#2ndaryELA Archive
#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!
Tuesday May 17, 2016
8:00 PM EDT
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Welcome to tonight’s chat! Please introduce yourself. Tell what & where you teach. Share your blog link if you have one.
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Don't forget: use on responses & replies to others, label your responses w/A1, A2, & follow anyone chatting with us
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I'm Brynn Allison, chat co-host. 7 yrs teaching HS English & reading interventions in Philly. Blog: https://t.co/cyx1WlfdS8
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Hello ! I'm Lisa from FL who just found out that she will be teaching 6th grade ELA next year!
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Hi all! Amber - Secondary Academic Coach from Texas.
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Q1: What is something you will definitely do again next year because it was such a success?
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I plan to continue Roundtable book discussions. It requires students to take more ownership of their reading and discussion
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Hi all! Amber - Secondary Academic Coach from Texas. 20 years teaching.
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Bouncing back and forth between the cht and giving feedback on argument essay drafts. Oh, the life of a teacher!:)
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A1 Creating writing graphic organizers. Sounds simple but it worked so well for my RTI Ss that Ts used them with all Ss
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A1: Giving students time to read during class time, book talks and helping them select books to read. Super proud of them!
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A1: I will definitely continue to use my ticket raffle system for behavior and super improvers for academics
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I will continue using Notice & Note signposts for reading comprehension. Love how it promotes differentiation w/o effort.
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Brittany from Nebraska teaching language rats block in 8th grade.
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A1: Also using Article of the Week helped drastically improve my student's writing.
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A1: almost complete shift to standards based grading. Has changed everything for the better
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Hi Lisa! So is that a switch or?
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Continue to work with my teachers on true writing instruction rather than just assigning writing.
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A1:I tried using blended playlists this year & have loved it! Used them 4 writing workshops mostly, now trying blended bookclubs!
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What makes it a "roundtable" book discussion?
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Hi ! Hattie from se mich. I'll be in and out-- trying to convince s 4 year to sleeo
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I'll be at a new school and exclusively ELA. :)
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We started using sbg last year, but I have definitely embraced it more this year, practically and philosophically.
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I love Notice & Note! So simple, but gets students digging deep.
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Q2: What is something you want to change or improve upon next year?
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I’m still trying to find ways to make writing instruction meaningful. I hope to continue to “chunk” parts of an essay.
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A1: I will continue with choice boards/projects as a form of alternative assessments.
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Can you tell us more about that?
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Awesome! I'm sure you're using resources like and and
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What are blended playlists?
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Amber joining late! 7th grade English in Owasso, OK.
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A2: I need to improving on making my marking more efficient. I take a long time to mark assignments and work. Any tips?
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A2 Working with Ts to create writing checklists for Ss. Ts frustrated w/writing errors but little time spent teaching to correct
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A2: I want more time. :). I am struggling to balance quality reading, writing, and grammar instruction.
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That will be exciting to focus on one subject. No trailers a the new school I hope :)
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A1: Flashlight Friday! Reading under student made forts by flashlight every Friday! A huge hit.
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A2: I want to find more ways to individualize grammar instruction. Ss are at so many different levels! I want to really help!
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HA! I'm pretty sure I'm in a portable...but that's ok! It's the top school in my area so it will be worth it.
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Use rubrics & checklists for final grading. Don't edit final drafts. Do editing during peer review and conferences
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A2: I want to be more intentional about helping Ts set goals, action plans, and follow through.
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Ann from St. Louis. I teach 6th grade ELA.
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a2: I want to improve on increasing my digital lessons
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A playlist is a list of activies (individualized) using tech and f:f inst that Ss work through at their own pace.
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Lots of good resources were mentioned during our chat on grammar. The summary is on my blog
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A2: I want to avoid getting buried and overwhelmed. ha. a girl can dream?
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wow! That is a super cool idea!
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Leigh Anne from Indiana sorry for joining late!
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A2:I've got to find more ways for students to share what they're reading & make recommendations. Need to nurture talk about books
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Q3: What was your biggest challenge this year? Did you overcome it? How?
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A3 New position working "under" someone and pushing into classrooms instead of having my own was an adjustment
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I plan on using playlists 4 that too! :) Ss move @ their own pace & work on what they need! Not what a Tbook says.
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I will have to check out that storify!
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Create a # system for common errors. Easy to use when editing. Ss can analyze type of error and have good talks.
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A2: I want to implement peer editing groups and have students focus writing portfolios more.
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A3 cont Had to learn when to speak up and when to let things go. Not everyone is interested in being helped, doing things better
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A2: I am going back into the classroom next yr in a new state (GA) teching 6th grade. Changing lots of things.
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A3 learning how to use Google classroom...still learning!
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A3: Biggest challenge was some very tough student behavior. Not exactly "solved" but progress made w/contracts & super improvers
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You can use Google sites for that!
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Very excited to use signposts with my 6th graders next year for fiction and non.
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A3: Helping new hired teachers in Feb. & March build relationships with Ss late in the yr.
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Carissa 6th grade ELA OK checking in
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A3: Fears of the unknown-new textbooks,standards,curriculum personnel,content.Lots of changes next year, so some anxiety.
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She is the keynote speaker at a local conference. Excited to hear her!
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Q4: Share your favorite classroom text you read this year (novel, nonfiction, poetry, play).
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Love many texts but favorite this year is TED talks. Not traditional “text” but great to connect them to class readings.
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A2. My goal is to offer my students even more choice in their reading and writing.
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Did you use them at all this year? We started but was. It to successful in implementation.
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A4 7th graders I work with read Fever 1793 by I probably haven't read it since I was in MS, but love her books
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A3: Keeping up with all the paperwork, documentation, and data collection/analysis
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A4: Best Picture book: Miss Rumphius - my students became obsessed with art & painting!
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Helps students with media literacy, presentation, speaking skills too
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A3. The balance between how much reading and writing we do in class.
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A4: definitely Dark Water Rising with 7th graders.
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A4: our favs were The Honest Truth, Dear Bully (class just finished today!), articles about whales @ sea world & women in combat.
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...was not too successful. Poor editing tonight!
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A4: I've actually really enjoyed Twelfth Night by Shakespeare this year.
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Check out and Eric Palmer! :)
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Q5: Share an invaluable resource you relied upon this year (book, article, technology, blog, etc.).
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A5: Twitter Chats are fabulous resource. Great ideas & supportive communities!
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Q2: working more collaboratively with my peers teachers. @ a new school so I'm still learning who every1 is.
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We read a article about Apple and the FBI. Kids had very strong opinions on the topic. Real life reading for them.
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A4: Anne Frank and Ray Bradbury short stories. Odd combination, but both so awesome for 8th grade!
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A4: Of Mice and Men was so fun Read Steinbeck's ltr to the actress playing Curely's wife and they FINALLY showed some sympathy
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A5 Most valuable resource was you ! I look forward to these chats & all of your ideas so much!
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A5: My go to for lesson ideas is Pinterest! You all know I love my teacher bloggers and their ideas! I also love our FB group.
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A5: Twitter chats and Notice and Note.
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I love that one. Have you also read Hattie and the Wild Waves?
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A4: Tough ?, I have too many. Maybe Fog Horn by Ray Bradbury cus I was able to pair it with The Scream painting. Ss enjoyed it.
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A1: read "I Am Legend" again next year. The kids loved it.
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A4: I Have Lived a Thousand Years, my Ss were engaged throughout. Some even did their own research on the Holocaust and WWII.
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A3. My Ss fave text is the play of The Hobbit. The Ss love having parts, and it's great for fluency.
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A5: My Tech MVPS are & .My podcast MVPs are and . All worth the check out!
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A5: Reading Nonfiction by Beers & Probst has changed my NF instruction to struggling readers
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A5:Twitter!Avoided twitter till this year but I have learned so much
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A5: Love learning from chats on Twitter and the books I am exposed to like & Notice and Note.
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Do you have a URL for this? Would love to use this also.
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That is a tough subject to read about and teach. Good lit helps.
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A4: Night (Holocaust novel) paired with Holocaust picture books, art, and music.
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A5 I made many changes in my independent reading due to .
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A5: It's not technology, but my regular trips to were invaluable! Getting my hands on books is the best!
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A4: My fav was Frankenstein but my sts wouldn't agree. Theirs was "I Am Legend" by far
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YES!! Great book!! Love Notice and Note.
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A5: Twitter, teacher blogs, pinterest, and my colleagues
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No - but I will be sure to check them out now!
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I was a hold out to with no idea of the value. Can't believe how much is here for educators.
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Thanks for chatting with us tonight. Next week's chat: recharging the teacher. See you on 5/24 at 8pm EST
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A5: TeachersPayTeachers and .
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The NF big questions have really engaged my readers and helped to provoke higher level thinking. Best addition!
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Was there a certain book you liked the best?
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A5. Twitter. I have finally embraced it, and I have learned a lot.
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Twitter has become such a huge resource for me. Trying to get other colleagues on board!
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I love Steven Layne's IN reading suggestions too. Igniting a Passion has made a big diff in my teaching
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A5: Love me some pinterest, twitter and anything techy like plickers or socrative
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Looking for resources Follow My TpT store https://t.co/dNYytQR0SH Lots of items are FREE like Picture Books to use in Secondary.
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Good night, everyone! Thanks for hanging out!
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It is and this was the first time many Ss had heard about this topic. It was powerful!
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Sounds great. I am adding it to my already overwhelmed summer reading list.
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I am in need of some great answers for Q5.
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Love connecting & chatting with you all. TY for great ? See you all next week!! Be sure to FOLLOW each other
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Try the two techy tools I suggested! They are game-changing!
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A4: Get your classroom management system down packed! And learn your curriculum
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