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.
Phil from Northern Virginia. I teach 7th grade US History II and am the founder of #waledchat which meets right after #mschat. Definitely appreciate a classic Hershey bar!
Great to have you join us! #mschat Chat are easy just follow along and chime in when you feel you have something to add to the conversation (which I am sure you will have!)
A1: I appreciate that teaching is an ever-growing art. You can always get better, you can always improve!
Every year there is more to explore, more to learn! It is a joyful job! #mschat
A1: I appreciate the awesome honor of being able to share a Small yet instrumental peice of another human’s story. To be forever in my Ss personal story, whether the peice is big or small, is amazing❤️ #mschat
A1: I appreciate working with students from different backgrounds on a daily basis. The best part is watching their growth over the middle school years. #mschat
A1 I love that I get to create my own little space in the world where science is cool, being weird is ok, and everyone is equal.
Tomorrow I want to play a video I found of signing on to AOL with a dial tone (gasp).
#mschat
A1: I love working with PSTs. They have such passion for teaching and are ready to enter the field to do all that they can and give all that they have for their Ss. Every day teaching my PSTs is a day full of beginning teacher exuberance. #mschat
A1: Appreciate the opportunity to learn beside my students ... and HAVE fun at work.. #mschat (When it isn't testing seasons, and I have no paper work)
A2: Former students wrote notes about positive connections we had #mschat (One is interning next year and remembers watching Obama inauguration with me during lunch)
A2: Our PTO is awesome. Taco bar, sweet notes from students, a new picnic table out back in the sunshine, covering our recess duty, brownies...and the week's not done. Seriously awesome. Oh, and sour jolly ranchers, colorful pens, a journal, and flowers from students! #mschat
Wow, lots of goodies and thank you s have come our way from parents, students and staff. We also found out we will be featured in a yearly report for an organization for our work with TSS #MSchat
A2: This AMAZING parent has brought us in treats every day! Healthy snacks today, chips, lollypops, and candy! Tomorrow, formal PTA breakfast. #TeacherAppreciationWeek#mschat
A2: I received a message from a middle school student I taught twelve years ago!!! Not only did she let me know how much she appreciated my novice teacher efforts, but also informed me she intends to become a teacher!!! Made my year. #mschat
A3 Stop pointing out we have summers off, and realize that we use that time off to develop ourselves and our craft.
Teaching is more than a job, it is a calling. It is who we are. #mschat
A2: Administration gave us a jeans week and we get a walk out with the Ss to end our week. Parent group provided lunch on Friday last week. Very nice gestures by all. #mschat
A3: I think this needs to start locally (with parents and community members) treating educators with respect and appreciation. Then to the larger community- lawmakers, politicians... that would be a real #TeacherAppeciationWeek#mschat
A3 society needs to get involved. Visit a school, talk to your students about what they are learning, enter into a real partnership with school and educators #MSchat
A2: we have had District breakfast, staff lunch, and PTA tomorrow plus our admin raffle off parking spaces, jeans days- little things to say we ❤️ you #mschat
A3 society needs to get involved. Visit a school, talk to your students about what they are learning, enter into a real partnership with school and educators #MSchat
A3: Listen to teachers as the expects in education that they are! #mschat and stop the political football with our jobs/curriculum #TeacherAppreciation
A3 Stop pointing out we have summers off, and realize that we use that time off to develop ourselves and our craft.
Teaching is more than a job, it is a calling. It is who we are. #mschat
A3 Stop pointing out we have summers off, and realize that we use that time off to develop ourselves and our craft.
Teaching is more than a job, it is a calling. It is who we are. #mschat
I'll be working on my masters, redesigning some of my curriculum, and preparing to teach a whole new prep for next year! Excited for the work I am going to be able to get done this summer! #mschat
A4 unsung heroes are the Secretary in the office, the paras and custodians the level of commitment and care they provide for our students and staff is outstanding #MSchat
A4: I think our STUDENTS also need to be recognized for the amazing they put forth daily. We need every S to be built up for piece of greatness they have achieved. #mschat
A4: Secretaries do so much to make things run, Custodial staff take care of the building, Para's do 1000's of jobs to keep things running: Schools take a team to function #mschat
A4: Our instructional assistants. They are essential to what we do--they run small groups, our library, monitor our cafeteria, do recess duty, work one-on-one with students--in short, they are the front lines of education. #mschat
A4: I have some amazing IA's that sometimes I feel like they work harder than me. So blessed by all the work they do to help me bring engaging lessons to EVERY student. #mschat
A4 The custodians! No matter what kind of messes we leave behind (despite the fact that we try very hard *not* to leave a mess behind) they clean it up and the place looks great the next day. #mschat
A4: Our secretary. She knows EVERYTHING, serves as administrative secretary and the front lines of parent needs. She is our part time clinic nurse. She even knows how all the little pieces inside the copier are supposed to go back together. #mschat
We lost them to budget cuts about 5 years ago... been a struggle our aide is a rock star but just part time and doesn't have the full skill set #mschat
A5 I hope we tell our students we are proud of them as individuals and groups. Show appreciation by building relationships and SHOWING them you care. Positive referrals and reinforcement #MSchat
A5: Give them the freedom to be kids. Take them outside for a break after having a success in learning and let them get the wiggles out. (Note: we are blocked, so we have longer class periods. This may not work for some). #mschat
A5: we build rockstar lessons that tell our Ss that they are worth that kind of planning and effort! And we tell them as often as we can that we ❤️ them, they matter, & that we are lucky. #mschat
A5: recognizing their positive contributions to the class and just engaging with them on a daily basis. A simple “good morning” goes a long way #mschat
A5: I joyfully greet them in the halls as they come into school, into my class, leave class, and school. I want them to see the joy they bring us! #mschat
A5: See them as real human beings. Don't talk down to them just because they're kids. Take the time to listen instead of just assume, and always bear in mind the neurological/developmental WHY behind so much of what they do. #mschat
A6: We are throwing a surprise party for one of our security people's birthday tomorrow. We take time to do special things for our staff regularly. #mschat
A6: it’s the little@things that disarm me- the coffee or snacks for no reason, an ice cold seltzer on a hot day- just because, my teammate brushes the snow off of everyone’s cars in the new England winter - I am lucky 🍀 #mschat
A6: My coworkers are so good at this. Someone's having a tough day? A Diet Coke anonymously winds up on their desk. Or an email goes out, their name excluded, to let the rest of us know they might need a pick-me-up. It's amazing. #mschat
Thanks for the great convo #mschat. I am bowing out early to get ready to lead my first chat in 15 minutes. Come join #waledchat to talk growth mindset.
A6: At our final team meeting before state testing, I brought in a cake and told each team member something specific about them that I appreciate. I work with some awesome people, and I wanted to make sure they know that. :) #mschat@ERobbPrincipal@KGT_Educator@ToddRisser
A6: For my admin team @ERobbPrincipal and @KGT_Educator I am hopeful that my thanks and my willingness to be a part of pretty much any committee they make shows that I appreciate the time and effort they put in to making @JWMSGoCougars a great place to innovate! #mschat
We are reminded and encouraged to write them. They're read anonymously at meetings so only the person that gets them really knows who it is from. #mschat
A6 I'll occasionally send emails thanking my principal or co-workers for their support. I have a co-worker who texts thank yous. It's nice to be home and get those unexpected notes! (happy hour drinks are good, too ;) ) #mschat
A7 My wife - one of the most gifted educators I know, phenomenal at understanding people and their needs, able to help me keep in touch with my own best self. #mschat
