinking challenged. #Whatisschool
Good evening all (good morning from the UK where it's officially June!!)
My name is James Stringer. I am originally from #Carlisle#Cumbria#England but now living in Enfield, North London. I am a KS1 teacher and #RQT#whatisschool
A1a) I believe in the magic that happens in the classroom, when students surprise me with an answer or a new idea I wasn’t expecting, or when I surprise them with a new project that they don’t expect. Passion drives to magic! #whatisschool
Personally, no I do not believe in magic. However, if you were to ask me if it was an impossible phenomenon, i'd also say no. I do think there's validity in it, just not enough for me to believe in! #whatisschool
A1a) I believe in the magic that happens in the classroom, when students surprise me with an answer or a new idea I wasn’t expecting, or when I surprise them with a new project that they don’t expect. Passion drives to magic! #whatisschool
However, where I DO believe in magic is in school and in my classroom. On a daily basis, there's always at least 1 thing that children always show/demonstrate that makes me go "wow, that is amazing" #whatisschool
However, where I DO believe in magic is in school and in my classroom. On a daily basis, there's always at least 1 thing that children always show/demonstrate that makes me go "wow, that is amazing" #whatisschool
A1b. Permission or forgiveness? Better to ask permission if we're talking golden rules, but sometimes forgiveness is necessary, too. #advocate#whatisschool
Ultimately, 10 years ago, I wanted to become a teacher but the journey and requirements forever seemed impossible and I was always very jealous of those in the profession. Personally, the fact I am now here and flourishing is personal magic for me #whatisschool
A1b) I don’t ask for permission before, after, ever... My leaders entrust me to do what is right for my kids, and I bring it, Everyday #badassedu#gifwars#whatisschool
As an #RQT, I'm relatively new to the profession. They're still times where there's things I want to do/say, and I ALWAYS seek permission about my ideas/suggestions IF I am unsure of the outcome myself. Experience will perhaps mean I ask less frequently? Who knows #whatisschool
1B: My admin trust my decisions but I like to ask anyway. They may have a different perspective or something I haven't thought of. They always let me be creative and try new things. #Whatisschool
A2a.
Pros: Get to try something risky without fearing blocks from above.
Cons: You lose support and allies when not advertising your ideas first.
#whatisschool
A2 some activities that I do have little discription because the students are driving the learning. You have to see it in motion before explaining #whatisschool
Cons are the the blowback you get when people don't know your every move. Asking for forgiveness shows acknowledgment of crossing a line- say challenging students to push past their self-imposed limits. When you admit what you've done and why, they forgive. #whatisschool
A1I’ll never forget the time my hubs, @DFinnEd created an archimedes screw out of a hose and a hockey stick. As he turned the stick all the Ss crowded around and when the water came out the top one of our K Ss said in wonder, “How?” Yes, magic, the more the better. #whatisschool
A2a.
Pros: Get to try something risky without fearing blocks from above.
Cons: You lose support and allies when not advertising your ideas first.
#whatisschool
Personally, asking for forgiveness is powerful as it gives the message that you KNOW you've done something wrong (hopefully unintentially). I believe this realisation/ownership/willingness to deal with the situation should hopefully equal positive outcomes in end #whatisschool
2a Sometimes asking for forgiveness allows you to push the boundaries. It’s not about abusing a situation. It’s thinking outside the box. #whatisschool
A2) Asking for forgiveness humbles you, it can remind that we’re all human, we make mistakes, we own it & learn from it #whatisschool#gifwars#sooorynotsorry
A2a) If you know something is going to work well for sure in your classroom you can avoid loosing the opportunity of found it if you ask good forgiveness instead of permission, but as said earlier, safety first! #whatisschool
A2- asking forgiveness is much better! It shows initiative and confidence. Can be tricky if your boss is a stickler for rules & protocol! #whatisschool
A1b: Depending on the school culture, forgiveness. Sometimes ideas will never move past the ‘idea’ stage if we don’t take some risks and have a go. #whatisschool
A2: I have tried this a lot this year. One possible con would be lack of admiration of coworkers or burning bridges possibly. But I think more often than not it usually works out #whatisschool
When I was a Deputy Principal I always encouraged this. So important to step outside your comfort zone and the box especially if it benefits the students' learning - and your own learning. #whatisschool
2a. Why ask for forgiveness instead of permission?
Pros: Move ahead without waiting for the process.
Cons: Sometimes, there's a reason for the process.
#Whatisschool
Q1b #whatisschool
I live by forgiveness over permission!
Although if you look at it as..
Showing the leadership what you have had the initiative to do off your own back, without the constant need for guidance. 😉
2. Ultimately, it's knowing situation. EITHER go for it & if it goes wrong, actively be proactive and gently find ways to apologise/seek forgiveness. However, if it is something that may potentially bring you/school into disripute (for example), seek permission 1st. #whatisschool
I do this too. It's important that you do it to everyone. We're all human & mistakes are how we learn. Make them in front of adults OR children - own up (esp. important in front of the children so they realise that even adults make mistakes but show honesty if so) #whatisschool
Q3 Do you think/feel that you may be limited in what you can do when you have to go through the chains of permission to try something new? #whatisschool@nathan_stevens@mrkempnz
A2b. Asking first puts me in a moral quandary. If they say no, and I love the idea, I'm not going to NOT see it through. I just hope the risk pays off and I can show evidence of its awesomeness. #whatisschool
A2b Forgiveness regrets? Several: generally from people who deserved a dose of reality instead of an apology. Rather than acceptance, those folks are dismissive, disrespectful and continue taking credit for other people's work. Insert neutral tone and :)<3 #whatisschool
Sometimes I think the most important ones to apologise to when you get it wrong are the students - I've frequently had to do that. Good to model being a learner too. Helps develop an empathetic learning envt. #whatisschool
A3. As someone mentioned before, the fear/pressure of HAVING to ask permission is soul-draining. It takes away from innovation. "Chains" is a perfect way to describe it! #whatisschool
A2 Twitter chats are the professional development of the Twitter world. Of course, I am partial to #NYEDChat but there are so many that I frequent that offer great topics with amazing tweeps. #whatisschool#g2great#satchat#hacklearning#nt2t Got to love the digital world!
It's vital that we instil good, positive behaviour to chn right from their first day at the age of 4. By modelling this, if they come across a situation and someone apologises, they have the tools to deal with it and are more likely to forgive and thank for honesty #whatisschool
A3: Sometimes yes but most of the time no because it gives the chain of command new ideas for doing things as well. It all about working together for our students. #whatisschool
A3 For those who want to step up their Twitter Game: #TweetDeck is platform to use when double dipping. I can moderate #NYEDChat & join in #WonderChat while seeing my feeds and notifcations go by. #whatisschool. For ChallengesSend invites to my global galleries via Twitter.
A3) I don’t ask for permission, I just do it, I can justify & explain later IF I need to. As a teacher you have to decide & make the call, do what’s best for learners, If I had to ask to try something each time, be no time left to learn #execdecision#gifwars#whatisschool
I stepped on a 7yr old child's finger by accident; I owned up, apologised. Tthis made him happy; he said "it's okay, you're human too, we all make mistakes but thanks for apologising." Part of this is down to my (and previous staff/home) modelling/expectations #whatisschool
and then we go back to the magic thread earlier. I almost cried! Right there was an example of an understanding of the fact we ALL get things wrong, but if we are open and honest about it rather than shying away and denying, then things get resolved MUCH easier! #whatisschool
#whatisschool I popped in from Long Island but forgot to introduce myself-Carol, ELA Consultant, @Wonderopolis Wonder Lead Ambassador, #NYEDChat Moderator. Always love chatting with #whatisschool tweeps. If you have an offering for my spring gallery please send it to me.
Exactly! Sometimes I like to know that I'm not completely crazy! My admin always reassures me that I'm not nuts and to carry on with my out of the box ideas. #Whatisschool
A3. If you've got the right team and there's a high trust learning environment then it's easier to be innovative and do what's best for all learners. #whatisschool
A3: Absolutely. Sometimes the blocks are stifling. And for no apparent reason. There are ‘reasons’, but none which make a lot of sense other than I don’t like the idea. #whatisschool
A4. I tell them I'm trying something new, and I think it will benefit all of us. I tell them it might fail but that failure is ok and we sometimes learn more from it. They appreciate the honesty, I think. #whatisschool
Can I just take this opportunity whilst I am still thinking of responses to thank you guys. Being part of the UK, I find it so interesting to read/comprehend viewpoints/opinions from around the world. So happy I found this chat a while back! #whatisschool
I've learnt to be more cautious of where I am putting my feet with every step I take ;-). Haha! Precisely! Leads to a much happier class, learning simply thrives and right there is the whole purpose of education. Happy chn willing to learn and in happy environments #whatisschool
Q4 Most of my apologies are for the systems or actions that place students in my care-- social promotion, lack of independent reading, poverty. I apologize for the situations that make their first steps difficult, or for struggling with rigor or ambiguity #whatisschool
I've learnt to be more cautious of where I am putting my feet with every step I take ;-). Haha! Precisely! Leads to a much happier class, learning simply thrives and right there is the whole purpose of education. Happy chn willing to learn and in happy environments #whatisschool
A4. I ask for forgiveness from students after setting an unexpectedly hard challenge. But that just means we spend more time working through it.
#whatisschool
A4: Hmmmmmmmm. Haven’t thought about that angle. With a classroom full of teenagers seems like I was always asking forgiveness! #whatisschool But they will forgive easily if they know you care about them!
A4.Our oupils forget most of what we teach them.They will however remember us their teachers forever.Lets be good and kind to them.A kind word can last a lifetime.I know after 38 yeaes experiencre #whatisschool
When we were planning together and I wanted to add or change something they'd suggested - asking permission. When I'd got it horribly wrong- always as for forgiveness - and tell them they were right. (I'm definitely a Sheldon sometimes). #whatisschool
4. (1/2) I'm in a school who are very good with allowing staff to 'take risks' On may 3rd, we had a local election across the country. My 7 year olds didn't know what it is/how it works. Scrapped normal literacy and we did a 'Sapphire (my class name) class election #whatisschool
Checking in from Hong Kong! I’m a secondary science teacher at @VSAHKG, very into integrating tools my students see/use daily (ex. tech) to enhance students’ learning #whatisschool
5a) How do you encourage others to implement new methodologies, techniques, and ideas in their school/ classroom? #whatisschool@nathan_stevens@mrkempnz
4. (2/2) Me and my 2 TAs (dressed up!) made manifestos, each child had a ballot paper& confidentially voted for their favourite, votes were counted by another member of staff before revealing results. Kids LOVED it & learnt so much. Had potential to be too complex #whatisschool
A5 It is all about the approach, the #positivity stance, and of course the ever-present smile. To try is to authenticate our roles as creative problem solvers. #whatisschool
A4. Okay, so this took me forever to find. I know it’s not a gif but this was a time when we maaaaaaybe should have given a bit more of a heads up to parents when we built and painted the playground. #whatisschool
A5a. I teach teachers technology on Tuesday w #TicklingTech where they drop by library for a quick intro to new tech. Favorite this yr, was showing Google cardboard w Olympics app. Lots of surprise & hilarious reactions.
#Whatisschool
A3 biggest limit = relationships
I created a program, Seal It With A Smile, helps Ts create the emotional and psychological infrastructure that Ss need
I was afraid of asking my Admin to use @ school, but Ive built a relationship with them & I got the 👍🏼
#whatisschool
#whatisschool The best encouragement is to visit classrooms, share ideas and most importantly share strategies on how you implement them in your chat- the more we collaborate the better
I have announced my retirement after 38 years Teaching,32 years as a Teaching Principal. I invented STEAM Teaching and Learning in Ireland #whatisschool
A5? Share, share, it’s only fair! I share my plans, units, ideas, materials, books, enthusiasm.. whatever! It’s so much easier to encourage when all resources are available & when a colleague can cheer u on! #whatisschool
A5 I try to inspire, motivate, listen and tune into the gifts of those I support using the creative legacy of The Beatles. See the good and the gift in others. #whatisschool#ThePepperEffect
A5a) Not an expert in this but showing others what works for me and offering help. Presenting my tools to my department and a few teacher meetings. Oh and Twitter course! #whatisschool
Please join me next 7:00CST for #teachmindful its all about the deep philosophical questions my students asked throughout the year in our 1-min check ins #whatisschool
A5: It definitely depends who it’s from. I think that occasionally colleagues might not be as supportive as they might be worried they would need to implement your idea too, but a lot of time everyone’s on board! #whatisschool
A5a: Share resources and model using them whenever possible. When they see I can do it they don’t feel as anxious about trying! I’m not exactly the techiest tech! #whatisschool
Guys, it is 1am here so I am afraid I am going to have to go to bed. Look forward to looking at the hashtag when I get up in the morning to see what I missed! Thank you for such amazing viewpoints, opinions and discussions. You are ALL doing an amazing job! #whatisschool
A5b) with time to really explore and plan new tech tools and a implementation protocol when it works. I like to create a routine when something is working well but this takes time and planning! #whatisschool
I kept getting "We don't do that here!" from my administrators when I wanted to do something different. My Risk-Taking and Innovation page https://t.co/m6kv3Hykq7 Tip: Be persistent and as Jim Valvano stated: "Never give up!" #whatisschool
I love to visit classrooms regularly- I try new things share on Twitter and wait for colleagues to ask me - sometimes when we share people get put off #whatisschool
#whatisschool Nope. But I had many nuns whack my knuckles in Catholic School- I asked a lot of questions and questioned a lot of things and they didn’t like it one bit
A4) I firmly believe in:
“Plan IN your seat & teach ON your feet!”
I have a podcast where I talk about going off on Ss directed tangents. Maybe it’s not where you planned on going, but it’s about the engagement and solidifying relationships with Ss
Get lost
#Whatisschool
Thank you to everyone who embraced the #gifwar#whatisschool chat today - I am in awe of your brilliance. This is my thank you dance to each and every one of you .....
A5: Lead by example, lend a helping hand, go out of your way to share ideas/lessons and materials. And bring food/snacks occasionally. No one will dislike you if you bring them food. Also, learn from others (old school AND new) #whatisschool
A5b: If Ts attend trainings they receive in service points. They can earn extra points by following up in the classroom! They also earn comp time if they attend after school! #whatisschool
Q8: Nothing but holding kids accountable. In the age of charter schools, people don't want to have to explain anything that shakes the boat #whatisschool
Q9 I didn't, but they did... what happens on spring break (omg-they're here and I left a day early), stays on spring break- totally benign, but good for laughs in the hallway #whatisschool
A8? No, My leaders know that what I do... I do for my learners benefit & academic success 1st & foremost, They know that I’ve researched it, weighed the pros/cons, discussed & collaborated w/others to implement it well, Be a professional #kidsfirst#badassedu#whatisschool
A2: From my experience, asking for forgiveness is easier than asking for permission. Sometimes gets people into trouble, but what's done is done. #whatisschool
