5 most popular posts of 2017

Hello colleagues!

As I enjoy a hot cup of coffee in a quite cold Park City, Utah, I am reminiscing about this past year. I started blogging a year and a half ago, but 2017 was the first year that I had a full year of blogging! I still can't believe that I was able to come up with so many thoughts and be able to share them with all of you!

A few weeks ago, I was trolling Twitter. I came across a post from Catlin Tucker where she shared her top blog posts of the year. I instantly knew that I would do the same thing for my final "column" of the year, especially considering that this was my first year where I COULD share my top five posts of the year.

#5: Elevate. In this post, I wrote about how I was applying to become a Google Innovator and wanted to bring my idea into my classroom. I worked with my Language Arts counterpart to elevate and improve a long-standing project between the 8th grade Language Arts/Social Studies departments. Instead of doing another research essay (of which we had already done three that year in history alone), we had the students 1) research a Civil War figure, 2) participate in a Wax Museum project, 3) discover a characteristic that was best exemplified by this person, and 4) design and implement a community service project where they illustrate that same trait. We elevated the project and RAN with it!

#4: Taking risks. In this post, I wrote about stepping out of my comfort zone and applying to become a Google Innovator. Spoiler alert, I wasn't chosen. But I have another good idea for the application in the next round. We'll see! 

#3: Give the kids homework this weekend. In this post, I wrote about meeting kids where they are in the 21st century. This included trying to incorporate Snapchat into the classroom to have students tell stories. The end result is to try to build a comfortable community with your class. 

#2: #selfcare. In this post, I wrote about how I figured out what my #oneword2017 would be - self-care. It was the moment that I decided to make some changes in my life so that I was no longer overwhelmed by being a teacher. 

#1: Sharing My Love for Screencastify. In this post, I wrote about how I was using Screencastify in my new job. I love this app because it is SO easy to use and it is a good use of my time! If you haven't used Screencastify with your students, I strongly encourage you to do so.

Thanks for reading this post and all post over the last 18 months! I will be back in 2018 with a new post and a new #oneword2018! Happy holidays everyone :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

#selfcare: hype videos

Guys, I don't know about you, but I'm TIRED. I know that I've had more breaks than most of you, but I am running on empty.

Teachers spend most days running on empty, right? That's why self-care for teachers is SO. DARN. IMPORTANT.

There is a multitude of ways to take care of yourself, but for me, my #1 way to take care of myself is to listen to music. I've shared multiple playlists throughout the year. Sometimes, however, it's more than music. Sometimes I need to cry or laugh or be inspired.

And that's what YouTube is for. YouTube is not just for your students, folks. There is some phenomenal, non-school related stuff out there.

At times like this, when I'm running on empty, I try to figure out the best way for me to move forward. Often times, I need to cry. Not just a little bit... I need to let out gut-wrenching sobs. I realized this morning, for example, that I needed a good cry to start my day. Please view this entry from ESPN talking about my beloved Iowa Hawkeyes.

Did you cry? Good. Do you feel better? I hope so. 

So, here is a playlist of my favorite YouTube videos to hopefully make you laugh, cry, or inspire the buh-jeezes out of your last few days before your winter holiday.

YouTube can also be for your students. The past couple of years, before I taught 45-minute short enrichment classes, I would show my students videos on Friday, called "Fun Video Friday." I would encourage you to put together a playlist, with your students, of some of your favorite videos. When you or your students need a break, sometimes a quick three-minute video can change your students' or your mood, or just change the climate in the classroom.

Thanks for watching. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Student Voice and Choice

Greetings colleagues!

When I started this new job four months ago, I was pretty terrified. I try to be organized and polished whenever I teach as I am NOT someone who flies by the seat of my pants. Teaching broadcasting was a WHOLE new thing, and I was making it up as I went for most of the first quarter. I now feel way more comfortable in this role as I'm figuring out what I want my students to know and do.

As a Social Studies teacher, I was always grasping for "wins" - good days, good class periods, and good moments. They did not often happen as I was a pushy teacher. I had high expectations. Students didn't get to goof off very often in my class. But now I'm a "fun" teacher - I still push and still have high expectations, but students get to goof off (ish) in my class. Students get to have fun because they are making up stories, they are creating videos, and they have an audience ready for their broadcast every week. Talk about student CHOICE AND VOICE!

I really thought about this the other day when a student said to me, "Mrs. Jeffrey - look at the board. You put the four of us (students) together. No other teacher would EVER do that!" I said to him, "Well, you do your work for me. If you were together in another class, would you not get anything done?" He said, "We don't have classes together, but I bet we wouldn't get anything done." So I said, "Every week you have to create a tangible product. If you don't get your work done, then you don't have anything in the broadcast." As I walked away from him, I heard him say to his colleague, "I've never thought about it that way before." WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!

I will totally own that it's completely different being an enrichment teacher. I get to make up my curriculum because I have incredibly open standards (in fact, there are no broadcasting standards... I use Language Arts and theatre standards). This allows me to give students more choice and voice throughout the year. I really struggled with giving students voice and choice when I taught Social Studies. It's a difficult thing to do!

So how can you give students choice and voice in your classroom? Here are some ideas...

One time that I always tried to give students choice was when I had an "open era," i.e., we're covering between 1810 - 1860. I would want to know what they wanted to learn about and I wanted to know which applications they wanted to use. This was a perfect time to use a tic-tac-toe board or dinner menu. It wasn't entirely open-ended, but students had more say in their work.

For each broadcast, there is always one entirely original video. I give students theme options, but the main idea, the story plot, the script, the camera shots, and music are solely the students' creation. They can be quite fun to watch. For the rest of the segments, I often choose the topic, but sometimes I don't hear from staff members, so the students get to design their own themes. Even though the structure is set, students still write the script, design the camera shots, and create music. I always get to see and hear their voice throughout, and they still have choices along the way.

Find a way to make student's work public. This can happen at your own school! A brag board is where you have a student post their work and write about why they're proud of this work. Pair up with another class (whether on your team or not), and have them visit your brag board, look at the student's work, and leave a comment. This could be on a cork board in the hall or through a digital Padlet. Let the students be proud of what they've done so that other students can be proud of them too!

Our school has an advisory period, so each class shows the broadcast every week. I also post the broadcast on YouTube and try to remember to tweet out about it as well.





Let your students speak, both figuratively and literally in your class. Let them share their voice. But give them a choice in what they want to say as well.

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website