What Small Groups Look Like During Independent Reading In My Classroom

This year I wanted to add more small group time to my classroom routines. I often use rotations, including a teacher-led station, but not every day or week. I thought about how I could incorporate a weekly check-in with each student. I decided to use independent reading time because it already happens daily. 

In past years, I've had to add small groups to my classroom routine part way through the year to target underperforming students (my school reviews our MAP data each trimester and sets goals focused on students in the lowest quintiles).⁠

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It was always a hassle to figure out how and where to add groups, and the change in routine meant some students felt singled out while other students thought that if I was talking with a group, that meant they could be talking at their seats.⁠

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This year I decided to start with small groups during independent reading time right from the get go. I had already created a schedule for who got to read on our classroom rug on what days, so it was easy to add my groups into that rotation. With 24-25 students in each of my classes, 4-5 are sitting on the rug each day and 4-5 are meeting with me at my small group table.

Teaching Using The Station Rotation Model

One year I had a particularly chatty group with a handful of students that were frequently interrupting instruction, mostly immature boys who could not help but make a comment about everything or made constant annoying  noises. I was following my usual procedure of issuing warnings, assigning behavior reflections, and making phone calls home, which would lead to temporary improvements, but I was still frustrated by the lost instruction time, so I decided something had to change.

I was still pretty new to teaching middle school at that point (I had taught high school for six years and then worked as a middle school reading intervention teacher, which is not the same as trying to command a room full of preteens), but I had had some success with using small groups when I taught math the previous (and only) year. I decided to try it out in my ELA classes, but knew I needed more structure to the class than just adding small groups to the mix, so I decided to try out the stations rotation model.

How I Structure My Middle School English Language Arts Class

I have a 90 minute period of English Language Arts daily with my sixth grade students. And before I break down what the structure of that period looks like, I want to acknowledge that seeing my students for 90 minutes daily all year long is something most ELA teachers can only dream of. Most middle school ELA teachers are working with 45-60 minutes, some even less. Some schools are on block schedules where teachers see students every other day or for only half of the year. And there's schools where reading and writing are broken up into two separate classes. 

While I don't know the pain of trying to jam it all into a 38 minute period, I have taught class periods of shorter lengths and could offer ideas about how to make things work with less time. But that is for another blog post. This one is just about what works for me in my current situation. I'll start with the parts of class that are always the same, the beginning and end of class.

How I Organize My Middle School Classroom Library

My classroom library is the heart of my classroom, it is my pride and joy, it is what makes students and sometimes even other teachers stop and say, wow, this is where the magic happens. With close to 1500 books, my classroom library took time to build up, but is a necessity because my school was built without a library. Because of its size and because it is the only place my students can access books within the school building, the organization of my library is something I've given a lot of thought.

As you are thinking about your own classroom library, whether you are just getting it started or you are looking to overhaul your current organization system, keep in mind that you want to do what is going to work best for you and your students. The organization of your classroom library should be manageable, sustainable, and help your students find books they are interested in reading. What works for me or another teacher may not work for or be best for you or your students.

Using Daily Agenda Slides to Stay Organized & On Task

At the end of last school year, the other two members of my sixth grade team and I sat down together to reflect on our year. One of the big issues that came up was our students' struggles with the transition from fifth to sixth grade. 

We work in a K-8 school and the fifth grade classrooms are self-contained, so moving up to middle school and switching classes in sixth grade can be a big adjustment for many students. Moving from room to room and teacher to teacher means students had to now keep track of all of their belongings in additional to several different teachers' personalities, expectations and routines. 

One solution for easing this transition and creating some consistency from class to class was for all of us to use a daily agenda slide made using Google Slides. All of our students have Google accounts and we already use Google Classroom as our learning management platform. In addition to displaying our daily agenda slide at the start of class, we also all posted our daily agenda slides in the same place in our Google Classrooms so students could access them at home.

My daily slide includes the date, our agenda and objective for the day, any materials students need to have out, homework and other reminders, and a timer. Having all of these things together in one place has helped me to be more intentional about connecting the objective to our activities for the day. I never forget to assign the homework or remind students about upcoming events. Having the ten minute timer for our independent reading on the screen means we can go right into reading once we've reviewed the agenda slide.

So that students have access to this daily agenda after class ends, I have the Slides posted in the Stream on their Google Classrooms. That's the only thing I have posted there (in "settings," you can turn off classwork notifications so they don't appear in the stream) so it can't get lost among other postings. I have found that the posting disappears after time, but clicking "move to top" (even though there's nothing else there) makes it reappear. Because Google Drive resources automatically save and update, there's no need to ever repost the Slides.

While I encourage parents to sign up for Google Classroom email summaries and sit down with their child each night to review homework, technically parents can't access Google Classroom on their own, so I also have my daly agenda slides posted on my classroom website (created with Google Sites).

I'll be using the same Google Slides presentation with my daily agenda for the entire year. Each day, I pull the most recent date to the front of the presentation. Having a single presentation allows students to look back at previous days, which is extremely helpful if they missed class for some reason or were absent. I also link other Slides presentations, handouts, etc. to my daily slides to make finding materials easier. This will be such an amazing resource to have next year.

Interested in using a similar daily agenda Google Slide in your classroom? Find it a completely customizable one here, including two different layouts and eighteen different color combinations.

Building & Maintaining A Fabulous Classroom Library

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about building and maintaining a fabulous classroom library. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how libraries are used in their classrooms. Teachers also shared how their classroom libraries are organized to help students find books of interest.

Scroll down to read through the chat. You'll get ideas about check in/out systems. You'll also find out where teachers get books for their classroom libraries.

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.

Building & Maintaining A Fabulous Classroom Library

3 Ways to Make Your Classroom Library a Reading Magnet

Last year I had grand plans about building a community of readers in my classroom. Some of my ideas worked out, some things I started but didn't follow through on, and some things never happened at all. This year I'll be teaching only English Language Arts (last year I also taught math), and I'm just as committed to building that community of readers in my classroom. I can't do that without making sure my classroom library is one that will attract students no matter what their reading interests are. Here's how I make sure my classroom library does that.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 8/11: Classroom Libraries

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.

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, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Sunday, August 11, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about classroom libraries.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Sunday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @spanglermiddle) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged as well as using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Sunday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 9/18 Topic: Student Organization

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

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, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, September 18, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about student organization.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Setting Up the ELA Classroom

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

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, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, August 1, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about setting up the English Language Arts classroom.

The Format:
8:00 – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: How do arrange the seating in your classroom? Is it flexible or permanent?#2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: Does your classroom decor have a theme or is it all about functionality? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: Explain how you keep classroom supplies and materials organized. #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: What is your favorite way to display student work and evidence of learning? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: Share a picture of your classroom or one that inspires you. #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

The Need for Classroom Libraries Even At the Secondary Level

I am one of the moderators (and co-founder) of the #2ndaryELA Facebook group, in which there is a lot of discussion about books. Teachers ask for recommendations, share new favorites, and show off pictures of their latest book haul. Occasionally someone will ask the question, "Are classroom libraries necessary?"

The answer is always a resounding YES!

First, not every school has a school library. I work in a charter school where the CEO who oversaw the design of the building thought that in a digital world, books were becoming obsolete and didn't include a library as part of the plans. The administration at the school has changed, but we still lack the physical space for a library.

Second, while I hope that the situation at my school is an uncommon one, I think a more common situation is that a school may have a library, but no librarian. In large cities and small towns, when cuts have to be made, librarians are often deemed expendable. And at some of the high schools I taught at, no librarian meant no access to the library.

Finally, even if your school has a library and a librarian, the more contact students have with books, the better readers they become. If you are interested in the research behind that statement, you can start reading here. The school library may be down the hall or downstairs and not accessible to students at all times, whereas a classroom library is in your classroom where, when a student has a free moment, they can easily walk over to a bookshelf and pick out a book. You can read more about how I organize my classroom library here.

To help you start or build your classroom library, I have partnered with Kristy Avis of 2 Peas and a Dog to give away $100 in books to six lucky teachers plus resources for independent reading, including journaling assignments for during reading and a variety of book report projects for after reading.

Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance to win. Winners will be contacted via email once the giveaway is complete. Due to shipping costs, this contest is only open to residents of the United States and Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Caution! Students At Work: Classroom Jobs for Secondary Students

Every elementary school classroom has a job chart and eager students willing to take on those jobs. But what about middle school and high school students? Are they less willing to be helpful? Are they lacking the desire to feel ownership in the classroom?

My answer to both of those questions would be no. Students want to feel useful and a sense of belonging in the classroom regardless of grade level. Giving secondary students classroom jobs not only meets these needs, but also takes a few tasks off your plate, allowing you to focus more on instruction.

Getting Started With Classroom Jobs

At the start of the school year or whenever you come to the realization that classroom jobs will be beneficial for you and your students, make a list of jobs for your classroom. I'll share some ideas below, but think about all the things you do around your classroom that take away from the time you could spend teaching.

Classroom Jobs Develop Real World Skills

Use that list of jobs you generated to create an application for students. You may want to include a brief description of each job, especially those that are not self-explanatory. You can ask students to explain why they think they would be a good fit for each position they are interested in and to list any relevant experience. These questions encourage students to think the way they will have to when applying for a real job. On the application, have students rank their desired jobs, as many as they'd like, in order of preference. You can find a free application and "Wanted" poster to help you get started here.

Decide how often you will change the jobs: once a month, once a marking period, or not at all. Then make a schedule filling in the students interested in each position, doing your best to accommodate students' rankings. If a student doesn't get their #1 job in the first round of jobs, maybe they will the second or third round. You can post this schedule in your classroom for students to reference. When it comes time for students to change jobs, have the present job holder notify and train the incoming job holder so that the only work you do is training students at the start of the year. Allowing students to train each other gives them a sense of pride, has them practice real world skills and helps them take ownership of their classroom; it's up to them to make sure the job is done right.

If students are not performing up to your standards, give them a warning and then give them a "lay off" if the issues continue. After about a week, allow them to return to their jobs for a probationary period. If they slip up again during that period, then they are permanently "let go" from their position. While it is just a classroom job, you want students to learn that responsibility should be taken seriously and there is a series of consequences if it isn't, but also the chance to get back on the right track.

If students are meeting your standards, consider some sort of payment: extra points toward their grade average, a thank you luncheon at the end of their employment, a book of their choice, etc.

Seamless Execution, Not Disruption

If you are worried that having classroom jobs will distract students and take away from learning, fear not. In my classroom, all jobs (with a few exceptions) are carried out in the first five minutes of the period. During this time all students are responsible for completing the warm up and preparing for class: sharpening pencils, having out homework, etc. Students with jobs still need to prepare themselves for the rest of class, but can complete their warm up orally when I review it rather than writing it down. Not all jobs will need to be done every day, so there will still be days where students do complete a written version of the warm up. If jobs are not completed during the five minute period, most can be continued by the next class or the next day. My warm up is timed so students know that when that timer goes off they need to be back in their seats ready for class to begin.

Classroom Jobs and Considerations

• Board cleaner - Specify when and how often you'd like the board erased versus cleaned with board spray.
• Stapler/hole puncher - Be sure to show students how to properly use both these tools. This includes refilling the stapler, what to do if it jams, and where on papers you want the staple. Similarly, show students how to line papers up in the hole punch, how many sheets of paper will fit at once, and how to empty the punchings.
• Bulletin board changer - Explain what makes student work appropriate and worthy of display. Then allow students to make the selections and get creative with the layout of the display.
• Filing clerk - If you keep student work or writing portfolios or have some kind of mailbox system for returning student work, have a student file these papers.
• Homework checker - If you assign nightly homework, have a student collect it. If you collect homework at the end of the week, but check to see if it is done daily, have a student stamp the assignments for completion or check off names on a check list.
• Bell ringer checker - As with homework assignments, have a student collect these daily or mark for completion.
• Maintenance - This can include sweeping up as needed, routinely wiping down desks and tables, cleaning electronics. Indicate to students how often you'd like these tasks done.
• Tech expert - This position is one where experience is a plus so that the student can be helpful to other students and if needed, to you too.
• Attendance - If you keep a paper record of attendance, allow a student to complete that for you. If you feel comfortable (and it doesn't violate school policy), have them complete your electronic record as well.
• Announcements/reminders - At the start or end of class, have a student read off reminders about due dates, upcoming quizzes and tests, and school wide events.
• Supplies - Instead of students asking you for a pencil, a piece of paper, or a tissue, have one student in charge of these materials. If all of these things are already out in your classroom and accessible to all students, have a students restock when supplies are low and alert you when more supplies need to be purchased.
• Librarian - Explain your organization and check out system. You can also put this student in charge of repairing damaged books.
• Furniture arranger - Desks have a way of migrating from their spot even if you mark your floor with tape or stickers. Have this student tidy up your rows and push in chairs.
• Dismissal - If your classroom is one where you dismiss the students, not the bell, put a student in charge of dismissal. It becomes up to them to make sure the room is as it should be before students exit. Let them tell students to clear their desks, pick up those papers on the floor, etc so you don't have to nag.
• Messenger - It seem like every students' hand goes up when the opportunity to leave the classroom arises. Having a designated messenger will avoid that issue. You may want to assign this job to a fidgety student who will appreciate the chance to move around.
• Paper collector/passer - Similar to the job of messenger, you may want to assign this job to a student who needs the opportunity to move around a bit.
• Bathroom manager - Minimizing interruptions to your teaching is what classroom jobs are all about so put this student in charge of filling out the bathroom log if you keep one, issuing paper passes, or handing off your permanent pass. This student will also need to enforce your rules about the number of students that can be out of the room at a time and at what times during class (i.e. not during direct instruction).
• Time keeper - Give this student a timer or stop watch to keep track of timed activities. They can issue one minute warnings for students to wrap things up and alert you when the class period is about to end.
• Management - You need someone other than you to make sure student jobs are being completed when and how you want. You can communicate with your manager rather than ten to fifteen individual students.
• Right hand man - For anything else that might come up or if a student is absent, your right hand man can step right up.

Setting Up a Secondary ELA Classroom: Ideas for Seating Arrangement, Decor & Displaying Student Work

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about preparing for setting up the classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed seating arrangements, classroom decorations, organization of materials, and displaying student work. Teachers also shared pictures of their classrooms and ones that inspire them.
Read through the chat below for ideas on flexible seating options, arranging your desks, decorating, and showcasing evidence of student learning. You'll find ways to keep clutter to a minimum and have student supplies easily accessible. You'll also get to peek inside other teachers' classrooms to see it all in action.

Hope you'll join us next Tuesday August 16th at 8pm EST to talk about learning stations, rotations, and centers. 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, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction. 

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Setting Up the ELA Classroom

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last school year and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

New in 2016 is our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, which we would love to have you join 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, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, August 9, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on setting up the ELA classroom.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: How do arrange the seating in your classroom? Is it flexible or permanent?#2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: Does your classroom decor have a theme or is it all about functionality? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: Explain how you keep classroom supplies and materials organized. #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: What is your favorite way to display student work and evidence of learning? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: Share a picture of your classroom or one that inspires you. #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Classroom Organization: Managing Paperwork & Supplies

This week's #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about organizing the ELA classroom. Middle and High School ELA teachers discussed how to organize the teacher desk, student supplies, paperwork, student work, and books. Thanks to all who joined us; I loved seeing all of the "old" and new faces. The highlights are below.

Organizing the teacher desk:@reevesinthemid I use multiple small drawers & baskets to keep my desk organized.No paper goes on my desk.Mac,calendar,&printer on desk only.

@dianeraguz I always make sure I have a clear desk when I leave so that I can begin fresh in the AM

@jennann516 I don’t have a teacher desk. I have a small table where I work while modeling with students. Keep pensETC in cup on table.

@dianeraguz I also use a different colored, laminated file folder for each day for worksheets, etc.

Organizing student supplies:
@krisannamiller I use hang shoe holder 2 separate pens etc. Hanging files for assignments. Hanging pocket folders for notebooks etc.

@dianeraguz I have a designated area/bookcase w/ student supplies that they know they can use

@cera0316 bins of every supply & table bins for markers, pens, and sticky notes; hanging file with #1-31 for absent/extra papers

@jesswalte saw a great idea where abs students had name written in calendar sqare, missed work was in pockets posted next to it

@SpanglerMiddle For absent work I use a file folder box - ea. folder is numbered 1-31 - students look in the folder for the date they were absent

@abbeydick I try to make materials as self-service as possible so kids always have what they need AND so they don't bother me for supplies.


Managing paperwork and grading:
@literarymaven As much as possible student work is done in their notebook or on Google Drive = no papers floating around.
@literarymaven Trying to "grade" less & give feedback more with rubrics, checklists. Grade turnaround time = 1 day 4 small, 1 week 4 essays
@abbeydick I'm going to try to keep papers at school and work there. Easier to lose stuff in the car, at home, etc. Separate baskets.
@literarymaven I hand back graded work during warm up time at start of class or ask a student to do it
@Trojanteach02 Google Drive! Took old assignments/tests & made them digital. I have 24/7 access to Ss work for help. Add-Ons help w/grading
@15shopper We are 1:1 w/iPads, so much of the grading will be managed through our LMS @CanvasLMS , SpeedGrader app, or emails.
@Trojanteach02 Anyone using Google Drive, the grading trifecta is GoogleDocs+Doctopus+Goobric (sometimes Flubaroo)

Organizing student work and portfolios:
@literarymaven Each student gets hanging folder in a filing cabinet. Work 2 be filed goes in basket on top of cabinet. Student helper files.
@Trojanteach02 creative & consistent naming for files in Google Drive. Filename/Period/lastnamefirstinitial
@cera0316 Google Drive from the time they are freshmen makes our senior portfolios easy-peasy.
@cera0316 AP Lit Ss create books at end of every novel to turn in. Saves stacks of papers for me

Organizing books:
@chanson_21 I use the Booksource app to keep track of classroom library, & textbooks/books in a novel set are numbered inside front cover
@dianeraguz Class novels assigned number. Give to Ss and write down number; collect to make sure it's the same number. I make multiple columns so I can use it for all class novels we read all year and store it in a file.
@MrsOrman I use Delicious Library - scan books using camera on iPhone and select student from class list. Mac program. It's awesome!

Hope you'll join us next week, Tuesday August 11th at 8pm EST to discuss managing student behavior in the ELA classroom. The questions for next week's chat will be posted here on Sunday. If you missed Tuesday night's chat, scroll down and read the whole thing below.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Classroom Organization

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

On Tuesday, August 4, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on ELA classroom organization.

The Format:

8:00 Intros – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA

8:05 Q1: How do you keep your desk organized? #2ndaryELA 

8:15 Q2: Where/how do you keep student supplies? #2ndaryELA

8:25 Q3: How do you manage your paperwork (grading, work to be returned, etc.)? #2ndaryELA

8:35 Q4: How do you manage student work (writing folders, portfolios, etc.)? #2ndaryELA

8:45 Q5: How do you keep books organized (textbooks, novel sets, classroom library, etc) #2ndaryELA

The Directions:

1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.

2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”

3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.

4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.

5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.

6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.

7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:

1. Stay on topic & stay positive!

2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked. 

3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.

4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.

5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.

6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.) 

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening!

Get caught up on past chats here:

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: The ELA Classroom Library

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

On Tuesday, July 28, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on the ELA classroom library.

The Format:
8:00 Intros – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What are the most popular reads in your classroom library? (titles, genres, etc.) #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q2: Where do you get your books from? (other than what your school provides) #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: How do you ensure that your books match student interests and reading levels #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: Do you allow students to take books home? What is your system for managing that #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: How do you have your classroom library organized? Is it easy for students to self select?#2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Classroom Environment: Inspiration For Your Secondary ELA Classroom

Week 2 of #2ndaryELA Twitter chats did not disappoint. 25+ middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers from coast to coast and (and even Puetro Rico and Canada!) spent an hour chatting about the must haves in an ELA classroom, decorating, showing off student work, desk arrangement, and room inspirations.

My favorite idea for decorating with student work was shared by Pittsburgh teacher John C. Danchisko (@mrdanchisko), who said "We create #bucketlists 1st week and I hang those ASAP. must contain 5 selfless acts. Shows good in all. Introduces carpe firm." Love, love, love it!

Hope you'll join us next week, Tuesday July 28th at 8pm EST to discuss the ELA classroom library (books! books! books!). The questions for next week's chat will be posted here on Sunday. If you missed Tuesday night's chat, scroll down and read the whole thing below.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: ELA Classroom Environment

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

On Tuesday, July 21, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on the ELA classroom environment.

The Format:
8:00 Intros – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What makes your classroom appropriate for and appealing to secondary ELA students? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q2: What are the “must haves” in your classroom? (furniture, decor, materials, etc.) #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: How do you showcase student work and evidence of learning? #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: How do you arrange your desks? Why does that work best for you and your students? #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: Share a picture of your classroom or one that inspires you. #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.

2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening!
Get caught up on past chats here: