elementary

TTT#340 A Year at Mission Hill with David Loitz, Amy Valens, Sam Chaltain, Jenerrad Williams, Bob Goodman, and more... 3.13.13

On this episode of TTT we discuss the video series, "A Year at Mission Hill" http://ayearatmissionhill.com.

Ten videos. One year. A public school trying to help children learn and grow. The national conversation we need to be having.

Monika Hardy monika hardy's profile photoand Chris Sloan Chris Sloan's profile photo host David Loitz David Loitz's profile photo who welcomes director, Amy ValensAmy Valens's profile photo along with the series narrator and education activist, Sam Chaltain Sam Chaltain's profile photo. Mission Hill teacher, Jenerrad Williams Jenerrad Williams's profile photo and Mission Hill parent, Bob Goodman Bob Goodman's profile photojoin the conversation as well. And that's not all. We are also joined by IDEA organizers and educators, Jabreel Chisley Jabreel Chisley's profile photoand Awo Okaikor Aryee-PriceAwo Okaikor Aryee-Price's profile photo.

Our friends at the Institue for Democratic Education in America http://democraticeducation.org/index.php/features/missionhill/ write:

At IDEA, we're proud to be one of the partners behind "A Year at Mission Hill." The project began when filmmakers Tom and Amy Valens spent a year filming at the school community of Mission Hill, with plans for a full documentary release in fall 2013. The web series came together when Tom and Amy reached out to educator and news commentator Sam Chaltain. Sam brought together http://Ashokaashoka.org, IDEA http://democraticeducation.org/index.php/index/, and the NoVo Foundation http://novofoundation.org around the idea of making a series of short episodes to highlight a year in the life of Mission Hill. Under IDEA's leadership, the concept grew into a larger opportunity to share the story across an eclectic coalition of education organizations, schools, and nonprofits. Currently, more than 40 community partners http://ayearatmissionhill.com/index.php/partners will be sharing the film series and offering their own resources to deepen viewers' learning around each chapter.

Maybe you are like Chris Sloan who says, "I'm hooked on the videos A Year at Mission Hill, looking forward to Part 4!"

Or maybe you're just learning of this effort to reimagine public education.

Either way, we invite you to join this important conversation by listening to this episode of TTT.


Click Read more to see the chat that was happening during this live webcast.


 

March 13, 2013

20:21Mattie Kannard: Am I in the right spot for the ed tech talk?
20:58Mattie Kannard: ?
20:59karen (@kfasimpaur): Greetings! This is the place.
20:59Mattie Kannard: Great!
21:00unnamedYes
21:01Mattie : Is this the only window we'll use?
21:02karen (@kfasimpaur): This is the chat window. Above is the video. And to the left is a note pad where we can post links, etc.
21:02Mattie : Okay. Thanks!
21:03karen (@kfasimpaur): You should be hearing the pre-webinar banter in the video window.
21:03Mattie : Got it now.
21:03David Loitz: Yes
21:04karen (@kfasimpaur): chat seems good here
21:08David Loitz: feel free to chime in
21:09karen (@kfasimpaur): never seen that before :)
21:10Peggy George: hi everyone! my chat window is weird! one inch wide and have to scroll to read or type. :-(
21:11karen (@kfasimpaur): Hi Peggy
21:12karen (@kfasimpaur): I was really impressed with the transparency at MH that I saw in the first few video segments
21:13carey: Hi all! Agreed, Karen. I like what I've seen on their site.
21:14karen (@kfasimpaur): more g+ issues than usual tonight....
21:15Peggy George: after a reload, now I can see the full chat window and Titanpan but the video is last week's show. Hmmmm
21:15karen (@kfasimpaur): hmmm...video is good here
21:16Peggy George: before I could see the video and not the chat window
21:17karen (@kfasimpaur): "teachers as a cohort of learners"...powerful
21:18karen (@kfasimpaur): If you're in the hangout and here, don't play the video on this page :)
21:20Mattie : Relationships. That's important. Relationships value each member. Relationships aren't one-way. So important!
21:21karen (@kfasimpaur): IDEA ->http://democraticeducation.org/index.php/index/
21:22Mattie : When I watched the episodes, I felt at home. It felt just right.
21:22karen (@kfasimpaur): We need to see more models of great schools like this. They are out there. Making movies about them is powerful.
21:23rach: They are very important and people forget that which is sad
21:25David Loitz: great comment
21:26David Loitz: can you all see the video?
21:26karen (@kfasimpaur): Not really.
21:26Peggy George: giving up! I can see the chat but the only video I can see is last week's recording. So sorry. I'll have to watch the recording.
21:26karen (@kfasimpaur): Is there a YouTube link for it? (Or maybe it's not public yet.)
21:26karen (@kfasimpaur): Sorry, Peggy. See you next time.
21:27Mattie : I can't find it on YouTube, so it must not be public.
21:30karen (@kfasimpaur): I'm going to go see if we can get a link... brb
21:30Mattie : YouTube video is not showing... got the audio.
21:32David Loitz: http://youtu.be/9Efoj38lp2w
21:32Mattie : Thanks for the link!
21:32karen (@kfasimpaur): Thanks, David!
21:32karen (@kfasimpaur): Let's pause and all watch the video for a few minutes.
21:32Mattie : I'm going to YouTube to watch. THANKS!
21:32karen (@kfasimpaur): Yes! Thanks.
21:34David Loitz: Thanks everyone for being flexible
21:38Mattie : "academics don't exist in a vacuum" :-)
21:38karen (@kfasimpaur): That was so powerful.
21:38karen (@kfasimpaur): Thank you.
21:39Mattie : AWESOME!
21:39karen (@kfasimpaur): If you are back and haven't, you can skip back to the "live" part of broadcast above.
21:40karen (@kfasimpaur): I've been at schools where teachers aren't permitted to hug (or otherwise touch) the kids. That makes me sad.
21:40Mattie : Kids are people. It's that human factor that is key. We're all together in this, and it's important to invite kids into it as human beings. We all need that empathy piece to thrive, to collaborate, to grow.
21:40unnamedwhere is the live video of this broadcast?
21:41karen (@kfasimpaur): It's at the top of this page. (embedded G+ window) Click play an then click ahead to "live"
21:41karen (@kfasimpaur): David, thanks for going between the g+ and our chat here. That's helpful. :)
21:42karen (@kfasimpaur): @unnamed, did you get to the live video?
21:43carey: I love what she's saying right now. There has to be a pretty safe teaching environment for that kind of collaboration to happen.
21:43unnamed@Karen how do I click ahead to live?
21:44karen (@kfasimpaur): bottom left corner (next to volume button)
21:45Mattie : "that emotional piece" ... the human piece
21:45karen (@kfasimpaur): True...Separation of all these issues is a problem.
21:45David Loitz: Your welcome!
21:46karen (@kfasimpaur): Being able to articulate understanding + empathy at that age is wonderful.
21:46karen (@kfasimpaur): (I know adults who can't do that. :)
21:48Mattie : That education is not preparation for life, but that it IS life. Deweyism.
21:48karen (@kfasimpaur): Yes, this is progressive education, but some of this could be done in any school
21:49Mattie : Hard to create this atmosphere when we're tied to weekly "target skills" that don't place value on emotional growth...
21:49karen (@kfasimpaur): I would love to hear folks address the film making process -- how it came about, how it's worked, what the future plans are...
21:50karen (@kfasimpaur): Getting the msg out about this to the general public seems incredibly important.
21:50Mattie : Challenging, but not impossible. We have to think beyond barriers... and shrug off some of the constraints we feel limit us. They don't have to limit us.
21:50karen (@kfasimpaur): I agree, Mattie
21:50Mattie : @karen -- just watching these episodes would be so empowering for teachers feeling all of the "can'ts"
21:51karen (@kfasimpaur): yes...there are so many barriers and challenges that it's esy to get bogged down in them
21:52karen (@kfasimpaur): We don't need "permission" to care about every student
21:53Mattie : Word! Is that David? Learning IS messy... and unpredictable... and hard to see the end of ... it's a minute-by-minute experiential thing that has a life of its own.
21:53carey: exactly, Maddie (and David) :)
21:53Mattie : Embracing that is risky for some. It can be scary.
21:53carey: Mattie, sorry - spelling... yeesh :)
21:53karen (@kfasimpaur): It is scarey...but less so when it's acknowledged
21:54David Loitz: Let me know if you want to aska question
21:54Mattie : Right. The culture. The climate. The school leadership and colleagues can embrace and support it or build walls.
21:54karen (@kfasimpaur): @David, thx. See above about the film making process itself
21:54Mattie : What's so special at Mission Hill is that there's a shared vision.
21:55karen (@kfasimpaur): Every school that I've been to that has this kind of special environment says it's an issue of deep culture
21:56Mattie : We. We. We. :-)
21:56Mattie : Empowered by collective caring.
21:57karen (@kfasimpaur): and "we as a community" not just a staff or a school
21:57Mattie : Yes, @Karen. Deeper, isn't it?
21:58karen (@kfasimpaur): definitely
21:58karen (@kfasimpaur): I hear a lot of schools pitting themselves agains the community instead of thinking of themselves as a part of it
21:59karen (@kfasimpaur): I loved the video where someone said "Our job is to help raise these kids to be a part of a democratic society."
22:00Mattie : What is often missing is that true, genuine valuing. Valuing of the human quotient, the community.
22:00David Loitz: please tweet some of theses comments using the #yearatMH
22:00karen (@kfasimpaur): Yes, blaming others doesn't fix the problems.
22:02Mattie : "Each child as unique" -- so much more layered than "Student as data point"
22:02Mattie : instagrammed it ... @David. Not on twitter.
22:03karen (@kfasimpaur): Mattie, I'll retweet you :)
22:03Mattie : :-)
22:04karen (@kfasimpaur): You're indirectly on Twitter now :)
22:04David Loitz: I am @dloitz on twitter
22:04karen (@kfasimpaur): Farm to Table is a great program for this too.
22:04Mattie : :-) thanks, @karen :: I think I have an account... I've just never used it.
22:04karen (@kfasimpaur): (I *live* on Twitter.)
22:05karen (@kfasimpaur): again, teacher as learner...powerful
22:05Mattie : Question: How do you bypass the testing and data trap? Is there pressure and how do you counter it? Do you have support from your district?
22:05Mattie : This is honey bee poetry right now. :-)
22:08karen (@kfasimpaur): well said
22:08Mattie : Hooray! :-) I read that book every year before testing! :-)
22:10Mattie : :-) Is there an emoticon for "inspired"? Thanks so much for this.
22:10rach: I don't know if you touch on this but how do the teachers grade the students?
22:12Mattie : SHIFT! Earthquake! :-)
22:12karen (@kfasimpaur):http://augusttojune.com/
22:13Mattie : Went right to it, too, @karen! Another way to keep my fire going. :-)
22:14karen (@kfasimpaur): Thanks so much to all of you for the great conversation. Inspiring indeed!
22:14Mattie : Ongoing conversations, lasting commitment. I'm in. Muchas gracias.
22:15karen (@kfasimpaur): Good night, all.
22:15Mattie : Love the clap. Goodnight.

On this episode of TTT we discuss the video series, "A Year at Mission Hill" http://ayearatmissionhill.com.

Ten videos. One year. A public school trying to help children learn and grow. The national conversation we need to be having.

Monika Hardy monika hardy's profile photoand Chris Sloan Chris Sloan's profile photo host David Loitz David Loitz's profile photo who welcomes director, Amy ValensAmy Valens's profile photo along with the series narrator and education activist, Sam Chaltain Sam Chaltain's profile photo. Mission Hill teacher, Jenerrad Williams Jenerrad Williams's profile photo and Mission Hill parent, Bob Goodman Bob Goodman's profile photojoin the conversation as well. And that's not all. We are also joined by IDEA organizers and educators, Jabreel Chisley Jabreel Chisley's profile photoand Awo Okaikor Aryee-PriceAwo Okaikor Aryee-Price's profile photo.

Our friends at the Institue for Democratic Education in America http://democraticeducation.org/index.php/features/missionhill/ write:

At IDEA, we're proud to be one of the partners behind "A Year at Mission Hill." The project began when filmmakers Tom and Amy Valens spent a year filming at the school community of Mission Hill, with plans for a full documentary release in fall 2013. The web series came together when Tom and Amy reached out to educator and news commentator Sam Chaltain. Sam brought together http://Ashokaashoka.org, IDEA http://democraticeducation.org/index.php/index/, and the NoVo Foundation http://novofoundation.org around the idea of making a series of short episodes to highlight a year in the life of Mission Hill. Under IDEA's leadership, the concept grew into a larger opportunity to share the story across an eclectic coalition of education organizations, schools, and nonprofits. Currently, more than 40 community partners http://ayearatmissionhill.com/index.php/partners will be sharing the film series and offering their own resources to deepen viewers' learning around each chapter.

Maybe you are like Chris Sloan who says, "I'm hooked on the videos A Year at Mission Hill, looking forward to Part 4!"

Or maybe you're just learning of this effort to reimagine public education.

Either way, we invite you to join this important conversation by listening to this episode of TTT.


Click Read more to see the chat that was happening during this live webcast.


TTT#330 Quadblogging 2 with Cliff Manning, David Mitchell, Gail Desler, Linda Yollis, Matt Hardy, Sue Waters, Suzi Boss 1.9.13

We are joined by colleagues from England and Australia on this episode of TTT as we follow-up with them on an earler conversations about blogging in elementary schools: http://edtechtalk.com/node/5156.

Our goal is simple: we want to make plans for elementary school students to find and respond to each others blog posts this spring. Joining us on this episode of TTT are Makewaves’ Cliff Manning, KidBlog’s Matt Hardy, Sue Waters from EduBlogs, and some of us are from Youth Voices. We are also joined by David Mitchell, the Quadblogging guru and Linda Yollis an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles who Quadblogs her own way.

Suzie Boss describes Quadblogging like this in a September 25, 2012 post in Edutopia:

The idea is deceptively simple. Four teachers agree to have their students comment on each other's blogs in an organized fashion. Each week, one of the four gets a turn as the spotlight class. The other three classes visit and leave comments. Over the course of a month, every student's work gets read and commented upon. Along the way, students learn about respectful online communication. They may decide to revise their thinking if a commenter shares a perspective they haven't considered.

On this episode of TTT Paul Allison, @paulallison is joined by Cliff Manning, @cliffmanning, Sue Waters, @suewaters, David Mitchell, @DeputyMitchell, Gail Desler, @gaildesler, Linda Yollis, @lindayollis, Matt Hardy, @hardy101, and Suzie Boss, @suzieboss.

Paul Allison's profile photoCliff Manning's profile photoSue Waters's profile photoDavid Mitchell's profile photoGail Desler's profile photoLinda Yollis's profile photoMatt Hardy's profile photoSuzie Boss's profile photo

On his blog, David Mitchell describes Quadblogging like this:

QuadBlogging is a leg up to an audience for your class/school blog. Over the last 12 months 100,000 pupils have been involved in QuadBlogging from 3000 classes in 40 countries....

A Blog needs an audience to keep it alive for your learners. Too often blogs wither away leaving the learners frustrated and bored. Quadblogging gives your blog a truly authentic and global audience that will visit your blog, leave comments and return on a cycle. Here’s how it works:

You sign up using the form below, shortly after, you will be allocated a Quad four schools/classes including your own. Each Quad has a co-ordinator who is responsible for making sure each of the quad members know what is going on and when. Each week one blog is the focus blog with the other three blogs visiting and commenting during that week. In week two, another school/class blog is the focus with the other three visiting and commenting. This is repeated until each of the classes/schools has had their week in the spotlight. The cycle is then repeated. However, this time, your pupils know what is coming – They will work harder than you have seen them work in order to get content on their blog!

QuadBlogging has been mentioned very highly in recent OfSTED Reports here in the UK and praised for offering opportunities for:“profound impact in developing pupils’ team working, communication and problem-solving skills.”

It’s simple – Give it a try, sign up here.

Enjoy!

It's Elementary #42: Computer Labs -- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The show started with Maria Knee sharing her experiences at EduCon 2.2, and the goals of learner-centered, constructivist education that are the centerpiece of that conference. We then used that as a transition to a discussion about how computer labs are often being used and how it fits in with those goals:

Seedlings-78-2010-01-07

Seedlings is back! Happy New Year 2010! Seedlings returned for the season with Deb White, ACTEM Technology Educator of the Year, 2009. Deb talked about her experiences as a second grade teacher in Orono, Maine. Deb is a life long learner and demonstrates her love and curiosity of learning throughout her classroom and the connections she makes around the world using Twitter with seven and eight year olds. If you are interested in learning how she manages this in her classroom give a listen. Deb also has an incredible way of embedding netiquette skills throughout her curriculum.

 

The audio is a placeholder 2010-01-08.

The Delicious Links:

 

The Chat:

Teachers Teaching Teachers #175 - Looking Forward to the National Writing Project's Annual Meeting with 3 Presenters - 11.04.09

In connection with the National Writing Project's Annual Meeting, we invited a few teachers who will be presenting in Philadelphia to join us on this episode. Paul Oh, an associate with the NWP joined us as well. In addition, this same cast of characters will be joining us fora follow-up show after the Annual Meeting on December 2.

This podcast, co-sponsored by the New York City Writing Project and the NWP Technology Liaisons Network, features:

 

If it’s November, it must be time for the National Writing Project’s (NWP's) Annual Meeting. This week, many Writing Project teachers from across the United States (and some around the world) will be gathering in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for our annual conference. National Writing Project's Annual Meeting - Philadelphia, PA - 2009

In connection with the National Writing Project's Annual Meeting, we invited a few teachers who will be presenting in Philadelphia to join us on this episode. Paul Oh, an associate with the NWP joined us as well. In addition, this same cast of characters will be joining us for a follow-up show after the Annual Meeting on December 2.

This podcast, co-sponsored by the New York City Writing Project and the NWP Technology Liaisons Network, features:

As presenters of Annual Meeting sessions that focus on 21st century literacies, these writing project teachers and colleagues shared stories about the exploration of new composing practices, especially podcasting and video-making. Robert and Chuck teach 4th graders and Joe teaches 6th graders. It was and exciting, informative show.

 

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