A3: Admitting that teaching is rarely what you expect. It is hard and you will often feel like you aren't enough. New Teachers have to be honest with themselves about readjusting their expectations and maintaining balance. #learnlap

A4: Creating a new teacher program is a great way to support new teachers. Have teachers observe and be observed. Then, offer additional support or PD in an area of need. This starts with building a school culture of learning and mentorship. #learnlap

A5: If the kids can do it, let them. My students create learning scales, rubrics, design projects, etc. They work at their pace so feedback/grading is immediate. Also, collaborate with other teachers. #learnlap

A6: Take every opportunity to find the joy. Celebrate each other. Laugh. Think about the environment you want to spend each day in and purposefully create that for your teachers and students. #learnlap

Hi! I'm Christy - teaching and learning specialist in TN. My most used emoji has to be 😂. #tlap

A1: We play a lot of games. I have an office bell in my class. It is a magic bell because everyone wants to participate when they get to ring it. We dance, sing our answers, and talk to each other in meaningful ways. #tlap

A2: Blooket and Pear Deck. Also using ChatGPT in the classroom to level content and create adaptive lessons. #tlap

A3: Teach Like a Pirate, of course! A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger is one I always come back to. My favorite PDs were always EdCamps #tlap

A4: Seeing the students tomorrow (we have been on winter break). #tlap

I just saw a commercial for Citi for affordable housing initiatives so teachers can live in the same neighborhoods they teach in. Umm….maybe there is a bigger problem here.

Don't think morale is important for adults? Do you think students learn better in a classroom where the teacher is valued, appreciated, supported, and celebrated, or a classroom where the teacher feels isolated, disrespected and hanging on by a thread?

Christy from TN. Newly back in the classroom as a 2nd grade teacher. Also, exhausted doctoral student. #learnlap

A1: Because this is where they become learners instead of absorbers of information. These skills allow students to understand their needs and stop defining themselves by letters and numbers. #learnlap

A2: Creating a classroom culture that celebrates the movement from not knowing to knowing. We often view learning as punitive because we only value the knowing. Students also have to connect with objectives and understand why they are important. #learnlap

A3: Students should be involved in goal setting and monitoring about areas that concern them as often as possible - which is likely always in some capacity. They are the experts on themselves. Think of the accountability adults would have if we trusted them as kids. #learnlap

A4: There are so many options for meaningful collections of qualitative data. Conducting case studies, descriptive analysis of surveys, etc. Students can track their growth through their own words. #learnlap

A5: The M and T in SMART have to be explained. How will you measure it and what's your timeline? Students (all of us) need a strong goal setting foundations to avoid giving up, which reminds me of that 10K I am supposed to run... #learnlap

A6: Students need meaningful pieces of evidence that they have produced. They also need support developing ways to track their progress. #learnlap

A7: Growth with reading fluency, vocabulary acquisition, study skills, math skills, etc. Also, tracking confidence, feelings toward learning, perseverance, etc. Seeing growth helps us realize how far we have come. #learnlap

A8: I would have this conversation early - before the missed goal. It happens to all of us. We reset, readjust, and move forward. #LearnLAP