May 19, 2025 MS Influencer SUMI by

Melanie- Image Hooks

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 15:26:03 UTC

Image hooks can be used to open conversations about bias + stereotypes

-Kelsie McGrath

Melanie's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 15:26:20 UTC

I really liked the image hooks. As a 3rd year teacher, I'm starting to understand how important it is for students to interact with engaging, relatable visuals. This is especially true for ENL and SPED students. The images you chose made the text, along with the rest of the unit, more accessible.

- Rachel Kogan

The adversity against Turn and Talk

2025-05-19 15:31:21 UTC

It's one of the things that I thought kids do well, but I can see why it's not favorable.

-Marie Louis

Janice T.

2025-05-19 15:33:56 UTC

I like how she was open and vulnerable about her weaknesses and what she would like to work on within herself and with her department

Melanie's Presentation

2025-05-19 15:34:59 UTC

Really like the way you used the Frayer model to increase vocabulary instruction- vocab is also a part of instruction that I want to improve. -Jamie Demma

2025-05-19 15:36:35 UTC

I was surprised that you don’t love turn and talks but I totally understand the lack of control! I tend to benefit from them myself because I like the validation and hearing ideas from others which is why I try to incorporate them.

Melanie - Transferring Knowledge

2025-05-19 15:37:54 UTC

Melanie mentions transferring knowledge to to other contents. I noticed strategies that work in ELA also work in other classrooms, so I'm marinating on how I can create content buy-in and share these strategies across contents as well.

Book Clubs

2025-05-19 15:40:51 UTC

I would be open to having students engage in a book club where they are focused on text

-Marie Louis

Kelsie - Using focused annotation as pre-writing

2025-05-19 15:42:14 UTC

I really love the idea of students leaning into their own annotations to help support their writing. Often annotations serve as an opportunity for students to navigate their thinking but I like the idea of them going back to their annotations to continue to support themes within a unit, and their writing.

Kelsie's Presentation

2025-05-19 15:42:52 UTC

I enjoy the social issues book club task and how you incorporate focused annotations. -Jamie Demma

2025-05-19 15:43:28 UTC

It was helpful to see the connection between focused annotations and the three reads protocol. I think it would also be helpful for students to see this connection.

Kelsie's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 15:44:04 UTC

Your participation in the Socratic Seminar and your presentation influenced me. We're both 3rd year teachers, and I feel like we've had similar experiences. This profession is super overwhelming, and I think it's hard to pick and choose which problems to prioritize and what advice to take. Your presentation was great because it focused on a strategy that can be built up with bells and whistles or simplified into something very basic and straightforward. While you were taking, you made a point of highlighting this. Nice work!

- Rachel Kogan

Kelsie - focused annotationa

2025-05-19 15:44:48 UTC

Loved how you use the readings to make real-world connections to have students think about how a text can connnect to their lives

Group Annotations

2025-05-19 15:48:23 UTC

It is interesting to see how students can read, write, and talk about particular subtopics in a bigger topic. I would have loved to see it taken further by having the students engage in a jigsaw so that they can talk and teach each other, and maybe create a summarizing poster.

-Marie L

Kelsie

2025-05-19 15:48:28 UTC

I'm definitely going to marinate on how to incorporate club readings like this in my class. HMH focuses on short reads and my students are missing the richness of longer reads and making rich real-world connections.

Jamie's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 15:52:42 UTC

I'm starting to understand how important literacy routines actually are. We can't use them sporadically. The bookmarks are a great way for a newer teacher to establish and maintain some basic routines for younger students. Great job!

- Rachel Kogan

Jamie - Bookmarks

2025-05-19 15:53:35 UTC

Loved how you used the bookmarks with different kinds of texts/tasks!

Bookmarks!

2025-05-19 15:55:03 UTC

I agree that it's important to frame students thinking like this as they read. I'm influenced to use this bookmark across all aspects of their ELA class (independent, short texts, novels, etc.) It could also be helpful to have one for a non fiction text that could be incorporated in social studies.

Jamie

2025-05-19 15:55:39 UTC

I am learning that all of these strategies can be adapted to my kids needs and not only use them in the forms in which they were presented to us by NV. I love that you made them very concrete (Who are the characters? What are they doing? Why is this important?). "Making [the strategy] accessible" for your students on their terms. I need to become more comfortable doing this more often for my kids.

Think Alouds

2025-05-19 15:56:25 UTC

I do not do a lot of think-alouds, mostly because students seem not to focus or engage in it with any value. Also, if the kid isn't doing something with the activity, then they would not focus much. But I think I want to give it another go. Adding more focus.

-Marie Louis

Jamie- Metacog Bookmarks

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 15:57:09 UTC

I think it's so important to "unpack" the routine and discuss why we use a routine/strategy. I loved how you had a discussion with students about why do certain things, I think it helps underline the importance for students. I think a lot of time students always want a "why" and don't always get it. For me I feel like this practice of unpacking + sharing that why also helps us successfully implement the routine/strategy. I think it will also help me consider what elements to keep, adapt or abandon. Thank you!

-Kelsie McGrath

Bookmarks

2025-05-19 15:58:39 UTC

Bookmarks - I love this idea and will be incorporating this for next year. ~Jane

Giving Student a Bookmark that helps with Annotations

2025-05-19 16:02:37 UTC

I want to use this next year!

-Marie Louis

Rachel- 3 Reads

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 16:03:19 UTC

I'm marinating on the way you presented the three reads in the framework of I do, you do, we do. This makes so much sense and I feel like makes this makes the structure of this protocol feel so much more accessible. I realize how teacher modeling and then peer support can really support the independent work. The way you presented this protocol is DEFF going to be added to my class routine :)

Rachel - 3 Reads

2025-05-19 16:03:21 UTC

Loved the modified versions of the three reads you provided for your SPED/ENL students - it looks like it could work for all students as well!

Rachel's Presentation

2025-05-19 16:05:01 UTC

I really liked the routines and structures you created for 3-reads protocol. Made it accessible to all learners. - Jamie

Rachel

2025-05-19 16:05:05 UTC

I really liked how you broke down how this worked for your specific populations (ELL, SWD, etc.). I think too often there isn't enough thought about how any strategy will be received by and should be implemented with each unique population.

Three Reads

2025-05-19 16:05:49 UTC

Your differentiation seems really intentional. I think it's so helpful to accomodate for this task because it can be challenging to tackle without that support.

Surprises - Harmony

holaerts1 — 2025-05-19 16:47:26 UTC

Melanie - Loved the use of local stories

Kelsie - Like the cross over with 3 Reads, found the mixed student reactions to pop corn reading surprising

Jamie - Like the simplicity of design

Rachel - Another great modification for simplicity

Marie - Was surprised by the idea of reading out loud for stamina

Jane - Liked the focus on introducing strategies to other staff members in other departments

Kayla - Foundational words and roots so important!

Michelle - Surprised that the redactions were too much, but loved the pivot

Bridget - Nice evolution of practice

Understandings - Harmony

holaerts1 — 2025-05-19 16:51:34 UTC

Melanie - The importance of diving into your fears

Kelsie - Liked the use of focused questions.

Jamie - Clear choices for what to include on bookmark

Rachel - Clear walking through of each step with students

Marie - Didn't think about the practice of writing what someone else says. Like that

Jane - I like the redefining of ideas. Wondering if the notes were better due to tech.

Kayla - The use in specific contexts was great

Michelle - Recurring themes throughout the year were great

Bridget - Appreciated the iterations

Marinating - Harmony

holaerts1 — 2025-05-19 16:55:50 UTC

Melanie - Also wondering how to get admin and other teachers (in both the dept. and in others) to engage in the practice

Kelsie - What area's of the author's craft are important? How do you chose which to focus on?

Jamie - How much modeling is needed in each step?

Rachel - Did this present as more difficult because the steps needed more scaffolding?

Not giving up when it doesn't work

2025-05-19 17:00:51 UTC

I like that you found strategies that you like and kept on practicing on making more routine.

-Marie Louis

Influence - Harmony

holaerts1 — 2025-05-19 17:02:25 UTC

Melanie - I want to make space for students to illustrate their work. Good examples of image hooks.

Kelsie - I want to play with more cross over strategies.

Jamie - I loved to see students taking ownership of the routine of the bookmarks

Rachel - Like the use of MC as a modification for writing prompts.

Marie

2025-05-19 17:07:10 UTC

I love that you brought in the physical copies of student work. It makes the work more personal to see in their handwriting.

Marie

2025-05-19 17:08:48 UTC

Image Hook - Loved the idea of making the kids write about a connection/theme they saw in the 3 images. I haven't thought to do that and now I'll definitely be on the lookout for opportunities to do so.

Image Hook for Do Now

2025-05-19 17:09:33 UTC

I thought your image hook was engaging which is so important to start off a lesson. Also your unit topic is so relevant and purposeful for students.

Marie

2025-05-19 17:10:10 UTC

Loved your reflecltion piece - Good/Bad/Ugly/Beautiful - This influencer work is meant to be reflective throughout and you showcased that here.

Marie - Image Hooks + Student Work

2025-05-19 17:10:14 UTC

Loved the graphic organizer attached to the image hooks!

Marie's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 17:11:01 UTC

Great presentation! I loved the texts you chose. I also loved how you gave your students an opportunity to think independently. I often fall into the trap of asking questions and expecting only one or two types of answers. That doesn't really give the students room to think independently or contribute alternative perspectives. I'm definitely going to try that in the future.

- Rachel Kogan

Marie

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 17:11:30 UTC

You have a great amount of student work across so many levels its so great to see + really helps me understand the strategy. Great job!

-Kelsie McGrath

Marie's Presentation

2025-05-19 17:11:45 UTC

Really enjoyed looking through the student work. Really good scaffolded graphic organizer where students produced high level thinking. -Jamie

Vocabulary

2025-05-19 17:17:43 UTC

I never thought to explicitly teach how to use the vocabulary definitions at the bottom of the text. Even just adding the dotted line to connect the word to the given definition was helpful!

Jane- Focus of NV Influencers

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 17:17:54 UTC

I love how you chose to break down the routines and their purposes in your presentation. You did a great job of detailing the four entry points and providing examples. I think this would be a great resource to use when turn-keying out influencer work to our schools, especially since you made connections to other content areas

-Kelsie McGrath

Jane - What it looks like in other content

2025-05-19 17:18:42 UTC

Love that you were able to turnkey and speak to how this could look in different contents!

Jane's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 17:20:09 UTC

I really liked how you looped in other content areas. This is such a challenge! Your Literacy Strategies spreadsheet rocked! It's awesome, and I'll definitely review it for ideas.

- Rachel Kogan

Working with other Disciplines

2025-05-19 17:20:22 UTC

I like the idea of working with other disciplines and demonstrating how these activities look in other classes, which gives students time to practice using these techniques with other subjects.

Jane

2025-05-19 17:21:10 UTC

"Jail the detail" is a great way to think about boxing relevant details. I will definitely use this phrase with my 7th graders.

Jane's Presentation

2025-05-19 17:21:16 UTC

I really liked how closely you and your high school influencer worked closely together and created a presentation to turn key it to staff for vertical alignment. -Jamie

Vocabulary Tree

2025-05-19 17:27:08 UTC

I agree that the visual for the original vocabulary tree was confusing. It was helpful to see how you reworked it for more clarity.

Harmony- Adapting Strategies

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 17:27:34 UTC

I was surprised (in a good way) about your choice to explain how you adapted certain strategies. As a newish teacher these strategies can be overwhelming, its so important to see different variations of the tools that were given! I think this will help us all better understand a strategy and influence us to rework/reimagine the strategies to work for us, our kids and our curriculum

-Kelsie McGrath

Reflection for Adjustment

2025-05-19 17:27:43 UTC

Love the idea that you gave yourself the opportunity to reflect before adjusting the materials, giving yourself a goal for the adjustment and based on reasoning.

Harmony

2025-05-19 17:29:27 UTC

What do I like about the strategy?
What problems did I encounter when trying to use the strategy?
What are my learning goals for this strategy?
simplified descriptions; delineated spaces for vocab tree

These are great questions for reflection. It's easy to get stuck when a strategy doesn't immediately work for you. I'll keep these in mind.

Making it your own

2025-05-19 17:29:38 UTC

I like the process you went through as you were making each protocol your own. You made them fit your students and your needs. Also, I need to figure out how to print on large paper.

-Marie Louis

Harmony's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 17:30:50 UTC

I really like the question, "What do I like about this strategy?" It's a great question to ask. If we're not invested, how can we expect our students to invest? Your presentation reaffirmed the idea that it's OK to make adjustments to these routines in order to meet the needs of ourselves and our students. Your changes to the vocabulary tree made a lot of sense, and it's clear you put a lot of thought into it.

OMG - your giant Three Reading worksheet. I'm in love. I'm definitely stealing that idea!

- Rachel Kogan

Harmony

2025-05-19 17:31:06 UTC

Absolutely loved the larger paper for 3-reads! Something so simple can transform a strategy/routine for the better. -Jamie

Harmony

2025-05-19 17:31:25 UTC

I've also thought that the Three Reads sheets were also too small. Love that you adapted it to capture all of what the kids were thinking/doing during the activity.

Adapting Materials - Harmony

2025-05-19 17:32:52 UTC

I really like how you created the materials to fit your needs. I love how you increased the 3 read graphic organizer size using 11 x 17 paper. ~Jane

Vocabulary Trees

2025-05-19 17:40:10 UTC

I think it's great that you used vocabulary trees for science as well! I will share this with teachers of other subjects to implement.

Kayla- Vocabulary Trees

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 17:42:51 UTC

I LOVE the concept of the vocabulary game that students made. My school is big on Game Based Learning so I think that would be a great idea to incorporate. I also love the revision of the vocab tree where students generate and answer questions about the word/concept

-Kelsie McGrath

Kayla's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 17:43:03 UTC

You made something complicated and overwhelming into something simple and meaningful. I want to be in your class!

- Rachel Kogan

Kayla

2025-05-19 17:43:31 UTC

I loved how you broke down how you used vocabulary trees and made them work in middle school vocabulary instruction. -Jamie

Extending a Protocol

2025-05-19 17:47:38 UTC

I like how you brought it around for yourself and your students. It makes me think about ways that I can use a protocol to get students to think about their own thinking and their growth. It would be interesting to see how students reflect on their own thoughts.

Michelle

2025-05-19 17:48:46 UTC

"Keep the text difficult, but find the point of entry." - This is a great mindset to keep a teacher from watering down a text or lowering expectations.

Michelle's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 17:50:51 UTC

I totally forgot about redactions! I really like them too. I'm definitely going to use them next year. They're a great way to prime the students and teach/reinforce Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary.

I really like your efforts to connect with your students and meet them where they're at. You know how to take the temperature of your class and make the appropriate adjustments.

Slayyy!

- Rachel Kogan

Michelle

2025-05-19 17:52:15 UTC

I really liked how you taught vocabulary through foldables and had the students include text features like graphs to help define and understand key terms. -Jamie

Pamphlet - Michelle

2025-05-19 17:53:38 UTC

I loved the pamphlet idea! I initially thought about how the vocabulary tree can help with refugee, but I love extending that to a pamphlet and have students inform others while they're building their knowledge too!

Refugee Vocabulary

2025-05-19 17:53:39 UTC

I think it's so helpful to see how to be flexible. It doesn't always work the first time but your presentation showed how it is all possible through alteration/differentiation.

Love the Student Slides

2025-05-19 17:55:30 UTC

I like that you gave students the option to do slide work because it leans into students' understanding of the term in a more well-rounded form.

Michelle- Vocab Strategies

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 17:56:54 UTC

I feel inspired by your ability to rework + adapt you lessons. You make an effort to meet your students where they are! You also mentioned how previously these strategies didn't exist in they way you're using them now. Its hard work to be in a field where we constantly need to change and adapt so I appreciate your willingness and time you put in to rework + reimagine!

-Kelsie McGrath

Time Stamps - Bridget

2025-05-19 18:04:47 UTC

I'm not entirely a fan of three reads yet, but I do love the time stamps implementation. It is correct that you want to give them time but you also want to move them along so great to keep this in mind.

Bridget's Presentation

rkogan18 — 2025-05-19 18:07:40 UTC

I enjoyed your presentation! I liked how mindful you were of your students' needs. You're right, the strategy can be super overwhelming. I think your text choice was great. This presentation helped me make further meaning of this routine.

- Rachel Kogan

Bridget

2025-05-19 18:08:00 UTC

I enjoyed listening to how you implemented a 3-read protocol. The time stamp is a great idea! -Jamie

Bridget- 3 Reads

kmcgrath9_1 — 2025-05-19 18:08:15 UTC

I will look into the poem you chose for the 3 reads! You make a point to explain that the 3 reads can be repetitive and annoying to students so to make it fun. I agree! I think picking a text like you did, make it more interesting. I also like that the poem makes a connection to the character that students talked about

-Kelsie McGrath