Nov+2013

Sample conversations about good days

 * trying something new
 * interdisciplinary lesson
 * connections between lessons
 * personal connections
 * Socratic circles
 * Jigsaw activity
 * student input on curriculum
 * student enthusiasm
 * voluntarily sharing with one another (not teacher-directed)
 * fun lessons (involving music)
 * diagnose the root cause of misunderstandings
 * positive feedback from students/parents
 * working with students one-on-one
 * integrated curriculum (incorporating multiple disciplines in a lesson)

Sample conversations about not-so-good days

 * students not giving their best effort
 * students creating an unproductive learning environment
 * class unproductive for substitutes
 * uncomfortable parent interactions
 * lack of empathy for different perspctives
 * sometimes related to maturity level and not lack of experiences
 * over matched curriculum
 * students missing prior knowledge or skills
 * lesson did not arrive at destination
 * students talking during a test or quiz
 * students blaming the environment
 * you didn't teach us that
 * you are not a good teacher
 * you don't like teaching
 * you don't like me
 * students hurting their confidence by being unprepared for assessments
 * students not understanding or following directions

Take-aways from Conferences

 * different mindsets (Carol Dweck)
 * "real" learning starts __after__ a test (Alan November)
 * problem or project-based learning
 * multidisciplinary projects
 * network with peers
 * better understand equity (unpack affluence in the classroom)
 * meet students where they are
 * teaching students with ADHD
 * classroom techniques
 * students write personal narratives
 * "saybacks" to check for understanding