Communication

"Effective personal communication is as important to your aspirations, your relationships, and your self-expression as any hard-earned knowledge or technical skills."

--Joan Kenley

The resources shared below give you tools to communicate with others about your TRi Time explorations. Also included are links to previous TRi Time Minutes and other cool TRi Time communications.

TRi Time Student-to-Parent Email Templates

End of Week One

Email to Parents

Drop your parents an email at the end of the first week of TRi Time to share what you have been working on during TRi Time. Feel free to use the email template here to guide your reflections. Also, be sure to Cc your advisor!

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week I started my TRi Time investigation during advisory, and I brainstormed different ideas, like... (List a few ideas you have generated. You might even attach a picture or two of some of your brainstorming sheets/notes.).

I'm leaning toward investigating... because... (Insert your favorite idea and why you are thinking of investigating it.).

My driving question is currently… (Insert your driving question.).

I pitched my idea and my driving question to… (Insert your audience.) and they suggested… (Insert any tips or suggestions you received after pitching your idea to a teacher or students.).

As I dive into my investigation, I could use your help by... (Explain how your parents might help you.).

Thanks for your support as I dig into my TRi Time investigation!

Love,

(Insert your name here)

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week I continued my TRi Time investigation during advisory, digging into my driving question, which is... (Insert your driving question.).

I was most excited during my investigation this week when… (Describe a moment during TRi Time this week when you were really excited about your investigation, had an aha moment, or were inspired to dig deeper.).

One struggle I had this week was… (Describe a moment during TRi Time this week when you hit a roadblock or weren’t sure what to do next.).

I overcame that challenge by… (Explain how you overcame your struggle or roadblock.).

Next week, I'll continue digging into my investigation. One supporting question I have that I hope to find the answer to is… (Insert a question you have about your topic other than your driving question.).

As I continue my TRi Time work, I could use your help by... (Explain how your parents might help you now.).

Thanks for your support throughout my TRi Time investigation! I look forward to sharing my process with you during Student-Led Conferences later this month!

Love,

(Insert your name here)

End of Week Two

Email to Parents

Drop your parents an email at the end of the second week of TRi Time to share what you have been working on during TRi Time. Feel free to use the email template here to guide your reflections. Also, be sure to Cc your advisor!

End of Week Three

Email to Parents

Drop your parents an email in the last week of TRi Time to share how your investigation has unfolded. Feel free to use the email template here to guide your reflections. Also, be sure to Cc your advisor!

Dear Mom and Dad,

During the final days of TRi Time, I… (Describe what you spent most of your time doing this week.) in order to answer my driving question, which was… (Insert your driving question.).

Reflecting on my inquiry efforts over the last three weeks, I am most proud of… (Describe what you are most proud of connected to your TRi Time work.) because... (Explain why you are proud.).

I think I grew as an inquirer by… (Describe how you got better at questioning, investigating, creating, and/or reflecting.).

The biggest challenge I had to overcome during TRi Time was… (Describe what was toughest about TRi Time.). I overcame it by… (Describe how you overcame your biggest TRi Time challenge.).

If I were given more time to pursue my TRi Time investigation, I would… (Describe what you would do if you had as much time as you needed to keep going with your investigation.).

Thank you for your support throughout my TRi Time work. I really appreciated it when you… (Describe one thing your parent(s) did or said connected to your TRi Time work that was particularly helpful.) because… (Explain why it was helpful.).

I can't wait to share my investigation with you in depth during our upcoming Student-Led Conferences!

Love,

(Insert your name here)

TRi Time Minutes

Spring 2022 TRi Time Minutes

Friday, March 18, 2022

This TRi Time Minute alerts the SAS middle school community that TRi Time begins on Tuesday, March 29 following Spring Break! This time around, instead of a week-long taster, the entire TRi Time buffet will be available to students for three weeks! Between now and then, students may want to start figuring out what they want to cook up for their own personal TRi Time extravaganza. Almost anything is possible!

Monday, March 28, 2022

In this TRi Time Minute, students are reminded that TRi Time starts on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. As they each prepare for their investigations, they should think about not just what they want to investigate, but the process they will need to follow and the ingredients and tools they may need along the way. The full TRi Time Buffet is upon us!

Monday, April 4, 2022

In this TRi Time Minute, Mr. Mijares struggles with his investigation, so Dr. Hall suggests he reach out to a mentor and also find a way to track his progress. Students are reminded that they can access mentors via the TRi Time Faculty Mentor doc, YouTube, and parent contacts. They should track their progress by filming videos, taking pictures, and/or taking notes on their TRi Time Travel Ticket.

Monday, April 11, 2022

In this TRi Time Minute, Mr. Mijares gets feedback from his mentor, Gordon Ramsey, after making adjustments to his investigation. Dr. Hall and Mr. Mijares also share photos from the past two weeks, suggest students refer to reflection prompts in preparation for their TRi Time presentations, and remind everyone that the TRi Time Market Place takes place in the MS Foyer on April 13-14, 2022.

Monday, April 18, 2022

In this TRi Time Minute, Dr. Hall explains the Student-Led Conference and TRi Time Presentation format to Mr. Mijares. Then, Mr. Riley walks Mr. Mijares through Mr. Riley's own TRi Time Presentation to serve as a model.

Fall 2021 TRi Time Taster Minute

Monday, November 29, 2021

This TRi Time Taster Minute introduces students to our first ever TRi Time Taster, an abbreviated version of TRi Time when students are given time each school day for a week to pursue their own curiosities within their advisories. This swing through the TRi Time Taster Cafe explains the difference between the TRi Time Taster and TRi Time, shares the schedule, and provides a basic overview of how students might spend their time this week. While spaces around campus may be closed, students' imaginations remain limitless!

Spring 2021 TRi Time Minutes

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

This TRi Time Minute welcomes SAS middle schoolers back to TRi Time after a 16-month hiatus due to COVID restrictions. In this video, students are introduced to the TRi Time calendar and to the spaces available to them during this TRi Time cycle, along with the steps they need to take to access some of those spaces.

Monday, April 5, 2021

This TRi Time Minute welcomes students to the second week of TRi Time, reminding the community that as they dig into their investigations, it's okay to get stuck. That happens out in the real world, just as it did recently in the Suez Canal! Also, spaces open to students this week. Those interested in accessing Cooking, the MakerSpace, or Tech Ed must confer with the appropriate teacher between Monday and Wednesday. For students who seek mentorship or want to share a survey with other students, they should check out resources included in the TRi Time Toolkit.

Monday, April 12, 2021

This TRi TIme Minute reminds the community that the TRi Time Market Place will take place in the MS Foyer on Thursday and Friday, April 15-16, 2021. Students who want to sell a product or raise awareness about a cause should add their name to the sign-up sheet and review the TRi Time Market Place & Business Plan Checklist. In this last week of TRi Time, students should also reflect on their investigation in preparation for Student-Led Conferences the following week.

Monday, April 19, 2021

This TRi Time Minute walks students through the process of preparing for Student-Led Conferences and TRi Time Presentations.

Spring 2020 TRi Time Minute

Monday, March 16, 2020

This TRi Time Minute welcomes students to the second semester of TRi Time for the 2019-2020 school year; it also introduces three new spaces available to students and reminds them of a variety of "So You Want to..." sessions on offer this week.

Fall 2019 TRi Time Minutes

Monday, November 11, 2019

This TRi Time Minute welcomes SAS middle school students to the Fall 2019 TRi Time sessions, reminding students how to sign up for spaces and sharing opportunities to attend different "So You Want to..." sessions.

Monday, November 18, 2019

This TRi Time Minute welcomes students to the second week of TRi Time, reminding them that the pool opens on Tuesday to TRi Time swimmers, that sewing machines are available in Mrs. Grimbergen's room, that students may take one another's surveys on the TRi Time Student Surveys doc, and that this week, TRi Time takes place during the first 65 minutes of each day.

Monday, November 25, 2019

This TRi Time Minute welcomes students to participate in the TRi Time Marketplace on Monday and Tuesday; it also invites students to work with a storyteller from Monday through Wednesday to coach them in telling their own TRi Time stories.

Monday, December 2, 2019

This TRi Time Minute reminds students of this week's schedule, including two 65-minute TRi Time days and three 30-minute advisories during which students will reflect on their TRi Time investigations and share their reflections with others.

Spring 2019 TRi Time Minutes

Monday, March 18, 2019

This TRi Time Minute unveils our new TRi Time Minute intro and outro music thanks to Mr. Robertaccio; reminds students that they will sign themselves up for most spaces, including the ES Keyboard Room (available for the first time!), starting today; invites students to attend a variety of So You Want to... Sessions during the first week of TRi Time; and nudges students to remember to document their TRi Time process, as they will be sharing their TRi Time investigation with their parents during our upcoming Student-Led Conferences.

Monday, April 1, 2019

This TRi Time Minute alerts students that new spaces are available for use during TRi Time, including Gym 4 opening for badminton and the MS Foyer offering ping pong tables; it also reminds students that they still must sign up for spaces like the cooking room even if they attended an earlier So You Want to... session; finally, it invites student-athletes to attend a session entitled So You Want to Get Better at a Sporting Performance on Tuesday, April 2 in S102B at 8:05 am.

Monday, April 8, 2019

This TRi Time Minute reminds students that during this final week of TRi Time, they should focus on reflection, considering the evidence they have collected along the way and thinking about the progress they have made; it also reminds students about the TRi Time Market Place on Wednesday and Thursday, April 10 and 11.

Fall 2018 TRi Time Minutes

Monday, November 26, 2018

This video welcomes SAS Middle School students to the first week of TRi Time during the 2018-2019 school year and offers them an opportunity to share their TRi Time investigations with a global audience through a new online TRi Time Brochure to be developed by the SAS Communications office.

Monday, December 3, 2018

This TRi Time Minute alerts students to an opportunity to attend an informational session with SAS financial experts on how to start a business or fundraise for a cause; it also introduces the Maker Tutorial tab on the TRi Time Toolkit and announces that a volleyball net will now be set up daily in Gym 2.

Monday, December 10, 2018

This TRi Time Minute reveals that we will try a new spaces sign-up system this week, giving students an opportunity to sign themselves up for most spaces; it also reminds everyone that the first TRi Time Market Place will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, December 12 and 13.

Spring 2018 TRi Time Minutes

Monday, March 19, 2018

This TRi Time Minute welcomes students to the second round of TRi Time for the 2017-2018 school year, reminding students that the first four days of TRi Time will be 45 minutes, that they need to sign up through their Homebase teachers for spaces that have a maximum capacity, and that the TRi Time Travel Ticket now lasts for a week!

Monday, April 2, 2018

This TRi Time Minute welcomes students to the second week of TRi Time in 2018 and introduces them to the possibility of working with high school student mentors as they pursue their TRi Time investigations.

Monday, April 9, 2018

This video welcomes SAS Middle School students to the final week of TRi Time in the 2017-2018 school year, reminding them to think about how they might reflect on their TRi Time process when they share their TRi Time presentations with parents, teachers, and students during Student-Led Conferences on April 26 and 27, 2018.

Fall 2017 TRi Time Minutes

Monday, November 13, 2017

This TRi Time Minute introduces TRi Time and reminds students what they will be working on during their first week: generating ideas, selecting a topic, delivering a pitch, and diving in to their research.

Monday, November 20, 2017

This TRi Time Minute alerts students that this is the week TRi Time spaces open up around campus. It also explains how students should use the TRi Time Travel Ticket as they move around campus. Finally, it shares a list of spaces available to students during TRi Time.

Monday, November 27, 2017

This TRi Time Minute reminds students that starting on Wednesday, November 29, TRi Time will shift to 65 minutes. As students dig more deeply into their investigations, they may hit roadblocks that require them to persevere.

Monday, December 4, 2017

This TRi Time Minute reminds students that if they hit a point where they feel like they are lost in a jungle, unsure of their next steps, they should tap into their skills at communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.