Conversations-Show 6-2008-08-24

Post-Show description: 

This week the show focused on starting the school year. We discussed what folks do when planning for the year and what routines and procedures are important to establish with students. We also shared what we might do differently in the upcoming school year and any new projects or ideas we are thinking about.

Chat Log

11:30:15 Lisa Parisi: Hi Maureen
11:30:36 Maureen/bcdtech: Hi Lisa
11:31:48 Lisa Parisi: Hi Jane..glad to see you..what time is it for you?
11:32:15 janelowe: hi Lisa it's nearly midnight here and I should be getting to bed
11:35:20 MariaK: hi jen
11:35:30 Sarah S: Hey there Jen!
11:35:31 JenWagner: morning
11:35:44 Lisa Parisi: Welcome Jen
11:36:12 JenWagner: thanks
11:36:18 Maureen/bcdtech: If you are in a small school, not much turnover in students- how many times do you do the first 6 weeks? ie they've heard this over and over by the time they get to 6th grade. Some things change, expectations are the same.
11:37:35 Maureen/bcdtech: @Maria for K- absolutely it is worth it- but after a while....???
11:37:39 sheila: Hello McTeach and Nedra
11:37:55 Nedra: Hi Sheila
11:37:57 McTeach: Hello Sheila
11:38:21 janelowe: what is responsive classroom?
11:38:55 Maureen/bcdtech: I always took what I liked- did the 2 weeks of training... But if all teachers from PreK-3rd do the first 6 weeks...Frankly drives me nuts.
11:38:55 janelowe: sorry meant what
11:39:10 Maureen/bcdtech: sorry drives
11:39:30 MariaK: http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/
11:39:41 janelowe: thanks
11:39:45 nhill: you still have to tell 7th graders to make sure that the lids are still on the markers. =)
11:40:10 JenWagner: I have to remind myself to put the lids on the marker :)
11:40:24 nhill: lol
11:41:08 loonyhiker: i have red and green foam squares glued together -red showing on desk means they need help, green means they are okay. class is quieter and feel tchr is more responsive to their needs
11:41:44 Jose2: My PC is wonky this morning.. back on macbook now
11:42:07 Maureen/bcdtech: I know that there are some things to be learned for each grade, and it is important to set the tone for the year. I have the same kids from 1-3 and then again in 6-9. Very little changes in the lower grades and then I do the RC bit for 6th, since it is a new environment. Maybe it's differerent for specials. When I was in K it was a lot easier than being a special.
11:42:30 Nedra: @loonyhiker I like that idea. I could use that in the lab.
11:42:44 Maureen/bcdtech: @Maria- do you use R school-wide?
11:42:52 MariaK: not school wide
11:43:13 brachsmith: Yikes...I greet each child every morning!
11:43:25 brachsmith: Oh goodness...you just said that! Funny!
11:43:26 sheila: A sense of community
11:43:40 loonyhiker: @nedra works on most grade levels. mine was hi school and the geometry tchr used this in class too and it worked
11:43:40 brachsmith: Great minds think alike!
11:43:51 nhill: I do that
11:44:11 brachsmith: Shaking hands is a HUGE lesson!
11:44:14 Jose2: Looks like conversation is centered around responsive classroom. So what happened to good'ole teaching?
11:44:18 loonyhiker: on mon. i met them all at the door and shook hands - great job skill
11:44:24 brachsmith: Lots of limps hands and wrists...funny!
11:44:34 McTeach: My favorite part of the day is greeting my kids as they come in the door
11:44:58 loonyhiker: @jose2 i think good ol' tching is having a responsive classroom
11:45:11 Nedra: @brachsmith I agree shaking hands is huge and the eye contact as well.
11:45:11 Maureen/bcdtech: Our head of school greets each kid as they arrive, then homeroom teachers do the same.
11:45:31 nhill: I do community circle at the end of all of every class...
11:45:41 Jose2: Cool I am back in Skype call
11:46:18 janelowe: bye everyone interesting to hear about responsive classrooms
11:47:33 Jose2: Setting up routines is key at the beginning of the school year.
11:48:09 MariaK: http://www.amazon.com/Brown-Paper-School-book-Blood/dp/0316034436
11:52:39 nhill: my students start Tuesday.
11:52:51 JenWagner: tomorrow starts our 3rd week back at school
11:52:52 sheila: We start Tuesday too
11:52:54 McTeach: my students come back tomorrow!
11:53:04 Maureen/bcdtech: I set up a ning for grades 7-9. Wondering what will happen with it. Hoping to get teacher buy in. We have a new head of school...wondering and hoping a lot. Doing short courses - PD for faculty...we'll see if that flys.
11:53:15 Nedra: getting a headset was on summer to do list, guess I better get busy this week, I still don't have one! Sorry
11:53:45 loonyhiker: i'm in same room as hubby watching tv (u know - quality time together) :)
11:54:45 loonyhiker: i treat my class as a workplace. they are employees and i'm the boss. as long as we all respect each other we can have a good time while we work.
11:55:00 Jose2: I agree we are the boss.
11:55:04 Maureen/bcdtech: It is easier to start things the way you want them... ie take a picture of a clean block area, so the kids know what one looks like. But I've known many of my students since they were in K- can't fool them with the serious teacher routine.
11:55:15 loonyhiker: instead of class rules we have a "job description"
11:55:17 Nedra: we start after Labor Day, kids start on Thurdsay. I love starting with just 2 days of kids the first week
11:56:14 nhill: I tell students that if we have a problem that I am going to discuss it with them first.
11:56:57 nhill: they are responsible for their behavior
11:57:11 Maureen/bcdtech: Do you make the rules or do you have the kids make them?
11:57:19 nhill: love that
11:57:28 sheila: http://clifmims.com/blog/archives/480
11:58:01 Nedra: I don't call them rules either I called them expectations. The kids wrote them but I made sure certain things would be on there.
11:58:09 sheila: link was for things new teachers should know
11:58:11 nhill: things they never taught you in teacher education courses
11:58:14 loonyhiker: i make my "rule" because when they go to work, they don't get to make the rules
11:58:22 Nedra: I also used positive language and didn't use the word don't
11:58:41 Jose2: Ok Maria and folks.. gotta run.. getting ready for La Academia.
12:00:51 Maureen/bcdtech: When I used to have K we would write our own class rules. Hard work to get them to write what we should do, vs the don't bite, kick, etc.. Now as a special- I add my one "safety" rule to whatever they came up with in homerooms. Actually- I don't call it a rule- it's a law. If I tell them they need safety glasses, etc.. for an experiment- I will not repeat the law- they will go back to homeroom if they"forget".
12:01:15 colleenk: Hi Everyone
12:01:20 Maureen/bcdtech: Hi Colleen
12:01:26 sheila: Hi Colleen
12:01:28 Sarah S: Hey there Colleen
12:02:19 colleenk: re:CMK I'm goining to teach microworlds this year
12:02:30 colleenk: or going to ;)
12:02:31 MariaK: hi collen
12:02:38 Sarah S: Nice. I'm looking for grants to finance some of that.
12:02:43 Sarah S: Lego and microworlds
12:02:54 colleenk: @Sarah What age group?
12:02:59 Sarah S: High school.
12:03:07 colleenk: Awesome
12:03:13 Nedra: Now that I'm in the lab I just post my expectations/procedures.
12:03:29 Maureen/bcdtech: @Maria As you know I really hated my experience at Gary's CC. But my take away was important to me as well- really realizing what it was like to try to do something and not get the help I needed- will make a difference to me this year.
12:04:18 colleenk: @maureen I would have told you that...for far less money :)
12:05:31 nhill: have to go..thanks for the conversation!
12:05:39 sheila: bye Nhill!
12:05:45 Nedra: anyone else having trouble hearing people talk? I have the volume set as high as it will go.
12:06:00 MariaK: is the volume bad for everyone?
12:06:08 Ann-njtechteacher: Hi all @Nedra sound is fine here.
12:06:17 Maureen/bcdtech: @colleen I was always a "good girl" in school- well, mostly. I didn't find it hard to learn. But that reminder of what it feels like when you're trying and feeling like no matter what I do, it's not helping... well It's good to be reminded of that again.
12:06:18 McTeach: Nedra, sound is fine for me also
12:06:30 MariaK: sorry nedra
12:06:49 Nedra: ok, I'll try a different program.
12:07:13 colleenk: @maureen I totally agree. Just experiencing something yourself makes a hige difference.
12:07:28 sheila: @nedra - see if there is a control on your headset.
12:07:41 sheila: ?
12:08:38 Maureen/bcdtech: How are the new technologies changing what you have to do to prep for class?
12:08:44 colleenk: @maureen For example, I "know" that hands on, project based learning is best but needed that conference experience to take action.
12:09:01 Nedra: I switched to realplayer instead of itunes and it sounds fine now!
12:09:10 sheila: Good!
12:10:38 Maureen/bcdtech: @Sarah Are you going to do "artist's reflections" type of blogs?
12:10:52 Nedra: We have to order materials in Dec. for the following year. As of Friday nothing I had ordered was at school yet!
12:11:16 Sarah S: @Maureen Yes, art reflections and then comments as constructive critique
12:11:18 loonyhiker: gotta go y'all. thanks for the conversation
12:11:21 Maureen/bcdtech: I mostly go to the grocery store, walmart or home depot for my school supplies.
12:11:30 sheila: @Nedra - yikes!
12:12:02 colleenk: @Sarah I wonder if anyone else is using blogs that way specifically for art- know of any?
12:12:30 curious: how much of their own money do teachers typically spend on items for school?
12:13:03 Maureen/bcdtech: One of our art teachers set up a wiki or a blog... can't remember and had the kids podt images of their work and then reflect on it/comment on others.
12:13:38 sheila: Just ordered some things online today for my class!
12:13:51 Nedra: I used to spend between $600-$900 a year. Now that I'm in the lab I don't spend much.
12:13:57 curious: yikes
12:14:24 Sarah S: I'm also hoping to do more with Voicethread - we did a couple last year with the art and student reflections and comments on it from other students
12:14:36 Maureen/bcdtech: I hope the ning will be a place for lots of classes to post their work for many classes. I would like to setup some sort of eportfolio sometime, so the kids can take it with them
12:14:40 curious: as a high school parent, what kinds of things can i do/give to help out?
12:15:24 colleenk: VT is ideal for for art.
12:16:02 Maureen/bcdtech: Someone on twitter- maybe Aussie- has a whole bunch of voice thread book reviews. Second graders- very cool. They did the illustrations in kidpix.
12:16:12 Ann-njtechteacher: I like that idea of sharing art with other Kinders. I've been thinking of how to do this with their KidPix work without killing myself in the process.
12:16:16 Maureen/bcdtech: Is the ed version worth it?
12:16:18 Nedra: http://www.essdackartsnacks.org/ is a ning for art teachers set up by Kevin Hunnicutt.
12:16:34 sheila: Thanks for the link Nedra
12:16:50 colleenk: Does the ed version have greater controls?
12:17:15 Sarah S: @Nedra Thanks! I'll check that out.
12:18:17 Nedra: @sheila and sarah s you're welcome, you do have to sign up before you can see the site.
12:18:24 Maureen/bcdtech: That would make setup a whole lot easier!
12:18:55 Rene -> -Puentes al Mundo: comando: /Nick unNick
12:20:36 Maureen/bcdtech: There's an online peace project- making a slide re peace. You could do something on voice thread with art and a statement about hope/one world form each contributor.
12:20:46 sheila: www.polartrek.org
12:20:52 MariaK: keep the ideas coming Maureen
12:21:21 Maureen/bcdtech: @Maria if only my fingers would cooperate when I type :)
12:21:31 sheila: earthbridges.net
12:22:01 sheila: www.ryejrhigh.org
12:22:39 Maureen/bcdtech: Does anyone else have very silly fire dept regs- limiting how much paper can go on the walls?
12:22:56 Sarah S: Yes . . I got around it by painting on the walls. :)
12:23:31 Maureen/bcdtech: How can teachers display kids' work if they cannot put it up on the wall?
12:23:56 Nedra: Our fire regs have to do with paper in the hall and on the outside of the door.
12:24:19 Maureen/bcdtech: @Nedra- ours include inside the room as well. Very silly.
12:24:42 Nedra: Principals let it go until it's time for inspections. That is silly about the inside.
12:24:49 sheila: Our fire inspectors vary each year and their expectations. . .
12:25:27 Maureen/bcdtech: Thanks all! Good luck as you begin classes!
12:25:57 Nedra: Thanks, glad I finally made it here!
12:26:04 colleenk: Thanks! Have a good week everyone.
12:26:14 Sarah S: You too - Bye!
12:27:51 MariaK: Thank you everyone - see you next week.

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