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Thursday, July 25, 2019

Introducing #MTBoSBlaugust 2019

August is looming, which means it's time again for the #MTBoSBlaugust blogging challenge!


What is Blaugust?
Well... years ago, hubby decided he was going to blog EVERY DAY and has now been blogging every day for like 6 years or something.  He decided to challenge his online community to try it for one month and I decided to give it a shot.  (I should mention here that I've never successfully completed the challenge...)

While this started out as a personal quest, others wanted to join in, so here we are!  Obviously, as teachers, time is short in August as we prepare for a new school year and blogging often falls by the wayside.  This year, I want to challenge you to figure out the platform that works best for you and try it out!  Maybe it's a traditional blog like this one, maybe it's a micro-blogging platform like Instagram, maybe it's some other platform that I don't even know about.  But ultimately, the Blaugust challenge is about personal reflection and sharing ideas with others in the community, regardless of platform choice! :)


The Rules:
The rules are pretty simple... all you need to do is blog or micro-blog!  :)

Maybe your goal is to post every day, or other day, or weekly, or to write at least 10 posts this month... whatever it is, you can do it!  My personal goal will be to blog daily, but I'll be honest - that's been my goal MANY times and I have YET to achieve that goal!  But it's okay - blogging once is better than not blogging at all, right? :)

If you'd like to join in, please take a minute to sign-up so I can link to your site as a #MTBoSBlaugust participant and cheer you on!

What if you don't blog?  That's okay!!!  Maybe you'd rather use a micro-blogging platform like Instagram instead - go for it!

Here's the sign-up link again!  Come on - you can do it! :)


The Prompts:
Note:  These prompts are NOT required, it's just a brainstorming list to help you on those days when you don't know what else to write about! :)


  • How I teach / do ______ (INB, VNPS, VRG, topic of choice)
  • My Favorite “rich problem / task”
  • Sharing an idea I learned at a PD event this past year
  • Something new I plan to try this year…
  • How I use ____(tech app of choice) in my classroom
  • Share a lesson that uses tech (Desmos AB, Geogebra, applets, etc)
  • Write a post for the Virtual Conference on Humanizing Mathematics hosted by Sam Shah and Hema Khodai (click to learn more!)
  • I am a great teacher because… I am a teacher leader because… I want to grow as a #teacherleader this year by… (Credit for prompt - Julie R's #TMC18 keynote)
  • Share your #MTBoS Photo Challenge photos (#MathPhoto19)
  • Go on a “math walk” - take a photo to share with us… What do you notice? What do you wonder?  How could you use this photo in your classroom
  • How do you handle homework / daily practice?
  • Self-Care…  how to make it a priority?
  • Math Makeover - Take a traditional question/problem to solve and make it better.
  • My favorite go-to ____(Online resource, book, blog).  Share an idea of how you have utilized this source.
  • Something I struggle with as a teacher/in the classroom. 
  • How I used something unexpected in my classroom to… 
  • #made4math - Create something you can use this semester, such as a tarsia puzzle, question stack, game, card sort, etc.  (Or share one you have previously created)
  • #myoneword - What is one word that you can use to focus your energies this year?
  • What is your favorite quote?  How can you share/use it in your classroom?
  • How do you handle Parent Communication?  What has been successful for you?
  • Tell us about a favorite activity/lesson that makes you jump for joy when you get to use it.
  • Shoutouts!  Give a shout-out to a former teacher, a colleague, or someone in your school or community who is a difference maker.
  • Time Capsule - revisit an old post and reflect. If you are new to blogging - find a post on this day from the past on someone else's blog-read, share, reflect.
  • What’s a practice you keep doing year after year? Either something that works great or something that maybe needs examining. Why do you keep doing it?
  • What’s the one thing in your school year you’re most looking forward to? A lesson, a unit, a field trip, a school tradition
  • Fav [math][ed] book read and take aways for this year (and beyond?)
  • How do you support struggling students?  What intervention strategies have you used?
  • Observe yourself!  Record your lesson using your phone in your pocket and use it to reflect
  • A peek into my classroom - show us your classroom or describe a typical day / hour
  • A Day in the LIfe  (#DITL)
  • Letter to my first-year teacher self…
  • Tell us about your first day plans!
  • How do you develop a positive classroom culture?
  • What would you like to Start doing this school year?  What would you like to Stop doing? What would you like to Continue doing?
  • What are your best organizational tips?
  • My classroom “must-haves” are...
  • Be the Change… what will you do this year to impact the culture of your school and/or classroom?
  • What is your focus / theme / mantra for the year and why?  (Quote / Saying / Song?)
  • What are your favorite formative assessment strategies?
  • What is your Professional Goal for the year?  Your Personal Goal?
  • What are your biggest classroom pet-peeves and how do you do handle them?
  • #Read3 - Share 3 blogs (or blog posts or tweets) that impacted you
  • Tell us about you!  (20 facts or ABCs?)
  • What are your New School Year Goals or Resolutions?
  • What’s your “One Good Thing” for today?
  • #MyFavFriday - Tell us about your favorite moments of the week!
  • What do you do on parent night / open house?
  • What’s the toughest challenge you face as a teacher today?
  • #teach180 - Share a photo from your classroom and tell us about it
  • What I did this summer….
  • What are your favorite practice structures?  (Ex: Question Stacks, Sum Em Up, etc)
  • How do you review for a unit or semester test?  Any good review games or strategies?
  • What are your top "teacher hacks" that make your life easier?
  • Monday Must-Reads (ala @mathequalslove) - Share the great tweets you've found this week!

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