As I was driving to work this morning, I was listening to NPR, my favorite radio station. Lynn Neary was interviewing a family that has a family tradition of reading holiday books as a family. They unearth their box of books sometime after Thanksgiving, share them during the holiday season, and pack them back up after the holidays until the following year. I wanted to embed the podcast into this blog, but unfortunately am not able to. So, here's the website. Hope the link works......
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98308208
What a wonderful way to spend some quiet time with family - and instill the love of reading at the same time.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Glogster
Tried playing with Glogster. Now I have to figure out how to incorporate it into my website, etc. Here's my experiment so far - needs work....
Friday, August 8, 2008
Success
It's official - after a summer of worrying about passing the CTEL exam, the results are in. According to the "unofficial" results, I've passed all 3 components. Time to throw out the notebook and flashcards (or at least recycle them) and make room in my brain for the next project. YIKES, school starts in 2 weeks. Guess that's enough of a project for now.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Time Flies
I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post. So much has happened it's hard to figure out where to start....
The CLAD exam is OVER!!!! Thank God for that. Why the California Teachers of English Learners (CTEL) would use a multiple choice test to determine the ability to teach English Learners is beyond me. That's exactly the kind of assessment we learned was not appropriate for determining a student's grasp of material. 60 hours of test prep for a 6 hour exam - how brutal! And to think that this is sanctioned by teachers - why do we do this to ourselves?
Once the exam was over it was on to the next hurdle of the summer - moving my mom from a 1 bedroom apartment to one room at an assisted living facility. Thankfully, this was her choice and the move was to what the facility calls a "cluster home" afiliated with the Jewish Home for the Aging. So my mom is in a 4 bedroom home that she will eventually share with 3 other women. She has her own bedroom and bathroom sharing the kitchen, living room and dining room. As I helped my mom go through her lifetime of "stuff", I'd send my sister updates. She found the humor in them and thought I should write a book - maybe once some time passes. We have decided that our inheritance rests in the box of paper goods stored in my mom's new garage - yes, she still drives at the age of 85. The number of boxes of ziplock bags, aluminum foil, wax paper and baggies she has rivals the papergoods aisle at the market - box after box after box. She'll have to live another 50 years to use it all up. It must be that generation - I think I've just finished using up the foil that my mother-in-law left when she died - and that was over 20 years ago! And shoes, in plastic boxes - cardboard shoeboxes weren't good enough. I think we "paired" down over 60 pairs to about 12. Each pair of shoes had to be tried on and of course there was a story to match. I think my favorite though had to be the plastic hangers, stored in plastic bags, waiting for clothes - 4 market sized bags!
So, she's moved and adjusting quite nicely. She was able to take her bedroom furniture and a good deal of kitchen gear - not that she cooks anymore. She'll finally have someone to clean the house weekly and help with laundering the sheets & towels. She can choose to eat her meals at "home" or in the dining room at the main facility. It's all about choices - thankfully, these were her's to make.
While going through all of her things, I was struck by how much we accumulate in our lives and that the responsibility to disperse those "things" will be left to someone else. I've already started to "weed" closets, drawers, and anything that isn't nailed down. I've also made the commitment to give those things I no longer use to others who will enjoy them now - they do no good to anyone stored in a closet or drawer.
The CLAD exam is OVER!!!! Thank God for that. Why the California Teachers of English Learners (CTEL) would use a multiple choice test to determine the ability to teach English Learners is beyond me. That's exactly the kind of assessment we learned was not appropriate for determining a student's grasp of material. 60 hours of test prep for a 6 hour exam - how brutal! And to think that this is sanctioned by teachers - why do we do this to ourselves?
Once the exam was over it was on to the next hurdle of the summer - moving my mom from a 1 bedroom apartment to one room at an assisted living facility. Thankfully, this was her choice and the move was to what the facility calls a "cluster home" afiliated with the Jewish Home for the Aging. So my mom is in a 4 bedroom home that she will eventually share with 3 other women. She has her own bedroom and bathroom sharing the kitchen, living room and dining room. As I helped my mom go through her lifetime of "stuff", I'd send my sister updates. She found the humor in them and thought I should write a book - maybe once some time passes. We have decided that our inheritance rests in the box of paper goods stored in my mom's new garage - yes, she still drives at the age of 85. The number of boxes of ziplock bags, aluminum foil, wax paper and baggies she has rivals the papergoods aisle at the market - box after box after box. She'll have to live another 50 years to use it all up. It must be that generation - I think I've just finished using up the foil that my mother-in-law left when she died - and that was over 20 years ago! And shoes, in plastic boxes - cardboard shoeboxes weren't good enough. I think we "paired" down over 60 pairs to about 12. Each pair of shoes had to be tried on and of course there was a story to match. I think my favorite though had to be the plastic hangers, stored in plastic bags, waiting for clothes - 4 market sized bags!
So, she's moved and adjusting quite nicely. She was able to take her bedroom furniture and a good deal of kitchen gear - not that she cooks anymore. She'll finally have someone to clean the house weekly and help with laundering the sheets & towels. She can choose to eat her meals at "home" or in the dining room at the main facility. It's all about choices - thankfully, these were her's to make.
While going through all of her things, I was struck by how much we accumulate in our lives and that the responsibility to disperse those "things" will be left to someone else. I've already started to "weed" closets, drawers, and anything that isn't nailed down. I've also made the commitment to give those things I no longer use to others who will enjoy them now - they do no good to anyone stored in a closet or drawer.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Breathing Easier
School is out and it's time for some well deserved r & r. It's been a hectic year so far. The Teacher Librarians in our district have been fighting for our jobs since January. That was when the news of the California budget was released. I do not envy the Board Members and the daunting task they had to decide what to cut and what to keep. Last Tuesday, the Board adopted a budget. Well, what a Board Meeting it was. Thankfully our jobs are safe for this year - provided the State approves the budget as is. We have our work cut out for us - why we have to justify our positions is beyond me. We are very fortunate that we have parents & teachers who understand and support our library programs. The 6 Teacher Librarians in our district will work together to promote our programs and make sure that we are visible forces working for the betterment of our students, not just background support.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tag Cloud Makeovers
One of the advantages of reading other blogs is learning about new web tools. Thanks to Joyce Valenza and her blog NeverEndingSearch, I've discovered Wordies and have made over my del.icio.us tag. The tags don't link to anything, but they are fun to make.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Facebook????
Ok, so I finally developed a facebook page - much to my daughter's dismay. I have found it is a great way to share photos with family and friends. I have posted and shared photos using Flickr.com, but have found facebook easier to use. It's been fun linking up with people I know. I'm not sure how much I'll really use this application and really don't get the allure. In fact, this video found on librarygarden.blogspot.com pretty much sums it up...
Update
It's hard to believe that months have passed since my last post. So much has happened - some good, some not so good. Be that as it may, it's time to catch up and even learn something new in the process. Our district has contracted with a web-development company to host all of the school web-sites. It's been a challenge to fit content into someone else's framework, but I do like the consistency in the teacher sites and the ease with which content can be created and posted. I'm looking forward to summer so I can spend more time on the site and get things really set up for next year. The district has also used tech funds to purchase new circulation software for the libraries, bringing us into the 21st century. After a long, exhaustive search, the 6 Teacher Librarians came to the conclusion that Alexandria best suited our needs. Most of us had it up and running early May. There have been some gliches (like slip printers that work with Spectrum but not Alexandria) but they are a part of the process and learning curve. All in all, I'm happy with the software decision, sorry I didn't listen to Kelly (a TL at one of the other middle schools) and order the bluetooth hand-held scanner, and looking forward to the end of inventory so I can really see what is happening to the collection.
Since my last post, my co-TL, Jane & I were able to coerce one of the TOSA's (teacher on special assignment) to start on Classroom 2.0. She has set up her blog and offered the tutorial throughout our district. Quite a few teachers are taking advantage of the program. Having completed the tutorial, I am now a cheerleader. Being one of the cheerleaders gives me a chance to follow those exploring these tools, read their reactions to the web 2.0 tools and comment on their musings. I have found some of these tools invaluable and use them everyday, other applications need a second look. Isn't that what summer is for.....
Since my last post, my co-TL, Jane & I were able to coerce one of the TOSA's (teacher on special assignment) to start on Classroom 2.0. She has set up her blog and offered the tutorial throughout our district. Quite a few teachers are taking advantage of the program. Having completed the tutorial, I am now a cheerleader. Being one of the cheerleaders gives me a chance to follow those exploring these tools, read their reactions to the web 2.0 tools and comment on their musings. I have found some of these tools invaluable and use them everyday, other applications need a second look. Isn't that what summer is for.....
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Week 9, Thing 23 - In Closing
I can't believed I've finished! And just under the wire. I know now that this isn't the end of my discoveries, just the beginning. When my daughter became a Bat Mitzvah, I told her that it was not the culmination of her Jewish education, but the beginning. I feel the same way about this tutorial. My goal is to incorporate many of these tools into my daily life. Now on to your questions -
What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
As I looked back on what I've learned, it's hard to imagine my life or work before being introduced to these tools. Creating an avatar was fun, but del.icio.us, Flickr, RSS and Zoho have become a part of my daily routine.
How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Just by nature of the work that we do, we are lifelong learners. This program gave a direction to my learning. It allowed me to take charge of my learning and at my own pace. There are tools I started using right away, and some I put on hold for another day. On my list are a number of to-do items -
Start another blog using it for booktalks, or maybe use a wiki for my students to add books they have enjoyed
Include podcasts - written and delivered by students
Encourage teachers (and help them) to use wikis for their assignments and to collaborate with each other
Use LibraryThing to keep track of books I've read and books I've added to our collection
Use Flickr & mashups to add interest to my presentations and handouts
Create an interactive website that my students will find user friendly and intuitive
Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
What surprised me most was the ease in which I could explore something and use it immediately. Zoho is definately a "take-a-way" that I didn't expect. I found it amusing that I had been using a number of web 2.0 tools, but didn't know it. Being able to explore these tools more fully gave me a better understanding of their uses and better ways to use them.
What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
The only thing I would suggest is to encourage participants to explore blogs of those who have completed this tutorial. I found those blogs an invaluable source of information. I enjoyed the comments from the cheer team - especially when I figured out how to respond to their comments.
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Absolutely - and without trepidation! Bring on the web 2.1 tutorial!
How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote CSLA learning activities?
Thank you School Library 2.0 Team for the opportunity to participate in this program, to stretch my brain and kick me into the 21st century.
What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
As I looked back on what I've learned, it's hard to imagine my life or work before being introduced to these tools. Creating an avatar was fun, but del.icio.us, Flickr, RSS and Zoho have become a part of my daily routine.
How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Just by nature of the work that we do, we are lifelong learners. This program gave a direction to my learning. It allowed me to take charge of my learning and at my own pace. There are tools I started using right away, and some I put on hold for another day. On my list are a number of to-do items -
Start another blog using it for booktalks, or maybe use a wiki for my students to add books they have enjoyed
Include podcasts - written and delivered by students
Encourage teachers (and help them) to use wikis for their assignments and to collaborate with each other
Use LibraryThing to keep track of books I've read and books I've added to our collection
Use Flickr & mashups to add interest to my presentations and handouts
Create an interactive website that my students will find user friendly and intuitive
Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
What surprised me most was the ease in which I could explore something and use it immediately. Zoho is definately a "take-a-way" that I didn't expect. I found it amusing that I had been using a number of web 2.0 tools, but didn't know it. Being able to explore these tools more fully gave me a better understanding of their uses and better ways to use them.
What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
The only thing I would suggest is to encourage participants to explore blogs of those who have completed this tutorial. I found those blogs an invaluable source of information. I enjoyed the comments from the cheer team - especially when I figured out how to respond to their comments.
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Absolutely - and without trepidation! Bring on the web 2.1 tutorial!
How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote CSLA learning activities?
Thank you School Library 2.0 Team for the opportunity to participate in this program, to stretch my brain and kick me into the 21st century.
Week 9, Thing 22
It is unbelievable what can be found on the web. It really is the "world wide web". I had so much fun exploring WPL, I lost track of time. I especially enjoyed the OLPC (one laptop per child) collection of 1000 eBooks for children. To be able to find illustrated text online by Kate Greenaway, Grimm's fairy tales and Baum's Wizard of Oz books is priceless. I have a number of the Oz books that were originally my dad's. Hard to believe they were written around 1916 - almost 100 years ago! And now I can view them on the web. Will wonders ever cease!?! I still don't think I want to curl up with a good ebook, but I can see their use in academic settings. My 6th graders were writing stories loosely based on existing fairy tales. WPL would be a great site to link to my website for that activity.
LibriVox was also fun. I was able to listen to "The Lost Princess of Oz" - at least the first chapter. I have a number of audio-books in the professional library. My teachers like to use the audio version for some of our core novels. I've also tried to encourage the special ed students to use audio books or download the audio file from iTunes. They just have to make sure they have the full version, not abridged. Apparently, if I download the file from iTunes (paying for it, of course) and share my account, the teachers at my school would be able to play my files in their classroom on their laptops. It's worth a try, I just have to figure out the copyright issues.
One more note regarding delivery of novels. This morning, on NPR, Liane Hansen was speaking with Scott Sigler. They were talking about podcast novels — books delivered first by audio, in serial form. Since I can't figure out how to embed the podcast of their discussion into this blog, follow this link to NPR to hear what they had to say.
LibriVox was also fun. I was able to listen to "The Lost Princess of Oz" - at least the first chapter. I have a number of audio-books in the professional library. My teachers like to use the audio version for some of our core novels. I've also tried to encourage the special ed students to use audio books or download the audio file from iTunes. They just have to make sure they have the full version, not abridged. Apparently, if I download the file from iTunes (paying for it, of course) and share my account, the teachers at my school would be able to play my files in their classroom on their laptops. It's worth a try, I just have to figure out the copyright issues.
One more note regarding delivery of novels. This morning, on NPR, Liane Hansen was speaking with Scott Sigler. They were talking about podcast novels — books delivered first by audio, in serial form. Since I can't figure out how to embed the podcast of their discussion into this blog, follow this link to NPR to hear what they had to say.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Week 9, Thing 21
I've been downloading podcasts for a few years. My daughter has an IPod and my husband and I have Mp3 players. I've downloaded a few radio shows and some of my music cd's. It's great on long car rides and even during medical tests where I've had to lay still for 45 minutes. I'm a visual learner though, so YouTube is more my style.
I was a little disappointed with podcast.net. It was out of date. When I checked on my favorite radio show (Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me), the most recent podcast was December 2006. Yahoo was also disapointing. I guess I expected to be able to listen to the podcast directly from Yahoo, but the site just sends you somewhere else. Podcastalley.com was kind of confusing. It seemed to me that I would need to sign in and create an account at Podshow. The last thing I want now is another account with another username and password. I find it easier to download my podcasts of choice from the NPR website. Maybe this is why ITunes is so popular. It's easy to set up an account and set it up to save certain podcasts, including free ones.
I did have fun on EPN. I found something called YA Cast and added them to my Google homepage. Here's what the site says about them:
I was a little disappointed with podcast.net. It was out of date. When I checked on my favorite radio show (Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me), the most recent podcast was December 2006. Yahoo was also disapointing. I guess I expected to be able to listen to the podcast directly from Yahoo, but the site just sends you somewhere else. Podcastalley.com was kind of confusing. It seemed to me that I would need to sign in and create an account at Podshow. The last thing I want now is another account with another username and password. I find it easier to download my podcasts of choice from the NPR website. Maybe this is why ITunes is so popular. It's easy to set up an account and set it up to save certain podcasts, including free ones.
I did have fun on EPN. I found something called YA Cast and added them to my Google homepage. Here's what the site says about them:
"This unique podcast is actually a series of audio book talks on young adult literature. The podcast is written and recorded by pre-service English teachers at Grand Valley State University as part of a literature methods course taught by Dr. Robert Rozema. For more information on how podcasting works or how to create your own book talk podcasts, please contact rozemar@gvsu.edu."
There were a number of booktalks listed. They were fun to listen to and well produced. I'd like to have students booktalk their favorite books and have the podcasts linked to my website. That will have to wait for another day.Week 9, Thing 20
I love YouTube. This is a source that I've used to share videos with friends and family. I've never created my own video - I'm not that creative. I find this source invaluable when looking for current topics (Obama's speech, to name one) and just for fun (Jon Stewart for another). Here's the latest video that my friends and I have been viewing - Enjoy
I also find videos found on various sites helpful and instructional. I love the videos done by Lee LeFever at commoncraft.com. These are simple, straight-forward, instructional videos. This is one on "California School Finance" I thought was relevant to our lives.
I also find videos found on various sites helpful and instructional. I love the videos done by Lee LeFever at commoncraft.com. These are simple, straight-forward, instructional videos. This is one on "California School Finance" I thought was relevant to our lives.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Week 8, Thing 19
I was introduced to LibraryThing a while ago and began to enter my books from home. That project ended quickly when I realized that I don't have room for all of our books, keeping only those that I really "need" to have. I've chosen instead to set up the account and use it as a way to keep track of new books ordered for the library. I might set up 2 different accounts - one to introduce new titles, linked to my blog and the other to keep track of books I want to read. This would be a good way to keep track of titles I need to order for AR.
I've also established a Shelfari account. I like the display better, but it seems more commercial. I might use Shelfari for home and LibrarThing for work. The jury is still out on this one.
I've also established a Shelfari account. I like the display better, but it seems more commercial. I might use Shelfari for home and LibrarThing for work. The jury is still out on this one.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Posting a Zoho doc to a blog - save our jobs
What will our students and teachers miss without a full time TL at each school:
a. No AR
b. No Independent use - that includes students having somewhere to take make-up tests, work on projects independantly, etc.
c. No Small groups
d. No professional to oversee textbook distribution
e. No Orientations
f. Very limited instruction (2 – 3 times per month, no option for on-demand, collaborative, research skills, or curriculum-driven instruction)
g. No one to maintain a curricular driven print and electronic collection customized to the specific needs of each school
h. include increasing clerk time
i. no one to run Alexandria effectively – an $85,000 investment – with a global vision
j. it has been tried and didn’t work at Calabasas
k. Value of collection –with inadequate professional staff to safe guard
2. Legality
i. Because of need to have students supervised by credentialed staff, there will be no individual student or small group student visits to the library, only whole class accompanied by teachers
3. End with Krashen quote
a. No AR
b. No Independent use - that includes students having somewhere to take make-up tests, work on projects independantly, etc.
c. No Small groups
d. No professional to oversee textbook distribution
e. No Orientations
f. Very limited instruction (2 – 3 times per month, no option for on-demand, collaborative, research skills, or curriculum-driven instruction)
g. No one to maintain a curricular driven print and electronic collection customized to the specific needs of each school
h. include increasing clerk time
i. no one to run Alexandria effectively – an $85,000 investment – with a global vision
j. it has been tried and didn’t work at Calabasas
k. Value of collection –with inadequate professional staff to safe guard
2. Legality
i. Because of need to have students supervised by credentialed staff, there will be no individual student or small group student visits to the library, only whole class accompanied by teachers
3. End with Krashen quote
Week 8, Thing 18
Online productivity tools - the inventors should be given awards, achieve sainthood, something wonderful for creating these easy to use, soon to be can't live without tools. I'm in the process of going through my documents on one of my computers to figure out what should be saved and what I can live without. In the process of getting new computers, I realized that the hard drive of the existing computer is my life (or what it has been for the past 6 years). I've been transferring important documents to a newer computer, but now, I can create them in Zoho or Google Docs and work on them ANYWHERE!!!!! So, it's out with the old-fashioned and in with the new online tools. One of our teachers has been using Google Docs. I've just created a spreadsheet for one of her projects and invited her to edit and/or add to it. The Teacher Librarians in our district are working on a presentation for the next board meeting. We've gotten together to discuss and create the presentation - I can see that using Zoho would be a good way for us to communicate our ideas and be able to edit and comment on entries. I've published a draft of what would be missing without us there. I think using Zoho would be a good way to create an interactive library calendar that could be posted to a blog or wiki - one that teachers would be able to access. I like the feature that allows you to invite people to read or read/edit your docs and that you get an email when changes are made to your docs.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Week 7, Thing 17
That was easy! Here's what I added:
Idea #16: I can see how middle school students might use some of the Flickr tools to create posters and/or trading cards of their favorite books. Or they could use Flickr mashups for their school projects - especially my 6th graders on their biome reports. I imagine they could create trading cards for the animals found on their biome along with the links for the food chain.
My only concern is the possibility of vandalizing the wiki all too easily. Is there any way to protect the information and preview what is submitted before posting? If not, then a blog may be more appropriate for middle school.
Idea #16: I can see how middle school students might use some of the Flickr tools to create posters and/or trading cards of their favorite books. Or they could use Flickr mashups for their school projects - especially my 6th graders on their biome reports. I imagine they could create trading cards for the animals found on their biome along with the links for the food chain.
My only concern is the possibility of vandalizing the wiki all too easily. Is there any way to protect the information and preview what is submitted before posting? If not, then a blog may be more appropriate for middle school.
Week 7, Thing 16
Boy, do I wish I had completed this part of web 2.0 during Winter Break. I've been working with the 8th grade language arts teachers on an author project. Setting this up in a wiki would have made our student's research so much easier. Not only could the project directions be posted on a wiki, students could add information and web sites they found helpful. I could also see setting up an online book club using a wiki. I just wonder if there is a way to preview student entries before posting. I had a blog set up last year for students to post reviews of books they had read. 2 or 3 students submitted reviews, another student used the blog to try out inappropriate language. That blog ended quickly:( There are a number of projects assigned to my students that would fit the wiki model. Time to get to work!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Week 6, Thing 15
I am bound and determined to finish these 23 things before April 1. I keep getting bogged down by all of the links I follow while working on each activity. That's what I love about the web - exposure to additional information is possible and easy to do - akin to flipping through the encyclopedia looking for specific information while being exposed to so much more. That being said, certain concepts from the articles I read struck me as relevant to what we do.
The article 3 Icebergs by Rick Anderson discussed 3 "things" that affect the way I view my work. "The “just in case” collection" speaks directly to my view of collection development. I no longer feel that there are some items that every library should have. Books and materials, including online databases, are chosen with emphasis on supporting the curriculum and State standards. I also tend to put more of our budget (what's left of it) into online resources. It may seem extravagant to pay yearly renewal fees for an online encyclopedia, but I justify the expense realizing that the online version is updated more often and used more often by my students than any print resource.
"Reliance on user education" spoke to the fact that there is no way to reach all of my students (1 of me/900 of them). I work with small groups, teach them appropriate skills and watch with amazement while they teach their friends. I try and make the library as user friendly as possible - from selecting books to read for AR to using my web page to help guide them through their research. Even though our jobs are on the line, the district has just purchased new user friendly circulation software soon to be installed. One thing I've learned is that if it's not easy for the kids to use, it doesn't get touched.
"The “come to us” model of library service" again speaks to collection development, including online databases. We need to provide students with tools they can use from the library, classroom or home.
Michael Stephens article Librarian 2.0 Controls Technolust really hit home. All too often our district buys technology without thinking things through - buying computers and presentation systems for all of the teachers without thinking of how they will incorporate this technology into their teaching, having a computer lab (apart from the library) without someone to oversee and problem-shoot. The list goes on and on.
I think school libraries have always been 2.0. As teacher librarians we work to create welcoming and friendly spaces (physical & virtual) for our kids to explore, learn and develop skills that will be with them forever. We don't operate in a vacuum, but with the support of our peers and continual feedback from our toughest critics - our students!
The article 3 Icebergs by Rick Anderson discussed 3 "things" that affect the way I view my work. "The “just in case” collection" speaks directly to my view of collection development. I no longer feel that there are some items that every library should have. Books and materials, including online databases, are chosen with emphasis on supporting the curriculum and State standards. I also tend to put more of our budget (what's left of it) into online resources. It may seem extravagant to pay yearly renewal fees for an online encyclopedia, but I justify the expense realizing that the online version is updated more often and used more often by my students than any print resource.
"Reliance on user education" spoke to the fact that there is no way to reach all of my students (1 of me/900 of them). I work with small groups, teach them appropriate skills and watch with amazement while they teach their friends. I try and make the library as user friendly as possible - from selecting books to read for AR to using my web page to help guide them through their research. Even though our jobs are on the line, the district has just purchased new user friendly circulation software soon to be installed. One thing I've learned is that if it's not easy for the kids to use, it doesn't get touched.
"The “come to us” model of library service" again speaks to collection development, including online databases. We need to provide students with tools they can use from the library, classroom or home.
Michael Stephens article Librarian 2.0 Controls Technolust really hit home. All too often our district buys technology without thinking things through - buying computers and presentation systems for all of the teachers without thinking of how they will incorporate this technology into their teaching, having a computer lab (apart from the library) without someone to oversee and problem-shoot. The list goes on and on.
I think school libraries have always been 2.0. As teacher librarians we work to create welcoming and friendly spaces (physical & virtual) for our kids to explore, learn and develop skills that will be with them forever. We don't operate in a vacuum, but with the support of our peers and continual feedback from our toughest critics - our students!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Claiming my blog
Ok, so I'm a sucker and have to try everything at least once. I'm creating this post to claim my blog to be tracked by Technorati. Let's see if it works.
Technorati Profile
Technorati Profile
Week 6, Thing 14
I've done this activity at least 6 times and keep coming up with the same conclusions - people have too much time on their hands. I've been away from this tutorial for so long because life happens (besides trying to save the positions of the secondary teacher librarians in our district). As often as I've played around on Technorati, I'm still confused as to its purpose. I suppose looking at popular blogs is an interesting activity, but what concerns me most about blogs is the content - it is someone's opinion - loosely based on facts, if at all. I teach my students that they can find supporting documentation on any viewpoint and this is especially true of bloggers. I did a search on "California budget" and came up with comments about articles that were in this morning's paper. I suppose that reading editorials the same day as news gives me an edge, but why? I like sitting with my coffee and newspaper in the morning. I also searched using other terms and came up with interesting results depending on the way the blogs or posts were tagged.
I do think that there are advantages to tagging. Since using del.icio.us I utilize tags more often than before. It helps to organize entries and makes it easier to sort through multiple items. I really can't see any disadvantages to tagging, although I do have a tendency to skimp on my tags and that might limit my searches.
I don't foresee using Tecnorati at school and I certainly can't see my teachers using this search engine. I have already seen blogs show up in Google searches, so we now have to teach our students to be even more diligent when it comes to evaluating web sites.
I do think that there are advantages to tagging. Since using del.icio.us I utilize tags more often than before. It helps to organize entries and makes it easier to sort through multiple items. I really can't see any disadvantages to tagging, although I do have a tendency to skimp on my tags and that might limit my searches.
I don't foresee using Tecnorati at school and I certainly can't see my teachers using this search engine. I have already seen blogs show up in Google searches, so we now have to teach our students to be even more diligent when it comes to evaluating web sites.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Rethinking del.icio.us, Rollyo and Google Custom Search
I spent some time this weekend (aren't 3 day weekends glorious) trying to figure out how to use these tools in the library. Our 7th grade students are about to begin their research for Medieval Market (our version of the Renaissance Fair). All three of these tools would help guide their research. I created a Google Custom Search and a Rollyo search with appropriate websites for their research. Unless I create a del.icio.us account for the school - which might not be a bad idea - students would see all of my bookmarks along with the ones selected for their projects. So, now that I have these search engines set up, where do my students access them? My website is through TeacherWeb.com and I've not figured out a way to include the Rollyo or Google search box on the site. Any suggestions???
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Week 6, Thing 13 del.icio.us
Early on in this tutorial, I explored del.icio.us because I needed a way to access all of my bookmarks from any computer I used. I wasn't able to connect to the 12 minute video and will try to at another time. Instead, I found this tutorial at CommonCraft.com and thought it explained social bookmarking in an easy to understand format. Enjoy...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Ooops
Maybe I should explore more fully before posting on my blog. I just discovered that you can import your existing bookmarks into Rollyo. Now I can really see how I'll use this tool at work. Time to start working on those custom searches for my students. I guess I have my work cut out for me organizing bookmarks on the various computers I use daily. It will be nice to have my favorite sites accessible from anywhere. I'll have an excuse to play on the internet during the rare moments when no one is in the library :)
Week 5, Thing 12
Ok, so I've played with/on Rollyo. I decided to use knitting as my topic as I have dozens of sites I search through individually - this might expedite my searching. Although I do think this tool is very much like Google's Custom Searche Engine, I do think there are ways I can use this at school. Since our conference last November, I've wanted to create some custom searches for various assignments my students have throughout the year, but best laid plans.... now that I have Rollyo, I've run out of excuses. I'm not sure I like using it. It takes some time to set up searches. I like the ease of using del.icio.us and might like Rollyo better if it were easier find your favorite sites within Rollyo and then just add them to the "searchbox". I found that if I had 2 tabs open, I could search on one and then copy and paste the urls into the Rollyo window. I think the kids might like using it for their searches and I do like that you can limit their searches to just what has been entered into Rollyo. It just might keep those kids on task.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Week 5, Thing 11
I was able to spend more time exploring the sites/tools from the "short list" of Web 2.0 Awards winners. I was surprised at how many of these tools I currently use. I use "Personalized Google" as my home page. I like that I can customize the page and have added some useful and fun items to my iGoogle page. I especially like that I can access my groups and email from this page. I'm also able to get to my blog easily from iGoogle.
At the beginning of this quest, I set up a Del.icio.us page. I keep all of the places I frequent on this page. Using tabs (I love this feature), I'm able to have Del.icio.us on one tab and my blog or School Library Learning 2.0 up on other tabs. I think I like using Del.icio.us more than Google Reader. I know that they serve different functions, but I'm still getting used to all of these tools. I know I could use Del.icio.us to create bookmark lists for the various projects my students are working on, although I think that Google Custom Search might be a better application for that purpose.
I've also played with Library Thing and Shelfari (a cousin invited me to join). The jury is still out on which application I'll end up using. Either one could be used to post new additions to the library on my web page. My sister uses Kayak for all of her travel arrangements, but after playing on Farecast, I might get her to change. Zillow has been around for a while. I've looked up the value of our house along with home values in areas where I might want to live. It's fun, but not reliable. I love One Sentence - the language arts teachers do an activity similar to this. It would be fun for their students to have their stories posted on this site. Another site I enjoyed was Coverpop. I love the screen with all of the kids books - but there is no way to include it in my blog or post it on my library web page. It would be great to include a short annotation of the book - maybe even the AR or Reading Counts info when clicking on the cover.
All in all, this activity was fun. It felt good to know I wasn't as behind the times as I thought. Thank goodness for NPR - many of these tools/sites have been mentioned on various NPR radio shows. It's a good thing that I have a commute to work.
I did join a NING, but not sure how much I'll participate or follow the group. I feel pretty connected being a member of CSLA and following the discussions on CALIB keeps me busy.
Play -- of course I had to check out the game sites - played a Mah Jongg game and then checked my Travel IQ. I am definetely geographically challenged :)
At the beginning of this quest, I set up a Del.icio.us page. I keep all of the places I frequent on this page. Using tabs (I love this feature), I'm able to have Del.icio.us on one tab and my blog or School Library Learning 2.0 up on other tabs. I think I like using Del.icio.us more than Google Reader. I know that they serve different functions, but I'm still getting used to all of these tools. I know I could use Del.icio.us to create bookmark lists for the various projects my students are working on, although I think that Google Custom Search might be a better application for that purpose.
I've also played with Library Thing and Shelfari (a cousin invited me to join). The jury is still out on which application I'll end up using. Either one could be used to post new additions to the library on my web page. My sister uses Kayak for all of her travel arrangements, but after playing on Farecast, I might get her to change. Zillow has been around for a while. I've looked up the value of our house along with home values in areas where I might want to live. It's fun, but not reliable. I love One Sentence - the language arts teachers do an activity similar to this. It would be fun for their students to have their stories posted on this site. Another site I enjoyed was Coverpop. I love the screen with all of the kids books - but there is no way to include it in my blog or post it on my library web page. It would be great to include a short annotation of the book - maybe even the AR or Reading Counts info when clicking on the cover.
All in all, this activity was fun. It felt good to know I wasn't as behind the times as I thought. Thank goodness for NPR - many of these tools/sites have been mentioned on various NPR radio shows. It's a good thing that I have a commute to work.
I did join a NING, but not sure how much I'll participate or follow the group. I feel pretty connected being a member of CSLA and following the discussions on CALIB keeps me busy.
Play -- of course I had to check out the game sites - played a Mah Jongg game and then checked my Travel IQ. I am definetely geographically challenged :)
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Week 5, Thing 11
One of the problems I've had with this tutorial is not wanting to miss anything. So, after exploring a number sites from the Web 2.0 awards list, I chose to add a widget from yourminis.com. Needless to say, this widget says it all - I'll explore more tomorrow, but for today, I'll rely on this decision maker.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Just a Suggestion
I love getting comments on my blog and would sometimes like to respond, but haven't found an easy way to do so. If I hit reply, the message goes to "noreply-comment@blogger.com" Is there a way to email the commenter directly? If so, I haven't discovered it. I was able to respond to someone, but on information overload, I can't remember how? Any suggestions?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Week 5, Thing 10 continued
I don't know what I did differently this time. Maybe it's just a different network. When I tried to upload the image from Image Chef while at work, the image loaded, but not the customized image. At home, I had no problem.
I really liked the "The Generator Blog" and have added it to my Goggle Reader. It might be fun to use some of the tools to create wallpaper for the different computers in the library. The students notice the wallpapers and screensavers so I try to keep them updated.
I also liked curriculum connections 2 & 3. Maybe the students would be able to follow directions for the copy machine in comic strip format. I can also see incorporating images in my library orientation power point, my website and in memos and reports. The image generators offer more choice than those in Word.
I really liked the "The Generator Blog" and have added it to my Goggle Reader. It might be fun to use some of the tools to create wallpaper for the different computers in the library. The students notice the wallpapers and screensavers so I try to keep them updated.
I also liked curriculum connections 2 & 3. Maybe the students would be able to follow directions for the copy machine in comic strip format. I can also see incorporating images in my library orientation power point, my website and in memos and reports. The image generators offer more choice than those in Word.
Week 5, Thing 10
Image Chef is giving me a hard time. I'm able to create an image, but not upload it. I've tried from the Image Chef page but all it loads is a link, not the image. I've also tried adding it as a page element, pasting in the code. Again, the link is posted, but not the image. What am I doing wrong?
Friday, January 4, 2008
Week 4, Thing 9
This was not an activity that I enjoyed. I've spent the last couple of days looking at the following sites. I'm not sure I see how I'd use these sites in my library. Here's my short review of some search tools.
Feedster was down. Apparently they are changing their program - updating their beta version
Topix.net - I can see using this site to research current events. I used it to research an item I'm thinking of purchasing to find any reviews - positive or negative. It provides interesting results.
Syndic8.com - Didn't like this site at all. It was not user friendly - too convoluted.
Technorati - I guess I'm just a Google groupie. Search results on Technorati gave me too many blogs and many that had nothing to do with my search terms.
Google Blog Search - This will probably be the search tool I'll use most often. Like most of Google applications, this one was easy to use. I just can't believe what people are blogging about. Who has the time to chronicle their life like this?
Blog Pulse - This was fun - especially seeing my own blog listed. I like the fact that you can search by date. That might be a useful feature, I think!?! Playing with the other tools was interesting but I don't think I'll be using any of these tools soon.
I did find a fun tool - The Blog Readability Test. You enter in your blog URL, click the "readability" button and your readability rating is ready to import into your blog. I can't believe that my blog is rated "Genius". I'd take their ratings with a grain of salt.
Feedster was down. Apparently they are changing their program - updating their beta version
Topix.net - I can see using this site to research current events. I used it to research an item I'm thinking of purchasing to find any reviews - positive or negative. It provides interesting results.
Syndic8.com - Didn't like this site at all. It was not user friendly - too convoluted.
Technorati - I guess I'm just a Google groupie. Search results on Technorati gave me too many blogs and many that had nothing to do with my search terms.
Google Blog Search - This will probably be the search tool I'll use most often. Like most of Google applications, this one was easy to use. I just can't believe what people are blogging about. Who has the time to chronicle their life like this?
Blog Pulse - This was fun - especially seeing my own blog listed. I like the fact that you can search by date. That might be a useful feature, I think!?! Playing with the other tools was interesting but I don't think I'll be using any of these tools soon.
I did find a fun tool - The Blog Readability Test. You enter in your blog URL, click the "readability" button and your readability rating is ready to import into your blog. I can't believe that my blog is rated "Genius". I'd take their ratings with a grain of salt.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Week 4, Thing 8
I've spent the past couple of days playing around with Google Reader. I'm not sure I like using RSS. I think I'm experiencing information overload. I've set up a number of feeds and now feel that I have to read EVERYTHING that is posted. Needless to say, that won't work, so I'm trying to skim the articles and pick and choose those that are interesting and/or helpful. I do like the fact that I don't have to check individual websites for updated information and that the articles are there until I have the time to read them. I still haven't figured out how to delete what I've read, or if GoogleReader has that feature.
I was disappointed that some of the sites I visit regularly for work do not have an RSS feature. For example, I am on the Renaissance Reading site every day, sometimes multiple times in a day. It would be nice to get updates when new AR quizzes are added. They do notify by email, but I can see how it would be easier to navigate to GoogleReader than sign on to my email to check updates.
I know that my TeacherWeb.com site has an RSS button. It might be a good idea to notify parents that this would be a good way for them to keep up-to-date with changes or additions to the library web site.
I was disappointed that some of the sites I visit regularly for work do not have an RSS feature. For example, I am on the Renaissance Reading site every day, sometimes multiple times in a day. It would be nice to get updates when new AR quizzes are added. They do notify by email, but I can see how it would be easier to navigate to GoogleReader than sign on to my email to check updates.
I know that my TeacherWeb.com site has an RSS button. It might be a good idea to notify parents that this would be a good way for them to keep up-to-date with changes or additions to the library web site.
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