#BFC530 Archive
The Breakfast Club – #BFC530 – is a 15 minute, 1 question Twitter chat every weekday. We chat in 4 timezones Mon-Fri – 5:30am Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times. The mission of BFC is to empower participants to make a difference in education by engaging in consistent reflective practice in a supportive community that inspires and challenges one another.
Wednesday April 20, 2016
I need a little help with this question. Stay on the same page as who/what?
Morning from sunny Florida!
lacrosse. Our daughters colleges played against each other.
Today's : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
We should all be following the same general recipe (standards) ... how we flavor (how kids learn) it is up to us.
Good morning. Stacey from NJ.
Outsiders being?? Parents/administrators? https://t.co/yevdFvFpsp
Today's : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
Hi Breakfast Club, it's been a while for me! Miriam, vocal music teacher in DC/VA
I try not to think of required curriculum as "opposed" to creativity. You can have standards without standardization.
I think you can teach the same "learning objective" on the same day in a totally different way.
Good morning Jennifer from OH
Good morning educators! Welcome to Wednesday! How r we this beautiful morning? David MS Principal from VA
I see the curriculum as WHAT i have to teach, not HOW I have to teach it.
very lucky Admin, doesn't hold us too tight. They trust our judgment allow & support creativity
Absolutely! https://t.co/ujl8tbmpZ7
I think you can teach the same "learning objective" on the same day in a totally different way.
So fortunate that I'm empowered with to do whatever it takes with my Ss - think, create, make...culture of innovation & growth!
Creativity is how you teach a lesson. It should be as individualistic as our personalities.
Amen. its more like training wheels.
Unless you literally mean page, like workbook, then you pitch that to the curb because workbooks don't mean standards.
Speaking of Wednesday, it's ! Show the community what's on your shelf this week!
I do my best work when I can be me! I don't work well being stifled.
I've never been a good ruler follower. I always view them as "guidelines"...which has led 2 prob or 2 https://t.co/9GGYrgH9ek
Today's : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
I am so very happy to greet all of my friends at this early hour on my birthday! I am grateful for the gift!
Teacher creativity is at the heart of 21st century learning. "Aligning" CCSS to old curriculum = putting rubber tires on a horse.
Happy Happy birthday friend! :)
Morning all...Missy from CT. Heard my phone vibrating with notifications, got me up!. Popping in to say hello.
Good morning, Friends. Happy last day of the 3rd marking period.
We need more Ts who think like this https://t.co/5HIwC1JkQm
I see the curriculum as WHAT i have to teach, not HOW I have to teach it.
Good morning and happy - what are you reading this week?
The case for teaching creatively: Show the 'non-believers' the levels of S engagement & learning and then ask, "Why not?"
Sometimes I feel like having a little bit of structure helps me be more creative, same for the Ss
Amen! Learning rituals over rote "in and out" memorization. https://t.co/LFvkFL5Rat
Unless you literally mean page, like workbook, then you pitch that to the curb because workbooks don't mean standards.
yes, allow Ts to do what you hired them to do. ! If Ts are comfortable, it will translate to more learning for the Ss
I feel that about textbooks to. I know where I need to get, but getting there is up to me. Each class is different.
I see the Ss as the curriculum. They never get old. Literally!
Happy Birthday !! https://t.co/jDm2weTLkF
I am so very happy to greet all of my friends at this early hour on my birthday! I am grateful for the gift!
Happy birthday Chris!! Hope you have a fabulous day!
It's one thing to have high standards. It's quite another to expect standardization. Custom the growth! https://t.co/DTbLx4CPqY
Teaching can also be spontaneous which makes it unique.
With you Kathy. One subject I teach everything is run by Dept Head. I don't feel comfortable teaching it https://t.co/0nG33RDWJJ
I do my best work when I can be me! I don't work well being stifled.
Yes! Like that quote.
Hire good people
Give them what they need
Stay out of their way!
https://t.co/fFgI5ijGON
yes, allow Ts to do what you hired them to do. ! If Ts are comfortable, it will translate to more learning for the Ss
Join our Crew at 8CT/9ET for Standards-Based Learning based on
Teachers being creative with their lesson plans is where we get good lessons from.
To be fair, we also need more who allow Ts flexibility and choice. Scripts are for actors, not Ts. https://t.co/zbHGXHhSpg
We need more Ts who think like this https://t.co/5HIwC1JkQm
I see the curriculum as WHAT i have to teach, not HOW I have to teach it.
This is a GREAT question! I have wondered about this one A LOT! https://t.co/LnuRApUdYP
Today's : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
Happy birthday! Thanks for sharing its beginning with us.
that's just it! If you tell me HOW to teach, I won't do my best work!
Lisa ESE support from central Florida.
Agreed Curriculum is like a Shakespeare text: challenging, complex, complicated, but so many possibilities & approaches
Yup !!! https://t.co/R4iCcoHC9k
Yes! Like that quote.
Hire good people
Give them what they need
Stay out of their way!
https://t.co/fFgI5ijGON
yes, allow Ts to do what you hired them to do. ! If Ts are comfortable, it will translate to more learning for the Ss
Not sure how we can "differentiate" and "stay on the same page" simultaneously.... Creativity is a necessity
Good morning ! Debby from NY...Happy Wednesday!
Yes! Nothing wrong w/standards. The trouble starts when Ts are not trusted to know how to meet them. https://t.co/NpVt2qs80v
I try not to think of required curriculum as "opposed" to creativity. You can have standards without standardization.
Good Morning ! Happy Wednesday!
The case for teaching creatively: Show the 'non-believers' the levels of S engagement & learning and then ask, "Why not?"
Honestly too, I have more experience teaching than many people making the rules (i.e. textbooks companies) I know what works.
I like to call certain learning experiences . 2 things at once: meet requirements & engage. https://t.co/04D0lEGl36
Teachers being creative with their lesson plans is where we get good lessons from.
I havent had my coffee yet. i was struggling for those exact words.
Being the only T for certain courses has its advantages.
Happy birthday Chris. Would I be right in guessing we were born in the same year? Tokyo Olympics
I agree - textbooks are just too limiting.
I feel grateful that I'm not told to be on the same page as everyone else - I would feel SO frustrated - I do what my kids need
Happy birthday, sir! Glad you could begin a day of celebration with us
Thinking outside the box...Why can't "staying on the same page" be all about everyone teaching creatively...be/lead the change!
Good morning all! Michala from Virginia Beach.
Hi! Just got back from walking the dog. What did I miss? Let's go Mets! ⚾️⚾️
Yes! and can be stifling! and one size fits all!
Yes! and can be stifling! and one size fits all!
And the other trouble starts when non-Ts create "standards-aligned" materials. Don't get me started!
Halfway through I made for Romeo and Juliet.
Teaching MUST be spontaneous! Otherwise I'm not responding to each S's custom needs in real time. https://t.co/6oZUuDZu9m
Think of any teacher praise you have ever seen. Was it for a teacher who came in, followed the curriculum, then went home?
Good morning Ylonka! Should be working on PD stations, but can't miss my addiction :)
First year, had a "mentor" who was relieved of her teaching duties JUST to work with newbies. She was priceless! I owe her so much.
#1850 Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair. — Elie Wiesel
https://t.co/vmkDnvFi1p
Struc doesn't have to be stifling. Str can guide collaboration, adding creativity to lessons. https://t.co/HBaDJx4lwu
Sometimes I feel like having a little bit of structure helps me be more creative, same for the Ss
That's a great thought! That would be amazing!!
You change the page and bring your love of teaching & your approach with you
once we get told how to teach yiu can replace use with robots. Its the personality that makes the job
We have to have logical broad standards ... without standards how do we know what the kids are supposed to learn
I think it's all about finding balance. I never feel as though I can't think outside the box, just need to be creative as to how.
I think there is a lot of opportunity for creativity & personalization w/ the "how" of a lesson. The "what" needs to be consistent.
Looking great in NH! Three days to Spring Break. Rest, relaxation and black flies.
Yeah, that's the page I'd like to stay on. Teachers take things from the page to the stage. "All the world's a stage!"
Fair enough...we all need this kind of attitude But don't label ALL admin as being script givers either. https://t.co/sIs4kNx3mB
To be fair, we also need more who allow Ts flexibility and choice. Scripts are for actors, not Ts. https://t.co/zbHGXHhSpg
We need more Ts who think like this https://t.co/5HIwC1JkQm
I see the curriculum as WHAT i have to teach, not HOW I have to teach it.
Have to be creative and flexible during PARCC testing.
So true! https://t.co/frFOz6JjOM
Think of any teacher praise you have ever seen. Was it for a teacher who came in, followed the curriculum, then went home?
And, this is why is one of the very best. :) https://t.co/uIRlNZESHt
You change the page and bring your love of teaching & your approach with you
Truth https://t.co/z4eX9IpIob
Think of any teacher praise you have ever seen. Was it for a teacher who came in, followed the curriculum, then went home?
In terms of tackling "imBOREtant" curricular/instructional requirements, tech tools & tricks are helpful.
I've never been good at turning it off. I work on balance, but I view everything through my teacher lense.
What's a text book?
21stC ed reqs 21stC teaching innovation. Google has the facts.
What are *WE* providing?
https://t.co/T7Q2vY4pr5
I agree - textbooks are just too limiting.
I think the standards should be our guide, not some purchased curriculum. Textbooks should be a resource.
I may not be on the same page, but I am in the same chapter ... reading the same book (not referring to textbook)
Definitely. And I think following Ss interests helps engage them in the curriculum
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope your day is as awesome as you are!! 🎈🎈
As Ts, we adapt our teaching based on the needs and interests of our students...'sameness' may not respect those needs/interests.
exactly, the students all learn differently, we teach differently, if it's not real it is not gonna work https://t.co/GZflnTOt5m
once we get told how to teach yiu can replace use with robots. Its the personality that makes the job
In my department, we all use the same rubrics to assess Ss narratives, arguments, expositions. We use rubrics as T tool
Start with a shared mission/vision built on trust, high stds, & mutual respect. Recipe for organizational excellence.
Since starting to tweet I am very conscious that I'm always learning and tweaking.
My read alouds fit my classroom environment, change every year. Would hate for those to become dictated.
Making lessons creative and meaningful, making sure Ss know the target, listening to their ideas and suggestions.
Also not sure I like being held back by other's teaching styles.
Subtle changes in tools and strategy go a long way in encouraging creativity. Stay at the same pace doesn't mean do the same thing
Good morning ! Elisa, 5th grade T from Quito. A lot of late nights lately. Hard to wake up in the morning.
Sometimes, I'm pages ahead, others pages behind!
I admit to enjoying the puzzle of doing what I think is best while trying to work within the constraints of curriculum...Sometimes
Exactly - there's no need for them. We went textbook free 18 yrs ago & never missed them.
I well designed curriculum, right? I'm lucky to have one!
Exactly. Teaching w/out a clear direction is a disservice to our students. https://t.co/O4Z1COLT4L
We have to have logical broad standards ... without standards how do we know what the kids are supposed to learn
Our curriculum provides lessons but the expectation is that Ts will differentiate to the needs of their Ss. Not 1 size is perfect.
I am in the World History box ... that is what I teach ... how I decorate that box is what matters most
thats kind of the point. I read an article yesterday about how we are responsible for the learning of our colleagues.
That's what I love most about Genius/Maker time. I'm learning to roll better because of Ss:)
Awesome. Enjoy the time off, if not the flies!
Just like our Ss, we all learn/teach differently. I teach differently each year depending on the Ss in my classroom...Be flexible.
yes. I wrote a textbook obce. It was my interpretation of the standards. Not necessarily the only interpretation
My seniors right now are writing gratitude letters to Ts. Not one of them says "I LOVED that powerpoint/worksheet"
My texts are 20 years old. I use them for a few stories to read, otherwise they are in the closet. I love articles, novels, 'net.
Curriculum provides suggestions for activities, not mandates.
I cant see the textbook surviving for much longer. Can you?
So true. Ts interpret curriculum different. There is no right.
Curriculum is always evolving. It has to. As soon as it's written it needs to be revised.
1 of my fav ?s. What did I do today that makes them WANT to come back tomorrow?
Love my Phanatic pillow pet and I made the other stuffed rectangle by hand. Therapy:)
The more autonomy a T is granted in drafting LPs that address the standards, the better. When a district handcuffs them; Ss suffer.
Love this. So important to stay true to who we are and our beliefs!
IMO, the phrase "staying on the same page" is equivalent to "staying irrevelant." We can/must do better! https://t.co/HSw2Z3dT5Z
yes being connected opens us up to so many possibilities and new tools & techniques can't stagnate https://t.co/b8fuFyPl0T
Since starting to tweet I am very conscious that I'm always learning and tweaking.
And a very happy birthday to you, Chris!! https://t.co/3ChueZ5SfO
I am so very happy to greet all of my friends at this early hour on my birthday! I am grateful for the gift!
Yes, we are accountable to our profession. Sadly, some don't see it that way! Can you post link 2 article?
Definitely a better T since becoming connected.
DM your Skype info and we'll send you a video message.
Wishing you the happiest of birthdays !!! May it be full of smiles and hugs! https://t.co/5pHDyGdCID
I am so very happy to greet all of my friends at this early hour on my birthday! I am grateful for the gift!
Hope my peeps can join 3 of my students and I as we co-moderate tonight at 7PM EST! Talking Digital Leadership!
Yes, standards are the map, but how you choose to travel is up to Ts and Ss
Ill have to find it. It was for a professional development.
Happy Birthday to you! I worked in a school once where your birthday was a holiday and you got the day off :)
For my Math class I am often the only teacher teaching & so can do as see fit.
Oh that is awesome. I will try to be there!
Good morning friends!! I'm late to the party this morning!
That's the way it should be. That's what our kids will be reading for the rest of their lives. Prepare them for that!
I was at book club for church. Too funny. I missed all your banter:)
Great advice!!! https://t.co/EHUtTGPYSs
I am in the World History box ... that is what I teach ... how I decorate that box is what matters most
yes and different interpretation increase knowledge pool
Unfortunately, some districts treat them as mandates.
text books are fantastic tools, there's always a desk that needs to be leveled off ( or a door jam!
we have to have standards that make sense and time to make them happen
I teach the same thing different every year. Driven by what wirks for students
That would be an awesome gift! But so is teaching!!! 😊😊😊
Almost spit out my coffee on that one!
would love to hear more about that - waiting for my box, should arrive any day!
I've been lucky to have dept. heads that supported me to teach same curriculum in different way from colleagues.
Ii think we all agree about the impt of autonomy, but what DO you do when that is taken away?
Unfortunately true. Glad mine doesn't.
i want to see pictures of any cake
Thanks for a great chat everyone! I am ready for the day! :)
Have a great day, community! One cup of coffee with the hubby before it's time to make the donuts!
I agree with this. Love collaboration, but with a twist of my own teaching style.
Can be difficult w/ common exams but Small tweaks to each teacher's version can make it work.
What is your favorite resource for inspiring creativity? Mine =Teach Like a Pirate. has me always looking for mashups!
W/ multiple Ts teaching the same gr or class, expected skills can b assessed through common formative assessments along the way.
We need know where we are going-Logical structure of curr. Str w/ common outcomes doesn't have to stifle. https://t.co/GqEjc3Kiuw
I've done 3 different games. 2 for Ss, 1 for Admin. All positive...will you be at
not in its current form. Maybe as a guide for teachers.
agreed, but standards should be a floor to start from, not a ceiling to hold kids back
Great! I love to flip through to see the naughty pics kids have drawn in them! Lol.They are boring, for sure. https://t.co/eo0iiLay1m
text books are fantastic tools, there's always a desk that needs to be leveled off ( or a door jam!
Yes! You have to know where you are headed, but each Ss path to get there can be different!
Good for you! missed you! :) Catch you tomorrow!
thats a whole other soapbox of mine. The state of testing has led to low expectations.
#1149 We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.
https://t.co/PYrqUA770o
Always trying new things. If I am bored, Ss will be too.
Off to start my day. Thanks for the early morning chat. Have a great one
Ugh! Just realized I'm using my classroom Twitter account to join this convo. Try to keep things separate.
Sincere thanks for the kind birthday wishes! Have an awesome April 20th!
please never waste coffee on my account !!
Thanks for a great chat! Make it an awesome Wednesday!
thank you - that's hilarious! What a great video for perspective, pov
If we're struggling to teaching creatively and "stay on the same page," maybe we're reading the wrong book.
Sunday, yes? I think I can do that!
I had no clue before how much I was missing outside the walls of my room.
yes! Still allows lots of room for creativity...or the "art" of teaching.
How can you stay on the same page when you have different students?
Have a wonderful Wednesday!!!
Research and bring what you know is best to the powers that be. Over and over again. https://t.co/2JRP6MK5qc
Ii think we all agree about the impt of autonomy, but what DO you do when that is taken away?
Hello ! Switched accounts though it's time to sign off soon.
Thanks, Manny. Happy Hump Day!
#1854 Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links... - Theodore Dreiser
https://t.co/DKOPo2Wozn
Hey gang let's keep it up over at the spark chat !!! go be an awesome educator today !!
No, I can't. Think Open Ed resources will become the norm.
Thanks for a great chat everyone. Have a
Exactly! https://t.co/nVKZ8LPVja
agreed, but standards should be a floor to start from, not a ceiling to hold kids back
I believe has a long & proud tradition of inspiring early-morning spit takes - & guffaws
Hi Elisa. I sent your class a picture of a baby alpaca. There's a whole lesson in that
The current top in NYC is :
1. 2. Happy 420 3. ;
Soon, I will make sentence. #6949
Off to make lunches. Enjoy your day!
It is the framework of the house we are all building ... i teach 6th grade SS ... I am just one part of their learning
hahahahahahahah So very true! love this! Agreed! Educators are hilarious in the morning! https://t.co/01yy13Dt9M
I believe has a long & proud tradition of inspiring early-morning spit takes - & guffaws
. Love being known as one who keeps you spit tin'
Not only play each other, but mark each other! 1st in high school, now in college! :) https://t.co/pNvT2KtUYA
lacrosse. Our daughters colleges played against each other.
My question exactly...and what would be the point? We're not supposed to cover material, we're supposed to teach
I teach a creative class. My standards are what I borrow from my ELA Ts. I can't go wrong & am always fed. https://t.co/nCs2QGBbgq
Smiles everyone, smiles! On to a great Wednesday of learning - always thankful for
BOOM! https://t.co/J0hEwLaqe3
My question exactly...and what would be the point? We're not supposed to cover material, we're supposed to teach
"And now, on a very special episode of : After Dark"
#1851 Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.
https://t.co/M3bpGbRgkg
Our nation is built on str. Some strs are bad and educators must speak up. However, Ss need to lrn to work w/in a str.
Why not try? Important to show students you try, refine, demo reaction to things gone wrong, are resilient. https://t.co/NDEBQ5QUXr
The case for teaching creatively: Show the 'non-believers' the levels of S engagement & learning and then ask, "Why not?"
"stay on the same page" as others should not be used in education
My new political affiliation.
Your 'same page' are the curriculum expectations. You can teach the same idea in a variety of methods.
Well, we'll just have to try that, won't we? Lol 🍷🍸🍺🍪
https://t.co/5N5dZddXSR
could you imagine if we were drinking wine instead of coffee!
Cover requirements & foundation skills, but allow for & using those skills in projects https://t.co/X7vjYvza5L
Today's : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
Let's encourage, not discourage, our "Originals" to grow! Ss&Ts need support to see the world differently. https://t.co/zL50XSFB9U
I look at the objective & go from there. I let my creative juices flow. Obj. needs to be met. It doesn't matter how you get there.
The same page is the "what" of our teaching. The creativity can come from the "how" and the with what.
Today : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
Exactly my point. https://t.co/bcVkFdmNVE
But what if those from above or your own teammates keep pushing for that same page mentality, then what?
Doors have the ability to close for a reason. As long as your Ss are learning what needs to be learned, do what is best for them
You start looking for another job. My integrity is worth too much.
yep. Its about getting them engaged and to the end point. The mode of travel depends on student
Grateful that I've always had creative liberty, but I had limitations. I would sneak in experiences wherever possible
I interpreted this ? As staying in the same page figuratively with your team.
Also, in math there is value to continuity between grade levels. Being on the same page about language/progression is important
Morning from MA. I'm Dave and sorry I'm late. WHat is the topic this morning?
I think some administrators don't get it. If they don't understand they think it's wrong
on my team we have four different styles and that's OK. What teacher A is doing doesn't impact teacher B
Good morning Mr B! I've missed you! Howzit?
agreed. I've tried to shift my teaching to match what fifth grade is doing when possible
same on my team. In fact were also departmentalized. Very different styles, but on same page about some things for Ss
YUP! My math curriculum is literally a SCRIPT! I would lose my mind if I let myself read it verbatim
thats what happens at Yr 10 maths here. Hate teaching that class. Cant be me
Crazy here too! Maybe not quite as exciting as yours. Hard to believe how close we are to closing out the year!
I have to work hard to be creative with it. Concepts aren't bad but delivery is sooooo dry. Esp for 4th grade
at least all my other classes I have freedom
I wish focus was MORE on standards & bc experts than choosing a curric
We said, we're not doing that his year, and "piloted" a lot of things on those teams.
Impossible to be on same page and undo some misconceptions w/out going back.
You need to be inspired by the content/delivery in order for the kids to be
Do some schools really require Ts to literally be in same page in books? I have seen some insanely explicit pacing guides
Yes. I have heard abt strict schools. Same page, same script, same robots. No 21st century Ss there.
Wonder if it's bc they evaluate SO many Ts. Hard to know which is "right"? Clssrms have changed since they were Ts
If I trust those in my PLC, then it's easy to work together and stay creative by trying each other's ideas.
maybe the hot water will kill germs...I say all is not lost!
what's the point of hiring degreed professionals if anyone could read a script? preaching to choir
There's teaching students and there's teaching curriculum. Both R important, but the former requires responsiveness to kids' needs.
I know. I could not imagine having to teach like that. No thank you!
if too extreme than u leave. Maybe you leave the school, maybe the profession heartbreaking
Keep pushing them. Maybe start with just helping them move a half a page.
I co-teach most of the day, sometimes frustrating bc we have very different teaching styles-coworker is old-school!
. Don't believe I did. Simply want more to de-script. No T should be OK script-teaching. Need 2push Ta 2grow, 2improve
#1848 I don't want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to... - Malala Yousafzai
Topic: How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
I did leave 😭 https://t.co/s3ImVhIOLz
if too extreme than u leave. Maybe you leave the school, maybe the profession heartbreaking
Good morning - As Admin - show me the results and go for it. - And it helps that I don't usually follow rules either
reconcile (v): to make compatible or consistent -Amer Herit Dict. I don't see that happening for creativity & lock-step instruction
Happily hired to start up & create! No script! Hard seeing others made 2 follow one! Losing great, new Ts! Esp this generation! Sad!
How I'd push back: Ask if I need to be on same page w/daily lessons or w/standards & outcomes. Latter, I can work with creatively.
Christina, Are you teaching in MD?
Yes. Here we reward good teachers by making them administrators. Not always good administrators
Yes! Like that quote. Hire good people
Give them what they need
Stay out of their way! ��| MORE: https://t.co/wDiXgpLcCO
We have to pilot our ideas in order to a chance at better! https://t.co/jLiMr7sQA8
Today : How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
And when we see each other at edcamps it's like we've always known each other! Edu family!
Today - How do you reconcile love of teaching creatively/outside box w being told to stay on same page as others? -
따뜻한봄날 강남풀살롱 강남야구장 선릉야구장01021543560
