#2ndchat is a Twitter hashtag that can be used to chat, collaborate, and grow with other second grade educators from around the world. Every other week we will discuss a different topic. It's a great way to help grow your PLN (Professional/Personal Learning Network) and share ideas with others.
My name is Carol. I'm from Birmingham,AL & teach 2nd grade. My favorite idea was the Breakout idea w/ each group having 1 part of the puzzle. :) #2ndchat
Hello! I am Ms. Raegen Docca. I teach second grade in New Bedford MA. I haven’t read the book, but im@haply to join! Ready to get some new ideas for the fall school year! #2ndchat
Hello! I am Ms. Raegen Docca. I teach second grade in New Bedford MA. I haven’t read the book, but I am happy to join! Ready to get some new ideas for the fall school year! #2ndchat
A1: They think they students will cause problems that they as teachers cant fix..let them push buttons..cant really break it especially GSuite #2ndchat
A1: I think we feel like we are "helping" them by teaching them how to do everything. @alicekeeler states in the book that whatever we show them is what they will do. Guilty at times over here! #2ndchat
Amber Marshall from Kansas! I am a K-5 Tech teacher. So many great ideas in this book... tie between control Z skills and the group docs maker! Gotta love @alicekeeler and her add-ons!#2ndchat
A2: Time crunch! So much required to get through, often feel the pressure to make sure kids get directions on how to do something rather than discovering it themselves. #2ndchat
A1 In my personal experience teachers were always hesitantwith “digital” tools because they required a lot of “extra” work. Students have to@be surprised differently, and teachers act with caution. #2ndchat
A1: I think teachers sometime as seeing this exploration as wasting time but we all know we have to let them explore math manipulatives before using them in math. Same applies here! #2ndchat
A1: We love having control!! The last few weeks of the school year I (finally) switched my mindset on this and just let the kids explore some new stuff and the results were amazing!! #2ndchat
A1 In my personal experience teachers were always hesitantwith “digital” tools because they required a lot of “extra” work. Students have to be supervised differently, and teachers act with caution. #2ndchat #
#2ndchat Peg from PA; 2nd grade; Lots of good ideas, the pixel art w/ math facts instead of numbers. Thought the collaborative slide info reaffirmed my troubles with it this year and that it was OK! Kids touched other slides!
And they cement the learning..ive learned this also in the sciences.. the 5E model for STEM instruction can be applied to techtools also #Hyperdocs#2ndchat
A1 The digital world is a lot like the scientific world. We should let students work of off inquiry, but instead teachers too often take over and control too much. #2ndchat
A2: I've always let kids with IEPS or my strugglers use voice typing but I think I need to give all my kids opportunities to use this more often especially on long typed stories. #2ndchat
A1 #2ndchat Teachers always feel the need to know all parts of a site/app. I love saying, "This is what we need to get us started, let's learn together!"
A2 I’ve always been of fan of voice typing because it #1 is great differentiated instruction, especially for a lot of special needs, and #2 it takes a different set of skills than just regularly keyboard typing. I think students should be exposed to both. #2ndchat
A2: Never, because I don’t have access to microphones in my lab. After the ideas in this book, I’m going to try to find a way to change that!! I think there is a time and place for both.. it’s all about the balance! #2ndchat
A2: I will tell you this. Voice typing (even with the inconsistencies) helped the writing SO much of one of my students that was actually gifted & had a learning disability. She was BRILLIANT but struggled w/ handwriting her thoughts. #2ndchat
A2: I use it alot with lower level students that still struggle with primary skills and cant produce enough in a timely manner..Definitely ELs. Also give them access to other tools like Google Search to spell specific words to stair step to competent writer. #2ndchat
They can get a lot more on “paper” in a short amount of time if they are able to just stream their thoughts. Writing improves if they are able to get their ideas down first! That’s why it’s so helpful! #2ndchat
A2 I haven’t used voice typing. I do teach keyboarding and let the kids practice weekly during word work. I prefer they type. I can see the reasoning behind letting kids who struggle use vt. #2ndchat
A2: sometimes you just need to know what a kid is thinking, but they have difficulty writing - then, always voice typing (thinking = learning) #2ndchat
A2 #2ndchat Now voice typing is a sore subject! I get 'the look' when I suggest teachers use it...It certainly has it's place and benefits, hard to get some to change their mindset! I use voice typing whenever they feel they need to use it...I like some of the lessons in book
A2: I haven’t used voice typing with my library students, but I think it comes down to knowing what your end goal is - do you want them to practice typing or do you want their thinking? #2ndchat
@gwen_rumberger For the most part.. When I conference, I have them read back or I will read, they will go and highlight words/phrases that need addressing. Over time they get better at it. #2ndchat
A1: It makes some Ts nervous bc they’re afraid something will happen they can’t explain/fix. Ss might see their T isn’t quite as tech savvy as she wants them 2 think. Most kids aren’t afraid to press buttons just to see what happens. Many Ts feel they aren’t n control. #2ndchat
A2cont: My students opened up their digital writing when they learned Open new tab, Ok Google search function.. "How Do I spell" gives them a world of words. #2ndchat
A2: sometimes the writing isn’t about writing, but reflection, expression, and learning. If a child struggles with writing, let’s not make it harder to see what they’ve learned. Let them voice type. #2ndchat
A3 #2ndchat undo, copy/paste is about all. When I'm typing in front of them, I point out what I'm doing-- hoping some will absorb, but don't really teach them.
A3: Copy, Paste, Cut, Select All are the ones I’ve taught before... but next year control Z will be the first one I teach!! I have most of the control shortcuts posted in my room, but I haven’t always been very deliberate with teaching them. #2ndchat
A3; If you teach them a shortcut like its a hack in a video game, they get JUICED! They love shortcuts and want to learn more.. they remind me when computer is being slow.. try this #2ndchat
Q4: Which of the ideas shared in Chapters 4 & 5 will you include in your first months of school? Do you teach tech skills in small or whole groups? #2ndchat
That’s a great idea!! I’ve noticed that I have kids that think shortcuts are the coolest thing ever and use them all the time.. and others that think big whoop and forget them.. #2ndchat
A4: I'm going to use the collaboration activity (upper grades w/pairs) but with pairs in my room. I always do this Venn diagram w/ likes/differences to learn about each other. This will be AWESOME! #2ndchat
A4: I don’t do a lot of tech lessons, but we learn as we go. We use lots of #eduprotocols so the learning is embedded. When a kid figures out a cool trick, we stop and share. #2ndchat
A4: I teach tech in both whole group and small group. It depends on what we are doing and I do try to assess their skills at least a little bit so I can differentiate. #2ndchat
A4 DiscussionTabs with my older kids at the beginning of the year to collaborate on lab expectations. I like the idea of a scavenger hunt for learning computer parts with my littles.. I will just need to find the equipment to make that happen! #2ndchat
A4: I also want to use the "discussion tab" activity to discuss the character traits/classroom community conversations we have. Maybe giving them to option to type will get my shy ones to "speak" up in written form! #2ndchat
A4: Maybe a "get to know you" with the word collage idea. Mostly whole group, but will teach a small group to have "experts" that can help peers. #2ndchat
A4 it depends on what skill I am teaching if it’s whole or small group. But mostly whole group. I am going to let my kids explore Google tools more at the beginning of the year! You heard me! #2ndchat
A5: I think it's because teachers don't know how to use spreadsheets. I know I'm guilty of that but I faced my fear of that this year. Great fun! #2ndchat
A5: Mostly because adults dont understand it. IN #gafe4littles we started approaching it more as a way to share computational thinking. @PintoBeanz11 showed me how to introduce them to equations and functions. #2ndchat So much good stuff
a5: My favorite activity was when I had pairs of students in my room create surveys in Google Forms for a question they wanted to know. After taking a nice poll sample, they made bar graphs in Sheets. #2ndchat
A5cont: It should be apart of computer sciences to explain and connect Sheets (spreadsheet) as a computer (computational thinking) Connect to math, coding, and more #2ndchat
A5: I honestly never thought of what the littles could actually do with Sheets. My mind has definitely been changed. I loved the Can Have Are template. #2ndchat
A5 I agree that it is not used because teachers (me definitely) don’t understand how to use it. I used an Xmas pixel art activity that I borrowed from Twitter and was amazed at it. I want to learn how to make one!!! #2ndchat
A5: because let’s be honest, it’s the one us adults are least likely to understand. We were trained to use Excel as a spreadsheet only, we fail to see the amazing activities available in sheets. #2ndchat
A5: Personally, I haven’t used sheets, because I don’t know a whole lot about it, but @LannySaretsky showed me the light. So many uses for Littles! #2ndchat
That’s so important given graphs is a second grade standard. Combining their math skills with technology is excellent! And might actually have some real world value compared to other ways of teaching graphs that are more abstract. #2ndchat
I think that is so very important, esp with so many states adopting Computer Science standards - a great place for computational thinking to start. #2ndchat
A5: I think Docs and Slides are what most teachers use and are comfortable with so that is what we start littles with. Have to push forward with Sheets. So many great math connections! #2ndchat
A5: Agree, most adults are intimidated by sheets so tend to avoid. Thinking about pulling in our character strengths from @PosProject and characters from books we read that demonstrate those strengths. Wheels are turning...#2ndchat
A5 When I think of spreadsheets, I don’t think of skills that littles can use, but boy was I wrong!! There are so many things they can do that don’t involve having them create formulas! Love the pixel art and DiscussionTabs!#2ndchat
A6: I think you could use this for so many ideas! Brainstorming, finding out what they know before you start a unit, social/classroom issues that could use some quiet and open responses. #2ndchat
A6: Great to use in get to know each other, build culture, reflection.. also great in activities for Hyperdocs, Turn and Talk, Brain Storming for writing etc #2ndchat
Q7: What are the benefits of collaborative activities? What’s your favorite collaborative idea from the book or one you have tried in your room? #2ndchat
A7: We do not live in a world independently of each other. Kids MUST learn how to work with others to accomplish a task, how to work through having different ideas & to learn from each other! That's why we love Twitter! #wearebettertogether#2ndchat
A7: The digital environment is just as present to this generation as physical if not more work will be done this way in the future.. students need to know how work together even if its adding pictures to the same Doc..4C's of 21st century skills #2ndchat
DiscussionTab would be great as a get to know you activity! Kids can see other Ss with common interests.. and as a teacher I would use the results to build relationships with my kids! #2ndchat
A7cont: Especially when you know how chaotic it will be on first attempt..let em FAIL and then reflect and try again on the same activity. #2ndchat Better results next time
A7 It also builds community, and helps students work together when the teacher isn’t available to work 1:1. It also gives “lower” students a chance to rise up with the students who are stronger in a certain area if they are paired together #2ndchat
A7: I already shared my survey/bargraph activity. But another one I loved was using a graphic (zoo map) with open ended questions on a Google Doc. Each group had a different color & could not duplicate an answer. So much critical thinking involved! #2ndchat
A7: Collaborative Activities lead to Ss putting others first & really paying attention so that the problem can be solved, the mission accomplished, etc. It’s how the world works & they need experiences w/it. #2ndchat
A7: hands-down, the best collaborative activity is Iron Chef #eduprotocols where kids collaborate, create and then present. My kids love it above all other activities. https://t.co/6rQasRf8lE#2ndchat
A7: Definitely working together, problem solving, leading, following, understanding others, accepting help from others, having fun together. We need to learn about others in the world around us, too! #2ndchat
A7: Collaboration is a life long skill. Our @SmithsonianScie kits require a lot of working together, and I'm thinking of ways to also include GAFE components to aid in even MORE collaboration (GHO with other classes/specialist in the field, etc.) #2ndchat
A7 Since students not get enough time to “play” in school as much anymore (where they would be learning valuable social skills through play) we HAVE to provide situations where students work together to problem solve and create #2ndchat
A7 Online collaboration is essential for these kids. Last year I had Ss collaborate on Slides to create a teacher appreciation presentation. It was their first experience collaborating online and there were many Digital Citizenship discussions! #2ndchat
Before the chat ends, PLEASE check out our #2ndchat Google Site. You can add your ideas to a Goggle Form. Once I have a few ideas, I'll share the Google Sheets so you can see the collected ideas! https://t.co/4wU5FDaeuW
A7: Collaboration is critical! We do it every day as adults! We have to learn to work together to better ourselves or any project that we undertake. It accurately mimics the real world. #2ndchat
