#worldgeochat is a weekly chat focused on teaching geography and global studies. Chats vary between geography specific topics as well as general teaching and education topics. ALL are welcome in worldgeochat!
Hello, #worldgeochat! We’re so excited to be co-moderating this rapid-fire discussion on learning from failure—or, as the scientists in this terrific video say, learning “to be wrong in interesting ways.” https://t.co/zJ1ahaOPq3
Hello, #worldgeochat! We’re so excited to be co-moderating this rapid-fire discussion on learning from failure—or, as the scientists in this terrific video say, learning “to be wrong in interesting ways.” https://t.co/zJ1ahaOPq3
Always so grateful to see @NatGeoEducation helping all of us learn! Happy to be trying to keep up from #Ottawa & to share this chat w/ my Ss tomorrow. If you don't fail, how can you learn (students of @CitoyensdeGlobe know this to be truth!). #worldgeochat
In reply to
@NatGeoEducation, @NatGeoEducation, @CitoyensdeGlobe
Hi @NatGeoEducation Do you have the link from yesterday's summit? It looked amazing and I would love to see anything I could that was recorded. #worldgeochat
Hahah oh yes. Students already are emailing me about missing school tomorrow for the parade. That PLUS the Pats won AND I'm going to the Pats game on Sunday? I'm in sports heaven at the moment #worldgeochat
A1 I did mock trials last year for human rights abuses that the source material was too challenging for students. It fell flat and will need to be revamped. #worldgeochat
A1: Oh my. Recently I attempted a "MasterChef" activity that was timed, was supposed to be graded, and beautifully designed in 10 minutes. Meltdowns occurred, nothing was accomplished, and I almost broke down crying because I felt I stressed my students out so much #worldgeochat
A1: I envisioned a jigsaw Book Creator project with beautiful examples of thematic maps that students would reference all year. What I got app nightmares and a few bare basics that weren't worthy of being shared. #worldgeochat
A1
The first year of my Take Action Fridays! In my head, kids saved the world. In reality I had lots of brochures about a topic. And you know how much 12-13 year olds love reading brochures. #worldgeochat
A1 Accessibility of material is one of my most frequent stumbles, you forget that 12-13 year olds don't have the same amount of background knowledge #worldgeochat
A1: just this past week doing a collaborative research project on in health: we went down the rabbit hole w/ it but alas, changes IN the moment had to be made to get Ss thinking, enjoying, learning. Was honest w/ them about it too. #worldgeochat
A1: I have tried the Arab Israeli conflict many ways and none seem like the right fit. Thought I had it with a debate, too much accidental hateful language. Tried stat comparison with guise of secret agents and they saw right through it #WORLDGEOCHAT
I had this same problem when we taught regionally. I LOVE studying Russia yet even though I was always so pumped, it consistently was my students least favorite unit. #worldgeochat
A1- the first year we went digital, I thought we could do a collaborative mapping activity using Prezi and a background map. Not smart with 30 Ss on it. It kept crashing, like we seriously broke prezi #worldgeochat
Sorry I'm a little late! Sara from Elon University here. A1: I had planned a fun Kahoot but the nicknames quickly got out of my control. Not really what I planned #worldgeochat
I always try to show my honesty. I actually showed students our #worldgeochat Twitter thread today to show them that I made mistakes and wasn't clear in explaining ethnicity and ethnic groups. I think they appreciated it?
I do the same thing with my high schoolers. I get caught up with “thisnis a college class” I sometimes forget they are only 14-15 year olds #worldgeochat
A1 Making sure that you are providing a balanced amount of view points is also a challenge. I don't want to lead my students in 1 direction. My goal is to have them make up their own minds. #worldgeochat
Yup! Since we learn in using the French language, what I sometimes think is clear, is not & then trying to find the resources best suited to support S needs falls flat & so it goes. #worldgeochat
I am, and have been a Pats fan since 1985! Lions are who they are, and with trading Tate they have sent a message that they accept this season is over 🤦🏻♂️ #worldgeochat
In reply to
@cheffernan75, @ecasey77, @SamMandeville
A1 - Last year I had this great idea to do an Inquiry Project over Culture, Lang & Religion. Worked so hard on it and it was a BOMB. Results were nothing like I expected. So disappointed. #worldgeochat
A1 My 8th grdrs are currently doing a Colonial Cold Case activity where they look at history & geography of regions to solve cases. There is a lot of info to process & they’re struggling w the details. #worldgeochat
That makes me smile so much! They need to know we learn too & it's why I see myself as a lead-learner but know that I have to take steps back when Ss have a far better knowledge base on something. example: aquaponics! #worldgeochat
I have Russia/Aral Sea in an upcoming unit, and I'm stumped on how to engage them. I was thinking map/image heavy DBQ, but the writing prevents them from engaging in the process #worldgeochat
A2: Cut down the steps...refocus on what I really need/want Ss to get out of activitiy/project/lesson. Focus on that. Will get the rest later. #worldgeochat
A1 Have done two projects this year. For both there was a visual component. 95% of ss choose slides ppt etc. Would like to get more variety. #worldgeochat
A1 just finished a European landmark project. Ss had to create a tour and write to inform, entertain, persuade people to visit. There was lots of informing but very little entertaining and persuading... #worldgeochat
A1: set up a @Flipgrid while I did a fellowship in Senegal so my students, partner teacher’s students, and Senegalese students could chat. Senegalese students and teachers went on strike the week we were there and they didn’t often have internet service. We tried. #worldgeochat
This is me this year too for one of my subjects & definitely tend to beat myself up about it, then find calm, take a deep breathe, then note it will be okay to say 'we have to look this up together'. #worldgeochat
A2: Some of the modifications I've made are providing tools and strategies to make material more accessible, a wider variety of sources for materials, more choice in how students demonstrate their learning, as well as more frequent conferring. #worldgeochat
A2: I have found that the tweaks I have made after initial failure have involved personalizing whatever I am doing to the students in front of me. Meet the needs/interests of the kids and go forward from there. #worldgeochat
Absolutely!! I can't count how many times I've been honest to my students about this. Sometimes, things just don't work. Yes, are we on time crunches with 180 days of school? Of course! But learning isn't just about content. It's about process #worldgeochat
A2: Sometimes I've found if the tech isn't working the way I need it to that it's best to go back to paper and pen. The classics never fail #worldgeochat
A2: I love using BreakoutEDU in my classroom. Since I create my own, sometimes they are too challenging, so I edit them on the fly. The students just think they suddenly figure it out, and its a win #worldgeochat
A2
So... with my Take Action Friday I took more time and gave kids freedom to do something that they wanted to do - they had permission to try and permission to fail. And many did, but it was a great experience! #worldgeochat
Our big topics were why is Russia's population so unevenly distributed, as well government systems in Russia throughout its history. We also examined whether or not Russia was a democracy and human rights abuses in Russia. #worldgeochat
A2 This is a great video about how a screwed-up science experiment let to rot in the sink ... turned out to be the basis for a Nobel Prize. Ho hum. #worldgeochathttps://t.co/kan1VXZGJL
A2: I always ask the students what could have been better and then just try to adapt from there. I've also started looking at #worldgeochat for ideas to improve units/topics!
A2: I pride myself on flexibility and sometimes the lesson is in its 5th version by the end of the 5th class of the day.
I’ve tweaked debates (as many here have mentioned) to remove the human emotion elements. Plenty of topics with less trauma #WORLDGEOCHAT
A2 use padlet for ss to post pictures, ideas, where they are at in a project our unit. Use projector and talk through, give feedback, praise critique etc. #worldgeochat
The best thing I did was tell them they were guinea pigs and that we're all trying this out for the first time. I honestly think me telling them that some things would fail helped them know that it can/does happen - and that's ok! #worldgeochat
A2: go to Ss, ask where the improvements need to be made for them. Recycle the paper, create v.2 of a doc, add in the resources, ask Ss if is working, move forward & repeat as necessary. #worldgeochat
A3: ALL THE TIME! It is usually about my fail, I straight up tell them about it and laugh at it. Being real and honest is appreciated by 8th graders. I always point out that I am a lifelong learner and that failing is part of doing the business of life #worldgeochat
The struggle to get students to show their learning besides slides is real! I just said they could present their last project using any tool or medium except slides. #worldgeochat
A3: I refer back to the ethnicity/ethnic group conversation we had in the #worldgeochat message thread. I always tell my students if I failed. I've shared with them the first time I auditioned for a show & failed, but I learned from it. I've told them travel fails, and much more!
We use TCI too, but after 2 years of it, I don't know that the students see it as authentic examples. Its actually interesting since the sea is coming back, just not in its original form #worldgeochat
In reply to
@ParkersGeocats, @EHMISGeography, @TeachTCI
A3 all the time. Or not even stories, if I see it’s not working with them, I’ll just tell them flat out “hey, new plan...”
it also fits my rallying cry for standards based grading at a total points school. Failure shouldn’t sink us, let’s fix it and improve #WORLDGEOCHAT
A3 oh for sure. I joke that I have no pride and my ss know exactly how imperfect I am. I also tally through what I could have, should have done. #worldgeochat
A3: all. The. Time. They live in a world where everything has to be right. Yes failure is not an option at times but it is part of the learning process. Sometimes a failure shows more learning than an easy success. #worldgeochat
A2: Have a non-tech backup for all PD. I keep spare transparencies and markers and blank paper and pencils. Just in case. It’s become some of the best moments. #worldgeochat
A3- Yes! I talk about Ss that struggled at the beginning of the year who succeeded at the end, of struggled their whole freshmen year but ended high school strong. Always great to show how hard work can lead to success at different times #worldgeochat
A3 One of my artifacts from my 1st day activity has one of my elementary school report cards with a D in math. Students are shocked to see this. I've shared also pitfalls from earlier periods I've made and how we are going to adjust because of them too. #worldgeochat
A3 I learned awhile ago that students cam see right through you. Might as well share the failures. It makes it easier for them to accept failure if you can. #worldgeochat
Absoulutely! I finally had to come to terms w/ that last year when a guest teacher was in and the entire region was having internet issues. Solution: Bring out the paper maps! :) #worldgeochat
I just really have to say that this conversation and topic tonight is such a big deal to me. To hear that my fellow #worldgeochat leaders, role models, and sources of inspiration fail at times is so important to me. Thank you all for sharing your stories.
Makes sense. I haven’t used it in a few years, but it is a good place to start for somethings. And yes, with the sea changing, makes it all different now #worldgeochat
A4: I talk to them about grit and come at the problem/failure at another angle to help them see the positive. Often students do not know how to take a failure and see it in a positive light, so as a Ts we must talk that through, outloud, with the Ss #worldgeochat
A3: I share failures with my students (grade 2/3) by telling them stories. They love to sit and listen to stories so I use them to frame the failures. They love to think about the “problems” and offer “solutions”. #WORLDGEOCHAT
A3 I have showed them a file folder with “Nacho Libre” written on the tab that I used for when I (seriously) thought it was a good idea to use the movie to show physical geography and certain cultural aspects of Mexico. I kept the folder as a Dwight reminder #WORLDGEOCHAT
A3: all the time. Perhaps too many examples but even today in a Tweet a S saw an error I made & was quick to say 'hey Mme, check your spelling'. I appreciate the safe space of respectfully helping each other learn/grow/iterate. #worldgeochat
A3: I have a lot of the same students from last year, but new grade level/content. They frequently say "you were a better teacher last year." My response: "I feel that way too, I'm trying" #worldgeochat
Agreed. Getting student feedback via surveys and forms, although sometimes can be tough to hear, makes you better. If lessons are routinely falling flat I need to know or I'm wasting their time by not meeting their needs effectively. #worldgeochat
Remember our presentation as a group in New Mexico? I wouldn't call 4 presenters and 8 participants (none of which ever came back to #worldgeochat) a smash hit. :)
Me, too, Sam! I'm loving the specific examples and grounded conversation. I think you and I were two people who suggested this topic last year, so good job, us. #worldgeochat
A4: I actually grade class work lower as it is there spot to make mistakes. I want them to learn. On assessments they don’t get to retake it but can work for point remediation to demonstrate their learning and take ownership. #worldgeochat
The problem with EduTwitter is that so much of the Tweets out there are just, "look at me I did something" tweets that get a gazillion likes.
Those same people fail, they just never admit it on this platform.
#worldgeochat
A4 have to really check in with ss along the way to catch errors, right the ship that is off course. Each day of a project should have some kind of informal assessment or check in. Soft deadlines etc. The final product should be the absolute best product. #worldgeochat
I almost showed A Knights Tale while teaching World history my first year during the Middle Ages/Renaissance. Mentor teacher got a hold of me before I could though. Glad she stopped it! #worldgeochat
A4 Students can retake any assessment for points at our school. This is another great part about SBR. It often leads to more 1 on 1 conferring. Both the student and I learn so much from those conversations. #worldgeochat
A3: Wow. This one hit me. DAY ONE, they know I come from a broken family. Many can relate. I lay it out there. I make sure they understand that I'd take a bullet for every one of them 30 mins after meeting them. #worldgeochat#SafePlace
A4
This is where I wish that there was less focus on grades and more focus on feedback and the process. But too many kids see a grade and think they are a success or a failure based on that letter.
(And Im pissed because I wrote so many things before the letter!)
#worldgeochat
A4 struggling right now with getting ss to look past just finishing something but finishing and then asking "now that I'm done, what needs improvement?"#worldgeochat
A5: This one is for you @NatGeoEducation :) I am being greatly challenged by my first attempt at Geo-Inquiry - is there an online support group to ask questions and bounce off ideas to others who have successfully completed one with their students? #worldgeochat
A5: Creating actual student focused inquiry. I feel as if I'm provided guided inquiry like putting in bumper rails in a bowling alley lane yet I want them more actively engaged in their own inquiry on the topic. #worldgeochat
A4: I’m having such a hard time with it this year, high achieving district, percentage based system, all of a sudden I give them a 3 and they practically die. Hey guys, 3 is proficiency, you know what you’re doing, how about you wait till you’re an adult to lose it #WORLDGEOCHAT
A5: As @ecasey77 mentioned before, I'm struggling with resources for my students to use. I want them to learn about cultures, but culture goes so deep that I'm thinking I'm confusing students. #worldgeochat
Okay, I'll admit today that I had to ask my S roughly 3 or 4 times the full title of his aquaponics project because I forgot what needed to be added after the aquoponics word... I'm still forgetting. - wait, aquaponic system! #worldgeochat
A4 - We always look at the growth -- what did they do better this time. What small thing can they improve on. It's always about moving forward. #worldgeochat
As 9:30 hits, let's thank @NatGeoEducation for leading such an encouraging chat. We all learn from failures, and it was so wonderful to hear the hard times for once :) This community rocks #worldgeochat
A5: How fast paced everything is this year. When I realize how to do something better, I don't have time (we have common assessment dates). I agree with @ecasey77 from earlier, sometimes I feel like I'm forgetting to teach and just plowing ahead #worldgeochat
fHey #worldgeochat team - shout out to all of your honesty tonight. We need more of this in a visual space so that our Ss know it's real & how we grow! Thanks @NatGeoEducation for being an amazing co-host as always. Have a fab rest of the week everyone!
A5 Not so much struggling with content and pedagogy. Mostly educational philosophy and the use/misuse of measurements and who is being served via these data points. #worldgeochat
A5: after spending a summer upping my #globaled game for bio classes, my school switched me to marine sci. Now I am retooling it to use the 4 competencies. I want students to know life is not multiple choice and taking action is more than giving $ #worldgeochat@NatGeoEducation
Full disclosure...
I was struggling with #worldgeochat a month ago. Wondering if it was time call it a day for this chat.
But October has rejuvenated me & my love of this group!
I struggle with this all the time. What can I do to make them put away to devices and do something else? And I think all the tech lessons are cool, but they sont seem phased by the “coolness” except for virtual reality, that gets them every time! #worldgeochat
A5 No doubt. I catch myself wanting to make everything perfect and have every student get every concept completely the first time. It isn't possible and I have to make peace with that. Make informed decisions on what could be best next steps and then do your best #worldgeochat
A 5 - I'm leading a PLC on planning for success and I'm not quite sure where to start. I have lots of ideas, but not sure how to focus them. #worldgeochat
Ss and parents have a hard time with this though. I can show how they are improving, but I just can’t get them to see past the grade book. It is so difficult to see the power of growth over instant success with them. #worldgeochat
A5 I love the workshop method but I struggle with recording evidence and whole class formative assessment. I spend too much time one on one. #worldgeochat
Try padlet! Ss can post answers to Qs , favorite resource links, pics, ideas, and you can give feedback in general or to specific ones for the whole group to see. I've found it very helpful to find mistakes or help ss stuck in a rut. #worldgeochat
Thanks so much to @NatGeoEducation for leading this chat. It helps so much to hear that fellow Ts have the same struggles that I have. I also love how so many of you tackled these issues. I definitely will have more tools to use next time I encounter these issues #worldgeochat
Perfect topic for #worldgeochat tonight. I do not feel alone in the struggle nor do I feel compelled to have perfect lessons. I am re-inspired to continue to do my best and search out relevant learning.
I hope everyone has a great week! We are off next week as I'm sure many will be watching the election returns. We will be back on November 13th for a chat on globalization. #worldgeochat
tuned in late, but time to favorite a few--I've been following #feedbackNOTmarking which has some great strategies for addressing some of tonight's conversation. Highly recommend checking it out!
#worldgeochat@NatGeo
A3: Yes, absolutely and usually it happens as in real time. I believe that good design goes unnoticed and that bad design is an opportunity. #worldgeochat
A3 I have showed them a file folder with “Nacho Libre” written on the tab that I used for when I (seriously) thought it was a good idea to use the movie to show physical geography and certain cultural aspects of Mexico. I kept the folder as a Dwight reminder #WORLDGEOCHAT
