#mschat Archive
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.
Thursday May 5, 2016
good evening, - michael from columbus, OH - math, science, ELA teacher
Let's start with introductions I am Todd, 6th grade science teacher from Warren!
Hello , Misty Instructional Coach for MS ELA.
I don't believe I have sat through an mschat before!
Hello - Brett, music/band from WI
Good evening. This is Trudy Delhey from Cobb County ga
Hello everyone, I'm Iris, student teacher in the bay area. Just got hired to teach 7th grade ELA!
Hello! Ryan from Flint, MI. Soc. Studies
Congrats!!! Welcome to MS teaching.
TY! very excited. I taught 7th last semester & loved it. I will be a founding teacher at a new school in the fall
Finally back on the grind! Recent CMU graduate looking for a middle level teaching position - WOO HOO!
Q1: Lets celebrate our schools What is the best thing about your school?
Good evening! Brandon Principal at .
A1: SS who are willing to take risks and look silly all in the name of learning! And, admin that support this learning model.
A1 Ts working together for Ss needs and Ss working together to help each other succeed
A1: the best thing about any school is the support system. Without the ability to lean on your staff and admin, everything falters
A1: Teachers that give up their time, are passionate and do what is best for our students!
a1: the staff, the students, the admin, the teachers - our culture is amazing and all centered around students
A1: We serve kids from 19 different districts & our Ts have created a school where students feel safe and learn at high levels.
A1: Ss who try their best everyday, come to school to learn ... and WANT to be at school
A1 our kids are absolutely the best!
A1 I like that at our schools there are a lot of teachers who have been there a long time and several who went to high school there
a1: all of our Ss are at our school b/c they didn't have success in traditional settings - we make Ss love learning again
All our Ss 6-8 have 1:1 iPads and it has increased Ss engagement tremendously.
I think it's also amazing when you reach those students who don't want to come to school and get them to see the value
A1: Leadership that allows staff and students to take risks and have fun learning
All Maine MS have been 1-2-1 at gr 7&8 for 14 years. Most MS have repurposed the older devices so we are 1-2-1 at all grades.
I am sure it really has changed your school and instruction how cool!
A1: We are fortunate - staff that chooses to be in the middle; families that choose our community;
Q2: How do we celebrate students learning in our MS? Any special events/Activities
Thanks, I'll pass that along.
a2: formally: quarterly awards for behavior and academics informally, every day :)
we have de-emphasised our honor roll. We use our advisory to celebrate individual accomplishments and our daily announcements too.
Sorry baby Carter not cooperating with time and will catch up later and on voxer! Enjoy
A2 Music concerts, composition performances, notes to students/parents celebrating success, positive feedback, peer recognition
thru Health class Ss offer daily health tips. Posted thru out building and again, daily announcements. One for each day.
A1) I'll sneak in as a parent to answer this. The arts really seem to bring all types of kids together & with opportunities to lead.
A2: In our homeroom, we celebrate growth on progress monitoring assessments with an Oscars style award ceremony.
A2) Incentive days of free time, outside play, games & award ceremonies. Daily kudos to Ss and stating job well done.
a2: We have end of day student DJ to pick a song while they do classroom jobs and check out
Civil Rights Team Project give Ss a great opportunity to show leadership skills. Organize great activities for the school.
A2. Host a recognition breakfast for 8th grade w/Straight A's (all 3 yrs) and/or 3 yrs perfect attendance https://t.co/yEzzWsPNPr
A2 part I: spread the celebration & surface student strengths.
A2: We have Eagle Family Meetings in which we celebrate Ss and Ts successes, highlight our next challenge, and have some fun!
A2 we have a "Learning Fair". It is like a science fair, but ss can pick any topic. We invite our community to celebrate it all
A2 pt II: Best moment was how proud a student was when he won class spelling bee. was a disengaged b4 & not seen as "smart" by peers
A2: Have awards banquets, Honor roll for grades and behaviors, PBIS program has ticket Tuesdays and incentives
Can I jump in? First time here! Just ran across it. ELA in New Jersey.
Of course you can always jump in a twitter chat
welcome - glad you are here
Q3: How do we celebrate Teachers and their efforts?
A2: Thank you all for sharing. We (I) need to improve in this area….
Ah, good question: Students earn PBIS tickets for good behavior. On Tuesdays they can turn them in to win prizes
Thank you all! I feel so welcomed! Been teaching Middle School for 8 years. Love it! Had a stint in 3rd grade for a month... cried!
A3 tell them! Cover a class so they can have some more time, let them wear jeans, get them food. We ts love that stuff.
Incentives range from Human Hungry Hippo, to free gym period, Depends on the month...
we start every faculty meeting w/ celebrations and accolades. A chance to recognize a peer for their work or an accomplishment.
YES, having an admin knock on the door saying, go have a break because you ROCK is awesome!!
we do similar - acknowledgements and hoorays
A3: Just voicing appreciation can go a long way. Tell Ts you work with thank you and commend them on their work.
A3 This wk (Tchr Appr Wk) lots of food, t-shirt, etc.; recog wkly in staff newslttr; recog monthly @ staff mtg, wkly email, Twitter
Jumping in late b/c little league game. A2:an event where Ps surprise their Ss w/ award 4 anything they're proud of their student 4
good evening!great to see you!
A3 Teachers just want to be respected. We don't need much. A thank you, a pat on the back, a "I'm behind you 100%" from Admin.
A3: Simple note saying thanks goes a long way!!
a3: do many of the day to day appreciations teachers give students. acknowledge, thank, smile
Every week got to be to much we now do it once a month
A3: even simply providing sodas and snacks at PDs means a lot. Little things help!
For incentives we have done Jeopardy, Minute to win it, Survivor, and breakout boxes
A3: Write a letter to the editor or a note on the district's FB page recognizing the unique strengths of each staff member.
We celebrate teachers with Staff& Student of the Month. Student & teacher nomination quotes are so powerful. https://t.co/iRzP2qd1zH
I'm recognizing a lot of friendly faces on here!
Q4 on its way in a minute
:) Middle School People are always Friendly!!
A3: Email individual shout outs but CC the entire faculty.
A3: Just coming in to watch students learn is a great way to honor. No feedback necessary, just joining in the lesson.
if not slightly inappropriate
No problem, our PBIS team ROCKS one of the things we really do well in our school
Q4: How do Teachers celebrate their ADMIN in the middle ? (often overlooked)
Hello -- Dennis -- Middle School Principal, Long Island, NY. Joining in for some inspiration.
A3 right now I know our teachers are feeling appreciated getting out one day earlier because of non-used weather days! Morale boost!
Would love to see more of this. Means a Lot to the kids as well to show off to admin!
https://t.co/O8tAEkAbaK
A3: Just coming in to watch students learn is a great way to honor. No feedback necessary, just joining in the lesson.
A4: Being really with them, invite them to social hours, HELP out when NOT asked
A3: Keep a stash of Hershey's Kisses and periodically walk around delivering chocolate. That's magical for some teachers. 😊
FOOD has a way of making to everyone's heart
A4: Stopping by unannounced and just talking about non-school stuff. Being real people for a moment.
I love cheering on fellow teachers! I'dlove to see more of this. We should be celebrating EVERYTHING! https://t.co/6U6lPc2ZAs
A3: Email individual shout outs but CC the entire faculty.
A1: We had a wonderful night showing off student projects tonight Learning Showcase. https://t.co/B6LWW5iBFe
Q2: How do we celebrate students learning in our MS? Any special events/Activities
always have a pot of coffee on in the office. Usually have a jar of candy and occasionally a plate of cookies or other goodies
You are so right, they are overlooked. Hope to get some ideas to change this.
YES, Ts have to work on that relationship side too!
A4 Go above+beyond 4 kids; help Ss 2 produce authentic demos of learning 2 show 2 community; oh, and saying "thanks" is good too :)
AWESOME! Richard I am sure it was cool for all that attended
My kids love to show off to outsiders. We had a group of Ts come to our school to observe and our kids shined!
A4 say thanks, don't make their job any harder than it already is.
a4: invite them in the room, leave thank you notes in their box
My school counselor raids my skittles on days she needs it :) Always good 2 know who has the tough-day-sugar-stash!
Relationships are a two-way street. One side can't be absent and expect respect.
A4: I often bring in goodies to the office for everyone to share. Each trip to the ladies room, I peek in and say hello.
We also do 'fish-slaps' - leave thank you gifts, candy, gift cards in each other's mailboxes anonymously.
A2 My Family Events page https://t.co/6XydFrOEXd includes subject area fairs, tech fairs to celebrate students' work
Visit my office to share great news or to chat. Better yet, invite me to your classroom so I can be amazed. https://t.co/mlE8VE89zN
Q4: How do Teachers celebrate their ADMIN in the middle ? (often overlooked)
Unexpected things turn on other people's smiles for sure!
A4:good question. I do try to lighten any workloads I can w/out being asked, but love idea of celebrating admin more
A4: I just love to do the unexpected ++ things: Christmas I snuck in and put lotto tickets on admins computers
a4: my admin will often ask what I need. I often reflect it back and ask her "do you need anything"
A4 My colleague & I stuffed everyones mailboxes with pertinent material for each staff member. Took a year of collecting items
A4: my kids' school Ts made posters "teasing" their princ. "My principal's so short..." jokes and such. Cute, personal, fun
it's amazing what one little question like that can do to build or repair a relationship.
Q5: How can we celebrate PARENTS in our schools and recognize those that are doing it "right"?
At first it threw her off, now she'll occasionally take me up on it :)
A5 we should be telling them. Positive phone calls home do wonders. Saying thanks and taking time to share that they are appreciated
A5: Tough one for me. Looking for suggestions - I know the obvious (phone calls, communication) but who's got something special?
a5: keep them in touch - e-mail your advisees' families often, thank them for their support and ask how you can support their child
A3 Just tell us, it goes much farther than a week of food
A5: Our school does a parent night once a month. We provide a meal and activities to do related to a theme.
A5: I like Positive Calls Home, I always try to talk to parents every chance I get... More than conferences
A5 I feel when I send my 2 parents abt Ss that it makes Ps feel just as good as kids
A5: Comminicate with Ps and make them partners in their child's learning. Using Share their child's work with them.
A5 Positive phone calls, emails, newsletters etc recognizes student progress and parents role
A5: I walk up to parents when I see them at events and give positive updates
"you can find something positive about every child"
Hopping in for the last fifteen minutes!
food is a must for a parent meeting. They are missing dinner to make the meeting, and food gets people to show up.
A5:award night where parents award their ss w/ personal award of their choosing is a chance 4 ps to celebrate these victories too.
A5: I often start conversations with parents with "Thank you for doing a great job at home so my job is easier"
love this! How great to have a fun Principal that would play along! https://t.co/yThzlKTSZm
A4: my kids' school Ts made posters "teasing" their princ. "My principal's so short..." jokes and such. Cute, personal, fun
A5: Important for teachers & admin to say “as a parent” and offer sincere advice or comfort.
A5: Great question! I believe in the power of reinforcement for Ss & Ts but haven't thought much about Ps. https://t.co/ZwhTzl6RTP
Q5: How can we celebrate PARENTS in our schools and recognize those that are doing it "right"?
that can be hard to do for younger teachers. Some parents pull the "When you have kids..." card
A5: Communicate with Ps and make them partners in their child's learning. Using & Share their child's work with them.
A5: Parent conferences go well when I start by appealing to our common values and goals. https://t.co/umqcehTAR2
A5: I often start conversations with parents with "Thank you for doing a great job at home so my job is easier"
True: Hard for the younger teachers that aren't parents or don't have middle school aged students
A5: Staff gives positive comments for me to phone home about; giving parents an opportunity to pat their kid on the back privately
Maybe get the Ss to come up with awards for Parents! Like the "always forcing me to do my HW" Award.Have Ps come in for presentation
Final Question #6 coming up
That would be fun at an award or promotion night - have each child recognize a family member :)
Great Idea, Mike, to have the Principal call home with good news! Would love to see that in my building! Stealing!
Q6: If middle school celebrations were a SONG what song would they be? Besides the obvious Celebration by Kool and the Gang
A6: "Stuck in the Middle with You" by Stealers Wheel But I am thinking may think of a better one.
A6: "We are the Champions" by Queen.
A6: We've been working on trusting each other and synergizing. So Count on Me by Bruno Mars. https://t.co/402l6v6vLD
A nice Prince tribute ...
A6:Heroes by Bowie. "We can be heroes, if just for one day..."
A6: "Allstar" ... by Smashmouth.
Who wants to this summer? Let's hear from you!
https://t.co/F9JWKjOnJ2
Would you attend a weekly live chat at this time, even during the summer?
Thank you everyone for joining in the chat tonight, Follow those that help you grow! Next week's chat will be Apps in the Middle
A6: "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz.
