Six Word Slice of Life: Visiting Teachers

(For this month’s Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers, I am aiming to do Six Word Slices most days, with some extended slices on other days.)

Context: Yesterday, two seventh English teachers from the middle school came down to visit our sixth grade classroom. They have been making the rounds to all five of our regional elementary schools, to peek at what kinds of writing and learning are going on. We were able to chat for about 30 minutes about a range of topics, including finding a shared sixth grade novel that could become a touchstone text for discussions when all sixth graders arrive together in seventh grade (but different from a summer reading book). It was a nice visit, very positive, and my students were just starting an Interactive Fiction project, so they were excited and energized and happy to talk with our visitors about what they were up to with writing. We don’t do enough of these kinds of visiting classrooms in our district, and almost never do we do seventh grade teachers coming into sixth grade classrooms (and vice versa). So, this was a welcome endeavor.

Six Word Slice of Life Visitors

Peace (visits us),
Kevin

15 Comments
  1. Nice use of words! I am looking for inspiration to write a poem today, and this format could work for me. I’m guessing it’s easier than it looks!

  2. It sounds like this was a positive experience. We have a “learning walk” from administrators today. I’m going to try to think about your slice.

    • Well, administrators coming in and teachers coming in are two very different experiences. (Although, our curriculum coordinator visited with the teachers I wrote about, but she was mostly in the background, supportive). Good luck.
      Kevin

  3. Visiting colleagues is often the best PD.Energy and excitement of learning certainly contributes to the positive experience. Hopefully the visits will continue.

  4. When I taught special ed, it was common practice for the middle school sped folks to attend the transition meeting for outgoing fifth graders. I remember thinking how beneficial this would be for all fifth grade students, not just the ones who receive special services. The fifth grade classes do take field trips to the middle school, but I’ve never seen middle school teachers roaming our elementary halls. Good idea to ponder!

    • We have transition meetings, too, where we in elementary school meet with middle school colleagues, and parents, together. It is helpful. This “roaming” was more powerful, in the general sense of what’s going on, as opposed to the very narrow “this student” conversations in transition meetings.

  5. I love your six word moments… being able to choose the ‘just right’ words must be a challenge, but yet gratifying at the same time! Definitely trying this!

  6. I love the idea of a common book, a reference point on which to connect concepts from sixth grade extended to seventh grade. This was helpful with my 5-8th grade students when we did the Global Read Aloud: all the students could connect with each other around the book, and it provided a reference point for many reading and writing lessons. It did help that I had a class set of books each time, so we could pull them out as needed. Great that your district is sharing like this. ~ Sheri

  7. That’s powerful for both the kids and the teachers! For the kids to see that their future teachers care about them and their learning, and for the teachers to be able to plan ahead about what they’ll need for next year. Great practice!

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