#HSD1Chat will be a PLC based chat involving educators from Helena Public Schools. However, other educators are invited to participate. It will occur on the second Tuesday of every month.
A1: This is my first year with AmGov, so I'm using a standard framework that I've come up with but then I tweak it based on each individual class #hsd1chat
A1 I start with the bare bones of a lesson from previous years and tailor it to fit the ss I have in my classroom and their individual needs. I am working to improve my practice of assessing and reteaching, especially now that CHS has a more flexible writing program. #hsd1chat
Q1 as a second year teacher, I think it is safe to say I have created new lessons every year of my career! More seriously though, I do tweak my lessons even day-to-day to better match my students' needs. #hsd1chat
Absolutely! So far the biggest challenge for me is finding a meaningful way to keep track of what has happened in each class. Ex: I see 2nd grade eight times a week. Slightly different things happen in each class. Keeping them straight in my mind is tough! #hsd1chat
A2 I lesson plan using Google calendar. I love being able to put my learning targets, instructions, and assignments in one place so my Ss can find them whenever they need on our class site #hsd1chat
But, the silver lining there is that if something crashes and burns really badly with one section of a grade, I have several more opportunities to refine that exact lesson later in the day or week with other sections. #hsd1chat
A2: I used to try to plan literally everything for a chapter in one sitting. Now I set out weekly benchmarks and modify lessons to make sure I hit all of them. #hsd1chat
A2 I use the yearlong calendar templates from WinCalendar and add my lesson components (objective, materials, plan, differentiation, hw) to each day. I like simplicity but also the digital flexibility. #hsd1chat
A2 I keep weekly outlines as online word docs in my OneDrive. Prevents me from "forgetting" them at school or at home. It is also a relatively quick task to see what I was doing last year any given week. #hsd1chat
A2: I write down each unit based on teaching area in the gym. We rotate every 10 days or so. Lessons are based on space (i.e. gum floor, upper gym, balcony etc) #hsd1chat
A2b Except, I am not always perfectly disciplined about getting my lesson plans entered online. So there are some definite record keeping gaps. #hsd1chat
A2 I use the yearlong calendar templates from WinCalendar and add my lesson components (objective, materials, plan, differentiation, hw) to each day. I like simplicity but also the digital flexibility. #hsd1chat
My lessons are also dictated in large part with available space. Ex if fifth grade is working on a big xylophone piece one week, I will probably choose that week to do a less intense xylophone activity with younger grades, just because the equipment is out. #hsd1chat
We have to work the same way in the gym with equipment. There is a lot of collaboration that goes on to make sure everyone is on the same page #hsd1chat
A3 The lines between English and Social Studies often blur, especially with teaching foundational documents. Teaching the jr level we hit a a lot of stuff they did the year before in social studies but from an English perspective #hsd1chat
A3: It hasn't really come up "officially" for AmGov teachers (we've been working on aligning our writing skills), but I try to integrate Sci news when we talk about current events #hsd1chat
A3 We don't too often. Though Tom Caffrey and I are suggesting potentially working together more with AP Human Geography and AP Environmental Science if we move forward with adopting those courses next year. They complement each other well. #hsd1chat
A3: Some of the cross curriculum suggestions don't correlate for me. I have spent hours trying to find S.S. lessons for my classroom that fit with our current unit of study. I have no resources to teach what is required right now. #hsd1chat
A3. I have found it helpful to teach social studies during "teaching moments" rather than lesson planning. Our ELA provides many opportunities for Sci. too. #hsd1chat
A3b I also think its a matter of communication. I think ELA and Social Studies are often times teaching things at the same time that would work well together, but we don't always realize we are. #hsd1chat
A3 Music and ss go very well together. I am very proud of the cross-curricular, collaborative teaching myself, @Loomisphysed and Laura Trapp did in September to integrate IEFA into each of our areas (music, phys ed, library). #hsd1chat
A3: Teach about how the human body functions in relationship to exercise in PE; Frosh PE covers muscle groups, heart rate training, components of fitness, etc. #hsd1chat
A3b As for science, I *frequently* inject science tangents into my lesson deliver, most often about the neuroscience of learning, but I have not integrated a "science lesson" into my 60min/week instructional time. #hsd1chat
Genuine curiosity, has Hamilton (the musical) come up in the discussion of Founding Fathers? I so wish I could swing it into my instruction, but between the subject matter and language it just isn't meant for elementary music! #hsd1chat
A4 I teach Current Events as a class, so I'd say this is something I try to do often. :) In that class' case, we vote on what they're interested in - then I try to combine skill work with the newest, credible resources I can find. #hsd1chat
A4: All the time. We try for a day of current events every week- the kids present and write on it (schedule permitting). When there's no time, I ask about news at the outset of class & work in big stuff wherever I can. #hsd1chat
A4 English lends a lot to discussion of the world around us, especially as we read novels. We are currently discussing stereotypical gender roles as we read Cold Sassy Tree. #hsd1chat
A4: I had a discussion with a5th grade T about not sugar coating the events for students. That if youre factual, you can have more meaningful conversations and prepare them for high school #hsd1chat
A4. I use "Weekly Reader" lessons. We also do many classroom discussions about current events in 1st grade. 1st grade perspective is amazing! #hsd1chat
A4b For World Cultures, when we are studying a region - I focus on countries that are making headlines a little more, as case studies to teach essential understandings. For example, we'll be looking at Israel and Syria for our section on the Eastern Mediterranean. #hsd1chat
A4: I use the Monday IR section on world science events to engage Ss in discussion; try to tie it to something we're reading/studying that week. #hsd1chat
A4 There is music for everything! Last year, 4/5 listened to different versions of the National Anthem: Marine Band, choir, and Jimi Hendrix right around President's Day. #hsd1chat
A4b I also plan particular units around predictable events, such as the Helena Powwow. I have been known to redirect a lesson based on new weather patterns, which also tap into ss natural fascination and fixation on the weather. #hsd1chat
A4: don’t incorporate many current events that you would see in the news, but we do incorporate current fitness trends and popular lifetime sport activities and games #hsd1chat
A5 This year, I've been working on letting go of the reins and allowing my Ss to drive discussion. We've been working on Socratic Seminars and they are doing amazing. Awesome to see different kids take the role of leader. #hsd1chat
A5: this is one of the things I really like about doing Current Event Days; I just call on the kids and they report out and ask questions and if they don't want to talk, I bring up some "big" news to prompt discussion #hsd1chat
A5 I try to limit how much I lecture/present to once a week the majority of the time. I try to save it for foundational background knowledge or really complex topics that need debriefed. Otherwise, its hands on assignments/projects usually followed by class discussions. #hsd1chat
A5: This is hard for me, as I am teaching a new grade level this year. I feel like I am learning right along with the kids. I do try to have the Ss lead as much as possible though. #hsd1chat
A5. I am a big believer--and try to be a big practitioner of the #Orff method, which shifts the power towards students as much as possible. I have Ss provide echo patterns. I have Ss improvise, compose. The biggest challenge: management. It is a work in progress. #hsd1chat
It's the same for me with seniors, I try to work in student ownership by having them come up with examples of specific laws or cases we talk about and then I work around their ideas #hsd1chat
A5: much of what we do in PE is naturally student led, typically the teacher explains the workout, activity, game and then it is up to the Ss to participate and work the rest of the period while the teacher facilitates and guides #hsd1chat
I use audio recording on a regular basis in music class! It really helps them realize the importance of focusing on the task at hand (music making) rather than talking because they do NOT like to hear side conversations on their recordings! #hsd1chat
A6. To start with, the classroom motto that all 1-5th graders know well is: "In life there is no easy or hard, only familiar or unfamiliar." With 3/4/5, I made an especially big, humorous deal, of having kids stand up and recite the motto if I catch them saying "hard" #hsd1chat
A6 Many times just verbal encouragement. I remind students that at the end of the day a grade or a number doesn't define them. It's the growth from assignment to assignment, their thoughtfulness, and willingness to make mistakes and learn from them that matters. #hsd1chat
A6 We talk a lot about the importance of effort. We also talk about how it is ok to fail at something as long as you keep trying. This shows especially in writing as they develop their skills. #hsd1chat
A6. Encourage Ss to meet goals with rewards (Lunch date with me, bubble gum, treasure box, etc). Also Student/self made goals help them grow more than anything. #hsd1chat
This has actually dramatically changed our vocabularies in music. Now when students face a new task, I hear a chorus of, "Mrs Dramstad, this is so unfamiliar!" #hsd1chat
A6: despite pleas to the contrary, I keep my assessments and assignments challenging. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but even when it doesn't it gives us an opportunity to learn and improve SOMETHING #hsd1chat
and combating that "can't" as early as possible is imperative. It's so frustrating to hear seniors give the "I'm not gonna do well, so why study?" excuse. Self-defeat is the worst kind.
#hsd1chat
