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Ch. 8 Discussion Questions

Discussion created by Sarah Warren on Jul 24, 2019
Latest reply on Aug 14, 2019 by Sarah Krum

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Chapter 8 of Make Learning Magical is less about technique and more about our recurring theme of reflection. Tisha shares her own stories of impact, and challenges us to think from two angles - how can we have an impact on our students, and how have others in our lives had an impact on us?

I love that she mentioned this quote from The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon:

"The best legacy you could leave is not some building that is named after you or a piece of jewelry but rather a world that has been impacted and touched by your presence, your joy, and your positive actions."

As we stew on this idea of "legacy," take some time to think deeply and answer the following questions:

1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

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14 Replies

Alexandra Lloyd Jul 24, 2019 4:53 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
In class, I hang certifications up on the wall to celebrate student success. Not only are certs good for the school grade but they are great resume boosters for students to earn and have a leg up on competition in the workforce. In the past, I have made Greenhand pledges with my freshmen. They take green paint and a make a hand print on a large poster that hangs in the front of the classroom. This is to remind them that they are working towards their Greenhand Degree. I would like to implement a program where high schoolers come and speak with the middle schoolers and talk to them about their time in Ag, FFA, what there SAE was to encourage the younger generation to stay involved in FFA and to have the older students reflect on their time in FFA.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
I was to be remembered as someone who cared and was passionate about student success in and outside the realm of agriculture. In teaching urban students, I may not have a lot of students pursue careers in ag but I want my students to remember that I was caring, warm, and inviting just like Tisha's 5th grade teacher with the red hair and sparkling eyes, and infectious smile. I also want them to learn something about agriculture so that they are able to make educated decisions as they become young adults. This is my legacy that I started working on 2 years ago and I will continue working towards past retirement.
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Tiffany Hoy Jul 24, 2019 5:20 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
I give them ownership of committees and activities within my classroom. Students are allowed to have opinions and must be able to validate their opinions. I love open conversations. I also love when students bring ag problems to the class and we take the period to find an answer or solution. Example: Science teacher across the hall caught and insect in the bathroom and brought it to our room. This totally disrupted my lesson for that period, yet it turned into one of the greatest learning moments in the room. I watched kids collaborate in finding the answer. In the end, it was a "good" bug and the kids not only educated each other, but all the students in our wing and the science classes.

I also give credit where credit is due. It may be in a thank you in front of the class, through a newspaper article, or a shout out on our school's channel T announcements. Take a moment to thank a student for doing the right thing or a good job goes a long way. You need to know your students to know if it needs to be in front of the group or privately with a post-it note.

One thing I have really tried to do, and it takes nerve, it allow students to create their own projects with assessments. When you do this, you give them power and ownership. It takes extra time, yet the outcomes are well worth the effort. Between collaboration, communication and compromise the students must do to clearly establish the objectives and assessment; one develops a life skills. The buy in from students is always funny - at first they think I'm off my rocker for giving them control, but in the end they raise the bar on the projects and their creativity blows me away. I have done this with every grade level - 8-12. Sometimes I have to guide them through the process, but once they catch on I force myself to step back and observe. It does cause me some homework to get the assessment rubric turned around by the next day, yet well worth the work ethic and projects I get in the end.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

I just want to be remembered as the teacher who challenged you and made you think about life and work ethic. I don't need "feathers" in my cap or want to be in the spotlight. I just want kids to believe they have the ability to make a difference in their lives and in their communities. They need to work at it, but can be a positive influence on others and be a productive citizen in our society. I keep the small accomplishments in mind each day!
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Jessica Howle Jul 24, 2019 7:36 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy? I have developed a Wall of Fame. Every time a student wins an award in the FFA their award and picture go up on the wall. I also have a student of the week for each of the classed that I teach. Their picture gets hung up in the hallway with a brief description of their SAE and what they enjoy the most about being in Ag class.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
I want to be remembered as the teacher that started the FFA program at my school and the teacher that all students couldn't wait to be in her class. I want my students to learn from me that they have the ability to be what ever they put their minds toward and to not let anything or anyone stop them.
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Jessie Shafer Jul 24, 2019 8:49 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

One of the ways that I celebrate my students and encourage them to build their “legacy” is the Greenhand Wall. I am sure that most Agricultural programs have something similar were once a student achieves the Greenhand degree they get to paint their hand green and place it on the front wall of my Classroom with their name and the year for all to see for years to come. Star Greenhands place paint a star with stencil in the center of their hand and receive their jackets. In addition to our chapters Greenhand Night around the Christmas break for families and friends, we celebrate our Greenhands with a small party in the Ag room during academic period.

Another way I encourage my kids to leave their mark on the program is by having our top placing CDE and LDE teams be the mentors for our recruitment program. These students promote and teach their event to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Even with it still being in the developmental stages the program has shown to “push” the upperclassmen to raise not just to do well in their events but also in developing their leadership and professional skills. These students also receive their names on stars that are placed around the classroom door with the name of their event.

Finally, I have a member of the month. All Ag students 7th-12th grade have the opportunity to be selected as “Member of the Month”. Students are selected based on :leadership, personal growth, and career success. Once selected the students picture goes up on the classroom door in a special frame as well as on our school’s tree of excellence in the front lobby. This student also receives two principal 100 tickets from me to turn into the high school office for a treat and their application for outstanding member of the year. Members of the year are selected by our advisory council (one male and one female student). These students receive plaques at our school’s honors banquet and their names are added to our plaque award in the front lobby next the chapters charter.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

Simply put I want to be remembered for being the teacher who was passionate about their career and students lives every day. Providing encouragement along with opportunities to learn and grow for each student no matter the ups and downs they or I am faced with. Currently in my self reflection I can honestly say that I am not there everyday but I am working to get there before the next 40 years are over.
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Kristina Bliley Jul 25, 2019 11:14 AM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
One way that I celebrate the students in my class is post their successes or exciting things we are doing in the classroom on our ag department's Facebook page. Not only does this allow students to feel proud in the fact that I wanted to share their achievements with our Facebook friends but also the community loves it as well. They are able to see what we're up to in the ag classroom and then able to talk to those students in public whenever they see them. My goal is to create a Legacy or Success Wall in my classroom but haven't quite figured out where to do that yet since I have a huge glass case of old trophies in there. I thought about maybe moving the old trophies to one side of the case and leaving the other side for new trophies, plaques, etc. so the kids could see it fill up as the year goes by. Another way I celebrate successes on tests/quizzes is if the average score on a test as a class is an 85 or above then we have a pizza party, brownie and ice cream sundaes, etc. It motivates the kids to study and want to achieve because food is always a good way to bribe the students.

A way I take in their ideas is that I actually let students create their own assignments sometimes for some units or lessons. No they're not always great quality but they get a grade based on the effort they put into creating a meaningful assignment. I then will either pick one of their assignments or combine two or three ideas and use their ideas for the assessment/assignments. I always give credit to the student ideas that I use.

I love the idea of doing spotlights on the Facebook page of our students but as a first year teacher and just trying to stay above water for most of the year, I never got around to it last year. My goal is to do them this year. Have a spotlight of a "stellar" student every week if we can maintain it that way but even monthly would be awesome too.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
I want to be remembered as the teacher that cared about each and every one of my students no matter the academic level they were on. So many kids feel that teachers only care about them if they are smart and that's not the truth. I want my students to know that their struggles often became my struggles because my job is to help them succeed as a person first and foremost. I always greet my students with a smile and whenever I see them outside of my classroom I always say hi and ask how they're doing. The legacy that I'm currently working on is making sure that my students know they are wanted in my classroom and they are going to learn in the ag room. My room is the place for minds to grow all while learning to be a "good human".
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Nicole Phillips Jul 25, 2019 12:03 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
I like to celebrate student achievements for things not only dealing with my classes but other classes and even sports as well. It helps to build that rapport with them. For example, I celebrate birthdays. Something as simple as providing them with their favorite candy/snack on their birthday shows them you care. When teams advance to sectionals or even state level events, I'll make those on the team (the ones I have in class) goody bags for the bus with an inspirational message. Within my class, students and the class work towards pizza/food parties. When it comes to creating their own legacy, they are allowed to choose their own projects within reason with guidance for all shop projects. I've had students suggest activities(marshmallow shooters) for a pvc pipe unit. It required administration approval. Unfortunately, my admin at the time wouldn't allow it. It crushed them. When we got a new principal, the students suggested I try again. She gave us the okay and it made them work that much harder to get to do that project.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
I would like to be remembered as the teacher who was caring and took the time to get to know each of my students while also challenging the students within the classroom. I think I've always been working on this. However, after we had a senior student die by suicide in January, I find myself making more of an effort at this. I will routinely take time while students are working individually to ask "How's life?". I now have students that will seek my out just to talk. Sometimes they want to give specifics and sometimes they just need that person to "listen non-judgmentally" and given them a hug. So above all my legacy will be that teacher that cared and learned about her students lives and interests.
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Taryn Romanczak Jul 25, 2019 5:35 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

I have a student of the month in each of my classes. In the beginning of the year, we have a class discussion about this and I have students list the characteristics of what they think the student of the month should have. Each month, everyone nominates a classmate and explains why they think this student should be student of the month. I really enjoy this activity because I learn things about my students that I wouldn't normally know. Sometimes it is something small a student did for someone else and how it impacted them. I select one student for student of the month and I send emails or notes home to the other students that were nominated and why they were nominated. I also have a box of blank note cards and send home small notes when a student does something really well. For some students this is that they turned in all their homework for a week. Sometimes it is a kind word to another student. I send them home so their parents question what they are and know about it as well. I have found this to be much more effective than just giving them the note in class.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

I want to be remembered as the teacher that challenged them. That some days they actually hated the amount of work, but come back in a year or two and realize that being pushed was really one of the best things that ever happened to them. I love to hear from students after the graduate with small stories about things that I did that helped them. One year I had students color in pig outlines to identify breeds. When the kids were making them, they loved the activity. And at the same time thought, seriously Miss R? You think coloring is work? Whatever!! Waste a class period making us color in pigs...well...those students that went on to animal science programs and had to breed identification- emails saying their classmates stole their pigs to help them study and learn the breeds!!
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Becky DeShazo Jul 25, 2019 5:47 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

There are really two groups of students. FFA member and non-participating students Many times, I allow the students to choose the product of the learning that has taken place. That way they make it their own. We brag using all types of social media. On a smaller scale, we use various types of applause and small recognitions to celebrate.

FFA members are celebrated at the end of the year banquet and their names are placed on any banners or plaques they may win. They are also given recognition on social media and are celebrated at the school board meeting.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
Since i am very near the end of this career, that should be an important question. But, it really isn't. I have done what I have done. I could say that I helped get the amount of national delegates raised to the way it is now. Or that many of the things I put in place during the State FFA convention are still done. All those things plus more are cool but what I would like if I had to choose would be that she cared for her students and helped them to discover their potential.
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Sara Colombe Jul 26, 2019 9:22 AM
- What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
In my classroom I have an “O Snap” board. This board displays pictures I have taken throughout all my classes and various FFA chapter events. Students enjoy seeing what other students are doing in other classes. This has also been an opportunity to promote courses to my students. Most of the time students ask me what are they doing in certain pictures and I explain the courses which this activity was completed in.
Displaying student’s achievement plays an essential role in the classroom. I did a better of this in my old classroom. When I moved in to my new classroom we couldn’t put anything on the walls for two years because of the paint warranty. This past year I was able to hang up FFA plaques. Each year I take a group picture of all the chapter FFA members who competed at the state convention. I print the picture on a full sheet and write the convention dates, location, and labeled each FFA member in the picture on the back of it. Next I laminate the picture and hang it up on our FFA cabinet for the year until we get the next picture. I have then store it in a tote. After reading about Tisha’s wall of fame idea I want to display the pictures of all the state conventions below the plaques. Another extension of this is idea is to take picture of student’s personal shop projects and display them in the classroom.
- How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
I want my students to remember me as the teacher who told them they can do anything they put their mind to it. I started this last spring in my agricultural mechanics course. In this course I had many students who had little to no experience and were uncomfortable. So I re-organized my course units regarding skill levels. I started with shop safety, electricity, small gas engines, and welding. Throughout these units I provided all students support and we celebrated all victories. My legacy is to expose my student’s to as many agriculture opportunities as possible and give the students the career skills they need for their chosen career. I do this by providing a variety of agricultural courses in my program and implement SAE for All guide.
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Samantha Srp Jul 26, 2019 1:14 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

As the Yearbook sponsor, it’s already my job to celebrate the students. Beyond that, if students draw or color something, they can hang it on the wall behind my desk. It may sound like something for little kids, but they enjoy clearing their head after an assignment and showing their talents. I’ve had pages from coloring books, custom drawn tattoos, the NATO phonetic alphabet, etc. and at the end of each semester the students watch as I create a new file folder for the year and place those items in it and the folder with all the others from previous years. Sometimes we even take out the old ones and look through them

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

As the meanest teacher ever.
I say that often because i tell the students that and I want them to spread that fact. Am I mean? No, but I have rules and expectations and guidelines and everyone is going to follow. Our cell phone policy is if a student has it out, it’s taken up, sent to the office, and the office keeps during school hours for 5 days. I’ve taken up and sent my own cousin’s phone. I’ve written up “good” kids, “high flyers” have received Bs in my classes. It doesn’t matter who you are, who you think you are, or who your parents are, everyone is equal in my class. I find that this mindset endears the “troubled” kids to me and causes the “high flyers” to dislike me. I’m ok with being remembered like that.
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Christine Haberek Jul 26, 2019 3:35 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
First and foremost, I make it a point to know a few tidbits about each student because I am truly interested in them as people. A side effect of this is that we build strong relationships right away and this allows for deeper discussions and relationships through the semester/year/lifetime. I keep up those conversations going through the semester/year as a way to allow students to be known for what they are proud of. Additionally, one of my bulletin boards is set aside for students to post what they are proud of - newspaper articles, artwork, photos of awards/competitions, etc. Students take pride in their in school and out of school activities and accomplishments and I am happy to help them celebrate. I ask students to take a survey (Google form) at the end of each course. I ask for their feedback on the class, analysis of what was challenging, what they liked, how they would change an activity/unit/homework/etc. Knowing how students feel about the class and what works for them is invaluable and I love to be able to say, YES! I did incorporate your suggestion. Lastly, I am working hard to obtain permission for all of our senior FFA members to put their handprint with their name in our hallway - administration isn't too keen on the idea, but I keep trying. Not only would it be a good recruitment tool for our FFA chapter, but also a source of pride for our students.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

More than anything, I would like to be remembered as the teacher who is compassionate, supportive, interested in her students and who TRULY loves her job. I feel that it is so important to make sure each student feels valued and important. Without this, they cannot learn to the best of their ability and cannot be expected to grow as a person. I LOVE that I can bump into former students around town and have deep conservations with them about how life after high school, family, careers - it's one of the many perks of the job. I take pride that they feel comfortable enough and interested enough to converse and share with me.
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Ashley Hall Aug 10, 2019 7:56 PM
1).What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?
I love celebrating students in my class by always giving them an open forum to share their ideas and opinions. I love displaying student work and celebrating it. I always talk to my students when they enter my door and continuously make connections to show that I care. I keep every letter that every student has ever written to me and note. Students know that I do this and they will hide them around my room, so that I can find them at the "most needed" times as they say. I celebrate who they are and always love them where they are at and students really dig that.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?
This question is a deep question that I could probably get very lengthy on, therefore I will sum it up in three words. I want to be remembered for being loving, accepting, and bold. Education can be described as many different things. I believe in giving my students a lot more than an education. Education comes in some many different ways, not just by my curriculum.
I want to be remembered as the teacher that gave her whole heart to her students each and every day. This is hard. It is always so hard. We put so much into our jobs and focus less on ourselves more and more. We give, until we feel like we can no longer give. I feel that way sometimes, we all do. However, I remind myself that more than anything that our students need love. I'm not just talking the Beatles song and what-not. We all know how middle school and high school can make up many of our memories that shaped us into the humans that we are. If you don't believe me, please take a trip into your family photo albums, and laugh at that one bad haircut, your prom photos, your braces, or whatever it may be. Our students often come to us in times where they have never received or been given love in their entire life. They haven't been given love and they often can not love themselves. If you don't believe me, please listen in the hallway as a student worries if their photos wont get enough "likes" or if someone is going to post that video of them spilling their tray in the cafeteria. I hope that my students always remember the warmth of my classroom, the refreshing feeling of safety when they cross the threshold into my classroom, and the overwhelming feeling of love when they are in my classroom community. I want my classroom to be the safe and loving space where they can not only learn my curriculum but learn to love and value theirselves.

Secondly, being the accepting teacher. Students are terrified of their actions and often fail to realize that we all make mistakes and often many of us have been in their shoes. We can always remember the first time we got into major trouble and felt like we were the only kids in the world that ever snuck out, did something they were not supposed to, etc. Our students often feel like the world is falling and they can't tell anyone. I hope that I am that teacher that always has an open door and a listening ear. I accept each of my students for who they are and who they want to be. We live in a world, that acceptance can often be unheard of. However, I hope that my demonstration of love and acceptance of all human beings instills in them the same characteristics. I want my students to learn from me that we have to love people for where they are at, accept them for who they are, not who we think they should be. I want my legacy to be to embrace your uniqueness, be unapologetically you, and accept those around you for who they are.

Lastly, being the bold teacher. I am far from boring. You can always find me when big hair, coffee, bright clothes, and a bubbly personality. Being bold and daring greatly are things that I find to be very important. When daring greatly you have to be vulnerable. It is so difficult to be vulnerable and not be afraid. However, I try each and every day to be vulnerable and approach the day with an attitude of gratitude. There are many elements to my career, and sometimes I fall short. That is absolutely alright. I am bold enough to embrace that and intelligent enough to continue to grow with it. I want to lead by example and teach my students that it is alright to be bold and embrace the feeling of being vulnerable, no matter what just always be yourself. I want my students to be bold and dare greatly. I hope that I can set that example for them each and every day.
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Bethany Knowlton Aug 13, 2019 12:22 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

I love celebrating my students- we have an accomplishments wall in my room that gets updated regularly. On the wall I celebrate FFA Accomplishments, such as State FFA Degrees, American Degrees, Proficiency Applications, etc. I also have spots on the wall to celebrate other accomplishments outside of Ag- Sports, NHS, Clubs, etc. The kids can add to the wall whenever they would like, or if I hear of something, I will add it to the wall and point it out to the class. This wall also includes all of my kids senior photos and prom photos that they share with me- it is one of my favorite walls in the classroom, full of awesome memories.

I also love creating a poster board for each month in my classroom- the poster board shows photos of students and events we have participated in and things we have done in class. We hang them around the room, and at the end of the year we have an awesome timeline of our time together.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

I would like to be remembered as the teacher that created a life long relationships with their students. My goal is to create a relationship with my students, because once you do this, your students are willing to take risks educationally because they trust you. I love the fact that I keep up with many of my graduates, and love knowing what they are up to today. My passion for them helps create the perfect tone for my classroom, and I look forward to doing this every year. It takes a lot of time and effort, but I think it is totally worth it in the end!
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Sarah Krum Aug 14, 2019 2:23 PM
1) What are some ways that you celebrate students in your class, take in their ideas, and/or allow them to create their own legacy?

In the past, my celebration of students has been very individualized. I've never really done anything public, except writing competition results on the board and giving students a shout-out on the morning announcements, but that's only for my FFA students (of which there are currently less than 20...). I want to reach more of my students and let the broader school know how amazing they are and what they're up to. In my activity, I sketched out an idea for a Legacy Wall that includes a few different types of students, including my seniors who graduate. I'm also open to my students' discussion on who else should go on the Legacy Wall - I look forward to asking them at the end of the year or encouraging them to come to me with ideas throughout the year.

My school also has issues with absenteeism, so this past year in one of my worst classes attendance-wise, I challenged them to have perfect attendance two days in a row. When they did, I brought them all a treat. Then, I challenged them to four days and told them that if they could do it, I'd make them lunch. They - the class that hadn't had a single day of perfect attendance in months - accomplished it within two weeks, even calling each other and messaging on Snapchat to make sure their friends came to school. It was amazing to see! Maybe I'll have a perfect attendance section, too, to encourage them to be here and reward them when they are.

2) How would you like to be remembered? What is the legacy you are currently working on?

This one is pretty simple for me. I just want my students to know that I love them and believe in them. If they learn all their flowers perfectly and become the best florist in the world, great. But at the end of the day, my first goal isn't the curriculum - it's making sure my students know they can do anything they set their mind to and to not let someone else stand in their way.
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