Spicing Up Class Discussions With Twitter

Twitter chats have taken the education PD world by storm over the past several years. Every day, there are tons of engaging chats for educators, technology specialists, and administers to get involved with and learn from. If you want to know if there is one for you, just check out the archive HERE of daily education chats. Since I, like many others in the education field have found Twitter and the chats to be beneficial in the journey to continually learn, connect, and grow; I thought why not give it a try with my students and show them the power behind the software.

Check out this FLIPGRID on how "Twitter Has Impacted You As An Educator!" to hear testimonials from ROCKSTAR educators about how Twitter has changed their teaching careers.

I have found that when we as educators give students a platform to express their thoughts through another avenue other than raising their hand in class, you hear from everyone's perspective, not just the interpersonal ones. Twitter chats allow everyone to share their thoughts and opinions in a quick and fun way.

So far, I have conducted two Twitter chats with my entrepreneurship and accounting I students. Check out the #DTacct & #DTentrep in the search box to see how it went! HERE IS MY LESSON PLAN for the entrepreneurship one I conducted.

Some things that I think are important to know if you complete one with your students:

1. Take time to brief students about what a Twitter chat is, how they are run, and why they are useful.
2. Don't assume everyone knows how to use Twitter. Take time to go over hashtags, how to follow, and how to comment, favorite, and retweet someone else's post. Also, remind them that every tweet must have the hashtag you are using!
3. Give students the option to create another Twitter handle that isn't their personal one. 
4. Prep students the day before with the questions you will ask them.
5. Teach them how to appropriately comment and respond to others. 

I am lucky in that my district is very open and supportive in not blocking Twitter and having it be used for educational purposes. If you are interested in trying a Twitter chat with your students, but Twitter is blocked, you can always do a "Mock Twitter Chat." Thank you Alice Keeler for the second option! Please let me know if you have any questions and don't be afraid to try something different and SPICE UP those class discussions! 

The Five Day NO Cell Phone Challenge

Teenagers are spending nine hours on average consuming media according to a recent study by Common Sense Media. Research from Milan and Swansea Universities also reported that 66% of teens admit to feeling panicked without their phones.

As a high school teacher, I have noticed a huge shift over the past few years in how teenagers use and interact with each other when it comes to their cell phones. Many of them are addicted to their devices and have no awareness of how it is affecting them personally. In order to help students better understand how being "connected" all of the time isn't necessarily the best for their learning and mental health, I conducted a fun, yet challenging experiment with all of my classes this semester.

The challenge was simple with a few twists. Can you survive in school for five days without your cell phone? 

The challenge starts on a full five day week. The students can quit at any time if it gets too stressful. I do tell them the ground rules and expectations on the first day. If they successfully complete all five days and challenges, they get a pizza party and certificate along with mindfulness and awareness of what they are doing each day with their devices.

What are the challenges and what do they have to do?

Day 1: Show this video on YouTube. Go over the rules, students sign the pledge sheet, and then they put their cell phone in the back of the classroom for the entire period without checking it. HERE IS THE PLEDGE SHEET.
Days 2-3: Same as day 1.
Day 4: Students have to bring it to me before first period with it turned off and cannot get it back until the end of the day. (NOTE: I lock in my closet all day with a sticky note on the phone to avoid any confusion when picking-up). *You could even make this a two day challenge instead of one.
Day 5: Put the phone in the back of the class and complete a flipgrid video reflection answering the following three questions.

1. First name and how many hours you use your phone a day.
2. Do you feel you focus better in class with or without your cell phone next to you and why?
3. Share your thoughts on the challenge and how it can help all students in life and school. 

The party is then held on the following Monday at the end of the school day. HERE IS THE CERTIFICATE. During the party, we watch the Flipgrid videos, talk about the challenge, handout the certificates, take a team picture, and celebrate their success! I'd love to share the Flipgrid reflections, but out of respect and privacy of the students, I did not share the link to the videos in this post. 

I offered this challenge to all four of my classes totalling 95 students. On day one, we started with 50 students who wanted to take the challenge. By the end of day five, 20 students finished and completed the challenge. They did such an amazing job with their reflection videos. Here are the three biggest themes that popped-up in each reflection.

1. I focus more in school without my cell phone.
2. It forced me to be more aware of my surroundings and social with those around me.
3. I didn't feel anxious all of the time.

WOW! Proud teacher. I can't wait to do this challenge again next semester to see how others feel without their devices for a week. If you try this challenge with your students, please let me know how it goes and feel free to modify it!

DISCLAIMER: We are not a school that forces students to put their cell phones away throughout the school day. Also, I am a huge advocate of educational technology and using it for learning where and when applicable.

Creation & Innovation Through Video PBL

Looking for a way to spice up that lesson with an interactive project using video? CHECK OUT these five simple to use video creation tech tools. Video tutorials, project examples, and FREE lessons using Animoto, Adobe Spark, Sharalike, WeVideo, and Flipgrid. Empower your learners to be creators of your content and learn new skills! Please feel free to leave a comment with questions or share how you use these tools with your students and school.

7 UNIQUE Ways To Begin Class

The first few minutes of class is the PRIMER that sets the stage for how the rest of the period goes! It is the TIME that a teacher has to bring students IN and HOOK them. When students transition from period to period, a lot happens between those minutes before they enter your classroom. Instead of jumping right into your material, give students an opportunity to get into the "learning mindset" you want them to be in for your lesson. I have found that when I take time to do these quick activities before I dive into the content, I am able to create a better sense of community and build stronger relationships with students. Also, you have given their brains a chance to transition from their last class or relationship drama in the hallway!

1. Jokes: Laughter calms and brings us all together. There are thousands of free short-clean jokes on the internet. CLICK HERE for tons of quick and easy to use jokes!

2. Fun Facts: No matter what content you teach, there is always something fascinating and unique to share with students. Here are some fun ones! 50 AWESOME facts about everything!

3. Storytelling: What did we use to learn before PowerPoints and Prezi's? STORYTELLING! How often do you open with a compelling story the relates to life or your content? CHALLENGE: Pick a lesson you are teaching this week or next and write down how you can OPEN with a story instead of saying, "OK class, today we are learning about XYZ."

4. Brainteasers/Puzzles: In order to keep the mind sharp, it needs challenged from time to time. Using brainteasers or puzzles on the board before class gives students a chance to get the "thinking motor" cranked up! CLICK HERE for my favorite site to get brainteasers and puzzles.

5. News: Powerful learning happens when we bring the real-world into our classrooms and lessons. As a business teacher, I try to share interesting stories and videos where applicable. It often opens up some awesome debates and discusions. Some of my favorite sites are Flocabulary for the weekly rap news recap, Mashable for technology and business news, and Twitter for trending stories!

6. Meditation: The mind is constantly going 24/7. Students are as stressed out as ever because they are constantly connected. Why not use apps like CALM OR HEADSPACE for 2-3 minutes to let them practice breathing, scanning their bodies, and relaxing the mind? IT WORKS and we need to be teaching students these coping and calming skills so they can better perform in school and life!

7.  Soft Skills: Get students up and interacting right off the bat! Put up wacky questions on the board like "If you could be a superhero for a day, who woud you be?" OR "If you won a million dollars, what would do with it?" Let them talk and discuss unique ideas. Lastly, practicing handshakes, eye-contact, and non-verbal skills are so important in an ever changing digital-world. 

Please comment below and let me know your thoughts on the 7 UNIQUE ways to start class with your students. Be bold. Be unique!

Episode #26: Insert Learning & Peer Evaluations

On this weeks segment of the Donatelli Edzone, learn how you can use Insert Learning to create interactive lessons from the headlines, become a better educator by using peer evaluations, and laugh/be inspired with a joke & quote!

 

If you liked this weeks video, please subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. Thank you!  

Using Lyrics to Inspire Students

As educators, we are always looking to find new and creative ways to inspire our students to learn the content we want them to learn. I noticed at the beginning of the school year how many students were walking through the halls and into class with earbuds in listening to music. Music has a way with all of us in some form or another. With many teens, they use it to motivate and calm them throughout the day. So, instead of doing the same project I have done in entrepreneurship the fast four years on "the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs," I decided to harness the power of lyrics to drive the lesson home!

HERE is the assignment that I created for the students. Feel free to download and use!

I first started the lesson off by sharing how lyrics have empowered and motivated me over the years using songs by Eminem, Linken Park, and the Foo Fighters (Clean versions of course)! Next, students took time to research five songs that they believe relate to them as a person and showcase their entrepreneurial characteristics. I then had them pick one of those songs and write down the lyrics that resonated with them the most. Lastly, students presented their songs and read their lyrics. 

Myself and the students had a ton of fun with this activity. They loved sharing how lyrics relate to them and their entrepreneurial traits! Many of them even discovered new artists that they never knew about before. WOW! There are always new and engaging ways to teach students about your content. Sometimes, all you have to do is notice where your students are and meet them halfway! If you try this activity, please let me know how it goes by commenting below or tweeting me @DTown_MrD.

Building Capacity Within Those We Serve

When one thinks of leadership in a school, they usually associate the term with a person that possesses a position of power. True, someone like a principal of a school is a leader with a title. They are responsible for those they supervise, carrying out the mission of the organization, motivating the troops, and creating a shared vision and culture for the school. If they are really great, they also find time to work as an instructional coach and make those they serve around them better. But with principals being as busy as they are today, if they aren't finding the time to build capacity in those they serve then who is inspiring educators to model a growth mindset consistently?

In my opinion, one of the biggest areas lacking in teacher professional development is teachers having someone act as a coach or mentor to improve them as educators. Professional development is powerful when educators seek it out on social media or it is done correctly within the limited time given during a school year, but learning is a continuous process in order for it to be effective. So if principals aren't able to find the time to work closer with their teachers, then who should?

If one looks close enough around a school, leaders are everywhere and they come in all forms! "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are a leader." -John Quincy Adams. We need lead teachers, department chairs, curriculum directors, tech coaches, and those who are pioneering to help all educators grow in our buildings. It is a shared experience! When everyone in an organization is learning and growing together, there is no limit to what schools can do for kids.

Here are a few ways everyone can help each other build capacity within a building and be better for the children we serve:

1.  Make sure that everyone understands the POWER of Twitter. There are still a ton of educators who don't know what a Twitter chat is and how impactful they can be. Not to mention there are hundreds of them throughout the week and weekends. Also, schools should have a hashtag where all educators in that building can share and collaborate. Wouldn't it be neat instead of a faculty meeting from 3 till 4 it was done in a chat format? Imagine how much learning could and would happen!
2. Build more time into schedules that forces educators to share with others. Often, we get so locked into our own classrooms that we have no clue what is going on great in others rooms. Sharing is caring! Educators should to go visit five other teachers throughout the school year and discus/reflect on it. Also, don't be scared to ask each other what amazing things you are doing in your classrooms and share.
3. Conduct peer evaluations. For those that are tenured, evaluations happen once every three years. If we want to help each other become better teachers, why not evaluate and give feedback to each other in a positive format? If my department is five people, we all take turns going into each other's classrooms and evaluate our strengths and things we could improve.
4. Create a book study group where educators in your school pick a book each month, read it and discuss it. Or, have a bi-weekly tech/hot education topic meet-up somewhere off campus. It is healthy to get together with your peers and discuss ideas in a fun way. 
5. Reinforce the positives. They are so many positives happening within our school that they sometimes get overlooked by the negatives. Whenever and whereveer, share the positives because they make us proud to work in education and want to keep bettering ourselves for our students. We all have something to be grateful for during the good and bad times!

Have something to add? Please comment below or share. Remember, the more we help each other become better educators, the more powerful our instruction becomes for those we serve!