Thanks Nathan Lang (@nalang1) for helping us Hack Student Praise.
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Listen to “69: How to Easily Uncover Your Biases” on Spreaker.
An excerpt from Hacking Engagement: 50 Tips & Tools To Engage Teachers and Learners Daily
The Problem: Teachers accidentally alienate certain students
As a rookie teacher, I thought I had it all figured out. For some odd reason, I went out on a limb and professed a position on a controversial subject to my kids. As I bellowed my views, I was inspired by a lot of nodding. There was no doubt the majority were thoroughly on board. I could sense them thinking, Go Mr. Sturtevant. We’re with you.
I was shocked, however, when a student confronted me after class. This young lady, while a good student, always seemed standoffish. But she was anything but aloof on this day: “Mr. Sturtevant, you should be careful about promoting your views so passionately. I don’t agree with you, and I’m not alone.”
While this interaction unnerved me, my ego was still invested in my position. After she left, an intense sinking feeling suddenly drained my body. It was truly an epiphany. Of course my student was right. I was erecting barriers between us. Why in the world would I alienate certain kids who may not agree with me on a certain issue?
The Hack: Create a Teacher Disposition Assessment
A Teacher Disposition Assessment (TDA) measures bias. Student experts, who consume your presentations daily, generate critical information. The TDA is a set of teacher-created prompts based on potentially controversial subjects that may surface in the course content. A TDA is a fantastic exit ticket at the end of a semester, but it can be used anytime.
Look inside
Creating the TDA on a form creation platform like SurveyMonkey is awesome because student responses are anonymous. Plus, learners can see how their classmates responded collectively. SurveyMonkey displays results with colorful bar graphs.
I teach a World Civilizations class. Here’s one of my TDA item prompts:
“Muslims should be restricted from entering the United States.”
It’s fine to be provocative; such statements will engage your audience. Student responses provide wonderful insights. This hack could help you dramatically in the engagement department. You may be shocked by what you learn. You may have to make adjustments in your statements and actions, but that’s the idea behind the TDA.
What You Can Do Tomorrow
You can’t engage all students if you’re biased. A Teacher Disposition Assessment will help you make adjustments and bond with kids.
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Google Certified Trainer Justin BirckBichler Hacks the “new” GSuite, formerly Google Apps for Education (GAFE).
Check out the entire chat below, and let us know what you think about the name change and how you plan to integrate GSuite into your classroom.
Read more from Hack Learning Ambassador and Google expert Justin Birckbichler on his blog.
Check out more #HackLearning live chats, archived on our top menu.
Learn more about integrating GSuite into your classroom in Hacking Engagement: 50 Tips & Tools to Engage Teachers and Learners Daily
Listen to “67: How to Teach Core Values with Casey Ewy” on Spreaker.
Kansas middle school teacher Casey Ewy decided to make a change: “When I finally realized that kids will become independent, enthusiastic learners if they are part of a non-threatening community, I threw out everything that most teachers consider classroom management,” Ewy says.
She began to integrate core values into everyday teaching and learning, and her students’ attitudes began to evolve. Ewy tells Mark Barnes how core values are now the center of her classroom, in Episode 67 of the Hack Learning Podcast, embedded above.
The Problem — old-school classroom management and too much emphasis on curriculum
Failing to integrate the core values that increase allegiance and belonging, while focusing on traditional pedagogy ignores the important values that all teachers should emphasize daily.
The Hack — Develop a class set of core values to guide everything in your classroom.
Casey Ewy suggests collaborating with students to create a list of core values that the class can grow into throughout the school year.
Everything we do centers around our core values: creativity, service (doing things for other people), grit, self-awareness, respect, leadership, weirdness (just having fun; we often forget to have fun).
When students understand core values, they want to demonstrate them in class, Ewy says, especially when the teacher shares personal stories about failing at a core value and how to face that failure.
What You Can Do Tomorrow — Develop a class set of core values to guide everything in your class, following these simple steps:
1 — Make a timeline of events of your life. “Pick a few events (positive or negative) that define you,” Ewy says.
2 — Discuss those events and identify the values that accompany those events.
3 — Compile a list of core values and working definitions.
4 — Use those words — the agreed-upon core values — every day in and out of class.
5 — Take 10 to 15 minutes tomorrow to share a personal story about one of your own core values; model the positive things about it, so students can see what’s important to you. This will begin building a relationship of trust that will help students understand how to build their own list of core values.
Casey Ewy is a longtime classroom teacher, working with students that have serious ongoing emotional needs. Learn more at drewyams.com. Follow Casey on Twitter @drewyams.
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Listen to “65: How to Discuss Politics and Other Sensitive Issues in School” on Spreaker.
During a presidential debate, a citizen asked Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump if they are appropriate for kids. In this Hack Learning Podcast Episode 65, Mark Barnes expands on the question while explaining how to discuss politics and other sensitive issues in school and in your classroom.
Mark suggests that teachers stop telling kids that their views on politics are personal. Rather, he says to tell students what you really think, which helps educators hack the problem of seeming too distant and unreal to kids.
Listen to the embedded audio above and learn two simple things you can do tomorrow, in order to discuss politics and other sensitive issues in school, without igniting an argument or even chaos.
It’s time to open up with students.
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