Hi friends! Andrea- 7th gr ELA teacher from Chicago burbs. Trying to pick my fav book is like trying to pick my fav kid... Outsiders,To Kill a Mockingbird, Tree Grows in Brooklyn... Wonder! #scitlap
A1- Our shout out board! S's & I add people & events up there. Not only greeting students at the door w/ something unique, but doing the same thing as they walk out the door too. #scitlap
Catherine from Fresno CA. Recent college grad. New to this chat. HI! fav book mm... Teach like a Pirate or Kids Deserve it. Hard to choose one #scitlap
A1: I LOVE sneaking up on kids, kneeling down at their level and whispering, "I am proud of you for...". It's always what I wanted as a kid/adult. I make sure that no one ever has to feel like nobody cares about them. #scitlap
It's so difficult being alive today. People need to hear that they are loved and appreciated more now that ever in history. Rough times. Gotta double down on grace. #scitlap
A1: I choose 2 Ss a week to focus on and make sure I find their standing "O." I also kept track on a sheet with the day and reason for their "O". I will use this when I wrote "good-bye" letters at the end of the year. #scitlap#rsd122cares
A2: I used to be afraid of calling parents & talking w/ admin, but they are just regular people too who just want what is best for the students we share. #scitlap
A1 If I had students, I would simply make it IMPORTANT that each one of their goals MATTERS. Like I always say "it doesn't matter where you come from, what youve gone through. What matters is youre here to learn" #scitlap
I like the idea of keeping track to have things to include in their letters at the end of the year...there are things that you think you won't forget but you do! #scitlap
A2 I used to be afraid of how much the students feelings toward me actually impacted me; now I know this is a blessing and something to cultivate... #scitlap
A2: Change. I have dealt with so much of it in the past 18 years. It's always scary, but in the end, everything works out...usually better than I could have ever dreamed. #scitlap
a2 #scitlap That I needed to have absolute control and every detail plotted out ahead of time. THat I had to be some perfect T, and not show vulnerability.
And 280 characters is too many.
A2. I think I would fear of being up there and not knowing something I am teaching. I believe everyone gets to a point like that and it is okay. It lets Ss know the teacher sometimes is learning with them as well. #scitlap
A2: I wasn’t go to be smart enough. Funny how everything you learned in grade school and high school reignites in the brain. Also, seeing the same info as a teacher gave me a new and better outlook on a subject I literally hated as a student #scitlap
I still have days where I don't feel smart enough, but usually when I'm supposed to be teaching / leading other Ts. I'm too young / inexperienced to be "in charge" of something. #scitlap
Constant internal battle any time I'm leading. Have a meeting tomorrow w/ a group of sci T's at another school that have been teaching way longer than me, SUPER nervous. #scitlap
A3: I am hoping they remember that I am a teacher who was not only excited about content, but that I was excited about who they will become in the future. #scitlap
A3 Ive worked with an Upward Bound Summer Program with HS Ss and one thing I always get told is the positivity and interest I have in impacting their lives. BEST FEELING EVER! #scitlap
You? I feel as if you have all this teaching and leading down to a science!!! U seem to have it together... young is good. Fresh ideas are better than stale ones. #scitlap
A3: That nobody outside of their family cares more for them than the teachers from @Simmonsknights1 do. Interesting moment today in the hall, conveying this to an 8th Grade boy. Trying to get him to see how heartbroken I would be to see him waste his potential. #scitlap
A3: I'm not in the classroom anymore, but I'm pretty sure they remember how I put everything to music! We loved to sing and dance in my classroom! #scitlap
A4: You have to set a mutual relationship with them, but you have to remember to be professional. I like to say I am more of a mentor to them instead of a friend. You want them to feel comfortable in your presence but to remember you are their teacher, too. #scitlap
When I started teaching the greatest fear which turned out to be "nothing" was that kids would notice when I have a bad hair day. They didn't. They were 6 year olds and one metre tall (max). They only noticed me from the waste down! #scitlap
A4 - As a teacher it always felt important to see the kids' behavior as communication, and to deliver teacherly behavior back. Teachers can be friendly but not friends. Boundaries are a crucial part of respect and respect yields engagement.. #scitlap
A4: I do not let students call me "dude" or "bud". There needs to be that degree of separation to teach respect and for them to know that I am a professional that wants to help them achieve greatness. But I also want to know about their game on Saturday too! #scitlap
A4 Its good to have conversations with students and let them know that you will always be there for them but also still maintain that professionalism. Its about those boundaries. #scitlap
A4: I tell them all the time, "I treat you no differently than I treat my own children." It's my responsibility to raise my kids up right. There is no reason why I cannot bring that same standard to school and someone else's "babies". #scitlap
A4: I feel it is similar to being a parent. There needs to be a consistent, fun and reliable environment that Ss know they can mess up and its ok. But also know they are their to be respectful and get their job done. #scitlap
A4: Be personable, but know where to draw the line. I tell S's in the long run you want a T and a parent who gives you boundaries- not the teacher who lets anything go. High, but attainable expectations is key. #scitlap
A4: By defining my role in the classroom early, students know that I am a resource and guide. While there to support them, I'm also there to challenge them. #scitlap
A4: I do not let students call me "dude" or "bud". There needs to be that degree of separation to teach respect and for them to know that I am a professional that wants to help them achieve greatness. But I also want to know about their game on Saturday too! #scitlap
a5 #scitlap When I geek out over something sciency, I lean into it, exaggerate it even. I want my ss to know its good to be passionate and share with others your interests- no matter how quirky.
A5: By creating opportunities in class that gives students the latitude to create in a manner in which they feel empowered allows them to have greater ownership and pride in their unique perspective. #scitlap
Oh Stella. NEVER pass up that opportunity to pamper that princess. Very happy that you took time for your little one. Our princesses are getting too old. One in middle school now. :/ #scitlap
A5: I have a can that I put lollipops in. For random reasons (sometimes academic, sometimes social, sometimes humorous, etc.) I give one to a student just as a way to celebrate a student being comfortable enough to be themselves in an appropriate way. #scitlap
A5 - Naming our differences in a way that's complimentary to highlight and celebrate diversity...differences are the goodness...and end up bringing us together. I'm so hyper and silly as an AP, so kids feel safe with me, but sometimes have to turn on the serious vibes... #scitlap
Michael! Time is flying by. She is now watching her favorite show, Blaze, but momma’s hoping she goes to sleep! haha. Living life to the fullest each day. #scitlap
A5: Show S's that it's ok to stand out from the crowd. Every day they leave the room doing something silly; at first they thought I was crazy, but now they request it when I forget to do it. Even the shy kids are coming around! #scitlap
I never thought I was cool. It was when I let my inner geek shine through, and was real with them, it totally changed my rel'p with them. I was cool because I was brave enough to be weird. #scitlap
Everyone has that one thing they will geek out over. Whether that is coding for football, all students can empathize with having a passion for something. #scitlap
EVERY DAY. What if we took Stella's approach, starting tomorrow. What would the face of education look like? What would the world start to look like? #scitlap
As a 3rd year teacher, 2nd year in my current school I think I echo the thoughts of all veteran teachers when I say "cool" is overrated. "Respect" is what's in! #scitlap
Happy that you are here! I love how @megan_hacholski has broken down the walls to include all folks in the convo...not just science people. Kudos, Megan. #scitlap
A5: Don't try too hard to be perfect, or have all the answers. Be transparent. What you see is what you get. I love telling kids that I am not the smartest person in the room and that they are the ones that hold some of the best answers! #scitlap
A6: By exposing them to books so they can find a character who is like them, let them free write about topics they are passionate about, and let them "think" outside of the box. #scitlap
A6: By making them feel confident. So many of our students have home lives that make them feel worthless. THEN they come to school and don’t know how to act and feel worthless there also. Break the cycle, teach them to love themselves. #scitlap
Teaching a person how to love themselves is HARD work. It takes time and couldnt agree more. Each of their backgrounds is different, yet still special. #scitlap
A6: By making them feel confident. So many of our students have home lives that make them feel worthless. THEN they come to school and don’t know how to act and feel worthless there also. Break the cycle, teach them to love themselves. #scitlap
A6: By building them up and expressing an authentic belief in THEM. There is enough negativity in the world, if we want our students to aim for the stars, we need to encourage them to build their rocket! #scitlap
A6 - By creating a space for risk-taking and modeling that. It's okay to make mistakes, that's how you figure out who you actually are. Trust the struggle. Struggle out loud and in front of the kids. They're always watching... #scitlap
You never know just how much a simple compliment, a word of encouragement, or just a smile means to some of these kids. We have to show them how important they are in order for them to reach their fullest potential. #scitlap
Really struggling to get through the last of #scitlap w/ this migraine. Grateful for an incredible group of educators to help keep this chat rolling....and for the exclamation point to make me sound more excited than I am!
I always tell my students that if all they do is listen to me then they are limited. If they learn how to discover things on their own, there is no limit! #scitlap
Lots of great folks. Also, if you are enjoying #scitlap with @megan_hacholski, be sure to check out her main gig, #122edchat on Wednesdays at 7 CST. Flagrant self-promotion, yes, but...yeah, I'm sorry.
In reply to
@BroCstart, @andrewjjulian, @megan_hacholski, @megan_hacholski
I could not agree more. Love that bright smile in return/ hate that the response is often so blatantly sad (i.e. have never heard that before) #scitlap
A7: Affix Challenge! S's are on the hunt for finding vocab words in real life. They take a pic, send it to me, then I post it to our Padlet page. Next we are on the hunt for figurative language in songs & in our books. #scitlap
A7: Encouraging students to take on challenges that will have an impact will allow them to consider how to engage with the world around them. Also providing opportunities to share beyond the classroom! #scitlap
FYI Pirates: We won't have a chat next week due to Thanksgiving but we do need a host for 11/29! Let me know if you are interested #takearisk#youcandoit#scitlap
A6: Listen to what they are saying (and not saying), then position them rightly to be successful. Case in point, the convo in the hall. S knew he was making poor choices, he needed someone to re-position him (through tears) to be great, again. #scitlap
A6: By making them feel confident. So many of our students have home lives that make them feel worthless. THEN they come to school and don’t know how to act and feel worthless there also. Break the cycle, teach them to love themselves. #scitlap
A6: Choice. We need to allow students to have the choice of different projects or topics within our curriculum. Having Ss have the choice will allow them to find who they are. #scitlap
With the 7th Grade standards, it’s a little more difficult but I used it SO much in 6th. SO SO SO user friendly and beneficial for our students. #scitlap
In reply to
@megan_hacholski, @Newsela, @JamesHeniff, @MrsAbuRabah
A7 - First step is knowing what the "real-world" of your particular students actually is. Genuinely inquire. Find out the needs. Mediate thinking around those needs...more listening... #scitlap
A8: "I love you, but get out of my room." JK....kind of. That's usually the last thing they hear before they leave my room. But really, just that I love them & will always do anything for them. #scitlap
Students understand that the world is changing quickly and required skill sets are and will be different. Who knows what they will need to be able to do in 10 years? #scitlap
A7: For each station with @SmartLab_tweets, the Ss are required to complete a SMART goal. Relevance is the R. Always asking how the activity or project will connect with the world outside of @Simmonsknights1. #scitlap
A8: "Choose Kind!" is literally it and "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." Things shouldn't be "easy," but they should be manageable w/ support when needed. Basically, be nice and don't be lazy! #scitlap
