This week are celebrating National Library Week (even though it was actually last week, but we were on Spring Break) and School Library Month. The kids are really enjoying the videos on the morning announcements. The teachers say they are really getting into them, clapping and laughing and talking about them. Two of the videos are in the Glogster below. The other two are Dewey Decimal Rap and Party in the Library which will be shown tomorrow.
And I've added something new this year. In the past, I haven't gotten a lot of participation from students in the Vote for your Favorite Book Contest. So this year, every student that submits their vote will be entered into a prize drawing. I enlisted the help of our PTA to provide gift card prizes. I will also have candy and pencils for the lesser prizes. Teachers will also be in a drawing for special 'teacher' prizes, also provided by PTA.
On another note, I had a teacher email me on Monday and ask if I could do a research skills class with her students before they start their poetry research project. Success! Once you get the word out that you can teach students these skills, teachers will ask YOU, instead of you begging them. :) I love my job!!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
April 11, 2012
This week our school system is on spring break. This is a nice time to relax and take a reprieve from all the planning and preparation for the move to our new school. Last week, I was very busy finishing up orders for furniture and other items for the new media center. In addition, I was asked by the district network administrator and the architect project manager to come up with a list of all technology and furniture that will need to be moved. After using our district technology inventory system (WRAD) to take stock computers and other technolgy, I did a whirlwind 'tour' of our present building, stopping by each classroom to inquire and take stock of major furniture items that will need to go with us. Almost every room has a rolling cart that will need to go, even though some of them will be finding new purpose as they won't be needed to hold LCD projectors. Our new school will have mounted LCD projectors and screens in every classroom. Some of the teachers wanted to take various pieces of furniture, such as an old wooden desk, small bookcases and even a lateral filing cabinet. Our principal and I have encouraged teachers to not take old furniture since the new school will be outfitted with brand new desks, tables, chairs, shelving, etc. But many have sentimental value attached and they really don't want to leave some items behind.
All in all, the library will be the biggest project to move. I obtained the name of the person I am to email when I need boxes for packing. Unfortunately there will be a charge for each box we get from the BOE, but I could never save as many boxes as I will need to pack approximately 8,500 LMC materials, not to mention the small equipment and supplies that will also need to be packed. I have also come up with a spreadsheet to figure out how the books will be put on the shelves....# of shelves we have now vs. # of shelves we will need to spread out and allow for growth. I also still have to decide what will go in the 'team-workroom' for teacher use and what will be better located in the teacher planning rooms in the classroom wing.
Since I have no media clerk, I am hoping to line up some volunteers, including, parents, teachers, staff, and even family members, to help with the packing and unpacking! Needless to say, I am learning a lot about the process of creating a new library and what is required to move an old library into the new facility. It's going to be a monumental project, but also one that will be rewarding and exciting!
All in all, the library will be the biggest project to move. I obtained the name of the person I am to email when I need boxes for packing. Unfortunately there will be a charge for each box we get from the BOE, but I could never save as many boxes as I will need to pack approximately 8,500 LMC materials, not to mention the small equipment and supplies that will also need to be packed. I have also come up with a spreadsheet to figure out how the books will be put on the shelves....# of shelves we have now vs. # of shelves we will need to spread out and allow for growth. I also still have to decide what will go in the 'team-workroom' for teacher use and what will be better located in the teacher planning rooms in the classroom wing.
Since I have no media clerk, I am hoping to line up some volunteers, including, parents, teachers, staff, and even family members, to help with the packing and unpacking! Needless to say, I am learning a lot about the process of creating a new library and what is required to move an old library into the new facility. It's going to be a monumental project, but also one that will be rewarding and exciting!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
April 4, 2012
I had a very pleasant surprise recently from my principal. Each week he issues a two-page newsletter that goes home with students in their "Wednesday folders" for parents to read. For the week of February 13th, he included a write-up about key teachers and staff and gave them special recognition. He generously included a portion about me in which he wrote: "When Deborah Lindblad joined Oglethorpe, she was hired as a media clerk. The School was still relatively small from an enrollment perspective and she had not completed her 4 year degree. Fast forward to 2012, Deborah is well on her way to finishing her Master's Degree. The OCS library probably has the highest volume of any middle school library in the system, meaning more books are checked out on a daily basis than the other school libraries. On February 7th, Deborah provided technology training to the entire OCS faculty and staff. With the technological advances being implemented in media centers, it became very clear during the training that we have the right peson in place moving into our new facility."
My principal also included some very nice words of praise in the comments section of my evaluation this year. He wrote: "Mrs. Lindblad goes above and beyond the call of duty with many aspects of her job. I am very pleased with the volume of books that are checked out in the OCS media center along with the AR updates on how the students are progressing with their AR goals. Mrs. Lindblad does an excellent job collaborating with the reading teachers to ensure that the STAR testing is completed. She also is a valuable asset for her technology expertise (hardware and software). Deborah also provided valuable professional development to the OCS faculty on February 8, 2012 related to the software that is used in the media center. It was very clear from that training that Mrs. Lindblad is at the top of the game in the media specialist profession. Mrs. Lindblad also sends out an enormous amount of email resources for our teaching faculty to use. She is very in tune with what books to order for the children and her record keeping of materials checked out and checked in is immaculate. Mrs. Lindblad does many extras (student ID replacement, media festival, information enrollment sessions, etc.). We are very fortunate to have Mrs. Lindblad on staff. She is not only a great media specialist but a great employee. Mrs. Lindblad has had another excellent year at Oglethorpe Charter School. I have been very impressed with what Mrs. Lindblad has been able to accomplish in our tiny OCS media space [900sq.ft]. She is long over due in having the space that she will be getting in the new school facility next year."
While this is wonderful praise from our principal, and I truly am humbled by it, I believe in doing the best job I can each and every day to assist our teachers, staff, and students in accomplishing and achieving all that we can to make every student a success.
My principal also included some very nice words of praise in the comments section of my evaluation this year. He wrote: "Mrs. Lindblad goes above and beyond the call of duty with many aspects of her job. I am very pleased with the volume of books that are checked out in the OCS media center along with the AR updates on how the students are progressing with their AR goals. Mrs. Lindblad does an excellent job collaborating with the reading teachers to ensure that the STAR testing is completed. She also is a valuable asset for her technology expertise (hardware and software). Deborah also provided valuable professional development to the OCS faculty on February 8, 2012 related to the software that is used in the media center. It was very clear from that training that Mrs. Lindblad is at the top of the game in the media specialist profession. Mrs. Lindblad also sends out an enormous amount of email resources for our teaching faculty to use. She is very in tune with what books to order for the children and her record keeping of materials checked out and checked in is immaculate. Mrs. Lindblad does many extras (student ID replacement, media festival, information enrollment sessions, etc.). We are very fortunate to have Mrs. Lindblad on staff. She is not only a great media specialist but a great employee. Mrs. Lindblad has had another excellent year at Oglethorpe Charter School. I have been very impressed with what Mrs. Lindblad has been able to accomplish in our tiny OCS media space [900sq.ft]. She is long over due in having the space that she will be getting in the new school facility next year."
While this is wonderful praise from our principal, and I truly am humbled by it, I believe in doing the best job I can each and every day to assist our teachers, staff, and students in accomplishing and achieving all that we can to make every student a success.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
March 28, 2012
Last week during our media specialist meeting, one of the district's instructional techs did a presentation on Edmodo and LiveBinders. The district will be offering classes for both of these web tools for teachers and media specialists in the month. Although I had created an account on both of these sites, it was great to see someone else using them and giving tips on them. During one of Dr. Repman's classes, we were required to sign up with Edmodo and create a post. It was more just to sample the web site and see what was out there rather than an assignment to use it in the class.
The district has set up a district account on Edmodo for all the teachers and staff to use. There is a passcode that must be used to be a part of the larger group account. Evidently, many of the teachers are already using this resource, which I thought was wonderful. Some of my teachers are also using Edmodo, which is fabulous!! In addition to the district account, there are individual group accounts that you can be added to. During our meeting all the media specialists were added to the Media Services group.
The instructional tech also showed us how to sign up for LiveBinders and create a simple binder. There were also examples on the Edmodo site that she and others had created to help us envision how LiveBinders could be utilized. I had created an account on this site at the beginning of our practicum when I saw where one of the former grad students had used the site in her portfolio to create the teacher online course. I didn't play with it much then and thought it was a little confusing. However, seeing the tech model and use it really got me interested in trying it. At the end of our meeting, all the media specialist were given an Edmodo/LiveBinder assignment for "homework." We were to create a LiveBinder and post it to the Media Services Edmodo group. I basically used the same information I used for my teacher online course using my Destiny tutorials to create my LiveBinder, but instead of embedding the videos, I could only link to the url. I'm not sure I like using LiveBinder for this purpose, but it would definitely be useful for using various websites links and informational sites for students and teachers.
The district has set up a district account on Edmodo for all the teachers and staff to use. There is a passcode that must be used to be a part of the larger group account. Evidently, many of the teachers are already using this resource, which I thought was wonderful. Some of my teachers are also using Edmodo, which is fabulous!! In addition to the district account, there are individual group accounts that you can be added to. During our meeting all the media specialists were added to the Media Services group.
The instructional tech also showed us how to sign up for LiveBinders and create a simple binder. There were also examples on the Edmodo site that she and others had created to help us envision how LiveBinders could be utilized. I had created an account on this site at the beginning of our practicum when I saw where one of the former grad students had used the site in her portfolio to create the teacher online course. I didn't play with it much then and thought it was a little confusing. However, seeing the tech model and use it really got me interested in trying it. At the end of our meeting, all the media specialist were given an Edmodo/LiveBinder assignment for "homework." We were to create a LiveBinder and post it to the Media Services Edmodo group. I basically used the same information I used for my teacher online course using my Destiny tutorials to create my LiveBinder, but instead of embedding the videos, I could only link to the url. I'm not sure I like using LiveBinder for this purpose, but it would definitely be useful for using various websites links and informational sites for students and teachers.
Friday, March 23, 2012
March 23, 2012 - Elementary Site Visit
Today I visited Godley Station K-8 School as my elementary site visit requirement. There were lots of activities going on and students were busy checking books in and out all day. Although the school does teach 6th through 8th grades, as does my middle school, the majority of students coming to the media center today were elementary students. It's quite a different experience helping elementary aged students than it is middle schoolers. The most noticeable difference was an incident with a kindergartner who started out whining about something to her teacher and ended up on a full crying jag. The teacher had to make a phone call to someone else in the building (I'm not sure of her title, maybe counselor?) and she had to come take the child out of the media center. Otherwise, students were busy returning their books by removing the date cards and placing the books in the book drop. It was amazing how such young children had learned the routine and so flawlessly followed procedures. My middle schoolers are not always as efficient! :)
Helping elementary students find books they are interested in is somewhat different as well. The youngest students did not search the shelves for books. Rather, the media specialist and clerk laid out picture books face up on several tables and the kindergartners and first graders simply chose books from the selection there. The older students who had more library experience could go to the shelves and generally knew where to find their favorite books.
The LMS is also responsible for teaching lessons to the various grade levels on several topics. This week, the lesson was on fairy tales and the students were in kindergarten. The students come in and sit on foam circles of varying colors that are laid out on the floor. Instead of asking for volunteers or choosing students, the LMS picks a color and asks the students sitting on that color circle to come up and help her. She then uses puppets to teach the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She starts the lesson by asking the students if they know what a fairy tale is. After explaining the elements of a fairy tale, she tells the story as an example and the student 'volunteers' respond with correct answers or phrases at various points throughout the story. The students LOVE this type of storytelling and are anxious to come to the library to participate!
Because Godley is a new school, only in its second year of operation, I was also able to get lots of tips and pointers for our new school building that will be opening this fall. The LMS and I discussed the LMC purchases in particular, including everything from furniture to supplies to equipment and back again. We also discussed many library procedures that we both use and which would probably work best in my larger library facility.
Overall the day was a great learning experience and whet my appetite to one day try my hand at teaching elementary students....maybe.
Helping elementary students find books they are interested in is somewhat different as well. The youngest students did not search the shelves for books. Rather, the media specialist and clerk laid out picture books face up on several tables and the kindergartners and first graders simply chose books from the selection there. The older students who had more library experience could go to the shelves and generally knew where to find their favorite books.
The LMS is also responsible for teaching lessons to the various grade levels on several topics. This week, the lesson was on fairy tales and the students were in kindergarten. The students come in and sit on foam circles of varying colors that are laid out on the floor. Instead of asking for volunteers or choosing students, the LMS picks a color and asks the students sitting on that color circle to come up and help her. She then uses puppets to teach the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She starts the lesson by asking the students if they know what a fairy tale is. After explaining the elements of a fairy tale, she tells the story as an example and the student 'volunteers' respond with correct answers or phrases at various points throughout the story. The students LOVE this type of storytelling and are anxious to come to the library to participate!
Because Godley is a new school, only in its second year of operation, I was also able to get lots of tips and pointers for our new school building that will be opening this fall. The LMS and I discussed the LMC purchases in particular, including everything from furniture to supplies to equipment and back again. We also discussed many library procedures that we both use and which would probably work best in my larger library facility.
Overall the day was a great learning experience and whet my appetite to one day try my hand at teaching elementary students....maybe.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
March 14, 2012
Our students have participated in the Student Media Festival every year since I've been here at OCS. Over last couple of years we have even had some International Student Media Festival winners. Last year we had one Excellence in Media Production project winner. The previous year we had one Judges' Favorite and two Excellence in Media Production winners. Our Director of Instruction and I usually collaborate on helping the students have time to work on their projects at school. I generally make sure they have the resources they need, such as editing software, digital cameras, camcorders, etc., as well as provide time in the media center for them.
This year, however, we are doing things a little differently. Students who wanted to do a media festival were given the option of signing up for a technology class that would be dedicated to creating and working on projects. I am still responsible for the reporting and paperwork side of the media festival, but I feel a disconnect between the actual students and their projects this year. I love helping them with the process and encouraging their creativity and seeing their project blossom into something wonderful. I have been assured that next year I will be able to be more involved again. Even though in theory student working on their projects in a classroom setting is great, it doesn't seem to be the best for students. Actually, we will not be able to tell for certain until the building level judging and then the district judging. This will definitely be a point to consider before next year's projects are due to begin.
This year, however, we are doing things a little differently. Students who wanted to do a media festival were given the option of signing up for a technology class that would be dedicated to creating and working on projects. I am still responsible for the reporting and paperwork side of the media festival, but I feel a disconnect between the actual students and their projects this year. I love helping them with the process and encouraging their creativity and seeing their project blossom into something wonderful. I have been assured that next year I will be able to be more involved again. Even though in theory student working on their projects in a classroom setting is great, it doesn't seem to be the best for students. Actually, we will not be able to tell for certain until the building level judging and then the district judging. This will definitely be a point to consider before next year's projects are due to begin.
Friday, March 9, 2012
March 9, 2012 - High School Site Visit
Today I spent the school day at a high school for my required site visit at other levels than where I am presently employed. Having only worked in a middle school the last eight years, and volunteering at an elementary school five years before that, it was a new and interesting experience. The media specialist and I shared best practices and compared experiences at the two different school levels. Besides the selection of books being different, it was interesting that she checks out few books over the course of the day, MUCH unlike what I do at the middle school level. Sixth through eighth graders probably check out as many books in one day as high school students check out in month, or more. This is not to say that her library is not a busy place....
When I arrived at about 7:20, a half hour before school starts, there were students at almost each of the 30 computers and many others congregating at the various library tables. A lot of printing was taking place for assignments to be turned in later in the day. Others were researching various topics for projects, while others were just "hanging out" until time for class, and there were even a couple of book check-outs/renewals. The atmosphere was pretty much the same during lunch breaks when students are allowed to come to the media center without a pass, as long as a teacher has not reserved the library for class time. Students can read, use computers, relax, and even play board games at the casual/soft seating area. The LMS and I both helped students to print projects during the day, such as brochures that needed double-sided printing. Students are not charged for printing as long as the pages are school-related. Any pages printed for other purposes are charged 10 cents per page. The LMS keeps track of this by keeping the printer behind the circulation desk so that she has to get the pages for the students after printing. This is similar to how we handle printing at the middle school level, except there is no charge for any printing. Printed items must be school-related, but anything printed for other purposes are not allowed and students do not get any non-school-related printed pages.
The LMS and I discussed the recent change over to the new library circulation software and all the required training and resultant correction of errors. Since she had not trained the majority of students on Destiny Quest and how to log in, I shared with her my Destiny Quest screencast and the features my students seem to enjoy most, such as making friend requests, sending book recommendations and submitting book reviews. I also shared the website I created for the teacher online training in Destiny which I thought might be helpful for her future training. She showed me how she buys and uses nonfiction and reference ebooks, both from Folllett and Gale, and how students can use them for research.
We also discussed what we felt were the biggest differences between a middle school library and a high school one, especially as it relates to the students. She felt that there is a higher level of independence and self-responsibility for high school students, especially when it came to obtaining research information and getting their work done. High school teachers make assignments and it is generally up to the students to find time to get to the library for research, typing, and printing. At the middle school level, teachers make more class time available for library visits and computer use. She also said that there is not a big demand for fiction/pleasure reading so she does not purchase fiction ebooks, nor does she have a huge fiction section. To increase interest though, she did sort her fiction books by genre last year, which is the same way I have my fiction books shelved.
Overall, I enjoyed my high school site visit. I saw many of my former middle school students as they came in to use the library media center. It was very interesting and eye-opening to see how things are different from a middle school LMC, yet the same in some ways.
When I arrived at about 7:20, a half hour before school starts, there were students at almost each of the 30 computers and many others congregating at the various library tables. A lot of printing was taking place for assignments to be turned in later in the day. Others were researching various topics for projects, while others were just "hanging out" until time for class, and there were even a couple of book check-outs/renewals. The atmosphere was pretty much the same during lunch breaks when students are allowed to come to the media center without a pass, as long as a teacher has not reserved the library for class time. Students can read, use computers, relax, and even play board games at the casual/soft seating area. The LMS and I both helped students to print projects during the day, such as brochures that needed double-sided printing. Students are not charged for printing as long as the pages are school-related. Any pages printed for other purposes are charged 10 cents per page. The LMS keeps track of this by keeping the printer behind the circulation desk so that she has to get the pages for the students after printing. This is similar to how we handle printing at the middle school level, except there is no charge for any printing. Printed items must be school-related, but anything printed for other purposes are not allowed and students do not get any non-school-related printed pages.
The LMS and I discussed the recent change over to the new library circulation software and all the required training and resultant correction of errors. Since she had not trained the majority of students on Destiny Quest and how to log in, I shared with her my Destiny Quest screencast and the features my students seem to enjoy most, such as making friend requests, sending book recommendations and submitting book reviews. I also shared the website I created for the teacher online training in Destiny which I thought might be helpful for her future training. She showed me how she buys and uses nonfiction and reference ebooks, both from Folllett and Gale, and how students can use them for research.
We also discussed what we felt were the biggest differences between a middle school library and a high school one, especially as it relates to the students. She felt that there is a higher level of independence and self-responsibility for high school students, especially when it came to obtaining research information and getting their work done. High school teachers make assignments and it is generally up to the students to find time to get to the library for research, typing, and printing. At the middle school level, teachers make more class time available for library visits and computer use. She also said that there is not a big demand for fiction/pleasure reading so she does not purchase fiction ebooks, nor does she have a huge fiction section. To increase interest though, she did sort her fiction books by genre last year, which is the same way I have my fiction books shelved.
Overall, I enjoyed my high school site visit. I saw many of my former middle school students as they came in to use the library media center. It was very interesting and eye-opening to see how things are different from a middle school LMC, yet the same in some ways.
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