This chat was all about getting ready for the new school year. Teachers shared what they do on the first day, how they organize their rooms, and even what will be their first content lesson.
Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:01:16 WIB
Hi #2ndaryELA! I'm Shari, and I teach HS English (all 4 grades this year!) in northern NJ. Excited to learn w/you all tonight!
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:01:39 WIB
6th grade language arts, Fort Collins, CO lightbulbmomentsblog.com #2ndaryela
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:01:53 WIB
@SpanglerMiddle 8th grade ELA. Central Ohio #2ndaryELA
Jessica Lee Ogden @jessicaleeogden25/07/2018 07:02:45 WIB
Q1: Goodevening, 2ndaryELA. I am Jessica Ogden the Instructional Lead Teacher at Richmond Hill Middle School in Georgia. I do not currently have a blog, but I am hoping to work on beginning one this year 
#2ndaryELA
#2ndaryELA
Jeff Krapels Jr. @MrKrapels25/07/2018 07:02:58 WIB
Hi #2ndaryELA - I'm Jeff, and I teach 9th and 12th grades in NJ. You can see my blog at 3greatideas.wordpress.com (though I need to update this more frequently...)
tal matalon @tetaime25/07/2018 07:03:14 WIB
Hi, Tal from Durham NC. Lateral entry teacher, About to start my 1st year teaching 6th gr. Here to learn! #2ndaryELA
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:03:53 WIB
I'm Leslie and I teach 11th grade in California #2ndaryela
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:04:34 WIB
Glad you're here! Please remember to add #2ndaryELA at the end of your tweets. :) twitter.com/ms_jandrews/st…
Hello, I teach freshman in Indiana. Looking forward to chatting with you all tonight.
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:05:00 WIB
Q1: How do you organize your classroom? #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:06:00 WIB
A1: I try to think about the flow of my room to organize it. I think of it as my own "Feng-shui". So that means I want easy entrances and exits from the room. #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:06:00 WIB
A1 Here's what my HS room looked like theliterarymaven.com/2014/09/five-f… I'm moving to MS & looking for new ideas #2ndaryela
Jeff Krapels Jr. @MrKrapels25/07/2018 07:06:20 WIB
A1: Right now, my classroom is set up with stations/groups of 4-5 students, with a book shelf in the back. I am trying to find ways to incorporate flexible seating arrangements and drastically build my classroom library for this upcoming year. #2ndaryELA
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:06:22 WIB
A1: I think I’m going to have my students in groups this year as I want to have more conferring going on. #2ndaryELA
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:07:32 WIB
A1: Teaching 6th grade for the first time at a 1:1 school. Thinking of a way to seat students in groups and still see screens! #2ndaryela
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:07:43 WIB
Last year I had groups of 5, this year I'm moving to row groups of 4 and a podium/station for me in the back to promote talking to the class, not just to me #2ndaryela
Jeff Krapels Jr. @MrKrapels25/07/2018 07:07:56 WIB
@hsengteach Having a group arrangement has been really helpful for me in maximizing 1:1 time w/ Ss #2ndaryELA
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:08:18 WIB
@MrKrapels I also have four bookshelves in the back for reading. #2ndaryELA
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:08:45 WIB
I'm very lucky to have tables on wheels, so I have a flexible set up: pods of 4, singleton tables for 2, a long conference table set up for 8 and 2 sets of semi-circle tables! #2ndaryELA
Ms. Andrews @ms_jandrews25/07/2018 07:09:01 WIB
@SpanglerMiddle I like having students in groups. I’m trying to find better ways to organize how students turn in papers and how to organize missing work. Also, we are moving to block schedule so I’m not sure if I want to find a way for students to keep materials in the class. #2ndaryELA
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:09:15 WIB
Table groups of 4-6 kids. Plenty of shelves of books and a couple carpets and stools/ special chairs for flexible seating. #2ndaryELA
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:09:42 WIB
@hsengteach Love that idea! Anyone have a reading nook in their room? It's my goal to have one this year! #2ndaryela
Jessica Lee Ogden @jessicaleeogden25/07/2018 07:09:43 WIB
Q1:: I organize my classroom into different spaces (1) Class Data/Growth Wall (2) Teacher-directed small group center (3) Student group work area w/ baskets in the middle to organize materials for the day’s lesson (handouts, markers, etc.)—The baskets are a LIFESAVER! #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:10:00 WIB
Q2: What do you do on the first day of school? #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:10:13 WIB
@ms_jandrews I used to have a shelf for each class here they handed in their papers, stored textbooks and notebooks. #2ndaryELA
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:10:39 WIB
@ms_jandrews @SpanglerMiddle I have bins for each class to turn in and get back work. I don’t have time to spend turning back work. #2ndaryELA
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:10:53 WIB
A1: I also moved a rectangular table next to my actual desk to allow individual or small group conferencing that is separated and won't disturb others #2ndaryela
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:11:00 WIB
@upahk @hsengteach Yes, I called it the "Book Nook" and it had big pillows and a little rug - all from IKEA. #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:11:00 WIB
A2 In the past I've done stations theliterarymaven.com/2015/07/the-li… last year I did a breakout theliterarymaven.com/2018/05/breako… This year I may do both #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:11:00 WIB
A2: I do ice breakers and other kinds of team building - including asking Ss what they need to be successful. #2ndaryELA
Jeff Krapels Jr. @MrKrapels25/07/2018 07:11:12 WIB
A2: In recent years, I've gotten away from the typical 1st day of school routine. Now, I jump right into a lesson, and explain to Ss that as necessary, I will explain procedures/rules, etc. No reason to waste class time #2ndaryELA
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:11:20 WIB
@hsengteach @ms_jandrews @SpanglerMiddle I'm trying to find ways to "automate" that process a little more - I find that having students hand things in digitally whenever possible helps! #2ndaryELA
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:11:28 WIB
Also have a couple standing desks for students who prefer to stand. #2ndaryELA
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:11:33 WIB
A2: I like to have 2 different games prepared: 1 for students to get to know me as a person & 1 to get to know each other #2ndaryela
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:11:44 WIB
A2: One year I did stations to get to know the room and the rules. I might try that again. Still trying to figure out how. #2ndaryELA
Michaela Morris @MMofromtheNo25/07/2018 07:12:06 WIB
Hi #2ndaryELA! I teach 10th grade in Fresno, CA.
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:12:12 WIB
@Mrs_Krapels @hsengteach @ms_jandrews Yes, well I said "used to" because this year we're all 1:1 and so I don't think we'll need those shelves! :)
#2ndaryELA
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:12:41 WIB
A2: I teach 4 different preps, so I do something a little different for each (depending on content!) - I do try to spend some time getting some data and feedback from them RIGHT AWAY about their reading/writing skills/preferences #2ndaryELA
Ms. Andrews @ms_jandrews25/07/2018 07:12:51 WIB
@SpanglerMiddle That’s a good idea. I only have 5 classes so it might be doable. #2ndaryELA
Geneiveve James @Geneiveve_James25/07/2018 07:13:02 WIB
Q2: On the first day I try my best to help my students get to know me. Sometimes I have them all write down a question they have about me and I answer them for the whole class. I also go over my expectations which are respect, effort, and manners. #2ndaryELA
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:13:40 WIB
A2 Last year I did stations: goal setting, chart response to perfect classroom, paperwork station, get to know groupmate puzzle #2ndaryELA
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:13:41 WIB
A2: I typically do a stations activity that allows students to meet each other and me in smaller settings, move around the classroom, and avoids the amount of extensive talking "at them" that I used to do #2ndaryela
Sam Shrayder @MissShrayder25/07/2018 07:14:20 WIB
A2: I have them fill out a student inventory, and I just created a scavenger hunt for the students to figure out classroom procedures! #2ndaryela
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:14:30 WIB
Do you have a kind of virtual way to see screens? We have LanSchool... #2ndaryELA twitter.com/upahk/status/1…
A1: Teaching 6th grade for the first time at a 1:1 school. Thinking of a way to seat students in groups and still see screens! #2ndaryela
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:14:55 WIB
Also photo station with crazy props, and writing station. Second day procedures and ice breakers #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:15:00 WIB
Q3: What routines and procedures do you teach during the first week? #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:16:00 WIB
A3: Entering and exiting room, turning things in, coming to attention, group versus independent working #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:16:00 WIB
A3: We develop our class expectations and then where things belong or are kept or can be found. #2ndaryELA
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:16:06 WIB
A3: I don't so much "teach" them as find ways to make our most frequent procedures clear by drawing attn to them as needed (ie bathroom pass stuff, laptop use, etc.) #2ndaryELA
Jessica Lee Ogden @jessicaleeogden25/07/2018 07:16:23 WIB
Q2: After an intro of classroom expectations, Ss explore a mysterious file of information about me for students to organize the info based on the explicit vs. implicit information they have learned to reinforce group procedures then I end with a 6-word memoir #2ndaryELA
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:16:44 WIB
A3: Specifically for language arts, how to check out books & return them from our class library #2ndaryela
Sidney Cordie @cordie_sidney25/07/2018 07:16:47 WIB
#2NDARYELA any advice for me and my cohorts who will be working with elementary schoolers coming up this fall for student teaching?? #CI5307
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:16:49 WIB
I think it’s important to talk about how we treat each other and how to be successful during the first week. #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:17:28 WIB
@cordie_sidney I would recommend routine, routine, routine! :) :) #2ndaryELA
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:17:28 WIB
A3: This year, I'm going to branch out my usual bathroom, warm ups, and discussion partner routines and begin with norm setting for each class and building on it for a master list #2ndaryela
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:17:33 WIB
A3 Aside from fire drill, where to turn in work, collect papers, restroom procedures, checking out books, cell phone usage, #2ndaryELA
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:18:00 WIB
A3: Oh and also this year, I'll be teaching them how to properly format a document and heading in the first week #2ndaryela
Diane Lewis @teachermom31825/07/2018 07:18:03 WIB
Also talking and listening in groups, borrowing items from teacher #2ndaryELA
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:18:04 WIB
@hsengteach You make a really good point - the "how to be successful" stuff is SO important. I find that my students sometimes experience school as a thing that happens TO them - this type of thinking undoes those notions #2ndaryELA
Jeff Krapels Jr. @MrKrapels25/07/2018 07:18:27 WIB
A3: I don't teach procedures or rules in isolation. They come up naturally when the situation calls for it. I try to avoid overloading Ss with info that they may not need to know right away. My main goal is to build a routine and class culture as soon as possible. #2ndaryELA
Michaela Morris @MMofromtheNo25/07/2018 07:18:33 WIB
A3: We’re shifting towards blended learning, so expectations for tablet work/digital citizenship is a must #2ndaryela
Jessica Lee Ogden @jessicaleeogden25/07/2018 07:18:39 WIB
A3: Exceptions when entering the classroom, when and where to find supplies for lessons, how to turn in class assignments, how to clean their work space at the end of the lesson #2ndaryela
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:20:00 WIB
Q4: How do build community in your class? #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:21:00 WIB
A4: I call our "rules" agreements instead - they are what we all agree we need to be successful. #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:21:00 WIB
A4 I'm really focused on building a community of readers this yr. Students will email book selfies so I can create a bulletin board showing off their summer reads for the first day of school #2ndaryela
Shari Krapels @Mrs_Krapels25/07/2018 07:21:22 WIB
A4: Setting norms and expectations TOGETHER is a really important step in this. I teach in a really small school, so often the community aspect is already there; I try to frame things as Ss welcoming me to THEIR community #2ndaryELA
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:21:28 WIB
A4: I have done the Marshmallow building activity. Four Corners likes and dislikes. Still looking for something great. #2ndaryELA
Jessica Lee Ogden @jessicaleeogden25/07/2018 07:21:37 WIB
A4: By creating activities for Ss to learn about me as well as each other! I complete many group tasks from the beginning to practice and establish group work norms, but this also allows students the time to build our classroom community. #2ndaryela
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:21:45 WIB
A4: To be honest, this has always been really hard for me after the initial first week stuff. So, I'm hoping to really move seats a lot even draw a card and find a pair at the door kind of movement and TONS of structured convos in the first few weeks #2ndaryela
Jeff Krapels Jr. @MrKrapels25/07/2018 07:21:51 WIB
A4: Frequent talk. The best part of my job is getting to know my Ss, and I try to keep a sense of humor in class, and build in a lot of opportunities for conference time. This helps me learn strengths & also builds their confidence #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:22:00 WIB
A4 cont. A 1st day/week activity will be sorting our class library into genres, identifying gaps, creating a book wishlist #2ndaryela
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:22:15 WIB
A4: We do a lot of name games at the beginning, then getting to know each other, and finally more trust-building activities #2ndaryela
Michaela Morris @MMofromtheNo25/07/2018 07:22:54 WIB
A4: writing together and sharing our writing has been amazing for community! 1st unit is about cultural identity— eye opening! #2ndaryELA
Kristy Acevedo 
GONE WRITING FOR THE SUMMER 
@kristyace25/07/2018 07:22:56 WIB
I'm late to the party! I'm going into my 19th year teaching high school English. I also have an author website since I write YA.
kristyacevedo.com #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:23:00 WIB
A4 cont. Also hoping to do one big reading event per trimester: a book tasting, blind date with a book, and reading in the wild. #2ndaryela
Mindy Hildebrand @mindyhildebrand25/07/2018 07:23:04 WIB
Hi all! 
New here! I've been in MS for 23 years. Though I'm staying in 7/8, I'm adding on a 9th grade class this year! So excited to be in #2ndaryELA
New here! I've been in MS for 23 years. Though I'm staying in 7/8, I'm adding on a 9th grade class this year! So excited to be in #2ndaryELALeslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:23:45 WIB
After the first month, I'm hoping to continue the push for them to be comfortable with ambiguity by changing groups for activities, getting them up and moving and talking, and making it a point to showcase answers to promote a sense of communal effort in the classroom #2ndaryELA
Michaela Morris @MMofromtheNo25/07/2018 07:24:05 WIB
A4: of course, breaking bread helps 
we frost cookies on Day 1 #2ndaryELA
we frost cookies on Day 1 #2ndaryELALeslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:24:13 WIB
@literarymaven Me too! What is reading in the wild, though? #2ndaryela
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:24:20 WIB
@MMofromtheNo I’d love to hear more about this. #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:24:34 WIB
A4: I like to do "community circles" where we pass around a talking object and discuss academic things as well as related social things. #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:25:00 WIB
Q5: What will be the first content lesson that you will teach? #2ndaryELA
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:25:54 WIB
@hsengteach @MMofromtheNo Me too, I love the idea of sharing, but so many students are really nervous and hesitant about it. #2ndaryELA
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:26:00 WIB
A5: For me it's usually vocabulary for our theme/central idea unit. #2ndaryELA
Brynn Allison @literarymaven25/07/2018 07:26:00 WIB
A5 To help me get to know students and start working on writing skills, I like to do a writer's workshop using coming of age poetry theliterarymaven.com/2015/07/thinki… #2ndaryela
SpanglerMiddle @SpanglerMiddle25/07/2018 07:26:42 WIB
We play vocabulary dominoes in groups and even have a friendly competition! #2ndaryELA twitter.com/SpanglerMiddle…
Kaylin Upah @wanderfulwrtg25/07/2018 07:27:06 WIB
A5: We are using Lucy Calkins this year. Not sure what's in store first, but can't wait to see! :) #2ndaryela
Heather Stringham @hsengteach25/07/2018 07:27:16 WIB
A5: I’m starting Eng 11 with a unit defining America and Americans. Still putting it together, but I know discussing “The New Colossus” is part of it. #2ndaryELA
Jessica Lee Ogden @jessicaleeogden25/07/2018 07:28:25 WIB
A5: My first lesson is typically a 5 Elements of a Short Story review for students! #irapflocabulary #2ndaryela
Leslie A. @teachinELA25/07/2018 07:29:20 WIB
A5: Our first unit will be The Crucible I think, so maybe historical context or vocabulary, but also just a possibility of going over MLA format and in text citations #2ndaryela
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