1. technology and computing

CSRA RESA’S TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 2015
Byte-Sized Bits
In This Issue:
Techy Teacher
Feature
Director’s Message
Student Spotlight
LDC Update
Jeff Anderson’s Visit
SPOTLIGHT
LESSONS:
Submit Your Engaging
Literacy & Math
Lessons to Our
Web Library!
mstout@csraresa.org
Interact with CSRA
RESA:
www.csraresa.net
D’Lee Pollock-Moore, Thomson
High Teacher, Engages Students
with Google Apps for Education,
NoRedInk, & QR Codes
D’Lee Pollock-Moore, formerly a Bryan County
teacher, proudly teaches English at Thomson High
School. Go Bulldogs! In her nine years of teaching, she
has been recognized as a STAR Teacher three times. She
has served as a mentor for an Eagle Scout and has been
recognized twice by the Savannah Morning News as a
Teacher of Excellence. She and her husband, David,
enjoy restoring an historic home. D’Lee also co-owns an
arts and crafts business, Hippy and Preppy Designs.
(continued on page 3)
Save the Date!
Sarah Cordova
Graham Fletcher
TKES/LKES
February 6, 2015
Your Opinion
Counts! Writing for
K-5 Students FULL
February 12, 2015
Engaging Math
Students Gr. 6-10
FULL
February 10, 2015
GADOE Offers
Support Sessions
for Leaders
8:30-3:30
8:30-3:30
10:00-12:00
BYTE-SIZED BITS
FEBRUARY 2015
From Executive Director: Gene Sullivan, CSRA RESA
Happy
Presidents’ Day!
February 16, 2015
Digital Learning- The Fourth Basic
Reading, writing, arithmetic and digital learning…the new fourth
basic needed to navigate the world of learning in the 21st Century.
According to Wikipedia, “A digital literate person will possess a range
of digital skills, knowledge of the basic principles of computing
devices, skills in using computer networks, an ability to engage in
online communities and social networks while adhering to behavioral
protocols, be able to find, capture, and evaluate information, have an
understanding of social issues raised by digital technologies and
possess critical thinking skills.”
Digital literacy is an important topic because technology is changing
faster than society. The Internet is the new Wild West where the
concept of “buyer beware” takes on a new meaning. The unrestricted
Internet is fraught with danger, the least of which is forever capturing
the innocence of those foolish enough to post personally sensitive
information on a social media website. The rules of appropriate
behavior in these digital contexts need to be Lesson 101 for this new
curriculum. Digital literacy is about learning to use the most powerful
tools we have ever built.
What would our schools look like if we were to fully embed digital
literacy into our PK-12 curriculum? The ability to embed learning
digital skills, alongside what we might think of as traditional skills,
across the whole curriculum is certainly something to think about.
Mark Surman, Executive Director of The Mozilla Foundation, argues
that skills, such as these, are as important as learning to read and
write. Becoming literate in how the technical world works is
equivalent to learning reading, writing and arithmetic. We need to
look at this fourth literacy as mainstream. If we want our kids to be
smart and safe in the digital world, whether in school or out of school,
having them understand how technology works is basic and essential.
March Techy Teacher ~ Lynda Moore
Lynda Moore, the
Mathematics Department
Chair at Burke County High
School, is our Techy Teacher
for March. Be sure to read her
story next month!
We are currently seeking a Techy
Teacher for May 2015. If YOU
would like to share your techy lesson
or nominate someone, contact
Sandy Woods, swoods@csraresa.org
2
2
1
BYTE-SIZED BITS
Techy Teacher Feature
I can remember the day that my family finally
purchased a personal computer for our own home after
owning a typewriter for many years. It seemed like
everyone else in the world already had a computer
except for me. It was 1999; I was a junior in high
school, and AOL, dial-up, and instant messaging was
still widespread. Our whole family shared the one
computer until I graduated high school. As Bob Dylan said, “Times, they are a-changin,’” and,
thankfully, they have in many ways, and the advent of
more innovative and interactive technology has
significantly altered teachers’ instructional practices, our
communication procedures, and our students’
conceptions of the world. I have found that for my
classroom and with my students, technology is a vehicle
that always engages them in their own learning and
helps them take responsibility for their own knowledge
acquisition. Technology can change the classroom from
a teacher-centered “sit and get” zone to a studentcentered active learning, differentiated environment. One of my favorite tech-savvy tools is the Google
Apps for Education collection. I love using Google
Docs and Google Drive as a way to give each student
individualized attention on writing instruction. In the
past, I thought that differentiating writing assignments
was allowing each student to write about a different
topic or assigning different goals. Google Apps allow
me to take writing instruction to a new level. Students
can create a Google Doc, share it with me and with my
co-teacher. Then, we are able to review every paper and
give students recommendations and suggestions as to
how to improve their writing by using the commenting,
suggesting, and editing features. We’re not using the old
school method of red ink to mark every grammar error
either; we actually help students improve how they are
thinking, how they have created those thoughts in their
Google Doc, and how they can improve more cogent
issues such as diction and style. This process also
allows for better flexible grouping because we can group
students with similar writing deficiencies, or we can use
our knowledge from their Google Docs to
heterogeneously mix students so they can help each
other. One of my favorite uses of Google Apps is that it
saves time; I can use my class time commenting on each
student’s work, while my co-teacher walks around and
facilitates or offers individualized help. My current coteacher Coach Crystal Strickland deserves many kudos
for how we collaborate and make this system happen! Another advantage of Google Docs and Google
Spreadsheets is that we can use the data collected from
the comments we are making and the grammar
errors that each student is making to assign specific,
differentiated grammar lessons on noredink.com, a
unique grammar app that helps each student master
deficiencies. Noredink can be used through a
student’s Edmodo account or as a stand-alone app. One of the best features about using Google Apps
is sharing and collaborating. My co-teacher and I
can also use the apps to collaborate on shared lesson
plans, data collection, and flexible grouping
assignments by having the ability to access and
work on the same document at the same time. Not
only is this practical for teachers, but it is also
important for students. They need to learn cloud
computing and collaborative writing because they
will need this skill in the future. I do assign students
group writing assignments to teach collaboration,
which works perfectly with “ELACC11-12W6: Use
technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing
products in response to ongoing feedback, including
new arguments or information.” Google Apps is the
easiest way to teach this standard. Once the product
is shared with the teacher, he or she can use the
File/See revision history feature to see how much
each student has contributed to the collaborative
piece.This is an excellent tool to prevent plagiarism.
Some of my other favorite instructional
technology tools are StudyBlue, a flashcard app for
smart phones; Edmodo, a social media site for
classroom instruction; Remind 101, an anonymous
texting app that allows teachers to send mass texts
to students and parents, Wordpress, a blogging
platform that teachers can use to communicate class
lessons to students, parents, & teachers; and QR
Codes, which can easily be created and have
multiple purposes: scavenger hunts, field trips,
Open Houses, and as stickers on students’ desk for
quick access to necessary resources. If you would
like more information, please visit my teaching blog
at www.dleepollock.com. Regardless of where you teach or who you teach,
technology is a fun and engaging way to allow
students to be more involved in their own learning
process. You may struggle with wi-fi issues or
device issues; you may only have one iPad for the
whole class to share, but you can make something
work for you and the students entrusted in your
care. Stay techie, CSRA! ~ D’Lee Pollock-Moore 3
FEBRUARY 2015
BYTE-SIZED BITS
FEBRUARY 2015
Student Spotlight: Taliaferro County High School
Senior, Shanterrica Stephens, Aims for West Point
Shanterrica Stephens dreams big! An outstanding senior
at Taliaferro County High School, Shanterrica hopes to
make a difference in the world. This intelligent, energetic,
and hardworking girl has lived her entire life in Taliaferro
County. She has attended the same school since Pre-K, yet
when she received a Congressional Nomination from
Congressman Paul Broun to apply to a school 900 miles
from home, she was ecstatic! She plans to pursue a military
career and major in sociology in college, so attending the
United States Military Academy is her hope for the future.
“I know people can come from small places and do great
things. I’ve seen it happen,” she confidently said.
Shanterrica admits that leaving her family and friends will
be difficult, but they are excited about this opportunity she
has earned. For now, she will concentrate on completing
schoolwork and college applications, playing basketball,
and running track. In her spare time, Shanterrica works
part-time in nearby Washington, GA. Interviewing the
focused, cheerful student for CSRA RESA’s first Student
Spotlight was a delight! We wish her the best as she strives
to achieve her goals. ~ S. Woods
Jeff Anderson Trains Teachers for CSRA RESA
Jeff Anderson, a renowned national writing trainer, entertained a roomful of teachers on January 15,
2015. Each participant received two of Anderson’s newest books on how to teach grammar: Mechanically
Inclined and Everyday Editing.
Anderson began the morning speaking of Invitational versus Dis-Invitational Grammar. For example,
DOLs, those hideous sentences that boast ten or more errors and sap ten or more minutes from a class
period, are dinosaurs and need to be left in the past. DOLs dis-invite students to engage in grammar, filling
students with boredom and, worse, dread. Grading papers is hardly different. “What do teachers do after
students put words down on a page?” asks Anderson. They hunt for errors instead of looking for what
makes good writing: attitude, knowledge, and skill.
According to Anderson, a recent study shows that teaching formal grammar has a negative, even
harmful, effect. Interestingly, a study from 1963 showed the same thing! “It’s time to follow the brain
research and help students learn the patterns of good writing,” exhorts Anderson. Grammar should focus
on function, practical application, and alternative procedures or methods.
“We must invite kids to pay attention to language in new ways,” says Anderson. What does he suggest?
We should use CORRECT sentences. What’s the worst thing that could happen? The kids could begin to
burn correctness into their visual stores. Studying correct sentences also creates a bridge of conversation
that will help students remember the grammatical structure.
Grammar and writing are inseparable: Writing is the reason for grammar. Rather than approach
grammar with a sense of stoicism and compliance, Anderson invites us to rediscover the wonder and joy
of a well-crafted (and grammatically correct) sentence. ~ K. Flanders
4
BYTE-SIZED BITS
FEBRUARY 2015
Literacy Design Collaborative News ~ C. Sligh
A common problem expressed by teachers who only have their students for nine weeks or one semester is
that they have a limited amount of time to teach all the required standards. They understand how
important it is to incorporate literacy skills in their teaching, but they simply cannot spare 2-4 weeks to
complete a full LDC module.
Lisa Hollenbach offers a possible solution in her blog “Making Time for Instruction That Works.”
“An LDC module represents an investment that pays big dividends; however, when time constraints stand
in the way of engaging in a full module, teachers can implement the stand-alone mini-task as a
compromise that keeps students grounded in strong literacy practices that are more frequent without the
time commitment of the full module implementation.
This is a compromise that embeds LDC into our instruction throughout the year in a way that meets
teachers where they are and engages students in rigorous discipline-specific reading and writing in every
class. Mini-tasks are “on-ramps” to deeper work over time and require the same close reading and
rigorous thinking that are inherent in an LDC module.
A mini-task is a “bite-sized” portion of LDC that can be used:
• To sharpen particular literacy skills or to remediate deficiencies
• To plan a single lesson or a sequence of lessons
• To formatively assess student literacy skills.
Here are a few of my favorite mini-tasks, which you can find in the LDC Core Tools Curriculum Library.
Use them as is or take advantage of the LDC Core Tools copy feature and make them your own!
• Cartoon Analysis by Susan E. Herrington & Michelle R. Tureau
• Close Reading Routine by Michelle L. Lewis
• Primary Source Graphic Organizer by Susan Weston, Justin R. Bailey, Chris Crouch, & Rachel
McCormick
• Reading Photographs by LDC
Mini-tasks offer an excellent way to: introduce teachers to LDC and the College and Career Readiness
Standards, bring more focused disciplinary literacy practices into the classroom across all courses, and
ultimately, improve teaching and learning. This is instruction that works and something for which I
believe that teachers can make time.”
To read Hollenbach’s complete blog, go to https://ldc.org/blog/posts/making-time-instructionworks
UPCOMING LDC TRAININGS – DAYS 3 and 4:
COLUMBIA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL COHORT – FEB. 2-3
RICHMOND COUNTY COHORT – FEB. 9-10
Remember to Use SLDS for Resources & Student Data!
Visit Our Homepage for Milestones Updates: www.csraresa.net