Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈

Gay educator working to be the adult I needed as a kid for my school. Also a fan of summer camp, severe weather, Blues/Cards. Tweets: mine.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

Annual end-of-year empty email inbox. See you in August. ✌🏼

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@WthrmnSlaughter @NWSStLouis @scottontvKSDK Thanks so much, Anthony!

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

To my favorite weather folks, I need your help. I’m supposed to take my classes fishing in St. Charles county tomorrow (Fri. 4/26) but the weather isn’t looking favorable. What are y’all’s thoughts from 8am-2pm? @WthrmnSlaughter @NWSStLouis @scottontvKSDK

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@WthrmnSlaughter @NWSStLouis @scottontvKSDK Thanks! We are happy to fish in the rain. I actually prefer it but know the kids won’t be as thrilled. 😅 We’re more worried about the chances of thunder and lightning during that time frame. Any insight on that?

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

To my favorite weather folks, I need your help. I’m supposed to take my classes fishing in St. Charles county tomorrow (Fri. 4/26) but the weather isn’t looking favorable. What are y’all’s thoughts from 8am-2pm? @WeatherChambers @HLEWALERTS

[Steve Hare @sharemath]

Years ago, I had the unfortunate task of trying to teach a math class that simply could not stop talking. It didn’t matter if I was facing the dry erase board or the students themselves; if I said something, they said something, if I said something else, they said something else. All. period. long. Every. single. day. Threats of trips to the principal didn’t matter. Letters home didn’t matter. And these kids liked me too! Didn’t matter. The chatter continued incessantly.

One day, in a fit of frustration and dread as I was about to launch into another problem at the board, I blurted out, “Okay, nobody talks this time - 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦!”

And shockingly, as I worked my way through the problem, no one did.

And even more shockingly, when I asked them how I had just 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 the problem, most of their hands shot into the air.

Thinking this may have just been a fluke, I launched into another problem the same way.

Same result.

Another problem.

Same result.

For the first time all year, we got through a whole class period without me wanting to pull my rapidly graying hair out in clumps the entire time.

Then came the biggest shock of all: when the students filtered into class the next day, they immediately asked, “Can you do that silent thing again today?”

I had discovered 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, which I subsequently learned is an actual thing.

Naturally, I used this strategy with all of my classes for the rest of that year. And I was literally astounded by the results - students now focused on the content and asked meaningful questions, and I was able to cover way more content, and maintain my personal sanity to boot.

Since that time, I’ve reflected on what makes this strategy so successful. My thoughts follow…

1/8

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@offgridteacher Completely agree! It’s a popularity contest among staff. My idea is that it’s opened up to the community so that students and parents can write letters of recommendation. In the end, every teacher will have a collection of letters to remind them why they do what they do.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@howie_hua This one got me thinking. First, I did 16-8 to figure out the ones place. Then I did 30-14 to figure out the tens and hundreds places.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

Those days off that feel like retirement. 😍😍 Workout complete. 💪🏼 Iced coffee down by the river. 🧊☕️Watching the world go by. Hey @dunkindonuts, want to sponsor a teacher? 😉 Thanks for helping me get my day started. 🥰

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

A special shout-out to @ParkwaySchools for keeping staff safe on PD days. A great morning of learning and getting home before roads get too bad. Thank you!

[Parkway Schools @ParkwaySchools]

Due to severe weather, all Parkway schools and district offices will be closing early at 11:30 a.m. Look for communications from your athletics and activities staff or coaches for information about after-school games and events.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@LuEliz1989 At my school in the STL area, we have something going around. It presents most of the symptoms associated with the flu, strep, & Covid but isn’t any of them. I tested negative for all 3 on Monday, was home sick and very fatigued on Tuesday, and went to work the rest of the week.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

Reading this book opened up an incredible dialogue between the kids about accepting each other for who they are and want to become. Thankful for texts like this being available at my county library.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

Teaching is definitely more than just the regular academic subjects. I took some time out of my math lessons yesterday to read this book to all 3 of my classes. We try to be proactive whenever we can, but sometimes teachers have to be reactive when unexpected comments are made.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@CallMeMoprah Referring to students as “friends.”

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@missmasonedu St. Louis, Missouri

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@trev_mackenzie Taking 5-10 minutes at the start of each class to have a genuine, “no business” conversation with them. We specialize at my school and I teach math to all three 4th grade classes. I only get an hour with each non-homeroom class, so I need to take time to build that relationship.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@flyingmonkey13 Respecting personal life boundaries and being uplifting when it comes to data talks (NWEA has not been too friendly for me) and how our work actually matters.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@dhabecker In years past, I’ve left questions unanswered at the end of our division unit so that we can come back around to them as we explored fractions and decimals.

[Matt Eastman 🏳️‍🌈 @TheEastTeach]

@dhabecker Represent the remainder as a fraction or decimal. Then you can compare the fractions and/or decimals. I teach 4th grade, too. We explore division first & express a remainder just as that: a remainder. Then, we move into fractions & learn how to express remainders as a fraction.