Crowell Elementary School
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On Teaching Students to Argue with Sources They Might Hate
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Mary Asgill, District Writing Coach
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It’s argument season! And if God be willing and the creek don’t rise, Uncle Ray will be visiting from New Orleans, back at the dinner table during the 2020 presidential debate. You know Uncle Ray. Every family has one. He’s the one who throws the wrench into the family’s political arguments – then silently watches with a cryptic smile while everyone is thrown off kilter.
Uncle Ray taught me the value of divergent thinking
President Trump v. a yet-to-be-determined Democrat; the 49ers v. Chiefs; Pancakes v. Waffles. It doesn’t matter. Uncle Ray, just for fun, mounts a robust defense of the side that is least popular – even if the minority opinion is not represented in the room.
I didn’t know that Uncle Ray’s style of argument had an academic name and a structure until I tried teaching my students to find interesting ways to write commentary about arguments they didn’t support.
Rogerian Argument
: an argument where you look for points of agreement with the opposition so that you find a workable solution to a problem based on common ground and shared values.
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Uncle Ray taught me to look for common ground in every argument
“Even if you hate source A’s argument, there’s usually something about every argument that cracks a window open for a smidgen of agreement,” I would say to my students, remembering all those dinners where Uncle Ray slid opposing evidence and commentary through those tiny cracks.
The Rogerian Argument supplies that tiny piece of agreement that every argument needs to keep eyes from rolling and stress from mounting.
Primarily, I taught my students the Toulmin argument, but what I found after some time was that their commentary was pedestrian and predictable. Their arguments were crafted like persuasive papers where they merely picked a side with a made up mind, rather than engaged in the true mental wrangling of argumentation. Engaging in argumentation requires opening the mind so that there is room for paradox.
As teachers, we’ve always taught that true argumentation required acknowledging the opposing viewpoint; otherwise, the argument was pure persuasion – not argumentation. When we taught the refutation of classical arguments or Toulmin arguments, generally, we taught students to state the opposing view – then refute it and return to their argument. We call it the “Yes, but.”
Rogerian argument, however, goes far beyond a mere mention of the opposing view. The opposing view is fully explained – as if to let the opponent know she was heard and understood. Then, a reasonable opponent would be more likely to be open to listening to the writer’s argument.
Yes, it is true that some arguments are so unreasonable or so illogical that even that smidgen of a crack of the argument window doesn’t appear to have an opening, but whether the argument is about politics, football, or breakfast food, we can find a values-based argument for common ground. We love America and want her to live up to her ideals and greatest potential. We want to see a hard-fought, but fair, Super Bowl. We enjoy the taste of pancakes and waffles once they’re on the plate, no matter what the shape.
The Rogerian argument finds satiating points of empathy. It adds clarity and insight to thinking. It forces the writer to pause – and seek first to understand. To what end? It adds depth to commentary. And if students cannot bring themselves to write a full Rogerian argument in the truest sense of the model, then they can blend the argument styles – and move beyond the “Yes, but” to, at least, an explanation of the opposing view. That way it gets more than just an honorable mention, and adds to the writer’s credibility.
The fear teachers might have in teaching the Rogerian argument is that if the writer spends too much time agreeing with the opposition, it might appear that the student does not have a strong stance, is wavering, or has completely switched sides. This is far from the case.
The Rogerian Argument is logical thinking at its best. It’s like arguing with your mother-in-law. You want to maintain a good relationship – but still develop your argument in the midst of the “discussion,” so you find points of agreement, and stick closely to those – even while you continue to advance your own argument.
Uncle Ray taught me the value of leaving light
Uncle Ray is a thousand years old and brings light with him, so nobody ever gets too angry with him during his devil’s advocate moments. His stories. His questions. His laughter makes you laugh because he doesn’t know his jokes aren’t funny. So, when he interjects the opposing argument in the throes of heated “discussions,” he leaves light as he explains why it’s important to understand fully before refuting, and we soak up the warmth and wisdom that comes with it after he goes home. A full explanation of the opposing view gives a tiny surprise to an unsuspecting reader and a mountain of clarity and credibility to a writer’s argument. In an ever-more polarized society, a tiny Rogerian argument, strategically placed, would go a long way to adding much-needed wisdom and light to how we navigate the argument space.
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Feeling overwhelmed? Remember RAIN.
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Eric Hauck, TUSD Science Instructional Coach
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Eric Hauck, one of our TUSD science instructional coaches, is currently hosting a national Twitter page with the handle @ngss_tweeps until Saturday. He decided to focus on how important stories are within the context of science education. Eric teamed up with UC Davis stem cell researchers and a group known as Jordan's Guardian Angels to help tell a story.
Jordan's syndrome is a relatively new diagnosis, within the last two years, that is caused by a genetic mutation. The team at UC Davis is working on a cure for it as we speak. Highlighting this story will give context as to why science education is so important and why the Science and Engineering Practices are integral.
Please follow this story @ngss_tweeps
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Marshall Beyer, Coordinator of Educational Technology
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Over the years, I have created and acquired a plethora of amazing resources. I am always looking for ways to share resources so everyone’s able to easily access them, no matter what type of device they’re using. Insert Wakelet!
Wakelet is a platform where you can save content from across the web (articles, videos, blogs, tweets, songs, and more). This can be done from either the website, browser extension, or mobile app. Once you save that content, you can organize it into collections. You can then share that collection with a single link. You can even collaborate with others on group collections to share ideas.
I have been using Wakelet for a while and was recently asked to be a guest blogger on the Wakelet blog. Check out the link below to read my blog post and see how I am using Wakelet.
Also, if you are attending ETC! 2020 on February 29 at Pitman High School, be sure to swing by and check out my session “Riding the Wakelet Wave” to learn about Wakelet and how you can use it in your classroom!
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Tech in TUSD: Google Classroom Updates
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Sitara Ali, Ed Tech Coach
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Google Classroom has undergone some changes when teachers are creating assignments. Teachers can now add a rubric and can also add originality reports. For more information on these Google Classroom Updates, see Google’s new updates!
Rubrics Teachers can now create and reuse rubrics within google classroom when creating an assignment. As students complete work, they can check an assignment’s rubric to help stay on track. When teachers grade rubrics, level selections automatically calculate a total grade that can also be adjusted manually. After work is returned, students can quickly check their rubric feedback. You can reuse rubrics, import rubrics from google sheets, share them, and are customizable.
Originality Reports Teachers can now turn on originality reports for 3 assignments per class. It doesn’t matter if you delete the assignment later, you will still only be able to have 3 originality reports per class. For students, the reports highlight source material in their work and flag missing citations so they can improve their writing. After students submit work, teachers can view reports to verify academic integrity and provide feedback from the grading tool.
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Athletic Director Sports Update
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Dave Walls, Pitman High School AD
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Boys Soccer
Varsity Boys Soccer completed an outstanding season with a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to CCC Champion Central Valley. The Pride hosted Tracy on Tuesday and came away with the 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs with goals by Daniel Galdamez and Marco Arias. On Thursday the Pride traveled across Highway 99 to battle the #2 seeded Central Valley Hawks. In an intense and very competitive match, the Pride fell to the Hawks 3-1. The Pride received their lone goal from Isaac Reya. The boys ended 12-9-1 overall and the 2nd round of the D2 Section Playoffs. Congratulation to Daniel Galdamez - CCAL Offensive Player of the Year, CCAL 1st Team - Brian Marquez, Felipe Lopez & Alexis Benites. CCAL 2nd Team - Andrew Soria, Luis Robles & Issac Raya.
Girls Soccer
The Lady Pride had one of if not the best season in school history as they went 18-6-1 to go along with a CCAL Championship. On Wednesday the ladies hosted Bear Creek in the SJS D2 1st round and came away with a 2-0 victory with goals by Hanna Delay and Sarah Sahagun. On Friday the #5 Lady Pride traveled to Granite Bay to take on the #4 Grizzles in what turned out to be one of the best games of the season. For 80 minutes the Pride and Grizzles battled to a 1-1 tie. The end of regulation gave us 2 ten minute quarters that ended 1-1. The game moved to PK's where Granite Bay survived with a 1-1 (2-1 PK's) victory. The Pride received their lone goal from Lilly Leonard and assist from Sidney Cantwell. Congratulation to CCAL MVP - Mya Sanchez, 1st Team - Alisha Garcia, Landyn Mills & Sidney Cantwell. 2nd Team - Camila Stephens, Lola Stranfeld & Emily Alvarez.
Boys Basketball
The Pride hosted Buhach Colony in the opening round of the D2 Section Playoffs on Tuesday and came away with a 66-49 victory. The Pride were lead by Josiah Frank with 23 and Kyahn Issa with 14 and 13 rebounds. On Wednesday The Pride traveled to Jesuit for a 1st round match with the Marauders and fell 64-40 to the #1 seed. The Pride are ended the year 15-10. Congratulations to CCAL 1st Team - Josiah Frank and Khayn Issa. 2nd Team - Dylan Anderson.
Girls Basketball
The Lady Pride made history this year as they set a school record in wins and finished 22-6 and CCAL Champions. The Pride received a tough draw in the Section Playoffs and traveled to Edison-Stockton for an #8 vs. #9 first round game. The Pride played hard and ended up falling to the Vikings 48-46. The Pride were led by Sydney Smith with 14. Congratulations to CCAL MVP - Jessica Smith, 1st Team - Sydney Smith and Rayden Simmons. 2nd Team - Haley Hamasaki
Wrestling
The Pride Wrestlers continued to roll as they participated in SJS Masters Tournament. The Pride wrestled great on the weekend and finished 4th in the boys team competition and 5th in the girls competition. The Pride received great wrestling up and down the weight classes and qualified 6 boys and 3 girls for State: For the boys - 122 Izzy Tubera (2nd), 138 Aaron Lucatero (7th), 154 Isaiah Ontiveros (5th), 160 Kendall LaRosa (1st), 182 Tal Malhi (2nd), 220 Juan Mora (2nd), and HWY Emilio Gutierrez (8th). Equally successful were the Lady Pride who qualified three ladies for State with championship victories by Lilly Avalos at 106 (1) and Lilly Freitas at 150 (1) and Alona Ontiveros at 137 (6th). Congrats to the Pride as they head to RaboBank Arena next Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the 2020 CIF State Tournament with 10 wrestlers.
Upcoming Pride Athletics:
Tuesday
Golf vs. Atwater (Scrimmage) 1:00 PM / Turlock Country Club
SB vs. Golden Valley (Scrimmage) 3:00 PM / Pitman Softball Field - 1
Wednesday
JV-VBB vs. Manteca (Scrimmage) 3:30 PM @ Pitman
Thursday
WREST (G/B) @ CIF State Tournament @ Rabobank Arena - Bakersfield, CA @ TBA
Friday
SWIM vs. Hilmar - 3:30PM @ Pitman Pool
SB @ Atwater - 3:30PM
TRK @ Distance Wars - Hughson HS - 4:00PM
WREST (G/B) @ CIF State Tournament @ Robo Bank Arena - Bakersfield, CA @ TBA
Saturday
WREST (G/B) @ CIF State Tournament @ RaboBank Arena - Bakersfield, CA @ TBA
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Mike Brown, Turlock High School AD
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Raman Sanghera, Early Literacy Instructional Coach
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How long have you worked in TUSD? 9 years
Where did you work prior to TUSD? I worked in Human Resources at Target.
Any info you would like to share about your job? Average day? An average day is filled with working with students on reading and supporting teachers. I am at two sites so I have the privilege of being a part of two school cultures.
Things you are most proud of? I am most proud of my family. We are a close knit group and I am blessed to have them around.
Challenges? Every day is different and its challenges are different when teaching reading. I think the biggest challenge is staying creative in reading strategies and trying to find each child's spark for reading. Even though it is challenging it is the most rewarding job. Being able to impact a child's reading is a lifelong skill that no one can take away from them.
Favorite memory/story? My favorite memory is the day my son was born. My favorite memories are sharing new experiences with him and watching life through his eyes.
What are you reading?
The Body Keeps Score and any current research on childhood trauma for my thesis.
Any favorite shows you’re watching on TV? Repeated episodes of
Paw Patrol and
Firefighter Sam. When I do have time, my guilty pleasure is anything on Bravo and
Real Housewives.
Fave movies? Anything comedy and drama-suspense. I am not a fan of horror movies.
Anything surprising we may not know about you? I am an avid sports fan. Raiders and Lakers.
Anything about your personal life you’d like to share? I have a handsome, energetic 2 ½ year old boy, Kavan. He is my little man.
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We are excited to announce that a FREE, 1-hour course is now available from our No Bully partners to help parents ensure their child is neither a target of bullying nor a bully to other students. Working together we can better prepare our students to be successful and happy in school and in their adult lives. Course topics:
- Welcome!
- Your Own Experiences with Bullying
- What is Bullying Anyway?
- What Causes Bullying?
- What Helps a Child Grow into a Successful Adult?|
- How to Bullyproof Your Child
- When Your Child is Being Bullied
- What If My Child Is a Bully?
- Help Your Child Take a Stand Against Bullying
- The No Bully Partnership at Your School
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The 36th Annual High School Mock Trial Competition final trial and awards were held on February 18. Congratulations to the winning team from Gregori High School!
Other competition results...
Runner-up team - - Turlock High School
Journalism Contest winner- - Rana Banankhah
Modesto High School Artist in the Courtroom winner - - Azrael Post, Johansen High School Spirit of Stanislaus County Mock Trial Award & Scholarship winner - - Breanna Donnelly
Modesto High School Ryan Dickerson Award for Excellence & Leadership in Mock Trial winner - - Brian Hill, Hughson High School
Gregori will represent Stanislaus County at the State Mock Trial in Los Angeles, March 20-22, 2020.
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School Bus Drivers Needed
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Transportation Department
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Know someone who would be a great candidate for a school bus driver? Turlock Adult School's Bus Driver Certification class starts March 2, 2020.
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To coincide with the GRAND OPENING of our new CTE Culinary Arts Facility at Pitman High School we are kicking off a Cookbook Drive! Drop off your new or gently used cookbooks to the Pitman High School main office or District Office Room 215. Instructor Mohini Singh envisions a space where students can browse through a kitchen library for inspiration. This campaign is just for the month of February so show your love and support the dreams of future chefs!
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Marjorie Bettencourt, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Accountability
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NEW TUSD App Available Now
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Marie Russell, Chief Communication Coordinator
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The new TUSD app is now available in iTunes and Google Play stores. The app includes links to our TUSD website as well as useful resources such as Child Nutrition, the CCAL website, and back issues of the TUSD Weekly Update. Don't have Twitter? No problem. You can also see Dana's Twitter feed in the TUSD App. Search "Turlock Unified SD" and download today!
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Share Your Awesome!
Marie Russell
Chief Communication Coordinator
mrussell@turlock.k12.ca.us
209.648.0968
@tusd_mrussell
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We would love to have ALL staff help share our TUSD story to the world, but if that is not really your thing, just email Marie Russell for an opt-out form.
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