It was for all intents and purposes a fairly quiet first day! The kids were behaved and everything went smoothly. I heard some of our little guys in the hallways crying. It always takes a few weeks for our 4-year-olds to settle in.
I had four classes in the library and we read a story, reviewed the rules and got seating settled.
I am tired, but quite pleased with the first day!
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thing #23 Summarize Your Thoughts about This Program
This is so NOT the end!
What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
Social networking in a variety of forms has been a real eye-opener for me! I especially am grateful for del.icio.us and the many fun tools on Big Huge Labs.
How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
I am more confident. I feel I can find the help I need out there for almost anything I need and I can also have a voice. I fully intend to continue my learning--after all web 3.0 is on the horizon!
Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
The ways I can use this with my hobbies and family were an added bonus. Also I have begun developing "relationships" with folks all over the country! This I had not even considered before starting!
What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
With so many participating, perhaps form smaller groupings that could support each other through this. I saw many by visiting their blogs who left the experience early on. Could this perhaps have been due to the lack of contact with others who could empathize with the experience? I know I was often frustrated by the lack of comments on my blog entries. Also once I hit the brick wall with the podcast issue, I was totally flumuxed when I could get no live help. A little more involvement from the "leaders" of this course would be most helpful!
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Yes. I understand there is more to learn! And having the learning mapped out and incremented for me is very helpful!
How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?
This has been an eye and mind-opening experience!
Other Players' blogs?
Can't wait to see what others say!
What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
Social networking in a variety of forms has been a real eye-opener for me! I especially am grateful for del.icio.us and the many fun tools on Big Huge Labs.
How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
I am more confident. I feel I can find the help I need out there for almost anything I need and I can also have a voice. I fully intend to continue my learning--after all web 3.0 is on the horizon!
Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
The ways I can use this with my hobbies and family were an added bonus. Also I have begun developing "relationships" with folks all over the country! This I had not even considered before starting!
What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
With so many participating, perhaps form smaller groupings that could support each other through this. I saw many by visiting their blogs who left the experience early on. Could this perhaps have been due to the lack of contact with others who could empathize with the experience? I know I was often frustrated by the lack of comments on my blog entries. Also once I hit the brick wall with the podcast issue, I was totally flumuxed when I could get no live help. A little more involvement from the "leaders" of this course would be most helpful!
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Yes. I understand there is more to learn! And having the learning mapped out and incremented for me is very helpful!
How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?
This has been an eye and mind-opening experience!
Other Players' blogs?
Can't wait to see what others say!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thing #17: Rollyo
This is exactly what I have been wanting and needing! I have created document after document of search links for teachers and students only to have them lost and difficult to edit! Rollyo makes this a much more dynamic and easily update-able tool! I created a Search Engine for our third grade History Fair researchers. So far, I only have 2 sites on it, but will add to it before I actually "roll" it out with the students! It was easy and Bruce Goodner's video was INVALUABLE, in making this not only understandable, but very simple to do! Thanks Bruce!
Thing #16: Wikis
Wiki, wiki, wiki! It sounds like the call of some exotic bird! I am so excited about the possibilities of wikis. Our third graders will be doing History Fair research for the fist time this year and I propose to have them work in groups using wikis to share and publish their information. I believe this will enhance their experience, plus having this "public" will encourage them to do better work! (I can dream can't I?)
I posted the required comment in the SBISD sandbox wiki and loved the Common Craft video on Wikis in Plain English. This was so clear and helpful.
I also plan to create a wiki for our subgroup of librarians in HISD so that we can meet, plan and converse outside of our 2 face to face meetings (that's all the principals will allow us)!
I posted the required comment in the SBISD sandbox wiki and loved the Common Craft video on Wikis in Plain English. This was so clear and helpful.
I also plan to create a wiki for our subgroup of librarians in HISD so that we can meet, plan and converse outside of our 2 face to face meetings (that's all the principals will allow us)!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thing #15: Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and the Future of Libraries
The quote from Marshall MacLuhan at the start of the video struck a chord in me. When I taught Mass Communication at the outset of my career in education, we read MacLuhan's book The Medium is the Message. My high school students and I explored this idea and worked at becoming more literate where the seduction, especially of advertising, was concerned. However dire MacLuhan's predictions were, they have come to pass and I remain hopeful that this Web 2.0 journey in which we are all engaged (even my 82-year-old mother who refuses to use the Internet, but is slowly embracing her cell phone!)will produce positive results. I have been excited to discover like-minded folks out there whose stories are compelling and uplifting. Through the tools, I have found ways to connect with family and friends in exciting ways that allow us to share images as well as text and do it quickly and efficiently. (As I prepare this post, my great-nephew and I are having a text-messaging conversation!)
As to the implications for my profession and more to the point for the students at my school, Although web 2.0 has been around for over 3 years, I feel that the library discussion has only just begun. We are so behind and we have to get up to speed and FAST! My library partner and I have a lot of work to do and only one year in which to prove ourselves! I am loving the "user-driven" aspects of Library 2.0. However, I found little, so far, saying how this is to be accomplished in elementary school libraries. Ours is indeed an "inner city" school whose students have limited access to the hardware and infrastructure we are using except through our school. Our state technology standards do not adequately address this--we as librarians need to take the lead and do it and show others how. That is at any rate our plan.
I have always believed that libraries need to be available at "point of need" and to this end, I have been available to my patrons through my lunch and planning times and both before and after school. But for us to accomplish integration of the Library 2.0 tools into our curriculum and practice, we will need to articulate, recruit collaborators (teachers, staff, students and parents), discuss, plan and adapt. Our elementary school library must become both the training and proving ground for our students and the larger community, providing the connections, the forums and the means!
MacLuhan was warning us with the following quote.
"...might not our current translation of our entire lives into the spiritual form of information seem to make of the entire globe, and of the human family, a single consciousness?"
I find it not a dire prediction, but a statement of hope that through world-wide connections, we can become a world community that values all life on the planet.
Now, I must attend to a smaller life on the planet, our cat "Chien" is begging for attention and a treat. I think I'll go reconnect with the furry reality!
As to the implications for my profession and more to the point for the students at my school, Although web 2.0 has been around for over 3 years, I feel that the library discussion has only just begun. We are so behind and we have to get up to speed and FAST! My library partner and I have a lot of work to do and only one year in which to prove ourselves! I am loving the "user-driven" aspects of Library 2.0. However, I found little, so far, saying how this is to be accomplished in elementary school libraries. Ours is indeed an "inner city" school whose students have limited access to the hardware and infrastructure we are using except through our school. Our state technology standards do not adequately address this--we as librarians need to take the lead and do it and show others how. That is at any rate our plan.
I have always believed that libraries need to be available at "point of need" and to this end, I have been available to my patrons through my lunch and planning times and both before and after school. But for us to accomplish integration of the Library 2.0 tools into our curriculum and practice, we will need to articulate, recruit collaborators (teachers, staff, students and parents), discuss, plan and adapt. Our elementary school library must become both the training and proving ground for our students and the larger community, providing the connections, the forums and the means!
MacLuhan was warning us with the following quote.
"...might not our current translation of our entire lives into the spiritual form of information seem to make of the entire globe, and of the human family, a single consciousness?"
I find it not a dire prediction, but a statement of hope that through world-wide connections, we can become a world community that values all life on the planet.
Now, I must attend to a smaller life on the planet, our cat "Chien" is begging for attention and a treat. I think I'll go reconnect with the furry reality!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Book Trailers ala Naomi Bates
You have got to see what Naomi does with book talks in 2.0! Her book trailers are just short of amazing! Her blog tells you how she does it! Go see it! I have added her blog to my blog list--this is one to watch! I hope I can do great book talks for our students this year. More and better reading by our students will take us to exemplary!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Thing #8: RSS feeds and Readers
Where am I? I have been here all morning searching and adding. I have had a great time. I found the intro video VERY helpful. Although I had a vague idea of what RSS feeds were, I had not been able to get my head around them until now. OMG! This will significantly reduce the amount of time I am taking to search through sites! I have added several blog sites to my Google Reader page and a few news services that will make life ever so much easier! I like having it all in one place!
Being able to keep track of current trends in professional circles will be invaluable. I have already created folders for both professioal and personal postings!
Libraries can set up RSS feeds to keep their patrons apprised of new items in the library and news events that are relevant to them. I can't wait to wow my teachers with the most up-to-date information on the curriculum!
Addendum: A note about flickr! I have created a group in flickr for my family to share photos, videos and family information. I have already had several replies and they are so excited about sharing!
Being able to keep track of current trends in professional circles will be invaluable. I have already created folders for both professioal and personal postings!
Libraries can set up RSS feeds to keep their patrons apprised of new items in the library and news events that are relevant to them. I can't wait to wow my teachers with the most up-to-date information on the curriculum!
Addendum: A note about flickr! I have created a group in flickr for my family to share photos, videos and family information. I have already had several replies and they are so excited about sharing!
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