Blogs It’s been another amazing year at Teaching Channel! As 2017 comes to a close, we’d like to take a little time to reflect on the work we’ve done together.
This year has been particularly special as we celebrated a very important milestone:
One Million Registered Tchers!
As you know, growth is at the core of Teaching Channel‘s mission. We believe in not only teacher professional growth and student growth, but also growth in what we do behind the scenes, so we can continue to help build this vibrant and engaging teacher community. This year the Tch team set out to find the great ideas you need, to touch all the content areas you love, to discuss the difficult and current topics that are on your mind, and to build and grow the kinds of resources you can find at Teaching Channel.
We continued to give a voice to important topics in education with our Tch Talks podcast; Tch Tips Strategies via our Tchers’ Voice blog, and we made a few additions to Teaching Channel‘s Deep Dives, our expertly curated collections of content, including:
- Tch Video Lounge
- Tch Talks
- Back to School Starter Pack
- #aNewKindofPD
- English Language Learners
- Educating for Democracy
We welcomed the Fab Five ELL Squad, continued “Getting Better Together” with our Tch Laureates, and engaged with you in many creative ways through Facebook and Twitter. And we brought you more of the videos you love!
Let’s take a look back at some of the highlights of the past 365 days…
A Wonderful Winter
January
- In January we kicked off the year with a strong focus on English Language Learners.
- A few Tch Tips helped you to reflect and set goals with your students in the new year.
February
- In February, we turned our attention to coaching and women leaders in education.
- We zeroed in on giving meaningful feedback and teaching students to think intensively and critically.
- The Tch Next Gen Science Squad focused on self-reflection via video.
- And we told you why we #LoveTeaching and let you in on a little bit of our teacher joy.
A Spectacular Spring
March
- March came in like a lion, as we saw the debut of Tchers’ Cut with Sarah Brown Wessling.
- We learned about argumentation in math and were excited to show you Tch Laureate Kristin Gray’s Tch DIY: Math Routines.
- We celebrated the re-launch of Tch Video Lounge 2.0.
- We had difficult conversations on race and whiteness and gave you a few ways to celebrate women’s history every day.
- And we asked you for your ideas to help new teachers — we’d still love to hear more!
April
- Engaging the community and petitions for change led the way in April.
- We started to prepare for that One More Zero!
- We took you behind the scenes at a Wisconsin elementary and middle school.
- Tch Laureate Tom Jenkins marched for science and we helped you think about how to combat fake news.
- And because stories are a powerful tool, we showed you how you can lead out loud as a teacher leader and storyteller.
May
- In May, we appreciated YOU with a little #TeacherLove.
- We fidgeted with physics and integrated scientific argumentation and modeling.
- Tch Laureate Crystal Morey and others reflected on a year of #TchWellness.
- And for ELLs, we saw the Five Essential Practices in a high school classroom, discovered eight ways to engage, and explored five great vocabulary strategies.
A Sensational Summer
June
- School’s out for summer in June, but we were already thinking about how to help you get better for the new school year.
- We gave you some tips for helping your students to really care about social studies.
- And we passed the mic so a few transgender students could help us understand what they wish their teachers knew.
July
July was an exciting month!
- We showed you how words matter for ELLs.
- We heard a student’s perspective on SEL in the classroom.
- We showed you one example of students engaged in civic action.
- And… The Tch community officially reached One Million Strong!
August
- We launched our Back to School Starter Pack in August and began a discussion around what NGSS looks like when we move from theory to practice.
- With the beginning of a new school year fast approaching, we offered you our best tips for encouraging positive classroom culture, planning engaging lessons, and teaching about the Great American Solar Eclipse.
- We responded to the tragic events in Charlottesville, Virginia with some resources to help you talk about race and teach with and for social justice.
- With heavy hearts, we looked for ways to help the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
A Fabulous Fall
September
- In September, we gave you strategies to bridge content and language.
- We learned that Banned Books Week is about more than the freedom to read.
- And just-in-time for Back to School, we set you up with some tips on classroom management, collaboration, and communicating with families.
October
- Tom Jenkins launched Tch DIY: Build & Tch in October.
- We saw what STEM in early learning can look like.
- We re-introduced you to Tch Teams as the new and improved Tch Plus!
- We looked for ways to address and prevent cyberbullying and talked about the role books can play for victims, bystanders, and the bullies themselves.
- And we offered tips for staying energized throughout the school year.
- With the California wildfires raging, we offered some ideas and resources for teaching in times of tragedy.
- To close the month, Tch Squadster Meg Richard offered some fun and creative ideas for teaching with STEAM around Halloween.
November
- In November, we helped you figure out what to do for your most challenging students.
- We gave you strategies to help you survive December.
- Tch Laureate Genevieve Debose Akinnagbe taught us what it means to be a “Scholar Activist.”
- We saw the power of collaboration for both students and teachers.
- We explored the human side of teacher teams and PLCs and learned about opportunities to engage across distance and difference.
- We gave you tips for supporting ELLs through co-teaching and collaboration.
- And Tch Squadster Kathy Renfrew even talked some turkey!
December
- To close out the year, in December we explored the KLEWS to real learning.
- We heard the power of student voice.
- We gave you some great ideas for teaching around the winter solstice.
- We asked you for your ideas on teacher retention — and we can’t wait to see them.
- And last, but certainly not least, we told you which videos and blog posts you loved the most this year.
It’s really amazing to take a look back and measure the year. When we see all that we’ve done together, it makes us so proud to be a part of the Tch Team and the Tch Community of educators. How do we measure a year? In pride and in love… #TchLove.
The Tch Team can hardly wait to show you the lineup of engaging, original content we have planned for 2018.
Here’s to another fantastic year — getting better together!
What were your favorite Tch moments of 2017? What did you try in your classroom? What would you like to see more of? What’s missing?
