Zach Diamond 0:02 Music. Welcome to the modern classrooms project podcast each week, we bring you discussions with educators on how they use blended, self paced and mastery based learning to better serve their students. We believe teachers learn best from each other, so this is our way of lifting up the voices of leaders and innovators in our community. This is the modern classrooms project podcast. Toni Rose Deanon 0:25 Hello and welcome to episode 209. Of the modern classrooms project podcast. My name is Toni Rose Deanon, they them pronouns a designated hype person here at MCP, and I am joined by a veteran. I could call you a veteran teacher, right, Evette, because you've been teaching for 23 years in Baltimore City and teaching pre K through third grade at that y'all. So I am so excited to be in the space with Evette. Welcome Evette. Evette Reid 0:53 Thank you. I'm happy to be here. Toni Rose Deanon 0:55 It's so exciting to be in this space with you. You've been so engaged in our Facebook group, and I know that we've had you do a webinar before, and so this is just another platform again, to amplify your experiences and your your expertise. So thank you so much for saying yes to the podcast. But before we get started, my favorite question, what is bringing you joy currently? Evette Reid 1:16 Oh, um, I'm just happy to be alive and doing something that I love so much, which is teaching Toni Rose Deanon 1:22 that's always so exciting. And I mean, you've been there for 23 years, so it makes sense. Solid. All right, Evette, well, tell us more about who you are and how you started your MCP journey. Evette Reid 1:35 Okay. My name is Evette Reid, and I am an educator in Baltimore City Public Schools. I now teach at a public charter school called the Midtown Academy. It's the longest, longest and the oldest charter school in Baltimore City. Think it's just over 26 years old, I believe. And what brings me to MCP? Well, it's similar to the structure does the way I already teach. So I said, Well, let me jump into this and add a little bit to what I'm already doing, get the kids a bit more involved and engaged. And it's working. The kids love it. Toni Rose Deanon 2:13 That's so great to hear. Was this something that you heard from your district? Or did you do your own, your own search? Evette Reid 2:21 Well, I actually within the Baltimore City cohort for MCP Toni Rose Deanon 2:25 got it okay, and did you just, like, randomly get an email from us? Or how did you come across it? Because I'm always so curious. Evette Reid 2:32 I think, I think something might have come through our emails, or maybe something came across on Facebook. Toni Rose Deanon 2:39 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I know that we've been getting a lot of like members joining our Facebook group just because of like Facebook ads. I think they're just like, Oh, I just did a search and I found it on Facebook. So that's really, really awesome. And so, you know, I told the listeners that you teach pre K through third grade when you started implementing the model, did you just dive straight into doing blended, self paced and mastery based learning? Or how did you introduce this concept to your young your little ones? Because they're little learners. Evette Reid 3:05 Yeah, they are. But I currently teach second grade. My certification, bands, bands, pre K to third but I've done this model with grades 111, and two. So it's pretty interesting, because we always start as a whole class and just going over the same thing over and over again, trying to get them into the structures of MCP and earth. It's slightly different, because I do have younger learners, so it's a lot of hand holding at the beginning. We actually do the whole first part of the lesson together. And then the kids go back, and they review that part of the lesson with their notes, because we take notes and we talk about it along the way, work problems out. And then they go into the last two components of their lesson, which will be little bit more practice, and then their digital exit tickets. Toni Rose Deanon 4:02 Okay. And so when you say that you started with a lot of hand holding. Would like, how long did that take? Is it when you implemented with your first graders or your second graders? Was that like, months, weeks? Like, what are we what are we looking at when you say, like, I'm hand holding, we had to do the first lesson together. But when did it seem like the students felt like they could do it themselves? Evette Reid 4:25 Well, most of them can do it after at least the first month. It sounds a little long, but they are small and they're they're learning how to pause videos and take notes and knowing what they need to write down. So they do pretty good, and once they get it, they get it. Toni Rose Deanon 4:41 Oh, that's so cool. What, um, what LMS. Are you using Evette? Evette Reid 4:45 We use Google Classroom, but we also, we also use Zearn because it matches our math, so that makes it a little easier. Evette Reid 4:53 Got it, got it. Got it. And so when you were you in first grade or. Second grade, when you first started implementing the model Evette Reid 5:03 first grade, actually, Toni Rose Deanon 5:04 you were in first grade, okay? And then when you did, you start the school year with the model? Or was it more like in the middle of the school year? Evette Reid 5:13 For the first grader, the middle of the school year, because they're so little and trying to figure out really how to use the computer and how to really write and follow along. But it doesn't take them too long once they, once they practice it. Toni Rose Deanon 5:27 And that was that was okay for you, like doing it in the middle of the school year? Evette Reid 5:32 Yes, it works good for them, especially as they, as you begin to see their skills. And they kind of, you have that line, that dividing line, that takes some way up, and some that still need a little bit more help. So the kids really like it, because they can just keep going. They don't have to wait for me. Toni Rose Deanon 5:48 Oh, I love that. I love that. Okay, so I, I am lacking skills when it comes to elementary school, because I don't, I did not teach elementary school. So in first grade, they're learning how to read, or they already know their letters they read already. That's That's right, yeah. Or no, Evette Reid 6:06 some some read already, but most are still learning. Toni Rose Deanon 6:10 Okay, okay, so they know their letters. We hope that they do for the most part, okay, because I know that sometimes are questions or like educators ask, Hey, you have the computer because computer skills, that's a whole set of skills, right? And there's letters and numbers for littles to get to know and be able to click on when they're signing in. Are there ways that you have made that whole process a little bit smoother for your young kids, when you first start implementing in first grade, Evette Reid 6:46 just a lot of practice. They might have a paper and keyboard and their information and just practice it, and then that, I'll let them practice it first, and then if they don't get it after a couple of I put it in for them, because they need to get started. Some get it faster than others. Toni Rose Deanon 7:03 Yeah, I love this concept of a paper keyboard. I would have never thought, but that makes a lot of sense. That makes a lot of sense. Okay, so question, then, let's talk about engagement, right? Because you're thinking you're working with first graders and second graders as well. How do you think that student engagement? How has that changed since implementing the model? Evette Reid 7:23 Well, the students, they love the digital type lessons, and then when I make some of the videos, they really like seeing me on the screen. I mean, that makes me even bigger of us of a celebrity. So they do, they follow along, they listen, they work. They really enjoy it. Toni Rose Deanon 7:42 I really love this concept of celebrity status, right? Like, our students are so funny, because even in middle school, if I had like, a video, they'd be like, Oh, Ms. D, you're on, you're on the video. You know, I'm like, bruh, I made this. But thank you. You're right. I am a celebrity. And so your students, really, they know how to I guess I'm asking like, because sometimes you know, our students know how to use devices, but they don't know how to use it for academics, right? Did you have to, kind of, did you have to train your littles on how to use the instructional video? Because I know that you said that for lesson one. You did it together, right? So that students can kind of see how the flow is supposed to go. But were there any other strategies or any techniques that have been particularly effective in keeping the students, like motivated and involved in this learning process? Evette Reid 8:33 Lot of modeling. That's why I spent so much time at the beginning. And then they'll watch me do it. They'll watch me pause the video. We'll talk about, okay, what's important? What do we write down in their writing? So, lot of modeling, Toni Rose Deanon 8:49 okay, so really, a lot of patience. Evette Reid 8:53 That too, that too. Toni Rose Deanon 8:56 Because I know sometimes, as educators, we tend to just be like, Hey, I already did this, like, twice, and sometimes we have to do it 15,000 times before students actually get it. And that is okay. That is okay, hopefully 15,000 times. Evette Reid 9:11 The cool thing, though, is that they'll jump in and help each other, especially if they have it. And they're like, Okay, so uncle is still struggling with it. Let me go show them. This is what you do. You click right here, you press the pause, you write down your notes. And the fact that they can work together really helps. Toni Rose Deanon 9:26 I love that again, bringing back, bringing into collaboration. And just, I want to say accountability too, right? Like they don't have to go to you, per se, for any questions or help. They can. They can go to their peers. And this is again, something that I've heard time and time again from educators who is implementing the model is that there's just a lot more collaboration happening. Okay, so let's talk about, like, technology in the classroom. How do you utilize technology? What kind of technology do you have in the classroom? And like, what kind of access do students have? And then also, like, what kind of training did you have to do? For your elementary school babies, because I know we talked about the paper keyboard, we talked about lots of modeling, lots of patience. Is there anything? And you said it took maybe, like, a month, which I think is amazing that it was only a month. So yeah, how do you use technology in the classroom? And then, what kind of training did you have to keep in mind, especially if it's someone who's never who's a first grade teacher, second grade teacher never implemented the model, like, what are some things that you would like to tell them? Evette Reid 10:25 Well, as far as technology in the classroom. In our classroom, we have a smart line board, big smart board on the front, and they really enjoy interacting with that, so we use that a lot, which helps them learn how to use their personal computers. We have one to one devices. They have Chromebooks. So it's lots of practice with like logging in and QR codes and learning how to type in their email addresses and passwords, learn how to use the cap block even needed, or hold the shift key down to make the you know, they act for the email and different things like that. So yeah, Toni Rose Deanon 11:04 so at your school, Evette, do they? They have kindergarten, right? So do kindergarteners also have the same access to technology? Evette Reid 11:12 Yep, they have one to one devices. They have Chromebooks as well. Okay, Evette Reid 11:17 beautiful. So this is nothing new then, like they've had some kind of practice in kindergarten. So when they come to you for first grade or second grade, they already kind of have, like, it's familiar to them, yes, okay, beautiful. That's amazing. And I was also thinking about the QR codes, right? Like, for us, it's so easy be like, Oh, it's the QR code. You know what to do with it. But I think with littles, you have to really again, like you said, model how to utilize QR codes. So in this case, do they just turn their Chromebooks around to take a picture of it and then it pops up? Is that how that works? Evette Reid 11:50 They, um, it's a front facing camera, um, before the for all our Chromebooks. So just hold it up like this, you know, hold up in front and it just takes a picture of it. Like the Chromebooks for K and one they, um, all they have is the QR codes, like some of my computers in grade two make them type in their own email address. Oh, my gosh. So that's, that's where I have a few kids who are learning to type it in, because there's that open automatically with the QR code. And I'm like, Oh, I'm sorry, we got to practice. Toni Rose Deanon 12:20 Oh, yeah, I forget about that too. Just like, no, like, QR codes are really great when they work, and then when they don't, it's like, oh, here's again, patience being tested. Okay, these are all good to know as well. Just like when we put something in front of students, we really want to model it. We really want to go over, like, what our students need to do to be able to access whatever it is that we're giving them. And so when we're thinking about access, right, what are different ways that you have differentiated for your students using this model? Evette Reid 12:52 Well, I like it, because no first we do the first part of the lesson, then they go off and they do what they do, and they do it really well. And for the kids who need a little bit extra, that allows me to pull that small group while the rest are working. And then I also use GoGuardian so I can watch them, I can see what they're doing, and I can offer help with them from across the room. I can plant myself in one spot and work with my group. My principal was really amazed by that. When she came into my room and she told me in one spot, and everyone all around doing what they do, and how I was addressing different things from my one spot, because I could see what they were doing. Toni Rose Deanon 13:30 Oh, I love that. Yeah, I'm a huge fan of GoGuardian. I used it in the classroom as well, and just amazing with all the things that you can see. And then, especially when I was absent as well, I could just log in to go Guardian when I'm at a conference or something. I can just pop in and see what students are doing and then message them and be like, Oh my god, Ms D, it's you. So that's really cool that you have that program at your school as well. And so when we think about how, okay, I guess my question too, we can add on to that, is that when we think about your videos? Do you create your own videos? Evette Reid 14:03 I have created some, but because we use Zearn a lot of it already on Okay, a lot of on there. So we follow along. So they're not just getting on there and just watching it by themselves. We're both. We're all interacting with the teacher on that screen, and I actually write directly on my Smartline board, right on the screens when we take notes, so the kids are able to follow. But periodically, you know, I'll make a video if maybe they needed, like a reteaching, and I didn't want them to watch the same one over. I would make a video, and they would watch that one. Toni Rose Deanon 14:44 So is that a question for Zearn? Is that a curriculum that you use for math? Evette Reid 14:49 Yes, it actually paired with Eureka math. Toni Rose Deanon 14:53 So you kind of have to figure out how to make how to make that with like, well, the blended part is already given to you, which I think is really great. So. That's less work on you, right? So then, how do you determine how to make it like self pacing or mastery base? Because I know that there are folks who have to work with curriculums, right? And so they're trying to figure out, how can I MCP fight this curriculum? How did you figure that out for yourself with the balance, not even a balance, but just like making sure that the curriculum or that MCP is aligned with the curriculum, if that makes sense, Evette Reid 15:26 well, it actually works perfectly with anyone who may use engage and why or you can math, they could use zern as well, because it lines up pretty well, and that blended learning piece is already into it. And then, you know, when we have our math small groups, that's a math small group right there, but they're working, you know, they may be working with a partner, or maybe a smaller group, working by themselves while the while have my teacher group at the front, you know, going back through certain parts of the lesson on the bigger screen. Toni Rose Deanon 15:58 How do you determine who gets to work with a teacher for that small group. Does zern Do all of that for you? Evette Reid 16:04 Sometimes, but it depends on where we are in the lesson. So if I'm going over the first part of the lesson and I have students who they just don't answer the questions, or they're just not following as well, then I pick those kids out. Now, if we've gone through the whole lesson. They've done their part there. They've done their lesson on their own. I can look on for a an alert, and I'll get alerts of how many, how many times a student may have struggled. Then when I see that, then that also alert me to pull, pull a student for a small group. But that also shows you on the digital exit ticket as well, you can see and it tells you, at 333 you know, so and so struggle at 334 so and so struggle so you it's very detailed. It will show you. And when I see that those students do not get the paper exit ticket. They, they're the ones who come back for like, a reteaching of a lesson, or maybe work with a partner to get a review of the lesson, because sometimes the kids explain it better than we do, and they, they break it down, they whip those notes out, and they walk the student through their notes and make sure that the students know their partner's notes match. And oh, they do it. Toni Rose Deanon 17:21 Oh, I love that. I really love that. Because I'm still trying to wrap my brain around math curriculum and how you could make it self pacing. But you know, a lot of the times it is digitized, there are courses created already where students can work on their own pace. So I heard you say that there's a digitized exit ticket where it tells you, like, hey, at this time, at this minute, folks are struggling, and then you say, like, if they continue to struggle, they don't get that paper exit ticket. Are those two things different? Evette Reid 17:49 Um, they're both exit tickets, just one is digital and one is not. And they are slightly different, because they're slightly different from Eureka math. But the skills are, the skills pretty much line up. But the problems are different on both Exit Tickets Toni Rose Deanon 18:05 got it so you then provide an option for students to either do digital or paper. Or how does, how do you determine who gets what? Evette Reid 18:13 Well, they all start with the digital and when it, when they when I get those alerts, and I'm like, No, then I come back with them and we work some more, or they work with their partner to get a little bit more support, and then they get to try again on the paper one Toni Rose Deanon 18:28 got it so the paper version is more like the revising part of it. Evette Reid 18:34 Yes, Toni Rose Deanon 18:35 okay, so they didn't get it right on the digitized version, then they had the opportunity to do it on paper, Evette Reid 18:41 right. Because if they did a good job on the digital one, they don't need the paper one. Because they're good, they can move on to the next thing, because they have activities that they do after that as well, on our little menu that's always on the screen so they can see what's next. Toni Rose Deanon 18:55 Okay. And that was what I was gonna ask too. Like, what does this menu look like? If you can, like, walk me through it as if I've never been in a classroom before. What does the menu look like? Because I feel like there's a lot of options for students, right of what to do? Evette Reid 19:07 Yes, ours is very basic lessons more so it just outlines the part of our lesson, like the teacher lesson, and then their review lesson that they do, their exit ticket, our debriefing, and then the only other side of that they have their may do. So the must do is like the teacher lesson and their Zearn lesson that they go through, and then they have the may do, which would be maybe additional math fact, practice on something different, on a different platform, maybe a hands on masking. And then they also have their their ones that they can do if they finish all the others and there's time left over, they get to choose. Toni Rose Deanon 19:53 Okay, okay, that's good. We love we love choice, and I love to hear you say less is more, because I completely. Agree we don't need to inundate our students with a lot of stuff, and I know as educators, we also hate being inundated with a lot of stuff, so I love that practice. Okay, so, so I'm guessing, all right, so I'm just trying to wrap my head around this event. When we're thinking about using Zearn, we have the blended piece there. We have the self pacing as well, because you have your menu, and students can pick and choose, or at least have like those lesson classifications of must do, may do, and then like the aspire to do, it sounds like. And so the assessment practices are already chosen for you by your curriculum, right? Evette Reid 20:37 That's correct. But if you know, I can do other things, like if they really needed more scaffolding with certain things, and I'll create a different one. You know, if I need to, I'll create a different one for them. Toni Rose Deanon 20:51 Okay, so you still have the autonomy to create stuff for students, but it really is useful to have this curriculum for you already. Evette Reid 20:58 Yes, Toni Rose Deanon 20:59 okay, that's good to hear because, yeah, that's good to hear about a curriculum. Because I know sometimes it's a little bit there's, like, tension with curriculums, right? Of like, oh, I have to do this at this certain time, and I don't have the time or the ability to, like, make all of these things happen. So that's really great that you've just embraced this curriculum, and then you're making it more MCP ish, Evette Reid 21:19 being in a charter school also helps as a while, because there is a little bit of flexibility with that. We use the same curriculum as their traditional schools in Baltimore City Public Schools, but we're able to do a little bit more with it. Toni Rose Deanon 21:32 Oh, I love that. Okay, so there's definitely that autonomy and the creativity side of it all. Okay? And then I'm seeing now with your assessment practices, right? They get the digital version first, and then they get the paper copy. But before they get the paper copy, they can work with another peer. They can work with you. There's, like, different steps before they can, like, truly move on to the next thing, right? So, and you have this menu, do you have? Do you happen to have a Progress Tracker for students? Evette Reid 21:57 They with that, with that menu there, they pretty much they're following along with, you know, okay, I did this one, did this one, did this one. So it kind of, it kind of goes for both things the way that it's kind of set up. Toni Rose Deanon 22:09 So you would say, like, that was the menu, right? The menu would be, like, kind of, like, their checklist to see, like, where they are, is that? Is that? What I'm hearing you say, is that, yeah, like, Evette Reid 22:17 here's all the things that we have to do that, you know, these are the things that I've done. This is where I am now. So they're pretty good. Toni Rose Deanon 22:23 Okay, okay, oh, that's so beautiful. That's so beautiful. And then how do students know that they've mastered a concept? Is it like the digitized version, just grades it automatically, or do you take a look at it and then tell them, Oh, you've mastered you can move on. How does that how does that look? What does the flow look like? Evette Reid 22:42 They actually pretty much know, because if they, if they struggle with it and give them a reteach, and that part of the regular part of the extra ticket is purple, so as they're going through Purple, purple, purple, say, they go to get this one wrong, then you got a yellow screen, like it's a yellow bar across the screen, and it's like, read. It's like giving. It's tutoring them pretty much. It's walking them back through the skill. And then it'll say, Okay, now we did it. Now you try on your own. So to give them another one to try on their own before it pushes them forward. Toni Rose Deanon 23:14 Got it. Okay, so it's color coded, so they they're pretty aware of how to read those colors as well. Okay, so follow up question to Yvette. Yvette, do we? Do you have a co teacher like parapros co teachers? Because I know with littles, we tend to have someone who's helping out. Do you have that in your classroom? How does that work? Evette Reid 23:35 And just me myself, and I Toni Rose Deanon 23:38 Oh, wow. Okay, okay, got it. Got it. Got it. Do you happen to have any like CO like, any teachers to collaborate with? Are you just basically on your own? How does this? How does this look for you Evette? Evette Reid 23:51 well, we have one class per grade level at our school because it is so small. So it's me by myself. I'm trying to get the first grade teacher on board with MCP. I think she would be great for it. Her class would be great for it. And I know that the middle school, and it's funny because the middle school only one. We got one. She the middle school math teacher. She was interested in it too. I'm going to circle back around to her to see if she would be interested in joining maybe the next cohort, because she expressed some interest. And I've talked a little bit about just the structures in my classroom, and some people have come in and they have seen how, how things work, and they're they're expressing interest in it. Toni Rose Deanon 24:33 I love that. And I feel like when you're not, when you don't like right now, there's interest, right? So there's not particular, like thought partner for you at your school, but I know that you utilize Facebook a lot. Can you tell the listeners a little bit more about how you've used Facebook group to kind of gain ideas, resources, ask questions, all the things, Evette Reid 24:51 sure, the people in the Facebook group and the MCP Facebook group, they're amazing. We have amazing colleagues, because, you know, it's just me by myself, so when I. Able to jump in there and talk about other MCP practitioners is great, because everybody has different ideas. You get to share ideas. They share ideas with you. So everyone gets some tools to put in their tool belt from the group, which I love, Toni Rose Deanon 25:18 yeah. And something that I've seen too is that, like folks are just so happy to share whatever it is that you're asking for. There's, like, lots of photos, lots of documents and canvas like, just be a Canva being like, Hey, I made this thing. Check it out, give me feedback. So it's really a community of sharing and celebrating each other, which I really love, and also validating, right? Because we tend to also get some questions of like, Hey, I'm doing this, and I feel blank right, like I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I need some guidance. And so our community really comes together and help the educators out, or help each other out, which I really love. And so, okay, so Yvette, question about your biggest challenges you face in implementing blended, self paced and mastery based learning. And then how did you overcome those challenges? And again, going back to like, what piece of advice would you tell someone who's like, Oh, our littles, I don't know if our littles could do this. Evette Reid 26:09 Well, the biggest challenge is when the Wi Fi does not work. That is so hard, because then you're like, wait. Oh no, nothing's working. So then you always have to have a plan B. You always have to have a paper copy of something on hand, because you just don't know when the school Wi Fi is not going to work. So just to have a plan B for each lesson, because you just don't know, because if that Wi Fi is out, I mean, they can't get on and they can't watch their videos, you know. So just have to always be ready. Toni Rose Deanon 26:43 What are some examples that you have of like just plan B? Evette Reid 26:46 Well, um, if the if the internet is not working and we can't get on to use the computers, then we just go right back to the paper curriculum. So we pull up those sheets. I hate printing those sheets, but print up those sheets, or I just project those sheets. And I actually have lesson five that I can use if I can't use my other stuff, pull up slides, and we do the same thing. We'll take notes if I want to print out sheets. Oh, I forgot. The internet's not working. I can't print out nothing. If I can't print it out, you know? We just, we just, we just roll with it. We go right back to the marker and the board. I have one in the back. I have whiteboard in the back. I have my smart board in the front, so just switch it back. Old school. I've had that happen on an observation with some big people come in and my stuff was just not working. Nothing was working. I was like, okay, all right. Take deep breath. All right, okay. Everybody turn around this way is everybody went to the other side. I went my book out and got my marker out and kept so, yeah, you always have to have that book or that printed lesson out or available, because you just don't know. Toni Rose Deanon 27:58 Yeah, the ability of teachers to be able to just like, pivot is just unmatched, in my opinion, right? Like, we really have to make those last minute decisions, or even just like, on the spot decisions to make sure learning is continuing. And I except, I've had to use hotspot before when internet's not working and so, so that way I could still project what I need to project. And students may not have it, but yeah, it's really difficult when you go from like, blended self pacing, right, and then all of a sudden, like, oh, nothing's working. What do I do? And I think, as an English teacher, I love those moments too, because I'm like, Okay, let's read something, right? Like, pick, get, get your book that you've been reading. Let's have conversations about it, share what you're reading and and that has also helped a lot. Or I could just come up, you know, we always are so good at coming up with something, right? So I'd be like, Oh, okay. Like, we're gonna write a piece, we're gonna write a story, but we're gonna collaborate and do it in a way where, like, you need each other to write the story. So it's like, okay, you write two lines and the next person will write the next two lines. So it's really just a lot of skills, of I'm reading it, I'm comprehending and then I'm adding on. And so again, we just get to be really creative when Wi Fi is not working, or when things are down right. And I think sometimes it's a good break too. Of like, okay, no, no devices, that's fine. We'll do this the best way that we can. And so I appreciate you just naming that or just having a plan B, making sure that there's something that can happen that can't, like, learn, that learning continues to happen, regardless of whether the Wi Fi is working. And I think the beautiful thing too, Yvette with self pacing, is that you're not really, quote, unquote, behind, right? Because you can catch up the following day. And if you were behind as a whole class, then that is something that you can do as a whole class, watch the video together, answer the questions, right? Just so that everyone can be on the same page. But I think that, I think, is. Like, I know for me, yes, Wi Fi is stressful, and because it's already self paced, we can catch up if we needed to. Evette Reid 30:10 The kids enjoy that, like, if they're out, they just go right on to it, and they they go right into their lesson, and they get working, and then they just ask questions if they're calling the video, and they're like, Okay, wait, I don't understand the threat. And then I, you know, come over and catch them up. Or a partner will come over and whip out their notes and be like, Okay, we did this like this. This is what we do. This how we do it. Toni Rose Deanon 30:31 Yes, and I love that, but, and with that being said too, Yvette, you kind of have to create a learning environment that is a positive one, that is one where folks are asking for help. So I guess my question, my next question, is about collaboration. How did you create this, this classroom culture where students can ask each other questions, can collaborate with each other, and what are some strategies or tools that you found helpful in encouraging peer to peer, learning and support, especially with the littles. Evette Reid 31:02 Well, we also, we have a we have collectible seating in our class, lots of open space, a few tables that go around the perimeter of the room. So they they don't, oftentimes, sit in their seats. They might be spread out on the carpet, spread out on the yoga mat. So, of course, they're right there beside the friend and they kind of, they kind of just do it. They kind of do it naturally. You know, as opposed to being stuck in that one spot at that one desk. I know that flexible feeding is not an option for everybody, but when you can have it, it's amazing, because the kids just automatically, they just are drawn to each other, and they enjoy like talking to each other and sharing their notes and share with their learning. And if they see someone who will need some help, they just go over and help them themselves. I mean, something a little off the topic, but something about how they help each other. We were taking notes today in our reading lesson, and someone needed an eraser, and somebody just got round up, and was like, Can I go get someone through an eraser? And they went over to their little supplies and got an eraser for their friend. So they just do, what little kids did they do it automatically? Toni Rose Deanon 32:15 Yeah, I love that too, of just looking out for each other, right? And I think something that you brought up too with the the flexible seating is that kids are comfortable, right? They're not. They're not having to be rigid and seated, you know, like with their their backs straight and tall, but they're comfortable. And when you are in a comfortable space, in a comfortable mode, like your, your whole nervous system is calm, right? Then you are more open. I feel like to engage with other, with other peers around you, and so being able to create a space that is comfortable, that is like, just a positive space for people, for our students, to share, I think that is really important. And I think collaboration definitely helps. And that's when like, authentic and natural conversations happen. Because if I'm laying on the floor in a yoga mat and I see you also laying on the floor with a yoga mat, I'm gonna come near you and we can chat it up about what we're talking about, right, or what we're learning about. So I love this whole concept too, of like just creating a comfortable space for students to learn the way that they need to with whatever how their body looks. I Emily Dia 33:23 Hi everyone. Emily Dia here, Senior Director for Educator support, I am wondering, are you an educator in Alabama, Baltimore, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Chicago, DC, LA, Minnesota, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York City, Oakland, St Louis or Tulsa County, Oklahoma, then you're eligible to apply for one of our scholarships to work with a personal mentor and learn the MCP model through our self paced virtual mentorship program. Applications are open now for our October and January sessions, and scholarship recipients receive a fully funded seat in the VMP and eligibility to earn a $500 stipend when you finish the course. The deadline for the October session is fast approaching and seats are limited across all locations. Head to www.modernclassrooms.org forward slash, apply dash now to learn more and submit your application, that's modern classrooms.org. Forward slash, apply, dash. Now we would love to learn with you this year. Zach Diamond 34:25 Hey, there, listener. Is just another quick reminder that we have a book club. It's being hosted with ScreenPal and Kami and the community has chosen to read UDL and blended learning by Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker join us in this 10 week community of practice to learn with and from educators across the country. Receive premium access to both screenpal and Kami and deepen your understanding of UDL and blended learning. Get your must do reading pages for our second session on Thursday, October 10, at 7pm Eastern. Registration links are in the show notes. Now, let's get back into it with Toni Rose and Evette. Toni Rose Deanon 35:05 Okay, so Evette, what do you hope to see in the future? And what goals do you have? Evette Reid 35:10 I hope to see in the future more teachers at my school and learning about MCP and implementing a similar model, because that being able to work with those small groups is so important, and sometimes our schedules may not allow that, but that's what the children need. So we're able to get that type of thing in, especially for math for the littles, you know, because the math is so different, you know, it just, it's just so helpful. Toni Rose Deanon 35:40 Fingers crossed. Fingers crossed. We shall see. And I guess, okay, I know we need to be wrapping up, but I'm just so curious. Another question popped up, and Yvette, you can also just say, like, I don't want to answer any more questions, but my question would be like, admin, how you said that? Admin came in and they were impressed with how everything was going, because you were able to really cater to different needs of students. And everybody was basically just on their own pace, learning, right? What else have they said? As far as admin is concerned? Like, they're just like, oh, this is working really well. Like, what is the feedback from Admin when they've seen your classroom in action? Evette Reid 36:18 They just love the structure of it. All they love how everyone, every single student, is engaged. One time, when my principal came in, I had a fourth grade student in my class. He, I mean, and he was just sitting right there. He was like, and I was working with them, along with everyone else. And, yeah, she was just amazed at how just the volume was perfect, and everyone was engaged. We didn't have people playing with this or playing with that. Everyone was about the business of completing their work so they could do well and move to the next thing they really enjoy, okay, I finished with this, and move to the next thing, and then the next thing and next thing they love knowing what's coming next and being able to move forward on their own. As little kids, they love that, because sometimes, especially if they know how to, how to demonstrate a scale, and then they're waiting, and they're like, Oh, come on, already. But, you know, I mean, they don't mean to be mean about it, but they just they want to do what they want to do. You know what I mean, they want to keep going, and that that's what they enjoy. So that's why they like the the tracker or the menu. They like seeing that because that just reminds them of the thing that they're doing and what's coming next. And they they enjoy getting closer to that finish line, because when that when they hit that finish line, um, then they're, um, then they can choose something completely different, like, I'm not one to give busy work. So when they finish with the sign, then they can go and play with the Legos, or pull out the dolls and different things like that. So just being able to see what comes from, what what's next, and then finishing that next thing, they know that free time is coming, but they also know that it needs to be quality work and that I need to look on there and see no alerts. If I don't see an alert, then they know they got the green light. That means they took their time, their notes matched, and they can have some free time. Toni Rose Deanon 38:06 And this is such a great reminder, too, that everybody wants transparency, like we want to know what's next, regardless of the age, and the fact that we don't really like to wait either where it hinders us from learning right, where it's like, oh, I'm waiting on you to check my stuff. Now I'm bored. Now I'm gonna act up. And I feel like, as adults, I do the same thing. If I have to wait, I'm gonna be on my phone, on Tiktok, like, already distracted because I'm waiting. There's not a continuous thing that's happening, right? And so this is just such a nice reminder that, like we as human beings, regardless of the age, we really like autonomy. We really like moving on our own pace. And we really like being able to just know what's next, right? Like, we want to know what's next. And the natural consequence of, hey, if you got everything done, then you have free time. Because we really do have free time. Like, that's how the real world works. If you do it, and you did it with plenty of time left, and that means you get to do whatever it is that you want to enjoy, right? This is what I always do a vet, when I want to go skating, is like, I have to do these three things, and when I get these three things, then I can go skating. So, and I'm 36 years old, so I feel like, if I do it, I feel like everyone does it. Evette Reid 39:23 They love it. Wait a minute. They're like, Okay, well, I'm almost finished. I got one thing left to do. Let me do it. Okay, I'm finished. Let me go have my friend real fast. Okay, I'm finished. What can I freak out? Yes, you can you earned it? Toni Rose Deanon 39:34 There you go. Yeah, definitely. We love it. Okay, so that, how can our listeners connect with you? Evette Reid 39:40 They can find me on Facebook. Got almost my whole government anywhere it's you bet with an e, e, v, e, t, t, e, middle initial, M, and then r, e, i, d, you can message me on Facebook Messenger. You can shoot me an email at E, R, E. ID, the number two, teach@gmail.com can you guess what I do for a living? I gave it away with my email. Toni Rose Deanon 40:10 I love this, and so listeners will put that on the show notes, so that you can reach out to Evette if you have any questions, definitely slide in those DMS. Highly recommend you have permission to slide in those DMS, even if you don't want to be friends, right? I think Facebook, you can still message each other just as a thought partner. I know I do it all the time with our Facebook group members and so whew. All right. Well, with that being said that, thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and expertise with us. I really appreciate your time and energy and so listeners remember, you can always email us at podcast at modern classrooms.org and you can find the show notes for this episode of podcast that modern classrooms.org/ 209, we'll have this episode's video uploaded on modern classrooms YouTube channel and transcript uploaded by Friday. So be sure to check back to access those. Also, we are asking our listeners to leave a review of this podcast has been helpful in supporting you to create a human centered learning environment through a blended, self paced, mastery based model. It does help other folks find it. Thank you all for listening. Have a great week, and we'll be back next Sunday. Yvette again, thank you. Thank you. Evette Reid 41:13 Thank you for having me. Zach Diamond 41:19 Thank you so much for listening. You can find links to topics and tools we discussed in our show notes for this episode, and remember, you can learn more about our work at www.modernclassrooms.org and you can learn the essentials of our model through our free course at learn.modernclassrooms.org you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at modernclassproj, that's P, R, O, J, we are so appreciative of all you do for students in schools. Have a great week, and we'll be back next Sunday with another episode of the modern classrooms project podcast.