This week's discussion thread, "Where are we all at Week 6" jarred me as I hadn't looked at the calendar to even check where we stood. With so much more to read, so many new things to learn and master, then so many websites to investigate, and projects to complete, I truthfully did not focus on an ending point. As I have talked about before....I need to turn that corner where I stop being the learner and start being the "teacher" and learn on my own....but I am really enjoying the way we are learning and then 'doing' at the same time!! Using a new tool in an appropriate way helps me learn...and hopefully I can quickly turn it around and use it in my library, and just as importantly, teach others to feel comfortable with these new tools.
My district librarians and I need to get working on our HS library website, for function, content and usability. Making a website that invites students in to use it is as important as inviting them into the library. Many of the websites we searched really welcomed me in to explore and check out every link.
I am anxious to get started on my iSafe certification and bring an excellent program to Batavia. Week 6 and still so much more to learn!!!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Week 5 Catalog Searching
Not to simplify library catalogs but I think they fall into two types. Those that use three search areas; subject, title, author and those that are more colorful, interactive but ask a child to know more about a book/resource than they might possibly know? If they want to find the book from The Animal Ark series or the wonderful classic Lassie, a child has to decide Animals or Adventure to start their search. Sometimes kids don't understand categorizing as older people do. So cute or engaging won’t speed up their success at finding the book they want.
What I always worry about are the many displays I set up to try to get the “Right book, in the Right hands at the Right time. But the moment you do that your catalog become obsolete, sending the child on a frustrating wild goose chase. I wanted to post this as a Wiki thread to ask students what they would do in their library? Keep books where they belong on the shelf or get them into a child’s hands? Perhaps after my library is renovated and I have many permanent display areas I can site that in my OPAC.
What I always worry about are the many displays I set up to try to get the “Right book, in the Right hands at the Right time. But the moment you do that your catalog become obsolete, sending the child on a frustrating wild goose chase. I wanted to post this as a Wiki thread to ask students what they would do in their library? Keep books where they belong on the shelf or get them into a child’s hands? Perhaps after my library is renovated and I have many permanent display areas I can site that in my OPAC.
Week 5 EBSCO and other losses
Is it coincidence? Each week, no matter the subject or thematic readings, this class parallels my job as a SLMS. When I returned from the SLMS board meeting we were just getting information about NOVEL and the loss of databases, and Susan posts that as a thread for this week! We face cuts to SLS, possible loss of jobs and many librarians being asked by districts to write up descriptions and show evidence of collaborations, projects completed with grade levels, circulation stats, weeding reports, and options for temporary reductions in funding for books, magazines, online databases, AV and supply budgets. Throughout the week I worked on two disquieting committees. The first was to create a list of potential strategies to cut back workstations, and provide a list of locations for workstation retraction, where possible. As my principal and I inventoried the building you could see the panic in everyone’s eyes as we walked through their classrooms with clipboards. We will evaluate usage and possible redistribution of classroom PCs. I.T. wants to cut $135,000 in software and hardware and is looking to cut 10-20 workstations per building. The other committee is reviewing usage of software and will make recommendations for switching to possible free Internet options to replace costly software that benefits fewer users. Again, there is strong identification for a department who does not want to give up software they lobbied hard to procure. There were some easy choices; we subscribe to Quia for 600.00 a year when we can replace it with Survey Monkey, a free online resource. The biggest drain is KidBiz at $38,000.00, but with a faithful following of 8 teachers who feel its easy to prove higher test scores in their classes , this will get personal real fast. The principals will make all final decisions on PC retractions but I am on the I.T. committee and my cooperation will be a concern.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Week 4 Webquest and SLMS
I got lost this week-seriously lost. The Webquest was intense, overflowing with information, bursting at the seams, and yet energizing. I got lost in Bernie Dodge's Webquest site, plowing through webquest ideas never thinking my second graders could be up for the challenge of a webquest, why hadn't I thought of that?
I should never have checked on David Warlick, I get lost just following his reasoning...he's worried for all of us, for ideas about educational change that few are on board with, not even realizing what we need to fear. "Will we ever prepare our students in time?" And are we sure what we are preparing them for? He is not sure we know! I heard this quote that sums DW up (although he might disagree) "Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child"
I spent the weekend at a 2 day 10 hour board meeting, listening to Sara Kelly Johns, past AASL president and her work on summits, and telephone conference braintrust meetings with Barbara Stripling, Rosina Alaimo, past NYLA president. Fran Roselli and our State Ed representative John Brock laboriously nudging us through the complex layers of NYS government that moves top down in a bloated, self serving quagmire. (I fear we are all lost somewhere in the jargon) We lobby to get Librarians named in the NCLB legislation, we struggle to have our adminsitrators incorparate the AASL standards for the 21st-Century Learner in the school curriculum. Yet, what did we work on well into the night? revisions to the SLMS Crisis toolkit -for if all our work fails and fellow librarians are released in this economic chaos, students will be the losers. As Arne Duncan (new Education Secretary) just said "It is to no one's advantage if class size skyrockets or librarians get eliminated or school counselors disappear." I am putting my trust in this man, that we librarians, who every day help children find their way- never get lost.
I should never have checked on David Warlick, I get lost just following his reasoning...he's worried for all of us, for ideas about educational change that few are on board with, not even realizing what we need to fear. "Will we ever prepare our students in time?" And are we sure what we are preparing them for? He is not sure we know! I heard this quote that sums DW up (although he might disagree) "Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child"
I spent the weekend at a 2 day 10 hour board meeting, listening to Sara Kelly Johns, past AASL president and her work on summits, and telephone conference braintrust meetings with Barbara Stripling, Rosina Alaimo, past NYLA president. Fran Roselli and our State Ed representative John Brock laboriously nudging us through the complex layers of NYS government that moves top down in a bloated, self serving quagmire. (I fear we are all lost somewhere in the jargon) We lobby to get Librarians named in the NCLB legislation, we struggle to have our adminsitrators incorparate the AASL standards for the 21st-Century Learner in the school curriculum. Yet, what did we work on well into the night? revisions to the SLMS Crisis toolkit -for if all our work fails and fellow librarians are released in this economic chaos, students will be the losers. As Arne Duncan (new Education Secretary) just said "It is to no one's advantage if class size skyrockets or librarians get eliminated or school counselors disappear." I am putting my trust in this man, that we librarians, who every day help children find their way- never get lost.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Week 3 Student Technology Skills
This week did not go as planned, I was sick, then sicker, then missed more work, which never is a good thing. The week ended with union issues, then out of town for a Teacher's Union Conference. Copious notes and new legal updates and loads of issues to take in and understand....I came home exhausted, and realized my homework was on my desktop of my computer at work. As librarians, our plates are always full, and you never work down those piles on your desk. I won't tell the students. A teacher at UB once told us, "You are expected to be an expert on every issue, the day you start working in your LMC" Truer words, never spoken!
Often, when we are learning "new" technologies, we are merely catching up to what our students already now about and easily use daily. Once we get a handle on it all, they are off to a new version of what we adults have just mastered. Theories abound that if we teach students using the format they enjoy for other facets of their lives, then they will certainly enjoy learning the more challenging curriculum....hmmmm. Will Richardson has me convinced..can I convince my fellow teachers? and will students stand still long enough until I can?? :)
Often, when we are learning "new" technologies, we are merely catching up to what our students already now about and easily use daily. Once we get a handle on it all, they are off to a new version of what we adults have just mastered. Theories abound that if we teach students using the format they enjoy for other facets of their lives, then they will certainly enjoy learning the more challenging curriculum....hmmmm. Will Richardson has me convinced..can I convince my fellow teachers? and will students stand still long enough until I can?? :)
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