What Do Teachers Make?

Of course, they MAKE the future possible and better by inspiring their students! However, many folks in other "professions" look down on educators, seeing them as not quite good enough! We all know that old line, "Those who can do, those who can not teach!" This most noble and important profession gets a shout out here from Taylor Mali, slam poet! I've heard/read several versions of this piece before, but I really love the emotion and anger in this piece. Yes, teaching is hard and worthwhile if you care enough to do it right! I challenge Arnie Duncan, legislators and those professionals who think anyone can teach to try it for one week! If pundits and policy makers would take this challenge, then we'd see real educational reform! Have at it Taylor. Tell us "what teachers make!"

PicLit

Now that I am subbing and know I have a 3-day gig for a hs Englsih teacher, I am getting fired up about E/LA resources! Look @ this great resource for creative writing! I just joined this free site - it is awesome! First attempt is here:

See the full PicLit at PicLits.com

Nudging toward Inquiry - Ban Those Bird Units

Nudging Toward Inquiry (AASL 2009) from Kristin Fontichiaro on Vimeo.

Muppets sing Bohemian Rhapsody

This is way too funny! Again, I would not have found it w/out twitter!

New Literaices -What It Means

I read, when I have time, Stephen Downe's OL Weekly & came across this today in explantation of new literacies - much beyond the 2 R's - reading & writing. Here's what Stephen had to say:

OLWeekly
by Stephen Downes
November 13, 2009

Speaking in Lolcats: What Literacy Means in teh Digital Era
The internet has introduced us to a world in which we can communicate with each other in a wide variety of media. Where formally we could only talk and sing to each other, now we can create videos, author animations, link to videos and images and cartoons, and more, mix and match these in a complex open-ended vocabulary. What it means to be literate in such an information age is fundamentally distinct from the literacy of the 3Rs, and teaching new literacy an evolving challenge for those of us still struggling to learn it. This talk looks at the elements of 21st century literacies, redefines critical thinking for the internet age, and suggests a redefinition of what we think of as 'core' curriculum.

Presentation by Stephen Downes, Educational Computing Organization of On

Speaking in Lolcats: What Literacy Means in teh Digital Era

View more documents from Stephen Downes.

tario, Richmond Hill, Ontario

Ohio's Institute on Creativity and Innovation - Questions to be Addressed

Am looking for your responses to the questions we'll discuss this coming weekend.  I am representing OELMA, the Ohio Educational Library Media Association,  in this endeavor.  I first attended the Governor's (Ted Strickland) Institute in June of 2008 .  It was created to begin the facilitation and planning of Strickland's educational reform plans for Ohio.  Feel free to comment on all or only one question!  BTW, the Institute is still in its visonary stage and has the support of Ohio'sSuperintendent of Schools, Deb Delisle, and First Lady Francis Strickland. It is part of the recently passed/long-debated budget bill HB 1. Looking for some collective wisdom.  Thank you in advance!
1. If you were designing a Center for Creativity and Innovation from the ground up that would have significant impact on student achievement, what would be its purpose and primary goals? What
would it be accomplishing – short and long term? What should its required outcomes be if it is to accomplish its purpose?

2. In what ways might a Center for Creativity and Innovation enable excellent teachers to use a greater variety of innovative teaching strategies? How would it enable schools to make significant changes in
organization structures, including the use of time? What outcomes would have to happen for it to be successful? What changes could be stimulated by the Center that would make for a better learning environment, but not require new monies? (Ah, there's the rub - no new monies!)

3. Two of the Governor’s principles have to do with identifying the great strengths within our schools, and consulting our creative and innovative teachers for what works best and follow their lead. If the Center is to address these principles, what are the best ways of doing this?  

4. What role could a Center for Creativity and Innovation play in helping demonstrate that educational reform is possible?  What aspects of the public education system do you believe are the most important to transform in order to have the greatest impact on student achievement?

5. Who are the essential partners outside the field of education that the Center needs to cultivate and build relationships with to advance educational reform? What do you view as their greatest potential impact?

A Fair Use Fairy Tale

Great copyright explanation of the key concepts that 4-12 graders and teachers will love!  Of course, I found it on twitter via classroom 2.0!  The fact that the youtube video uses Disney clips makes it quite ironic since we all know how stern the Mouse is about infringement!  Show it & kids will pay attention!
 

Again twitter is great

These days I find  most of my best educational, cutting-edge info from twitter.  I know I'm not posting enough to give back to the commuity, but that will come in time.  Another great video called "Paying Attention."  Are we as educators paying attention to what our kids are telling us ????  They're crying out for a different type of learning experience!  Are we listening?

English Language Arts Revision Process - Ohio

Here is the link to the entire standards revision process in Ohio in Ohio in light of the passage of House Bill 1.  I am going around the state on OELMA's behest in Novemember & December to introduce the draft of the E/LA standards and let school librarians give their feedback.  This should be an interesting process! 

Halloween fun

Didn't know that American Libraries online collects fun library-related videos every 2 weeks. Here's a library that even offers zombie protection!  Jeez, I never thought of that patron benefit!  Take a look!

Where the Wild Things Are

Here's a great poem from one of my favorite blogs, Gotta Book. This site is for  poetry lovers & teachers will enjoy the feature entitled 30 Poets 30 Days found here, especially during April, Poetry Month! This one made me laugh! It's called a "Oddaptation" & it's a re-issue!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
by Maurice Sendak
Oddaptation by Gregory K.

Another family meal is missed:
Max is angry. Max is pissed.
And rumpus beasts? They don’t exist...
My word, Max needs a therapist!

Lots of controversy on the movie...is it too sad/intense for kids? Bob, my hubby, and I saw it @ an opening day matinee w/a disparate audience & it seemed all loved it! Do we protect kids too much these days? See the buzz over @ 5 Hens, Not Your Average Chicks.  I almost feel I saw a different movie than she did!

Yes, a school librarian helped create! this video

This film was created as the Keynote for the Net Generation Education Project.  This is a group of middle schoolers from Suffern Middle School. Their library media specialist, Peggy Sheehy, gave them permission to speak their mind, share their frustrations, hopes and dreams for what needs to happen in school.  Stop blocking sites, share, take a leap to join this genration as they explore what their futures will be.  These kids are way ahead of me as I have no idea what "machinima" is, but do know they were in Teen Second Life. Not been to Second Life yet, but I do have an avatar as you can see!  This video is under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Noncommercial Nonderivative 3.0.

The Future Is Now

GREAT VIDEO - seems that I am into finding them these days- last few posts, at least.  I love this one & found it via twitter after I added all the folks who I believe created edchat!  What is frustrating to me right now is that I am retied & am not sure how to affect the ed world anymore!  I have learned more about great new tools since I've been playing around on twitter & I have no chance to use them now.  Yes, I am still involved in library professional organizations, but I want to work w/the students & teachers to share what I've learned!  What to do?  Why does it have to take a doctorate to be considered a player?  I have lots to share w/educators right now!  I want a job in education again, but what I want to do is be an educational coach of some sort. Helping others to take the 2.0 leap!  Well, here's the video!
 

I'll fight you for the library

So true!  Found this via Audioblogger Mary Burkey, Olentangy lms.  Why does the library have to be the multipurpose room? Why don't otherwise civilized folk  pick up their messes after meetings in the library?  Another good question.  I found that once I entered the actual school library world that I could have also applied for "Two Men & a Truck."  People were always asking to "book" the library for non-related academic meetings!  We moved tables, desks, chairs constantly for some of these events! One year we called ourselves, "Parties R Us!"
The corollary is the age old question, "Why is the library closed?"  No the library is not closed, there are 2 classses in here & no aide!  New librarians, never say, "The library is closed."

More from SLJ Summit

Still following on twitter, but must get Iris, my Corgi, out for walk # 2 very soon.  Diane Chen  suggests that we teach outside the media center at least once a week.  I always tried to get out of the library space & into teachers' classes as often as I could - students & teachers see you as a more authentic teacher that way.  How, though does one do this w/out an aide?  I was lukcy to have at least a part-time aide to keep the lmc open while I taught elswhere! What did I teach in classrooms?  I did lessons on genres, dressed a genre "characters," for example as a detective for mystery genre.  I brought in a group of mysteries to booktalk & then invited the class down to check out the genre I spoke about in class.  This was a hit w/5th grade teachers especially!  I delivered power points on a variety of topics in 6th grade Social Studies classes.  I introduced NoodleBib as a mini lesson before students came to do research. 
Getting entre to teacher classrooms gave me clues as to what was being taught, how teachers displayed student work, the class climate - all good to know when working/planning with teachers!

SJL Summit 2009 - the Database Song

I am following the SLJ Summit in DC via twitter & just found this post of Buffy Hamilton's.  She's the librarian from the Unquiet Library.  She is one of my heroes along w/Joyce Valenza.  I believe this is Joyce's daughter singing this version of the Bobby Darin song, Dream Lover on YouTube!!  She's so cute!  We're longing for databases that use 2.0 functionality.

New Blogger Friend

Just found friend & OELMA leader, Liz Deskins on blogger last night! I was excited to see somone I actually knew who is on the learning curve, also. She just began blogging & her last post was about using Wordle w/K-5 students. Nice title for blog, Wandering & Wondering in Libraryland! Liz seems to have mastered a more pleasing design w/her blog- we will have to talk. I commented on her blog & am awaiting my first comments!
I am discussing Worlde as well as Glogster, delicious, twitter and RSS feeds in my preso for OELMA along with Louise Teaman in late October, so it's great to see how others are using Web 2.0 tools in practice! 

Where I Am Today

Today I wonder if there is enough time to learn, to do everything I want. I am impatient with myself and want to master this blogging thing immediately. Guess it's one thing @ a time! Am now looking @ the blogs I follow & am wondering, how did they do that? I am looking @ the style, the layout- things I never paid attention to before I began to take this blog seriously. Yes, I know there are tutorials on Youtube & I have looked @ a few, but to even change or add to my header, I have to mess w/html. I must be patient w/myself, here!

My Good Reads

Let's see if this works!

Kathy's book montage

Kathy's favorite books »

My Learning Curve

I have not been on this blog for quite some time.  Why?  Summer happened as well as my informal exploration of Web 2.0 tools.  I was admittedly pushed by my online Kent State class- YA lit. I thought I  really had to tweet when it was just a simulation, so, I ended up on Twitter!  I must admit I mostly lurk on my twitter & probably need to be more responsible & not just take from my online community!  But reading twitter posts helped me to populate my delicious page and @ the same time I began to do RSS because my hubby is having a "beef" w/our local newspaper.  I found RSS to be quite easy & now I have all sorts of blogs I read.  Next I have to figure out the easy way to get all these blogs on my blog roll.  I mostly read library/ed. reform blogs.  One person leads to another for me & I have begun to recognize names I know are important via their passion/content.  I am learning so much & the ironic part is now that I am retired, I have no one to teach!  But I will share what I know @ OELMA's annual conference & I share bits & pieces w/school teacher friends that I keep in contact w/on a regular basis.

Videos Featuring The Hunger Games

Found this on Scholastic- very intriguing!
http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/videos/book-2-promo.htm

The Hunger Games

Just finished this book for my class. Had my eye on it for quite some time now & find it's won the SLJ's first Battle of the Books and will be made into a movie. There are video trailers of the book, podcasts already created & I'm reviewing @ all of those gems to decide how best want to create my very first podcast!
Here's the article & comments from final judge Lois Lowry.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6656798.html

And in the Beginning

there was this urge to write again
to follow my thoughts as I begin a new chapter
in learning & remaking me!
I am taking an on line YA Lit class this summer and want a place to keep my progress
Going to learn to podcast & thought I might as well blog, too!