Literacy Now

Being a teacher means embracing constant change. Yet all too often, teachers are told when, how and why to change. In this monthly column, Mrs. Mimi takes on creating change for herself by rethinking old practices and redefining teaching on her own terms.

p: Chris Costello via photopin cc

So June is finally here. FINALLY. Or maybe you’re feeling like it sneaked up on you in the dark and shouted, “Boo! I’m here sucker!” scaring the you-know-what out of you as you frantically tried to organize piles and deal with typical end of the year nonsense (read: paperwork). Regardless, June is here and that means so is the end.

Isn’t it strange that my life as a student and an educator translates itself into a bizarre notion of what constitutes a year? Most people think about endings in December…I think of December as the middle. Granted, we get to pause a bit and rethink routines or what have you, but when I think of endings, I think of June. June is the time for reflection and taking a deep breath. (December, on the other hand, is about holiday-fueled panic and leaving work in the dark.)

But back to this year and this particular ending. I don’t know about you, but this year kicked my had its way with was hard. As in, “so hard that I’m not sure I’ll be the same when I come back in the fall to begin another year” hard.

Unraveling and implementing the Common Core State Standards pushed me to question everything I think about best practices. I mean, those babies are intense. Over and over again, I wondered, “Am I this intense? How can I ensure that I am doing my job and teaching with these standards in mind and at the same time hold on to those parts of my teaching that I believe in the most? Can I see myself through these standards? How do I do this and not lose myself?”

It felt like I could never do enough. I couldn’t be in enough places at once, read enough books, write enough blog posts, call enough parents, or craft enough original units of study. With so much new-ness (and not enough-ness) this school year, I often was left feeling like I had lost my grip.

And now that we are at the end, I guess all the soul searching, self-doubt, and confusion feels like it may have been worth something. While I’m not who I was in September (a.k.a, a teacher’s January), I like to think I’m a stronger, more thoughtful version of myself. One that is steeped (we’re talking full to the brim) in the Common Core State Standards, is clearer on the practices which feel good to me and good for children, and is more conscious of the rhythms of teaching and how they effect me (and those who are forced to live with me….sorry, Mr. Mimi!) so deeply.

I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year is how far I can bend and just how much I can give to my practice in the classroom. I used to feel like a human pretzel with unlimited energy and willingness to do whatever it takes. No teacher bag was too heavy for my commute home, no booklist too long for me to tackle, no project too intense for me to take on.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: There is no way that that life is sustainable or even…sane. Now, let’s not get it twisted—I am not en route to Slacker-ville. I will always stay up too late, read too many children’s books, and spend an unusual amount of time thinking about work. That is who I am. But I also read PEOPLE magazine, love playing Legos with the Mini, and enjoy laying in the grass of my new big-girl yard on a sunny day. That is also who I am.

So, with this ending right around the corner, I feel like I’ve finally settled (or maybe resettled) into who I am, how intense I am about my job and just how much I can handle before snapping.

Keep your fingers crossed that I can hang on to this feeling once the new (school) year begins…

Mrs. Mimi is a pseudonymous teacher who taught both first and second grades at a public elementary school in New York City. She's the author of IT'S NOT ALL FLOWERS AND SAUSAGES: MY ADVENTURES IN SECOND GRADE, which sprung from her popular blog of the same name. Mimi also has her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

As many schools and teachers start to pack away their instructional materials and shut their doors for summer, youngsters and their parents are sure to celebrate the arrival of more leisurely days spent playing outdoors and spending time with friends and family members. For some, the end of school may mean a chance to read books in the back yard or patio or it may announce the arrival of departures as some children head off to summer camp or on family vacations. For others, it may signal a time to help as an older family member grills food outside. Whatever the case, summer’s blissfully relaxed months are sure to offer inspiration for newly-published books such as the ones reviewed this week by members of the IRA Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. All of these books relate in some way to the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Put on some sunscreen, grab a hat, and read one of these suggested titles or a book you’ve been saving for just the right time. It’s here now.

 

GRADES K-3

 

Atinuke. (2013). Splash, Anna Hibiscus! Illus. by Lauren Tobia. New York: Walker Books.

Anna Hibiscus and her family are enjoying a day at the beach in Africa, or "amazing Africa" (unpaged) as the irrepressible girl always calls it. After making their way to the right spot, all the family members settle down with their own pursuits. After all, relaxation can take a lot of effort. The playful waves along the edge of the sand tantalize Anna Hibiscus, and she wants someone to join her in splashing in the water. But everyone else is too busy burying each other in the sand, braiding hair, smoothing on sunscreen, talking, and enjoying themselves to be bothered. Not to be denied, Anna Hibiscus heads to the shallow part of the water to play. Once she and the waves make their own fun and her infectious giggles of delight fill the air, one by one, her family members joins her. Readers will love this spunky, independent girl and be drawn to her personality through the text and softly-colored illustrations. It's hard not to celebrate the joy Anna Hibiscus and her family find in the simplest moments shared together.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Cocca-Leffler, Maryann. (2013). A vacation for Pooch. New York: Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt Publishers.

It is time to pack for summer vacation, but Pooch can’t go to the beach with Violet. They each pack a bag as Pooch is going to a snowy vacation on Gramp’s farm while Violet heads for the beach. Though Violet is sad that Pooch has to suffer being away from her, once she arrives at the beach she starts to enjoy the sun and the sand. However, as she reaches for her packed bag and her crayons and favorite doll, Molly, she realizes her bag has gotten switched with Pooch’s. Now she is feeling guilty and gives Gramps a call to check on Pooch’s assumed misery. Gramps assures Violet that Pooch is just fine and he is actually having lots of fun on the farm and taking naps with Molly. The gouache cartoon-like illustrations are delightful and truly capture the spirit of a young child separated from her pet in this small-sized book for young children. Visit the author’s webpage to see all of her artwork and books.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Fox, Tamar. (2013). No baths at camp. Illus. by Natalia Vasquez. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Publisher/Lerner Group

Max is home from camp, and when his mother tells him it is bath time, Max vehemently tells his mother that he wishes he were back at camp because “there are NO BATHS at camp.” As Max continues to tell his mother about all the things that happened at camp, his fun included rock climbing, painting, dancing but also things like canoeing, and throwing water balloons, and swimming and catching frogs. Mixed media illustrations depict all the fun and water-related activities that kept Max busy and clean during his week at camp including the shower and shampoo on the evening before Shabbat. Several Jewish traditions thread through the story of Max’s summer camp experience.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Hutmacher, Kimberly. (2012). Your senses at the beach. Minneapolis: Capstone Press.

In addition to pointing out the many sensory experiences on a hot day at the beach, this book could also be used for a read aloud before a writing activity for young writers and readers. Pointing out the “… feel [of] the warm sand and smell the salty air” (p.1) teachers could guide children to use their five senses not only to enjoy an environment but also to think about using sensory words in their own writing. Another page says, “Listen! Waves crash/Seagulls scream.” (p.9) Wonderful examples of language and words full of color and sound and smell make this a useful book on many levels.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Idle, Molly Schaar. (2013). Flora and the flamingo. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Clad in her pink bathing suit, bathing cap, and flippers, Flora happens upon a beautiful and stately flamingo. In wordless text and lift-the-flap illustrations, Flora attempts to mimic the graceful movements of the flamingo but as the lithe flamingo flexes in directions the stout little Flora can’t manage, Flora burst into tears. The flamingo patiently begins to teach Flora the dancelike movements of the graceful bird. A double-page spread fold-out bursts from the middle of the book as Flora and the flamingo enjoy the dance. Molly Idle worked in animation at DreamWorks, and this talent is brought to life in this fanciful and beautiful wordless experience in print.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Joyner, Andrew. (2013). Boris on the move. New York: Scholastic.

While it’s true that there’s no place like home, home can get to be too much of a good thing. Tired of the sameness of his home, Boris longs for adventures like his parents once had. After all, they once traveled in their van all over the world and saw many exotic sights. Now the globetrotting couple has settled down in Hogg Bay where they plant vegetables and enjoy their version of the good life. This simple story about Boris and his family, depicted as warthogs, will have plenty of appeal for young readers. The book even starts out by saying that Boris and the reader of the book have a lot in common. As Boris makes his yearning for adventure clear, his parents respond accordingly and take him on an adventure. Although he’s disappointed that the trip on which they embark is quite short, still he finds plenty of adventure and a frightful moment or two while he’s exploring. He even finds an orange cat, his own version of a fierce tiger. The story reminds readers that there is plenty of fun to be found in anyone's back yard or close by. The line illustrations and text are delightfully rendered and filled with surprising details that warrant a second look. See the publisher's website for a lesson plan. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Peschke, Marci. (2013). Kylie Jean: Summer camp queen. Illus. by Tuesday Mourning. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.

Kylie Jean Carter's lifelong ambition is to be a beauty queen, something she's been preparing for much of her growing up years. She’s keenly aware of how a beauty queen should look, act, and think, and she uses every opportunity to conduct herself as though she is auditioning for a pageant or engaging in competition. When summer comes, she attends a camp where she learns lots of skills, makes friends, learns about sportsmanship, and sets her eyes on becoming Camp Queen by earning the most number of points for activities. But to her surprise, although there is another camper who looks just like her, she doesn't act like Kylie Jean at all. Instead, Miley shows poor sportsmanship when she doesn't win the daily competitions, and almost causes Kylie Jean to lose her cool. Young readers will warm up quickly to this Texas charmer and the letters from camp she sends to her parents, brother, and dog, Ugly Brother. As Kylie Jean looks for solutions to Miley’s rudeness and her own dilemmas, she shows that even a secure girl can feel a little homesick and that there’s more to becoming a camp queen than being in charge or winning everything. Young readers will love the illustrations and this girl’s can-do, exuberant spirit. For more camp fun, check out what Ivy and Bean series author Annie Barrows has to say about summer camp in "Reading, Not Rules" on the Engage blog.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Ransom, Candice. (2013). Iva Honeysuckle meets her match. New York: Disney-Hyperion.

Iva and her cousin Heaven’s families are going on vacation to Stingray Point on the Chesapeake Bay. The beginning of the vacation does not quite start the way Iva envisioned in those six kids and two families in one small vacation house make for a hectic household. Iva, always on the lookout for a new adventure, is worried that this solitary stretch of beach holds nothing for her to explore. Then she hears about the legend of a sea monster and so her exploration for Chessie begins.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Spilsbury, Louise. (2013). Look inside a tide pool. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Library.

As children and parents head to the beach for summer vacation, the discovery of a tide pool is common and fascinating. This book guides young readers to explore what is actually alive within this habitat of the tide pool. The book is divided into four sections: At the Top, On the Rocks, In the Water, and Rock Bottom. As readers plunge into the tide pool captioned color photographs bring the life within the tide pool into visual reality along with fact boxes and bold text to highlight marine vocabulary. A helpful glossary and index are included at the end of the book in addition to further reading and websites.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Watt, Melanie. (2013). Scaredy Squirrel goes camping. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.

Scaredy Squirrel has returned hoping to avoid another adventure. Scaredy never goes camping and decides it is better to watch about camping on his new television set. However, his electrical cord is not long enough to plug into an outlet. He decides to get a verrrrrry long extension cord and plug it in at the campground. Now he has to prepare for his trip to the campground and this preparation presents the hilarity in this new adventure with the timorous squirrel that actually lives in the wilderness but must now venture outside for a wilderness trek to the campground for electricity. His checklists and exercises to prepare for this adventure are truly funny. Melanie Watt has written another most enjoyable new adventure for Scaredy to overcome his fears to discover he enjoys the out of doors. Children will enjoy these activity pages at the publisher’s website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

GRADES 5-6

 

Greenwald, Tommy. (2013). Charlie Joe Jackson’s guide to summer vacation. Illus. by J.P. Coovert. New York: Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Publishers.

Following on the author’s Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Extra Credit, Charlie is now off to summer camp, Camp Rituhbukkee (read-a-bookie) for kids who like to read. His parents have shipped him off for three weeks and Charlie is determined to turn all the nerdy kids there into normal kids like him. Charlie becomes somewhat of a star on the camp basketball team, works on the camp newspaper and leads the campers into a strike after they read the biography of Lech Walesa, and in the end helps another camper with a cheating dilemma. Charlie is also writing letters to a Zoe, a girl from home that he likes. This is a great middle school book especially for readers who like the Big Nate series.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Griffiths, Andy. (2013). The 13-story treehouse. Illus. by Terry Denton. New York: Feiwel and Friends.

Imagination runs BIG in this opening book for the new series, The 13-Story Treehouse. Andy and Terry live in the treehouse, but it is a huge treehouse like no other with monkeys and gorillas, shark tanks and bowling alleys, an underground laboratory, a see-through swimming pool and a marshmallow machine that follows them around popping marshmallows as needed.  As the boys, who are author and illustrator of new books, are trying to meet their new book deadline for Mr. Big Nose their publisher, they find they are constantly being interrupted by the outrageous distractions in the treehouse or all the fun things to do in their fantastical environment. The catnary (cat + canary) has escaped, a burp-gas-filled bubblegum bubble machine has malfunctioned, the giant gorilla is after more bananas, the sea monster is disguised as a mermaid, the monkeys have gone berserk and much more zaniness is keeping the boys from meeting their publishing deadline. This fun-filled chapter book is written so that each chapter stands alone and will make a great read-aloud. Looks like the beginning of a series that Wimpy Kid readers will enjoy.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

GRADES 7-12

 

Goelman, Ari B. (2013). The path of names. New York: Scholastic.

Not everyone wants to attend summer camp, and fourteen-year-old Dahlia Sherman is decidedly not interested in the typical camp pursuits of hiking, swimming, crafts, and socializing. The fact that her older brother is a popular camp counselor adds to her dislike of camp. Dahlia is more interested in numbers, magic tricks, and games than in the typical pursuits at Camp Arava or her bunkmates’ interest in finding boyfriends. Her well-meaning parents want her to learn to be more social, and they broker a deal that she can attend magic camp later in the summer if she agrees to give this camp a go. Dahlia is not too thrilled with camp until she spies two girls disappearing through a wall. What looks like a clever magic trick turns out to have a supernatural reason behind it, and Dahlia keeps seeing the same two girls and dreaming of David Schank, a boy whose initials she shares. Her dreams reveal that he somehow knows the 72nd name of God and is responsible for the maze on the camp property. No one is allowed to go near the maze, and there’s a creepy caretaker who keeps watch to make sure no one breaks that rule. Not one for the faint-hearted, this title mixes modern day adolescent angst about fitting in, summer camp, and sibling rivalry with a mystery rooted in religion and folklore. Readers who like challenging problems will enjoy trying to solve this one in which unimaginable power and lives are at stake. Plus, they’re certain to like Dahlia and her determination to be true to herself among many temptations to revert to the norm.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Whitney, Daisy. (2013). When you were here. New York: Little, Brown.

Understandably angry because of the death of his mother and the desertion of his girlfriend, high school valedictorian Danny Kellerman is sleepwalking through life, making unwise decisions, medicating his pain, and caring about very little. In fact, he even drops the F-bomb during his valedictory address to his senior class. But after a letter from Kana Miyoshi, a teenager whose mother takes care of his family’s apartment in Tokyo, prompts Danny to spend his summer there in search of answers and to make sense of his mother's last months. As he waits for her doctor to provide some answers, he embraces the delights of Tokyo, a city he already loved from earlier visits, while also uncovering secrets that surprise him. The descriptions of Tokyo's unique features are drawn with great affection, and will make some readers curious to visit the city. While there is plenty here to prompt tears and laughter, the self-destructive Danny is hard to like. He's so determinedly self-destructive, so filled with his own pain and reality that he is unable to see his mother and how she lived her life and her last days clearly. As he savors the moments they shared, he realizes that she had, indeed, seized every experience she possibly could, making sure that she had no regrets for having failed to live life to its fullest. How can he do less? He's redeemed by his love for his loyal dog, Sandy Koufax, and the very real pain through which he is living. While the book tugs hard at the heart strings, creating characters that can whimsically buy one-way tickets to Tokyo or have contacts who can afford to have a dog flown by private jet to Japan certainly risks alienating the typical teen reader. Nevertheless, the book is a palpable reminder to enjoy the times we have with those we love.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online.

 

When I read the Common Core State Standards, it is clear to me that we have to transform our teaching to better prepare students to achieve the standards. Transform our teaching? That sounds a bit overwhelming! But, really, it’s not. By simply making a few instructional shifts, those of us who teach in K-2 classrooms can guide learners in developing the habits of mind necessary to independently read, write, think, and converse about complex texts.

Encourage rereading and close reading

p: Barrett.Discovery via photopin cc

I don’t know about the children in your classroom, but I have many kids who are quick to say, “We read that in kindergarten.” My answer to that remark is always, “That’s wonderful! It’s an old favorite. I love old favorites because every time I read them, I can learn something new and interesting. I can read it with new eyes. So, here’s your challenge today, ‘What can you find with your first-grade eyes or learn with your first-grade mind that you didn’t notice in kindergarten?’” To develop the habit of rereading for our youngest readers, select engaging books. The Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems has hooked many a reader in my classroom. When we view these books through a “text complexity” lens we see the multiple teaching and learning opportunities these books offer when read again and again. At their most basic level, the books are ideal for strengthening children’s foundational sight word knowledge. Then, Willems’ engaging illustrations offer opportunities to converse about interplay between visuals and text. Pairing students to perform a readers’ theater starring Elephant and Piggie will build their fluency.

Another book that offers the same layers of meaning is DUCK! RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. Read it the first time for pure enjoyment. Return again to discuss who children think is narrating the story. Place it in the reading center for partner reading (great fluency practice!). Return to it to spark a conversation about different perspectives. The more you demonstrate the power of rereading and close reading, the more willing students will be to adapt this learning stance.

Engage in collaborative conversations

If you’ve ever said “turn and talk” in a primary-grade classroom, you know exactly what happens. The students turn toward each other (maybe) and begin talking at each other. Over the past few years, my co-author Katherine Phillips (MONTH-BY-MONTH READING INSTRUCTION FOR THE DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM) and I have spent a lot of time working to support our learners as they talk collaboratively. Collaborative conversations are the layer we’ve added to our instructional read-alouds and guided reading lessons to help children meet the Common Core Standards. Teaching children how to listen carefully to what others are saying before sharing their own thinking or opinion is challenging. We’ve provided children with key questions and phrases that help them link their thinking to their classmates’ thinking like, “Why do you think that?” or “Tell me more about your thinking.”

Expect evidence

We’ve become skilled at asking questions to assess students’ background knowledge or prompt them to make personal connections to the text. With the Common Core State Standards in mind, we need to refocus our questioning a bit to draw readers back into the text to support their thinking.

Some questions that spark text-based conversations include the following:

• Why do you think that?
• What in the text or illustrations helped you to come to that understanding?
• Can you show me in the pictures or words where you learned that/why you think that?

You’ll notice that the three instructional shifts I’ve shared all relate to the way you and your students read, think, and converse about books. As a children’s literature fanatic and a read-aloud proponent, I think that selecting the right texts is one key to unlocking the standards, but that’s a topic for another blog!

Maria Walther, who earned a doctorate in elementary education from Northern Illinois University, has taught first grade since 1986. Along with teaching young learners, Maria inspires other professionals by sharing her knowledge through customized professional development experiences. The ideas she shares reflect her continued commitment to teaching, researching, writing, and collaborating with her colleagues. Maria was honored as Illinois Reading Educator of the Year and earned the ICARE for Reading Award for fostering the love of reading in children. She has co-authored five professional books with Scholastic. Learn more about her books and find other teaching resources at http://www.mariawalther.com.



Use Movement and Music to Improve Reading Instruction

Best Ever Literacy Survival Tips: 5 Super Practical Ideas for Motivating Kids to Read More Challenging Texts in the Age of CCSS!

June's Member of the Month is William Ian O'Byrne (who we know as "Ian"), an assistant professor of educational technologies at the University of New Haven. In this interview, he shares how he transitioned from a middle and high school teacher to a university teacher who focuses on research about digital learning. He also talks about the digital and non-digital parts of his life, how teachers can integrate technology into their lives inside and outside the classroom, and how International Reading Association (IRA) membership makes difference.

When did you know you wanted to become a teacher?

I'm the oldest of seven children from a mixed family. To certain extent I've always worked with guiding children, whether they were family, or friends. My Nan believed that I would grow up to be a doctor. She initially thought that I would be a pediatrician given how much I cared about the well-being of children. I like to think that she would be proud of my current career path.

How long have you been a member of the International Reading Association? How has membership influenced your career?

I have been a member of IRA since entering into the world of literacy research. My research interests focus on the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of individuals as they use digital texts and tools for literacy practices. The International Reading Association allows me to connect with teachers that are trying to build these skills and capacities in students while integrating them into authentic learning activities. Put simply, working with IRA allows me to think about whether my ideas would "work" in the real-world classroom.

You're a member of IRA's Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG). How long have you been a member, and how has the experience been?

I have been a member of IRA's TILE-SIG for as long as I've been a member of IRA. This collection of researchers and scholars is also invaluable as it provides me an opportunity to reassure myself that my field of research is important. Sometimes I'll have an idea that seems like it would have the ability to change an aspect of the classroom. Membership in the TILE-SIG allows me to look across the thinking and work of a number of excellent teachers and researchers that are also pushing the same agenda. It's important to feel like a community that is thinking about the same changes occurring to literacy.

As well as contributing to Reading Today Online, you have your own blog and you're on Twitter, Google+, and a bunch of other sites! How are you using technology, websites, and social media for teaching students and for your own professional development? Do you have any advice to educators who may be nervous about becoming involved in new technology?

I regularly post to my own blog (http://wiobyrne.com/), Google+, and Twitter. I mostly use these venues to think through and reflect on ideas I have as I think about education, technology, and literacy. The links that I share and my blog posts are primarily as way for me to reflect on the themes and trends that I see in my field. I also share information on various digital texts and tools that I believe teachers should be using in their classrooms. When I work face-to-face with a teacher, or group of teachers, there is only so much time that can be spent in a workshop, class, or professional development session. We also know that these digital texts and tools are constantly changing and providing new opportunities for teachers and students. My hope is that through the use of these communication tools we can "keep the discussion" going after our time together has ended.

I believe all teachers and educators should have an online "brand." I work with individuals to find ways that they can "create and curate their online brand." There are obviously numerous elements that need to be discussed in this work, including issues of privacy, identity, and capacity. Usually I prefer to meet with teachers to discuss these larger questions that need to be addressed so the educator knows exactly what they're doing when they post materials online. That being said, teachers should be creating and curating not only their online brand, but more importantly making teaching resources available for their students and the community. The challenge is how to do this while making sure that you are protected.

You conduct research on "the literacy practices of individuals as they read/write in online spaces." What do you think are the most common misconceptions about how students read and learn to read in this digital age?

It is an ambitious statement, but I believe that all individuals should be empowered to use the reader/writer nature of the Internet and other communication tools. Of course this includes all teachers and students. Work such as this demands a larger discussion about empowerment, and the social imperatives associated with use of the Internet in the classroom. In consideration of this focus of my work, one of the biggest challenges that I have had to deal with is the belief that students are "digital natives" and (for the most part) teachers are "digital immigrants." I understand the argument that Marc Prensky was trying to make in identifying this distinction. I believe the "digital natives" debate set our field back ten years for educators thinking about using technology.

One of the effects of the "digital natives" debate is visible as educators resign themselves to thinking that they are not as knowledgable or skilled in the use of technology as their students based on age. Using this same logic as the "digital natives" debate, students that were born during the agricultural revolution should have a natural skill or propensity in the use of the rake or hoe. I prefer to think that skill and use in these new and digital literacies is more rooted in individual teacher (and student) dispositions than age, gender, or another designation.

That being said, I watch in amazement as my son deftly moves from computer, to tablet, to picture book as he "reads" information of different sources. I think this will have a dramatic effect on his expectations for how his teachers will frame teaching and learning in the classroom. He'll expect to learn across a variety of multimodal texts and be allowed to co-construct and collaborate with peers globally on assignments. This will require many of the same teaching skills and pedagogies that the field calls for as new technologies inundate society. I just don't think that my son innately understands these digital texts and tools because he's younger.

We're almost at the end of the K-12 school year. Do you have any advice on how teachers and parents can prevent the dreaded "summer slide"?

From my years teaching middle and high school I know it was always tricky in trying to keep students on task while the end of the school year loomed. My focus was on building up many of the established routines that I had built up over the year. I also saved a good amount of the hands-on work and creation that students would enjoy. Most of all I saved the books that I would enjoy…and I knew students would enjoy.

What do you consider to be your proudest career moment?

I would like to think that I haven't had my proudest career moment yet. If I had to pick one I would say it would have been coming home from successfully defending my dissertation and telling my son that we finally did it. He was 2 1/2 at the time and it meant nothing to him, but it meant the world to me.

What do you like to do when you're not wearing your educator hat?

While not teaching, reading, or researching I using spend my time playing with my son. This usually involved playing with cars, reading, building computers, Dance Party on the Wii, coloring, and goofing off.

What's the best advice you could offer someone new to the profession?

Build up your digital footprint. Think and be thoughtful in the development and evolution of your digital identity over time. It's okay to have fits, spurts, and redirections as you develop your online identity. Continue to develop, reflect, and revise this online brand as your needs change. 

Also work to build up the digital footprint of your students over time. The use of a digital footprint as a formative and summative assessment in all classrooms can be a powerful learning tool.

 

by Marjie Podzielinski

Every teacher and student in our district has a Google login and password. This affords each student to utilize the Google suite of tools. In this article I'll talk about Google Drive, one of their latest additions to the suite. If you don't have a Google account, you can sign up for a free account at https://accounts.google.com.

Road-testing Google Drive

After you login to Google, click on "Drive." Google Drive is an enhanced version of Google Docs with increased storage capacity. How can you make Google Drive work for you? Here’s how. Each student logs into their individual student account. By clicking on "create" and then "document" a new page appears. The student types his work. The work is automatically saved.

If the student creates a folder, and allows access to the teacher, the teacher can read his work on line and make comments. The document is automatically saved. The student also has the capacity to set up folders and allow other students or the teacher access. This a great way to do group work and the teacher can see at a glance who has made the additions to each portion of the project.

Files Anywhere

Google Drive lets you store and access your files anywhere—on the web, on your hard drive, or on the go. Here’s how it works:

1. Go to Google Drive on the web at drive.google.com.
2. Install Google Drive on your computer or mobile device.
3. Put your files in Google Drive. It’s right there on your device.

Now your files go everywhere you do. Change a file on the web, on your computer, or on your mobile device and it updates on every device where you’ve installed Google Drive. Store the first 5 GB of your work for free.

I added Google Drive to my iPad. Now whatever I type on my iPad can be stored and utilized on my desk top. You can also drag photos or other documents to your Google Drive account. At the end of the year when you are saving lesson plans, don’t save them to a flash drive. Open your Microsoft Word account and move those files to Google Drive. They are saved and stored in the cloud.

Drive vs. DropBox

The difference between DropBox and Google Drive is the storage capacity. Google Drive has twice the capacity of DropBox. Additional storage can also be purchased.

Drive for Collaboration

Google Drive lets you choose exactly who—friends, family, colleagues—gets your files. You don’t need email attachments anymore. Just share your file, folder, or Google Doc from any device. With worldwide access, no matter what time of day, collaboration can occur. A single Google Drive document can be shared with up to 200 people. 50 people can edit and view a document, spreadsheet, presentation, or drawing at the same time. Up to 10 people can edit and view a presentation or a document at the same time. This is the smart choice for educators around the world.

 

Marjie Podzielinski is a librarian at Coulson Tough School in The Woodlands, TX.