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.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
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.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
March 7, 2012
This past week has been a flurry of activity for me as we make plans for our new school that will be opening this fall. It is a monumental project and as library media specialist, I am responsible for various aspects of the planning. On Friday, March 2nd, the principal, the technology teacher, and I met here at the school with the district Director of Networking and Engineering and the district Manager of Media and Technology Integration. We discussed technology for the new school and the FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment) budget. As a team we will decide the varying types of technology that will be included in the classrooms, media center, office areas, and various other areas of the school. Decisions have to be made on what computers we will take with us from our present inventory and how many will have to be purchased to supplement to reach the district goal of at least a 1 computer for every 5 students. Our present student to computer ratio is 2.85, which is much better than some schools in our district. The fact that we have 3 COWs with 16 laptops each helps to keep this number low. Other decisions include whether each classroom will have a printer and what types, if every teacher will receive an ActivSlate and CPS system, and a myriad of other choices. This group will meet many times over the course of the rest of the school year to work out these issues.
Another meeting was held yesterday for a different group of stakeholders to make other decisions on the layout of the building and technology as well as FF&E. This group included the principal, the technology teacher and me, as well as our governing board president, the governing board committee chair for the new school, the district Project Manager for Facilities and Construction, the district Director of Networking and Engineering, the district Director and Manager of Media and Technology Integration, the project manager and an architect from the architect company, and a representative from the construction company that is building the new school. It was a two hour meeting which I feel answered a lot of questions and moved us forward in the process.
Concerning the media center, I was able to get the mounted Promethean board location moved to another wall, which will free up space for either more shelving or student computer stations. The circulation desk location was also discussed and moved out from the wall about 3 feet to have a better sight line in relation to the entrance/exit doors as well as to allow a passage way between the desk and office space. I was able to obtain wall measurements from the architects which will assist me in furniture decisions such as type, size and locations. Over the weekend I pored over catalogs to choose furniture for each of the rooms in the library (LMS office, tech processing, conference, student MM room, teamwork room) as well as the library common areas. I, along with the district media personnel, will choose the shelving, library tables and chairs, circulation desk, computer tables and chairs, and hopefully some casual soft-seating furniture.
Other considerations I have to make is what types of library-media technology will go and what will be eliminated. We have lots of audio cassettes and VHS videos that are outdated and not utilized. I have eliminated some but make decisions on others. Equipment will have to be collected from teachers before the move and either discarded or packed. It's going to be a long, tedious process with many more meetings and decisions to make, but it will be well worth it when we are able to move in and enjoy our new facility!!
Another meeting was held yesterday for a different group of stakeholders to make other decisions on the layout of the building and technology as well as FF&E. This group included the principal, the technology teacher and me, as well as our governing board president, the governing board committee chair for the new school, the district Project Manager for Facilities and Construction, the district Director of Networking and Engineering, the district Director and Manager of Media and Technology Integration, the project manager and an architect from the architect company, and a representative from the construction company that is building the new school. It was a two hour meeting which I feel answered a lot of questions and moved us forward in the process.
Concerning the media center, I was able to get the mounted Promethean board location moved to another wall, which will free up space for either more shelving or student computer stations. The circulation desk location was also discussed and moved out from the wall about 3 feet to have a better sight line in relation to the entrance/exit doors as well as to allow a passage way between the desk and office space. I was able to obtain wall measurements from the architects which will assist me in furniture decisions such as type, size and locations. Over the weekend I pored over catalogs to choose furniture for each of the rooms in the library (LMS office, tech processing, conference, student MM room, teamwork room) as well as the library common areas. I, along with the district media personnel, will choose the shelving, library tables and chairs, circulation desk, computer tables and chairs, and hopefully some casual soft-seating furniture.
Other considerations I have to make is what types of library-media technology will go and what will be eliminated. We have lots of audio cassettes and VHS videos that are outdated and not utilized. I have eliminated some but make decisions on others. Equipment will have to be collected from teachers before the move and either discarded or packed. It's going to be a long, tedious process with many more meetings and decisions to make, but it will be well worth it when we are able to move in and enjoy our new facility!!
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