A chat that offers middle school teachers a chance to have a collaborative discussion about a different topic each week. Our topics change from week to week, ranging from Common Core State Standards to Character Education. During the chat, participants exchanges ideas and resources. The chat group ranges in size each week from 10 to 50+ participants. Discussion can be general talking about instructional style or process to specific. Recently members of the chat group help each other create lessons.
I don't think it it is the end for our Middle School students. As we have prepared them with so many skills that they will use in high school and beyond. Just last week, I taught them how to participate in a civil conversation.#mschat
A1: I continue telling stories for students to hear. Thinking about doing a big overarching @GetKahoot on the last day for fun and giving an award to the winner in each block for a bit of fun. :) #mschat
But are you? Aren't you working to follow this chat right now? Does it ever really end? #mschat Hope you are enjoying it and making the most out of it!
A1 we ended this year with a “100 Things” project. Ss listed and reflected on 100 things they learned that year, and sorted them by things they learned that they feel they “mastered” and things they know they need to continue to improve upon next year! #mschat
A1: Ss evaluate me & help me plan changes based on the results. They reflect on their learning w/ targeted ?s. Wrote open letters to 6th gr teachers, what they wants Ts to know. Played Hungry Hippos—students wrote ?s about their memories & experiences to discuss. #mschat
A1: We are wrapping up our year with a choice project about cultural components of African cultures. Ss research cultures from multiple regions of Africa and compare and contrast the components. #mschat
It doesn’t really. I read professional books (for fun!) all summer, make notes & plans for next year, attend conferences, and yes, chat on twitter. I play plenty too. But I love this. It’s not just my job during my contracted school year. #mschat
I had my Ss evaluate me at the end of the year this year too and found the info extremely valuable, particularly when the evaluations are anonymous. I’m going to ask them to do quarterly anonymous summative evaluations next year! #mschat
A1: we did 50-word book recommendations this week and will do a digital #breakoutedu game and a brain teaser challenge next week. Last quiz was today. #mschat
I have done this in the past, I enjoy the process. Don't know if it will fit in this year since I have been promising so many different experiences. Trying to fit it all in! #mschat
A2 Don't do a countdown! Switch things up and try new things. Make review more about celebrating all the great learning me have done this year! #mschat
Greetings to my friends in #mschat Most schools in our area are done; a few go through next week. Getting ready right now to watch the s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g bee. I work with @IMLEAorg in Indy.
A2: Constantly engage students throughout the year with their own passion projects. Students want to learn about things relevant to them - especially if they build ongoing projects (for themselves) into the summer. #mschat
A2: I kept our routine as normal as possible as long as possible. We had to totally move out due to construction, and I didn’t take down a single poster or fill a single box till the next to last day. It DEFINITELY helped. #mschat
A2: Something I was fine with until this week (our last day is next Tuesday). I told students we don't learn for tests, we learn so we can do great things in the future. Helped create buy in through pretty much the entire testing season! #mschat
A2: Had the conversation w/my Ss today: "All I've ever asked from you this year is that you give me your best at all times. Let's keep our focus on the big picture and keep ourselves moving forward until we get to break. If you do that for me, I'll do that for you. #mschat
A2 I find it helps if we don’t start EOY wrap-up style activities too early. I’ve started them ~2 weeks before the end of the school year and that was a mistake—kids were DONE! ALSO—if we must do a summer countdown (I ❤️ them too!), a little rephrasing goes a long way.. #mschat
A2: Important time of year to keep working on relationships. Check in on students, ask about softball games, talk about summer plans, etc. They need to know we still care! #mschat
A2: I had the conversation today w/my Ss: "All I've ever asked from you is that you give your best. Let's keep our focus and keep moving forward toward success. If you can do that for me, I will do it for you." They responded and worked hard. Hope to keep it going. #mschat
A2- had a roll of raffle tickets lying around. Gave each S 1. Told them if they worked hard and met expectations they keep it & would have a "chance". If not they may lose it. Every S had theirs at end of class. We had pulled one winner for a small prize at end of class #mschat
Super important to keep routine and expectations as consistent as possible. All Ss lose their focus when those two things shift away from the norm. #mschat
I like this. Also like incorporating element of risk and chance occasionally. It’s valuable for Ss to learn that things sometimes truly are left up to chance, and gain social skills necessary to cope with not being chosen. #mschat
A3: we make summer reading plans so they know they don’t have to quit reading for pleasure just because we aren’t doing it in class every day. (Hence the peer book reccomemdations.) #mschat
A3: Remind them that summer break is about sharpening the saw. A part of that is ensuring we are enriching our mind with meaningful learning and reinforcement of concepts all around us.
Oh, and NO WORKSHEET PACKETS!!! #mschat
I remind them that you are never done learning! #mschat I then list all the items they take for granted that were not around when I was a kid... Cell phone, Snapchat ETC
A3: My students were wrapping up their elementary careers & moving to middle school (6th was in elem), so it was easy to focus on the big picture & what’s next. Told them at promotion, “Be brave enough to be kind, and you will do great things.” #mschat
A3 It all starts w/ building a growth mindset from day 1. However, I intentionally address summer by showing Ss the research on summer slide. I connect them w/ summer events at the public library. I set up a summer reading Remind & scheduled weekly reading reminders! #mschat
A3.5 I impress upon Ss the necessity of them taking their learning into their own hands, especially at the 7th grade level as they begin building more independent study & academic skills. Always need to provide strategies to continue summer learning! #mschat
A3- We have an independent AR goal for students complete over the summer to contribute reading and an IXL math bingo challenge for Ss to continue math practice over the summer. If completed they get to attended a pancake breakfast at start of the next school year #mschat
A3 I like to give my students ways to stay in touch. Goodreads is one of my favorite ways to share what I'm reading and we talk about what we want to read over the summer. I give them my address and I send them letters over the summer talking about everything I learn #mschat
I am currently reading 14th goldfish aloud to start class and have challenge my classes to find books they enjoy and share with me via Instagram over summer #mschat
A3: I'm setting up my Summer Scav Hunt on Instagram and Facebook for my Ss to find concepts we talked about in the world around them. Each week will be a different topic w/ a different hashtag. Every "correct" answer will be an entry for a drawing on 1st day of school. #mschat
A3- We have an independent AR goal for students complete over the summer to continue reading and an IXL math bingo challenge for Ss to continue math practice over the summer. If completed they get to attended a pancake breakfast at start of the next school year #mschat
a3: for the first time ever we started a non-incentive summer plan. each Ss gets reading recommendations and math (khan academy) work and is told "15-30 mins / day" no grade, no party, just you benefitting #mschat
Love the idea of a math IXL bingo challenge! Our media center sponsors an awesome luncheon for Ss that complete a summer reading challenge. Summer slide in math is so much worse, though! #mschat
a4: we talk to parents about using skills - have them go grocery shopping w/ you and estimate the $$$, tell them 'we're leaving in 45 minutes, what time will it be?" apply what you've learned #mschat
A4: We don’t do anything official. We have public library programs, some individual teachers offer things, and there are leadership camps and such. #mschat
A4 summer reading challenges (school challenge, and public library!), and we always stress how they’re already utilizing their learning skills—they need to consciously think about how, and be prepared to use those skills in other areas. #mschat
IXL bingo is new this summer. Last year it was master 20 skills over the summer. This year they have to complete 5 tasks to complete the challenge and earn bingo. Very excited to see how it works and if we get more S participation. #mschat
A4: I remind students to look for science all around them, and challenge them to follow their passions over summer! #mschat hopefully it isn't sleep but if it is OH well
A5: I have kept a journal that I write in the last day of school for every year I have taught! #mschat A mentor suggested it... it helps me reflect on what was and use to plan for next year
A5 I love to keep a journal so I can celebrate all my success and learn from my failures. I plan on attending at least 1 PD that I'm really interested in challenging myself on over the summer. #mschat
A5: I make a presentation of the school year & show it to the kids. I usually watch it 10-15 more times in the next few weeks with a tear in my eye as I reflect on the great things that happened during the year. I usually take 2 weeks to recharge before I start planning. #mschat
A5 give myself permission to take a break :) I like having a summer full of conferences & PD books & other ed opportunities, but as MS Ts, we are caretakers for many many kids, and it’s important that we take care of ourselves too! #mschat
A5.5 specifically, I’m going to make myself sleep in past 8:00 (no kids here yet!), not rush through breakfast, read for pleasure, and binge watch Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix #mschat
A5 - Reflect on the year. Try to find new ways to improve and make the next year even bigger and better. Think about lessons to tweak and what lessons to not do again. #mschat
A5: I look at how much my students have grown over the course of the year. I reflect with friends, we have a staff celebration, and I start to think about what steps I want to take this summer to make next year the best year yet! #mschat@ERobbPrincipal@ToddRisser
A5 - spend time enjoying the summer, golfing, beach, being outside, and clearing mind. Then reflect on the year. Try to find new ways to improve and make the next year even bigger and better. Think about lessons to tweak and what lessons to not do again. #mschat
A5.75 (last one promise) but I’ve got THREE summer conferences I’m going to this summer (union Summer conference, National Down Syndrome Conference, and UDL Conference), and I’m going to get my Google educator certification as well! #mschat
A5: I will be getting together with my Accountabilibuddies each Friday during break to reflect, celebrate, and begin the process of planning amazing activities for the next year. #mschat
I love summer conferences. I’m going to a one-day neuroscience training next week and present at a conference in July. I want to write a book too! #goals#mschat
I want to write too! I wrote for pleasure all through elementary and secondary school, but slowly stopped in college and haven’t picked it up again. I feel bad because I teach writing! #mschat
A6: Netflix (specifically Arrow, Flash, Supergirl with @LBStrunk), beach, get together with friends, and dare I say a bit of activity designing? Creating fun activities gets me HYPED for the next year! #mschat
I plan to connect with other aspiring teacher-writers on Twitter this summer. Maybe I need a great hashtag for it. But we need the accountability and encouragement, right? #mschat
I privately upload them to YouTube and give Ss the link so they can watch it. I’ve had Ss who were in HS come back and ask for the link again. They can be powerful. #mschat
A6 I reevaluate my entire classroom layout and rearrange, restructure, and think of new transformations for the learning environment. Every year I learn more about my Ss and how they learn and try to make the classroom a growing place that reflects what I’m learning #mschat
A6 Joining after dinner, waiting for #waledchat! I fish, drink, golf and play hockey to recharge in the summer. However, I teach summer school and do many pds #mschat
#mschat grab a cup of coffee and swing on over to #waledchat! We are starting up in 5 minutes and reflecting on the last month. Fastest 30 minutes of twitter, right @Mr_Lisek?
A6: I start a document, usually titled “dreaming,” where I start brainstorming & outlining. Thanks to @googledocs, I can access it anywhere whenever inspiration strikes. #mschat
There is one! @Teachr4 is an Indiana teacher and moderates #TeachWrite chat! I haven’t participated yet but plan on it. Great way to find accountability and a community of teacher writers! #mschat
A6: I will be going up to school during 6th Grade Orientation Day (end of August) to clean up the room, interact with new Ss and get myself charged up for a new school year. #mschat
I like that idea! Changing the room up and playing with new ideas always gets me excited. New tables and furniture for next year has me pumped! #mschat
I do the same thing, I like to bug the 8th grade "tour" guides and have them help me plan activities ... Then they get jealous #mschat But we didn't ...
A7: Best thing I did this year? Start a new job at a new school. It was a move I wanted to make for a long time and I got to go to a school I'd wanted to be at for 3 years. It was a great year. #mschat
A7 best thing: sponsoring our after school LGBTQIA+ club 🏳️🌈 looking forward to: trying out a dystopian room transformation when we do dystopian book clubs next fall! Never done a room transformation before but I’m really excited to try it out!! #mschat
