Technology in a Math Class.... What?!

So with our students growing up so technologically savvy, your child can probably send a text, reply to a post on Facebook, send out a tweet, record something on the DVR, and download a mp3 all at the same time. It is amazing how quickly kids adapt to the ever changing stream of new technologies!

But even with the push for producing students that are competent with 21st century skills and have been exposed to different forms of technology and how to utilize them in a professional or personal manner, it is often our schools that are lagging behind in the technology department. While it is usually a lack of monetary resources that keep schools from being up-to-date with the latest and greatest, there are often many teachers (and parents) that don't understand what the big deal is over a new piece of equipment. What is so great about a document camera when an overhead projector serves the same purpose? What can a SmartBoard do that a white board can't? Why am I having the students use clickers instead of just raising their hands? Often this resistance to technology stems from a lack of education on the new equipment, so I am here to provide some enlightenment.

One way that we as teachers (and parents) can utilize technology in a math classroom is through different online assessment programs. The two that we have focused on in Davidson County are ClassScape and Castle Learning. (NCFalcon is another online resource that the schools will be introducing in the fall).

Programs like ClassScape and Castle Learning are excellent tools for the students to use in the classroom and at home for several reasons:

1. They allow students the opportunity to use the computer and become more knowledgeable on how to navigate and find what they need


2. The programs provide the students immediate feedback


3. There are varied level of difficulties to meet the ability levels of all students


4. Working with these programs allow students to work at their own pace


5. Progress is saved within the program so if a student doesn't finish at school, he or she can finish it at home

Parents often ask how they can help their child at home and this is one of my recommendations: if you have a computer at home with internet access, encourage your student to complete their ClassScape or Castle Learning assignments. There are many times in the computer lab where a computer won't start or there are other technical issues so it is not uncommon for a student to not complete an assignment. If parents are aware of the potential for there being unfinished assignments online, it would be so helpful for those assignments to get completed at home.

If you are interested in seeking out more practice problems for your student, please see your child's teacher so he or she can set up more problems on either one of these programs. The one caveat to ClassScape is you cannot access it past 6pm nor on Sundays. Something to keep in mind if you want your student to work on extra practice.

Here are two short YouTube videos showing students how to log on to Castle Learning:



And ClassScape:


I hope this post was successful in educating you in how we are incorporating technology in our classrooms at Ledford. Please encourage your student to complete his ClassScape or Castle Learning Assignments and as always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns: mtetter@davidson.k12.nc.us

References:

Castle Learning. Castle Learning Online Review, Testing, and Assessment. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://castlelearning.com

ClassScape. ClassScape Assessment System. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://www.classscape.org

Classroom Clickers. Classroom Clickers. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://www.classroomclickers.com/

Document Camera. ELMO Focus on the Future. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://www.elmousa.com/digital-visual-presenters.php

NC FALCON. NC FALCON Log In. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://center.ncsu.edu/falcon/login/index.php

SMART. SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://smarttech.com/us/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+education/Interactive+whiteboards+and+displays/SMART+Board+interactive+whiteboards

You Tube. Castle Learning Introduction. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUY0eebUW9Q

You Tube. ClassScape Podcast. Retrieved July 19, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEs9lJPj2oM

So what is Panther Pause?

For parents that had students at Ledford High during the 2010-2011 school year, you probably heard about our new study hall called Panther Pause. For parents whose students are new to the Ledford Community or to Ledford High, this post is going to get you up-to-speed on our attempt at ensuring students have as much time during the day to seek out remediation from their teachers and/or work on their homework.

*Disclaimer: Each year there are tweaks made to Panther Pause so the information on this post will be describing the 2010-2011 version. I will make the necessary adjustments once school begins and we are told of any changes.

WHO:

If your student is struggling in English II, then he or she will go during Panther Pause on Mondays to see their English II teacher. If your student is struggling with Computer Apps, then he or she would go see their teacher on Friday. The schedule is listed below and it is as simple as that! The only catch is the student needs to ask their teacher for a Panther Pause Pass.

If your student is not needing extra help or remediation during Panther Pause, he or she will remain with his or her second period teacher. This is a time that we encourage students to study or work on homework.

WHAT:

Mondays: English and Foreign Language

Tuesdays: Math

Wednesdays: History

Thursdays: Science

Fridays: Vocats and Clubs

WHEN:

1st period ~ 8:05-9:30

break ~ 9:30-9:40

2nd period ~9:40-11:05

PANTHER PAUSE ~11:05-11:30

3rd period ~11:35 -1:35

4th period ~1:40-3:05

WHERE:

This is where things get tricky. Because we have 11 roving teachers (teachers that do not have permanent classrooms) we do not have enough space for each teacher to have their own meeting space during Panther Pause. Your student needs to listen carefully to his or her teachers when they are announcing their location for Panther Pause. The location should be consistent during the semester.

WHY:

The impetus behind Panther Pause was to allow students the opportunity to receive more help during the day from their teachers. There are many students who do not have transportation after school other than the bus and are not able to stay for tutoring after school. By providing time during the day for students to receive extra help, it is our hope that we will see student achievement and success rise.

HOW:

Parents: this is important! PLEASE encourage your student to seek out help from their teacher(s). We at Ledford try to stress the importance of the students taking responsibility for their own learning. If your student is struggling in biology, he or she needs to ask the biology teacher for a hall pass to come back during Panther Pause.

Now that you know what Panther Pause is, let me give you some background information on what brought about this study hall. Davidson County, and many counties across the state, are implementing a program called Professional Learning Communities or PLCs. There are many components of a PLC and each school in Davidson County, Ledford included, is implementing the program components one step at a time at a pace that will best benefit our students and faculty. Part of the PLC model is to create a Pyramid of Interventions, which is a model for school faculty to use to assist students that are struggling. If you look at the Pyramid of Intervention for Ledford High School, you will notice that remediation (Panther Pause) is just a small factor of the Tier I level support that we offer your student.

The following video, while aimed at teachers beginning PLCs under the guidence of Dr. Gayle Owens, gives a brief explanation of how PLCs are a collaborative effort among all teachers:

PLCs are designed to ultimately increase student achievement, therefore ensuring your student is as successful as possible. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can to assist your student in his or her tenure at Ledford High School and Panther Pause is just one of the many ways we are doing so.

As always, please feel free to contact me at mtetter@davidson.k12.nc.us if you have any questions or comments.

References:

Ledford High School Pyramid of Interventions. Ledford High School. Retrieved July 12, 2011 from Ledford High School Homepage: http://www.davidson.k12.nc.us/education/page/download.php?fileinfo=UHlyYW1pZF9vZl9JbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zLnBkZjo6Oi93d3cvc2Nob29scy9zYy9yZW1vdGUvaW1hZ2VzL2RvY21nci9BTExmaWxlMjQ2NDEucGRm

Professional Learning Communities. AllThingsPLC. Retrieved July 12, 2011 from Solution Tree: http://www.allthingsplc.info/

You Tube. Professional Learning Community-American College of Education Video. Retrieved July 12, 2011 from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39nwiwHHcWQ

So who wants to do their HOMEWORK!?

Well, if your student is anything like the other students that have passed through the doors of Ledford High, then he or she is probably not too keen on doing their homework. There are so many other activities they would rather be doing after school like participating in sports, playing in the band, hanging out with friends, playing XBox or Playstation, or watching TV. And I get that, I really do. But, it is important for us as the role models in our students' lives to encourage them to do their homework. We, as teachers, only assign homework that we have deemed necessary for the students to complete because they a) need more practice, or b) will learn something new!

While I primarily teach Algebra I and Geometry, the importance behind homework applies to all subjects and concepts. At Ledford, we are on the block schedule, which means we have four classes a day for about 90 minutes each. While this sounds like a long time in each class (and the students will tell you it is!) we sometimes do not have enough time to complete everything that was scheduled for that day. Or there is not enough time to practice a new concept or skill. As a math teacher, I have to assign homework because I need to make sure my students are practicing the methods that we have gone over in class. For example, if we are studying the properties of exponents and I assign 15 problems for homework, it is important for the students to complete this assignment for two reasons: 1) the students need more practice with the properties than what we did in class and 2) the students need the opportunity to see what they understand and don't understand. I use homework as a tool to assess students' understanding and if a student chooses not to do their homework, then I have no way of knowing if he or she understands the properties of exponents. My students will tell you that I do not grade homework on CORRECTNESS, just on COMPLETION. So homework checks are a great and easy way to earn a 100 for the day.

Over the past few years, we at Ledford have implemented a new study hall called Panther Pause (more info to come on a later post) and the students now have time during the middle of the day to work on homework. But some students do not utilize Panther Pause as they should or they are not able to get all of their homework done during that time and may still have some left to be completed. Parents, this is where you come in. We, as teachers, need your help in encouraging the students to complete their homework! Many students complain that they don't have time after school to get their homework done, but we know this is not always the case. Sometimes the students need a little guidance on how and when to complete their work at home. Below is a list of ideas that you as parents and guardians can use to make homework as painless as possible!

Tips for Homework Success:

• Schedule a time each afternoon for homework and make it a routine. Most students need a break from being in school all day so allowing some down time and a healthy snack before beginning homework may help your student be more productive.
• Have a special place set aside for homework completion. This could be the kitchen table, a desk in the office, or a sunny nook, just somewhere with a quiet atmosphere.
• Make sure there are office supplies available such as writing utensils, paper, calculator, stapler, hole punch, etc. for your student to use. A computer with an internet connection may also be helpful if your student is working on a project for English or history class.
• Ensure the area is free from distractions such as the TV, computer, or cell phones. However, my one exception is music. I know that I work much better with a little background noise and enjoy listening to music when I am working. Ask your student if having music on is helpful or too much of a distraction.

So now that you are convinced that homework is important and you have some ideas for how to create a distraction free homework zone, here comes the hard part: convincing your student(s) to do their homework! Here is a video from YouTube made just for students outlining some tips for successful homework completion.

Over the past several years of teaching, I have heard from many parents that they would like some ideas on how to help their students in math since math is usually not a very popular topic around the dinner table. Here are some recommendations on some great websites that may supplement the material we have discussed in Algebra or Geometry class. Henrico County Public Schools in Virgina has an interactive website with Algebra I material broken down into concepts or modules. If you go to the module tab at the top of their website, you will see several modules broken down into lessons. While we do not have the exact same curriculum, all of the concepts we discuss in Algebra I can be found under this tab. If your student is more of a visual learner, you can visit YouTube and in the search type in yourteacher. You will find hundreds of short lessons on algebra and geometry concepts. You can also visit the NCDPI (Department of Public Instruction) website for sample test questions for algebra and geometry.

Hopefully you have gathered some helpful information on this post about homework. As always, if you have any questions you can email me at: mtetter@davidson.k12.nc.us.

REFERENCES:

Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) Test. Accountability Services Division. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from Department of Public Instruction: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/accountability/testing/eoc/algebra1/

Geometry End-of-Course (EOC) Test (Archive Only). Accountability Services Division. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from Department of Public Instruction: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/eoc/geometry/

Henrico County Public Schools. Algebra I Online! Retrieved July 11, 2011 from http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/math/hcpsalgebra1/index.html

Ledford High School. Ledford High School Homepage. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from Ledford High School: http://www.davidson.k12.nc.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=22

North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Algebra I. Algebra I. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from Department of Public Instruction: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/mathematics/scos/2003/9-12/45algebra1

North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Geometry. Geometry. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from Department of Public Instruction: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/mathematics/scos/2003/9-12/47geometry

YouTube. How to Make Homework Less Work. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT-_G4-fYkw

YouTube. Yourteacher.com. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2jgO8pX6A

Let's give this a go!

Check back later for my first post...