Top 5 Blog Posts of 2017

by Susan Hitt

As 2017 comes to a close, I thought I'd take a moment to highlight the top 5 Education Celebration blog posts from 2017. So without further ado, let's take a look at the top 5 posts of the year:

Four Reasons to Try Actively Learn

-by Hannan Moon, Laney HS
@MrsHanMoon

In my last blog post, I mentioned a college professor who always encouraged teachers to keep students engaged and learning outside of the 4 classroom walls. In an effort to keep the learning alive after class hours, I’ve been searching for programs and activities that are easily accessible to students, easily manipulated by me, and easily gradable. The latest program that I’m using is Actively Learn. This program meets all my criteria: easy for me, easy for students, and keeps the learning outside of class.

Leadership Roles: A Siren’s Song

-by Taylor Thomas, Ashley HS

Becoming a leader as a classroom teacher is a challenging road to navigate, one that requires finding balance in how you devote your time because, as we all know, our role in the classroom reigns supreme. Or, at least, it should. This is a realization I had to learn the hard way.

How Choosing One Thing on Which to Focus, Makes the Rest Fall into Place

by Susan Hitt

As educators, we are often our harshest critics. We hold ourselves up to the "Pinterest-teacher" standard where classrooms are perfectly decorated and there is never an item askew. But we all know learning is messy. Teaching is messy. From uncapped highlighters rolling around to a whiteboard covered in 30 different handwritings, we know evidence of learning is not "picture perfect." But that's okay. In fact, that's what we as educators embrace. We have to learn to pick and choose where we want our focus to lay, and I, for one, long ago gave up on the idea of perfection. 

Pineapple Tidbits: A little of this and a little of that for the classroom teacher!

-by Susan Hitt

Welcome to another installation of Pineapple Tidbits. If you're wondering about the quirky name of this series, check out the initial post which explains it in detail.

Let's dive into this week's tastiness from the web:

Building Teacher Advocates: An ECET2NC Reflection

-by Kylee Maarschalk, New Hanover HS

Ad·vo·cate noun 1. a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy

Teacher advocates are few and far between in today’s culture.  When the opportunity to tell someone my pride of working in education arises, I happily take it on without question; however, the responses that teachers receive from the public as we share our joy in the profession is one of “Oh, wow! How do you do that?!” or my favorite southern expression, “Bless your heart!” which the last time I checked, meant I was a little more than left of center on the crazy scale. All too often, the teaching profession is viewed as glorified babysitting, regardless of grade level taught.

Remember Your Why: A Dyslexic Teacher's Journey from a Student to a Teacher

Note: I spent an amazing weekend at the Elevating and Celebrating Teachers and Teaching conference in Charlotte, NC last weekend (ECET2NC). I was asked to give a Cultivating a Calling Speech, which I decided to also publish here (with a few edits) as this week’s blog post. -Susan Hitt

Let me begin introducing myself. I was a high school English teacher for 10 years and I am currently the Lead High School English Language Arts teacher in my school district. I am passionate about education. I am an avid reader & tweeter. I am a planner. And I am Dyslexic.

When I was first approached to give a Cultivating a Calling speech, my immediate reaction was while I was honored to be asked, I couldn't help but wonder what in the world I could share with a room full of educators. Plus, if I’m being honest, I was very intimidated by the idea of speaking in front of such a large group. But never one to shy away from a challenge, I accepted the challenge.

Let’s talk about that for a minute. Challenges. My life has been one challenge, after another. I think it’s important to recognize that everyone faces challenges. Some of the challenges we might be going through are easily seen by others, but other challenges may be deeply personal and hidden within.

Blended Learning: The Station Rotation Model

This post originally appeared on Aligned on September 6, 2017, by Susan Hitt.

Differentiation. It’s a commonly used term within education, but just because it’s a common term does not mean it’s easy to accomplish. Differentiation means altering instruction to meet the variety of needs students bring to the table during a class period. As teachers, we know we need to meet the needs of each of our students; however, when working with a classroom of 25 or more students, this is often a daunting task for even the most seasoned of educators.

Pineapple Tidbits: Episode 1: a little of this and a little of that

-by Susan Hitt

One of the reasons I started this blog was to foster collaboration among fellow teachers by providing them a platform to share their successes in the classroom. Another reason I wanted to start this blog is that there is So.Much.Good.Stuff out there in the land of the Internet! Every time I check Twitter or my email I'm inundated by the latest and greatest TedTalks, YouTube videos, educational newsletters & blog posts all filled with tips and tricks for the classroom.

Don't get me wrong, having so much information at my fingertips is amazing. I remember those old card catalog days, laboriously sifting through hundreds of cards with tiny print which then sent me on a scavenger hunt around the library. Thankfully, now, with just a few keystrokes and a wifi connection, I can access with ease whatever topic for which I'm currently seeking more information. 

The Power of Paideia Part II: Paideia in Practice

-by Alex Schaivone, New Hanover High School

Catch up with Part I of Alex's blog post here: (The Power of Paideia Part I: I'm a Believer)

After a month of anxiously waiting to dive into my first Paideia seminar, I struggled to find a text that would do the process justice while also appealing to my students. I perused the Paideia Institute’s website (which is a fabulous resource if you’re just starting Paideia seminars for the first time), scouring the lesson plan archives for just the right seminar for my students. As a teacher of seniors, I knew that this lesson had to be good. It was the beginning of their last year of high school and I was determined to start the year off on the right foot.

The Power of Paideia Part I: I’m a Believer

-by Alex Schaivone, New Hanover High School

As an AP English teacher and a notorious chatterbox, I like to talk. A lot. I love the exchange of words and ideas and thrive off of debate and civil discourse. I could talk for hours, and I have been guilty of dominating conversations on more than one occasion. Since I was old enough to speak, my mother has always said that I could talk the paint off a wall. To put it simply, my life revolves around words.

5 Google Classroom Tips to Help You Work Smarter

Delia is a High School English teacher at Hoggard High School. This post first appeared on her blog rELAtable.

When I first set up my Google Classroom, I wasn't sure how I would incorporate this new tech tool into my teaching repertoire. I am not a fan of using technology simply for the novelty of it, so I hesitated to use Google Classroom until I learned how it could help my students and me. Over the past school year, I was able to experiment with this blended learning platform, and I was always impressed by how it made my life easier and made learning more accessible for my students. Here are 5 things I learned:

Teaching: Beautifully Imperfect

-by Leslie Lucas, Hoggard HS

In the middle of July, it’s easy to imagine that we’ll be perfect teachers with perfect plans. Our students will be perfect students with perfect attitudes. They’ll have zest, grit, and growth mindsets.  And to top it off, we’ll  be able to make as many copies as we want. I call it July bliss. The July bliss before the August abyss. The calm before the storm.Literally.

Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals as an Educator

This post originally appeared on Aligned on August 11, 2017, by Susan Hitt

Every August, as the summer days wind down and the school year approaches, I find myself reflecting on the previous year as I make plans for the new school year. What went well that I’d like to maintain? Or, perhaps even more importantly, what would I like to improve upon?

Just being aware of the goals we want to achieve isn’t the same thing as making those goals happen, however. I’ve learned that the act of putting my goals down on paper for the new school year really helps me stay focused. But what’s the best way to do this? Year after year, I tried different goal-setting methods, but I found it always seemed to be like those New Years’ resolutions: Such a great idea in January, but long forgotten by February.

Pineapple Potluck: Your Invitation to the Table

-Susan Hitt

Last February when I first decided to create this blog, I spent much longer than I’d rather admit trying to come up with the perfect name. My favorite contender was Pineapple Potluck, but I found over and over I had to explain the name to people. I couldn’t have a blog with a name no one understood, so back to the drawing board I went and finally landed on Education Celebration. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the name Education Celebration because to me it symbolizes all that I want this blog to be--a place to celebrate all that you as educators are doing in your classrooms.

Summer Reading: For Fun! (last post until August)

-by Susan Hitt

With summer vacation just around the bend, I thought it would be the perfect time for us all to share some great summer reads! I created the Padlet below and would LOVE for you to add either a book or two you're planning on reading or a book or two that you've read and would recommend to others. Check back frequently to see what pieces have been added--whether it be a mystery, a memoir, a romance, a western, historical fiction, the skies the limit!  Plus, podcasts are a welcome addition, too, for anyone gearing up for long road trips! 

3 Key Takeaways from the Core Advocates National Convening

-by Susan Hitt

No one understands the life of a teacher better than another teacher. This knowledge helps form instant bonds between near strangers when opportunities to meet and discuss our profession arise--like at conferences. I had this opportunity just a few short weeks ago at the National Core Advocates convening in Denver, Colorado. It was an incredible weekend of learning and networking.

For me, after attending any educational conference, I return to work excited to share with anyone and everyone all the helpful tips, tricks, and tools I learned. It was hard to pick just three from my most recent conference, but I narrowed it down to the following as my favorite, most impactful sessions:

Musings from a First-Year Teacher

Today's post is written by Alex Schaivone, an English teacher at New Hanover High School. To learn more about Alex, check out the section entitled Educational Contributors.

During my internship, I was blessed with a wonderful partnership teacher who taught me more about teaching than I could possibly learn in any education class. In that year, I learned how to teach my content, but I also learned much more. In the first few months of my internship, my partnership teacher passed along a wonderful essay from the blog Cult of Pedagogy, “Find Your Marigold: The One Essential Rule for New Teachers.” This essay centers around the need for new teachers to find their marigolds, or those teachers who are “encouraging, supporting and nurturing growing teachers on their way to maturity.” It warns of walnut trees, those who may have become bitter or hardened over the course of their careers, and instead encourages young teachers to seek out those who provide support and positivity. The ideas presented in this essay have stayed with me through this year and have proven to be both true and incredibly valuable.

Padlet: A Must-Try Digital Tool for Your Classroom

Brenna Sheehan, Laney HS

Padlet is a digital canvas to create beautiful projects that are easy to share and collaborate. It acts like a virtual pinboard in which students can post video clips, photos, links, comments, etc. This awesome digital tool is not just for students to use! I’ve used it to create an introduction to The Kite Runner that serves as the base of a webquest (scroll down to see this Padlet). You can also create a group Padlet for several people to collaborate. This would work really well on a group project or simply serve as an inspirational pinboard for your class.

The Magic of Blended Learning: Part III (Implementation)

by Emily Perez, Laney HS

Check out Part I (overview) and Part II (Why it Works) of the Magic of Blended Learning blog posts. Now let's jump into part III, how to implement blended learning.

Listed below is my arsenal to be used to create those warm, fuzzy teacher moments, particularly when facilitating a blended learning lesson:

• Expectations. In the beginning of the year, I always make it a priority to explicitly tell my students what my expectations are for them as participants in whole class and small group activities. On blended learning days, I review those expectations with them again. That way, students are clear as to what is and is not considered acceptable behavior. To further drive my point, I project a PowerPoint slide of “Stations Do’s and Don’ts” and “Participation Norms.” Trust me, they get the message.

Listen Up: 3 Podcasts Every Teacher Can Learn From

-Delia Herman, Hoggard HS

If you're looking for motivation, inspiration, or innovation look no further than your cell phone's podcast app. Podcasts can offer teachers a fresh, positive outlook on their classroom in as little as 10 minutes. You can listen to podcasts on your commute to work, or while you take a walk to decompress after a long day. The podcasts below are for teachers of all grade levels and subjects.

The Magic of Blended Learning: Part II (Why it Works)

-Emily Perez, Laney HS

In my previous blog post, I reflected on my journey and ultimate acceptance of using blended learning in the secondary ELA classroom. While it is not necessary to use blended learning every day (by any means), it is a nice way to periodically break up the monotony of whole-class review, discussion, and introductions to a topic. Additionally, you might experience some of these “happy teacher moments” in the process:

EdCamp Beach: Your Chance to Attend an Unconference

-by Susan Hitt

Click on the image above to be directed to the EdCampBeach's informational page.

Edcamps are the hottest new trend in professional development.  But what exactly IS an Edcamp you may be wondering? 

The Magic of Blended Learning: Part I

-by Emily Perez, Laney HS

Earlier this year, I attended a professional development session on teacher leadership where the presenter asked us, “What is your why?” For most people (myself included), the answer was easy - the students. The kids, the young minds, the myriad of personalities that walk through our door each day, each hour. But I realized that my true “why” is more than just the students and their vivacious, complex personalities. My “why”, my “aha moment” (as my college professor used to say) is the moment I get to watch my students help each other, teach each other. Naturally, I am always looking for lessons that enforce my “why”, which is how I became a true advocate for blended learning stations in the secondary ELA classroom.  

Engaging Students to Think Outside the Classroom Walls with Flipgrid

-Hannah Moon, Laney High School

Becoming a 21st-century educator requires many of us to take a step back and evaluate ourselves, our teaching practices, and our students. For our students to be thoroughly engaged, we as educators must put ourselves in the desks of our students—how do they learn in today’s age of technology? What will keep all students engaged? How can we use the students’ knowledge of technology to our advantage?

Rescued: Why PLCs Prevent Educator Isolation

-Beth Swindell, Hoggard HS

For my college application essay (more years ago than I would like to admit), I was asked to write a response to a quote by John Donne. He writes, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main….” I would bet some of you have even used this for a journal response at one point or another. I’m pretty sure I have. For whatever reason, those words are what popped into my head when I sat down to write this post. And in that reminiscing, I realized that maybe I understood more about that quote as a teenager than I have in my adult life, and especially more than I have in my career up until recently.

Self-Paced PD? Yes, please!

-Susan Hitt

Looking for ways to bring innovative technology into the classroom, but don't know where to start?

Check out the district's Be Awesome Badges to earn CEUs while also implementing new and engaging technology in your classroom! There are over 30 options with more constantly being added.

Sharing Successes: What this Blog is About!

-Susan Hitt

High school English teachers have The.Best.Job.Ever! Where else can one host dramatic readings and reenactments, orchestrate seminars to foster discussions,  and bare witness to that lightbulb moment when a student realizes their favorite song embodies all that is poetry.