The Book Train

Thing 7 TV

2010-08-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hurricane season is here. Maybe we can use this. I am troubled that the commercials that come with the video are for things like prescription drugs and a bit with Ellen Degeneris that is just before being inappropriate.

Imbedding is fairly easy from Hulu.

I've always liked Ben Franklin. Quite a guy.

I had a lot of trouble finding anything I wanted. I did find a lot of popular TV, but I don't think we need it in class.

The quality of the images seems to be quite a bit better than YouTube.

The National Archives was very difficult to negotiate. I finally went back to Hulu. I did find a number of movies I want to see.

Thing 6: iPod and Apps in Education

2010-08-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

Up until June I thought the iPod was strictly a toy. Then we got the Thumbtack microphones. We use a microphone app to podcast with our limited English learners, which is what most of our kids are.

During Summer School, Hector's group was tasked to research Cameroon. Then the kids paired up in the library with two kids and an iTouch. They proceeded to interview each other and recorded the information they had learned about this African Country. Took a day for Hector and I to be able to upload the voice to the mother ship (iMacbook #1) and then on to his own laptop. But soon he had a treasure trove of podcasts of kids who had never heard their own voices.

The next day, I was out, and the library was on automatic pilot. A dozen little kids are crawling around on the carpet with iTouches when who should appear but the Harris County Education lady, here to see if TFE is complying with the summer school grant, which required technology and PBL. She stooped down and asked a couple of brown eyed cuties just what they were doing with the iTouches. They told her. They showed her. They discussed Cameroon! They showed that learning was going on and that really liked what they were doing! They they went back to casing the bank for the next day's robbery, but that's another story.

I am convinced that some of the better Apps cost a few bucks. Many of the free ones are only demos, or even empty shells. You really get what you pay for.

I use the Balloonamimals (free is only one animal) to break the ice with the little onew the first time they come in. l also use it to make friends with the pre-schoolers who show up with Mommy for various reasons. After 10 minutes with the balloon animals, they will talk with me. I am no longer so scary.

I have a few Archie comic books Apps, but its really too small for me, and I haven't been able to put them on the (virtual) bookshelf yet.

And I noticed that there was some mention of Wikipedia on this thing. I use it a lot. I find it useful for a first look at many subjects, especially popular culture that is not in the World book. I mention to the kids that it is people-written, one 4th grader wanted to rewrite a major article right then and there! Danger Will Robinson!

Thing 5: Facebook and Twitter

2010-08-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Microblogging. Facebook. Twitter.

I now have a Facebook account. As soon as I signed up, Facebook gave me two friends who I kind of talk to at school. It was kind of scary because it really looks like Facbook wants to snoop in my email for addresses. I felt violated.

I can see that this communications media is everywhere. I know many people are there, but I'm not sure anyone is saying anything. I have enough trouble staying on task (wittness how long it is taking me to finish this 11.5 thing chore!). Ask me to do Facbook and Twitter, at work, sure. I get little enough done now.

It kind of seems to me that all of this is letting people distance themselves from others, rather than communiate. So much of this is so shallow. Hiding behind screen names and obnoxious little devices, like the clowns that would rather talk on the cell than talk to the teller or cashier in person. This is not communications, its rude and egotisitcal.

I am working real hard to get out from behind three computers and tons of papers so that I can get down to the level of a 2ns grader who barely speaks English and has yet to master his lunch number. I look him in the eyes and try to learn what he wants. If I tell him to go twitter me, I may as well put a wall around myself.

Besides, if you want me to set up all these networks and twitter everytime I think I had a thought, what do you want me to quit doing? I ask because I am already so busy in the library trying to meet student needs that I have blown off this course for over a year. My customers get to deal with me in person. I don't need to hide behind several layers of technology.

Yes, in college, Twitter may be great. I saw pictures of a vacation on Facebook that I really don't care about.

But this is not a very big prioity for me.

Thing 4: You Tube and others

2010-08-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

OK, boys and girls, I think I done it.

You Tube is a very good way to showcase student product. The Thing is ubiquitious now. Anything of any value at all is there. Everyone knows how to access it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdiB37kNIss

This video was created by a third grader in our afterschool program. The idea was for the older kids to provide alphabet videos for kindergarten.

Thing 3 Skype

2010-08-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

OK, Skype has some real possibilities! Video conferencing is really here! I remember going to the 1964 New York World's Fair and Bell Telephone was showing the video phone. Yeah, but it never caught on. But now it has!

Several ideas I liked. Using Skype to link homebound kids to the classroom. Great idea, if the kids have high speed Internet. Most of ours do not. But, what a concept!

I like the idea of Skyping to the author after the class finishes the book. I guess the librarian's job is to set it up, and do a trial run, but if the author could even give us 15 minutes, WOW!

From a techno/curriculum interface standpoint, I can see conferencing with professionals around town to discuss careers, and maybe explore problems with science experiments. This may alao be easier than asking the guy to drive 30 minutes to our school. Have to try this.

I tried exploring a site this summer that facilitates schools wanting to skype with each other, but they had EVERY request ever made, including several that were years old. In June, I only want to see June projects. I sure would like to put a class in touch with a class in another country.

I think we have all the equipment we need. Now I need the gumption.

Thing 2, Finally

2010-08-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Thing 2. Look to an earlier posting for my stumbles on Wordle.

Voice Thread looks kinda complicated for me, but after viewing several projects I think it has real possibilities. One of my teachers, taking this same course, emailed me that we needed to do this one! Story Telling and other projects. I really enjoyed several such as "Interesting Pants", "Getting a Haircut" (I AM a grandfather!) and the Three Little Pigs". Internet Safety is a real concern, I think this is the way to go.

I used Animoto this Summer at our church Fine Arts Camp. I had a class of 12 youngsters. We did Animoto and Trading Cards. I have seen about all the pitfalls, but I have also seen the successes. I like the new features but have not yet tried video. The link is to a project done by a middle schooler.

http://animoto.com/play/X7m4RxxDOlRpZokp58kqgg?utm_content=challenger

bookr. We can use this!

This could be neater than PowerPoint, and certainly looks cool. This could get a certain person to quit complaining about the ubiquitous Bird Project!

Anyways, I'm going to hope the link works.

Flip Video and summer school

2010-06-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I know this is not part of Thing 2, but I just wanted to see if I could lind this thing. And I really can spell Podcast; I just cannot type!

Thing #2 Frustration sets in quickly

2010-06-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

lets try this for the 4th time.

This is a wordle from the ESPN article about the first World Cup game.

I do not do well with print screen and then cropping. As you can see, I got something leftover on my screen.

I would like Wordle much more if I could save straight from wordle without having to print screen.

I can see uses for my students, aside from just play value. When I copied an entire article, without reading it, the word count quickly suggests main points. This is not fool proof, however, so I will caution little Johnny to go back and actually read the article. I think we can use this to start the thinking process.

I looked at Sift, but was not particularly impressed.

I will try one of the other gizmos later.

Well, that didn't work. Thing 2

2010-06-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

I had fun with the World Cup and Wordle. Unfortunately, I have not figured out how to do anything besides just look at it. it absolutely refused to move to this posting. What you see below is all that remains of my work. And I put in quite some time last night on it.

here is a thought, once the thunderstorm starts, you might as well close the library. Our power was iffy to the point of dangerous to computers and other living things. And the lights didn' t work real well. So we sent all the kids to their lock down rooms. Oh well.

11.5, The 2nd Thing

2010-06-07T17:41:00.001-07:00

random
older»
World Cup 2010
From Encyclopedia Britannica —Book Train 0 minutes ago

11.5 Things, Thing 1

2010-06-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

698 more things

2009-09-09T03:17:00.000-07:00

I know I'm supposed to be doing the 11.5 things, but things keep getting in the way. About 698 little things.

In my new job as technology teacher at my school (I will miss the books), I picked up a group of 2nd graders yesterday, to teach them the fine art of image downloading and Animoto. Someday, we may actually get there. Seems that this group of 14 youngsters, billed as "not needing core-subject tutoring because they are smart" belong to me for the second hour of the after-school program. Great, sit down at the laptop and let's go. The hour was up before we got to the part where we create a shortcut to the SAN folder. These 2nd graders were not familiar with "Ctrl-Alt-Delete". They could not figure out how to make their left hand into the "hook-em-horns" symbol. Double clicking was a challenge. Digital Natives, my Aunt Fannie!

Actually, it may be the teachers who are the problem here. These kids have been here for 2 years, and do not yet know how to log on to a district computer!

While trying to trouble-shoot (I discoverer the "-" key) several of our recalcitrant laptops, I glimpsed a note that said the rollout for the new laptops has been pushed back. No surprise there. When the system lets me into OWA this morning, I will read the email more thoroughly. In the meantime, our 5-year old, trustworthy Dell D505s have just about had it! One died on the operating table last week, one refused a request to turn on during our after-school session, and one seems to have lost the letter "T".

So, I am taking bets as to what will happen first - New laptops that have been promised for several years, or two 3rd grade classes will occupy the T-shack out back, that has been languishing on the playground since April.

There is hope, though. Our 6 new teachers are new to us, but not to teaching . They also seem to understand a little bit about technology, so that is very encouraging.

Trying to be part of the solution, I have scheduled a class on Easy Tech so that several of us, including several aides, can start to change the situation. I also helped an aide get the cute little Writers powered up so that this third grade may actually learn something about keyboarding. Since blogging is on my radar this year, it would help if the kids could actually find the letters on the keyboard.

Ah, I will miss the books. Wonder what will happen to them?

11.5, Thing # 2

2009-08-25T03:04:00.000-07:00

I went to Wordle. This is about as simple as I can handle. I was even able to do the following in this posting, which really impresses the electrons right out of me. The big challenge for the kids may be coming up with the text in the first place.

Wordle wants us to give credit, Why not?: http://www.wordle.net

Time to get ready for school. More to come. I'm not dead yet.

11.5 More Things. Thing 1.

2009-08-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

Watched a well-done video about the networked student. The kid does most of his learning independently and on the web, even to going on-line to visit with experts at UC Berkley (It doesn't say that he foils a plot against the world, performs open heart surgery using nothing but his iTouch, and develops a new species of mushrooms, but I digress).

First let's talk about the video itself. I love the simple approach, using paper and drawings to make a video. I think this can work very well in elementary school with the new equipment we expect to receive. Simple and effective.

Next let's discuss the work of the student. While I believe most of the applications mentioned would work best at the high school level, most of the high school students I worked with at my last school would not be interested in thinking this hard, let alone working this hard. This is probably a real good concept for the top of the GT group.

Let's talk about teachers using this. Just today, I received a "all librarians" note from the boss, forwarding a complaint from tech services about the large number of work orders on equipment that could have been solved had the teacher plugged in the equipment or checked the cables! Contrast this with the highly technical and involved projects the video suggests!

Now let's talk about the librarian's role. Sure. We can do this. I don't mind spending all sorts of time helping a student explore the entire universe from the equipment in my room. I love surfing the web. I love helping one or two students explore deep questions like "is it ethical to scream Theater in a crowded fire?" Just one question: Who's running the rest of the room? Shall I quit checking out books to the child who just discovered they can read? Do I quit helping teachers with their roadmaps? Do I ignore the 2nd graders who are running, no flying through the library? Do I ignore the growing pile of books that will not be shelved while I am being the super researcher - Sensei - Guru? I actually plan to do just that, but I am going to need more book carts. It takes less than 2 days to FILL one completely if no one shelves.

And all of this assumes that the equipment actually is reliable. Tech Services turned over 4 brand new laptops to my campus the other week. Trouble is they did not authorize these wonderful instruments of investigation and learning to access our Wireless network, which, by the way, bounces up and down like a pogo stick. And this is the new stuff! My work order for the 4 laptops languishes somewhere between Berkeley and the Tequila Sunrise Bar down the street.

But yeah, I liked the video. What was the question?

I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!!!!!

2009-08-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

OK, sports fans, it's time to get back in the game. I have reset my password and refreshed my feeble memory on how to do this.

Kansas City Southern Railroad has opened their new line between Rosenberg and Victoria. the Treasure Forest Railroad is going to be reopening after a year off. We will lay track in accordance with student performance in Accelerated Reader.

So, fasten your seat belts, ..........

Unintended Consequences

2008-08-29T02:16:00.000-07:00

I work at a school where a student who is reading and working AT grade level is notable, so a student who reading and working ABOVE grade level gets a certain amount of attention.

One of my fourth grade teachers introduced her class to Accelerated Reader and the STAR test yesterday. Most of the class was involved with this last year and were eager to start earning some points. The students were testing at the two classroom computers. One of the young men, a new student, watched for a few minutes and logged onto the system. He thought a minute and then entered the title of a Leven Thumps book that he had read last year. 70% and about 10 points! Another Leven Thumps title from last year, another 70% and the boy now has almost 20 points! Teacher administers the STAR diagnostic test. His reading range, as a fourth grader: 4.5 - 8.wayoutthere. Not normal for our school. She brings the young student to the librarian where we start planning how best to meet this customer's needs. We're going to be borrowing a lot of books from other libraries, because this kid likes to read, and WE don't have very much at his reading level, and in his interest areas.

He has been made to understand that this year we want him to test on books he reads this year, not that he read last year, but he was so happy to be part of AR that he improvised just a little. OK, I can work with this.

Mom is a teacher in our school. Let's talk. She transfered him in this year from a sister school in the district. A Lake Wobegon school where all the teachers are beautiful and all the students are above average. But the boy was miserable. Seems the school and teacher limited the boy to one visit to the library per week, two books per week, and both had to be at his grade level. Not personal reading level, but grade level. Mom talked to the teacher last year, this is the way it was.

So, I, the intrepid librarian with books spread across three book carts, and shelves with books spilling onto the floor, have promised I will keep up with the boy.

Why would a librarian, and a school limit a student in this way?

It's not hard for me to understand. We librarians are being told that the library of today is all about technology. Electronic products is what we are to be devoting our time to. No one will tell us how we are supposed to balance that against an already full day of providing reading resources to hundreds of students, so I suspect that many librarians have arrived at the solution: limit library book circulation. Fewer books moving in and out means the librarian may have the time to play with all the technology that someone (not my principal, my students, nor my students) is making clear is the most important aspect of our profession.

My customers come from homes where books are not plentiful. We are still trying to move them into the public library. Most are struggling to move into English, so we offer plentiful supplies of both English and Spanish books.

Five years ago, this school was barely acceptable in the TEA rating scheme. My principal brought me in, BECAUSE I was different. We took most limits off of circulation and are now circulating between 400 - 550 books, every day! This requires a lot of work on the part of library staff. But this is part of the school philosophy. We have a longer day and expect more from our students. So, we have now earned our second consecutive TEA rating of Exemplary! And we are pretty sure that emphasizing reading for pleasure plays a big part in this!

My library budget has been increased this year and I am being guided to apply for grants to facilitate even more materials and services. Don't tell me to cut down on my circulation. I won't do it. My principal won't do it. My teachers won't accept it and my students (remember them? they are my customers) demand more and more reading material. And I plan to meet customer demands!

The Little Engine that Could meets Virginia

2008-08-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Took Virginia to our church day care center this summer, with the train and a copy of The Little Engine that Could. We set up the track and the train. Virginia wore a pink engineer's cap and was the conductor. She had a hole punch and validated train tickets for 3 and 4 year olds before they got on the train.

The conductor kept standing on the track, which caused some consternation from the engineer. She also decided that her ticket office was a high table against the wall, and away from the passengers.

That night, Daddy was putting her to bed and asked about her day. "Well, let me tell you!" she began. "I went with Papa Dan to help him, and he read the story, but I did all the work!"

Ah, youth!

Photo Story

2008-08-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Had lots of fun creating a little show on the Blue Tongued Skink. 3 slides, audio, music.

Spent over an hour trying to upload to the blog. Nope.

I think we can do this at school.

Audacity

2008-08-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Frustration has set in. I am wasting my time and my school's time. I have a library to open and I am ready to quit this profession.

I was able to record with some trouble. I was able to put it in a folder on my desktop but from there I went straight to trouble.

Apparently only one at a time can upload to Wiki. Great. There are 6 of us.

When Vaughn can devote 2 hours to me one-on-one, maybe.

Dan

Image Manipulation

2008-08-20T08:16:00.001-07:00

Image Manipulation.

It can be done. It was done. Trading card would not cooperate.

Thing # 23 The End??

2008-03-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

This journey has not been easy for me. I am an digital illegal alien, and I spent quite a bit of time lost in the desert without water.

Some discoveries:

Google Tools. And it's free
Teacher tube. And it's cool, and useful.
Open Office. Why are we still paying for Microsoft?? Are there really pitfalls we didn't explore, or does the world enjoy financing Bill Gates' lifestyle?
There are some great places to go for othere views on librarianship.

Some thoughts.

For the next classes, please offer some face-to-face, or phone-to-phone time for those of us who are totatlly intimidated by the technology. Something along the lines of catalog camp would be helpful. Not all would need it, but it should be available.

I will take the next podcast/vidcast class offered, if I can get some gentle one-on-one help.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Yeah, sure.

Had fun. Learned something.

Thing # 21 Podcasts and Vidcasts

2008-03-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Alrightty now! I can use this stuff. I finally find something where I can envision uses,I just don't understand how to do it. Due to technical problems (like not being able to spell technical problems) the podcast is not up yet. One of my hang-ups over new equipment (not new technology, but the equipment will be new) that will be coming, is a lack of vision as to how to use this stuff. A student-produced story should just about do this. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Thing # 22 Nings

2008-03-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

Don'get too excited folks. I am skipping Pod casting until I can find my microphone. I know I had one here somewhere.

Nings. I went into the librarian sites. I can see that if I had a specific project that I didn't know where to start, like running a dog kennel out of the library, this might be the place to start. But, I am seeing an awful lot of groaning and moaning about how bad we have it, and I've kinda run out of time for that.

And I guess that is something to learn here. I saw it on TLC years ago. I am not the dumbest librarian out there. Nor, am I the smartest. Far from it. But as I went TLC, and tonight, the librarian NINGs, I absolutely know that I have it good. No, I have it great.

My principal drives me crazy, sometimes. I'm sure I drive her crazy most of the time. I would like more communication and more of an idea as to what is about to happen in my library and in my school.

On the other hand (the one with 6 fingers), I pretty much have control over my schedule. I have heard much about fixed vs flexible schedules, and how bad fixed schedules are. I always thought I had a fixed schedule because I try to see the same classes the same time each week. Well, with testing and all the other things going on, I, not anyone else, I change my schedule constantly.

I read lots of complaints about budgets. I have found a couple of things that work. I always have ideas as to what I could do with $500 or $1000. While talking with the boss, if I sense this is a good day for her, I kinda mention something I would love to do, if I had the money. Guess what? It works sometimes.

I also have built a reputation for being able to spend $600 well in a matter of minutes, so that when the boss gets told she can have money if she spends it NOW, she tells me. Give me a school subject, and I can put together a book order in a hurry.

My library is open. Literally. All hallways in the building empty into the library. The perimeter is a series of freeways with lots of traffic, all day long. The place is noisy, and nothing is sacred. On the other hand (the one with the webbing and fur on the palm of my hand) I get to see just about every teacher and staff member each day. This makes it very convenient for them to drop in with questions or requests. This also makes my work with the children very visible.

So, with the NING, I think it has a use. My next crazy idea will be paraded out there for comments and suggestions. Like answering the question "How much is a million?" by collecting pennies. Someone has done that, I know. Or how can I make my circulation desk more efficient without killing the fun?

Or, maybe, I can share how to run a model railroad over the non-fiction section. See, I told you I have it pretty good. Sometimes, I just have to stop the tedium, and get the little Santa Fe tank engine going.

Anyways, I am not through yet, Gotta make the podcast thing fly.

Thing # 20 WOW Factor

2008-03-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

OK, Teacher Tube is worth everything.

The samples on the Library2Play site are wonderful. I think I can use all of them at school, now.

When I looked at the Texas History site from UNT, which promises a great time at that website, I found a fun little clip from a school group (high school) that shows me the possibilities of making UTube type projects from school.

So, here is my favorite. I hope to use it with a parent class to encourage literacy and reading to your child.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=952a85b8551ba726a122

Thing # 19 Web 2.0 list

2008-03-16T17:25:00.000-07:00

I really didn't find much that I was interested in. I found some lists I might have been interested in, but found discussions of porno right along with discussions of everything else. Next.

Ma.gnolia.com Social Bookmarking. I am looking for something like this, but not quite this much. They offer the ability to share and discuss my bookmarks. All I want to do is mark a couple of sites for my students. I am not looking for coffee and a danish with a guy in Sacramento!

But, the basic thing, I can use. I establish an account with ma.gnolia and proceed to bookmark sites for my classes and students. Then I have the kids help me bookmark ma.gnolia on student machines. Now when I find an interesting site, I bookmark it in one place, and every machine in my school can find it.

My primary use right now will be game sites, many of which are blocked by the powers that be, wherever and whoever they are. A very free, and effective incentive for my students is the offer of 30 minutes free time on a computer. Good, free, un-blocked sites are not easy to find. My 5th graders can find them, but many of my 2nd graders are getting un structured access to the Internet for the first time. They don't have a clue where they want to go, and waste a lot of their (and my) time just typing the urls.

If I can show them one bookmark with many sites, without having to type it 12 times, I will be happy.

And free time does have educational value. Some of my kids are motivated by the offer of free time. Several have been perfectly happy in pure education sites like Odyssey and Kid Pics. The favorite right now is Scholastic, because of Goosebumps. And that, my friends, is reading.

Aren't I having enough trouble with English and Spanish? Ma.gnolia offers "bookmarklets" These made up words slay me.

By the way, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I just started singing: There's a light...... over at the Frankenstein place. Rocky Horror ruined my brain.

So, yes, this is useful.

Why do we do this???

2008-03-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

OK, so I am taking a break from the technology Things.

I had lunch with "Eileen" this week. She earned the priviledge because she has earned more than 20 points in Accelerated Reader. Someone forgot to tell her that she could bring a friend (most of her class has long since had lunch with the librarian), so there she was, by herself, grinning at me in the library. I grabbed my lunch box and sat down with her.

You need to know that "Eileen" is a second grader. She will be 10 years old this summer. When Eileen came to Ms B's class in August (from a sister school district), it quickly became obvious that the girl did not yet know her ABCs! And guess what? There is no evidence in her record that any of a number of schools ever tested her for any learning disabilities. Ms B. has had an interesting 6 months, especially since she herself is fairly new to this teaching game (and by the way, the teacher is herself dyslexic). And we have seen remarkable progress. We probably broke several inane laws in September because Ms B. asked everyone in the school to help her with Eileen, while the incredibly slow process of needs identification crawled along. No one at my school shunted her off to the side because she was so far behind. No one told Ms B. she couldn't do anything until the entire process was done.

So anyways, here I am talking about reading to this dark haired angel, when she looks at me and announces: "Ms B. doesn't read to me anymore."

Whereupon, I, the librarian, immediately somewhat concerned, ask, "Why not??"

She smiled this smile that melted my heart and declared, "Because I can do it myself!!" There is intelligence in those eyes. There is determination in that face. And one of my teachers put it there!! So, Texas, you can keep your TAKS tests. My school is not going to leave anyone behind!!

Thing # 18 Microsoft Who??

2008-03-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Looked around the website for awhile before downloading Open Office. They do make it possible to pay for this, but this is the last thing they mention. Open Office really would like everyone to contribute time to improving the program.

So far the only downside I can see is how long it took me to download. At one point, on my desktop, I seemed to be in a loop.

The product looks enough like MS Word that I could easily create a document. Some features that I looked at, like envelopes, are in a different place, but seem better than MS Word.

Can I gather that if the district were to adopt this, our Geeks would be able to load it much quicker than I did?

A question I would have, is how much is our school district spending now on site licensing from Microsoft, and how much would we be willing to donate to Open Office for what could be a better product?

I really liked several places in the final download where they did not force themselves into my life as my one and only software. This may change when it is time for my next computer.

What a concept. I am impressed.

Thing #17 Play in the sandbox, WIKI

2008-03-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

SoIwenttotheplaygroundandgotinthesandboxandstartedplayingandwashavinglotsoffununtilalittlegirlstartedthrowingsandandigotupsetandsaidi'mtellingandanywaystheyaskedmenottocomeback.

OK, been there, done that, find my comments in the sandbox cause that's all I have to say about that.

Thing # 16 WIKIs

2008-03-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

Before I talk a bit about WIKIs, I finially found my avatar! It is on a sample page for a school WIKI. I never got into any of the avatars that I found while doing that project. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I don't want to ever give anyone on the Internet the impression that I am anything but a grumpy, 55 year old elementary librarian. The furry creature to my right not only bears a resemblance to me, but I think it conveys my mood at least once in the last week.

Anyways, I need to get on with WIKIs. I really can't see using them with my elementary school students anytime soon, unless it were as a way to write a policies and procedures handbook for the library, and the kids were to get input.

However, I can really see WIKIs as a great way for committees, and small working groups of teachers, to create grant proposals, projects, almost anything. Instead of having to come to one spot at one time to plan, I could put out a WIKI and tell my group how to get in.

This might also be a good way to improve on the "one-person-does-all-the-work current methodology of many of our campus projects, such as the carnival.

As my campus becomes better at keyboarding, it might be fun to create a story in a WIKI.

(For some reason, every time I type WIKI, it starts as WIKE. Is this the new footwear created by a committee?)

So, off I go.

Thing # 15 Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and Why am I so tired?

2008-03-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

I found some useful ideas here.

Away From Icebergs was interesting.

Into a New World of Librarianship. Breaking down barriers. I don't know Vern, what barriers are in my library? There are no doors. My circulation is way up there, because we do not limit our patrons to 2 books a week. Heck, I have 2nd graders that we don't limit to 2 books an hour! Last week, in preparation for closing the library on Monday (laptop rollout) and Wednesday (TAKS) we pretty well let all students check out as many books as they could carry, without regard to age or current standing. And we survived!

Michael Stephens coins a term I could hang on someone who shall remain nameless - technolust. Going after technology because you can. In the same article he admonishes us to keep moving forward.

But the article I will talk to you about tonight is The Path to Becoming a Literate Educator (Barry is always pinging on me to technolofy!) here is a plan that seems to suggest starting with just a couple of teachers with drive and vision to move forward. They should include the librarian (That's Me!) and hopefully someone from the school or district who can help with the technobabble (Media Services, prepare to be boarded!). We will learn together. Blog (got that).

I see some good ideas for building a core of several classes with which to get technology learning kicked into high gear at my school.

Back to the district help, Yes, need that. I will need one-on-one help face-to-face.

Now, if I can just convince my principal that the TAKS is way too overrated.........

By the way, apparently I was numbering these posts wrong. This is Thing 15, and with some work, I got # 13 numbered right.

Thing #14 Technorati and other things I don't understand.

2008-03-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

OK. The video of the Technorati people was, to me, more of a thing about blogging in general, and less about tagging. I tried looking at "School Library Learning 2.0" through Technorati but felt as if I was an univited guest listening in on random conversations that had been going on for months. I guess I don't get it, as usual.

While we are here, let's look at Dan's understanding of Blogs. A bunch of people, either semi-annyomious, or blatently out for a buck (newspaper columnists) post a stream of consciousness, 24/7. There is little citing, less proof that what they are saying is anything but drunken musings. Our own people in my school district (God bless them, they are the most knowlegeable people I know!) post constantly without giving their names.

It seems, from what I gathered from Technorati, that blogging is now what the Internet was 15 years ago. Anarchy. Anyone says anything they want, sharing their opinions, but not having to back anything up with facts.

Yet, in my reasearch classes in college, and in what I teach my students, we must have some sense that the source is legitimate and not just another student who could be making it up as they go (like me).

If blogging, and its close cousin, Wikipedia, are so wonderful, why is my school district spending so much money on dull, corporate databases that can back up everything they publish with citations?? A 5th grader who writes a paper about the presidential election based on what the other 5th graders in his class tell him, is probably going to write an interesting paper, but I doubt much of it will be relevant.

I get that I am supposed to be sampling blogs for new ideas and procedures, but I'm kinda busy working with my students right now. What I am doing in my library seems to work. The teachers respect me (they don't understand me, but they depend on me), my students love me, and I have some evidence that I am effective.

Using facts from Texas Education Agency, I can prove my effectiveness.

I was the Sterling City ISD librarian for 6 years. The high school was exemplary all six years, but not before I got there, or after I left. In fact, now, after 3 years, they are just acceptable. They also do not have a certified librarian anymore!

I have been at Treasure Forest Elementary for 3 years. before I arrived the school had never risen above acceptable, and at one point was almost unacceptable. In my three years, the school was "recognized" for 2 years and is currently "exemplary".

See, I made the difference!

See, what I have been seeing just these past few days reminds me an awful lot of what we used to do in the Army. Listen in on other people's converstations (Ever read The Puzzle Palace ?). But there was so much stuff out there, and you didn't always know who was talking, and it was just as easy for the other side to salt the airwaves with garbage and send us looking for boogie men while the real bad guys laughed themselves silly over how much trouble they were causing us. The National Security Agency can probably record every telephone call in the world, and store it on the biggest computers in history, but it takes a whole lot of analysis to find what is truly important. Most of it is not.

And the above paragraph is one of the reasons why I wear hearing aids today, too much listing to static in the hopes of hearing a really good morsel, like Gorbachev wears lace underwear! That's all my wife wanted to know.

Maybe this summer I will come into the Media Center and sit at the feet of my mentors and make sense of the blogosphere, but I will worry about that tomorrow, at Tara, after all..........

Thing # 13 Tagging and Del.icios or something like that

2008-03-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

OK, now I'm really getting lost. Tag is a game I played as a child. Delicious is what I say about my wife's potato salad.

But I digress. I was unable to fully view the video due to audio problems that I do not believe are at my end.

Tagging really looks like more work than I want to do. When I tried to look at the examples of sweets, I could not see the point. I found myself in websites in every language except the one I understand.

And from my experience with cataloging materials, and the 650 marc line, there needs to be standardization of the tags, or it just will not work. I cannot remember my work login half the time, how am I to remember the tag system I made up for stuff I find just as easily by google?

Now, once I get rid of all my library books and quit reading to my children, maybe I'll have time to tag the Internet. Until then - Next!

Thing # 12 Rollyo

2008-03-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

So far I am less than impressed. You can't spend 20 minutes creating something unless you know where you want to search. If I know which websites I want to search, why do I need Rollyo??

Anyways, I tried.

Thing # 11 The Library Thing

2008-02-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

I have begun to catalog my father's books in Library Thing. My parents moved into a retirement community last summer, and I took Dad's Clancy and Grisham collection because he really didn't want to part with it, but their new place already has more books than Mom wanted.

Library thing is real easy to use, especially after using TLC, two library circulation systems, and Marc Magician. With Library Thing, all I inputted was the ISBN and the location of the books (4th room).

I think I may catalog all of Dad's books and give him access to Library Thing.

I can see several uses for this contraption, now that you ask.

1. Teachers can catalog their classroom collections, quickly and easily. Tags could include ownership (school or personal), location, genre, author.

I can also see times when I might want to establish special collections for teachers or students.

What I really need to do with it, now that I think of it, is ask my students to catalog their personal collections. This could help me determine what AR quizzes I need to order, and might go a long way to demonstrate the state of our school's reading mindset.

Not a bad little tool.

But it's still cataloging. what is the marc tag for "go to bed, Dan!"??

The Train in the Library

2008-02-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

The most massive part of the Treaure Forest Rail Road is the 10 foot long stone arch bridge. 5th graders did the painting.

I tried to use a re-painted cheap Christmas train, but I wasn't happy with the performance of the train.

In one shot, my grand daughter, Virginia is helping me inspect the train.

And I have been getting suggestions that I be sure to measure everything before we take it all down to change the carpet. You bet. With luck, it will come back better than ever.

Thing # 10 Images

2008-02-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

I had some problems with the image gizmos. The only one I could make work for me was the trading card maker.

I can see many uses for this one. I would like to make trading cards for about 50 of the authors in my library.

I have made a card from an activity from the past. I think we could have fun with this.

I think my colleague who does the morning broadcast for our school will have more fun with this.

Thing # 9 RSS

2008-02-21T19:09:00.000-08:00

I'm still not all that wild about this whole blogging concept. Don't I shoot the bull enough at work where there are people who will tell me to shut-up!?!

The thoughts on how to choose who you get blogged by was interesting. OK, it was a high-tech version of older suggestions on surrounding yourself with people smarter that yourself. Like that's real hard for me.

So, to the assisgment for this particular treasure hunt. I didn't find a newspaper dated Feb 1, but a neighbor did have a seat cushion for a high school stadium.

What did I like? I liked Google Blog Search best, probably because the RSS gods actually gave me blogs when I searched blogs. I asked for "million pennies" because I am about to propose our elementary school collect them next year, first to raise money, but also because there may be no better way to show kids just how much is a million. A Gifted and Talented group was proposing everything I would, but the kids are doing all the work. So much the better.

What did I not like? most of the rest of the search methods. Maybe my feed just doesn't like me but I tended to find commercial news rather than the folksy stuff like me.

An unfortunate bit of timing is that right now, when you search "million and pennies" you are going to find all sorts of stuff on the lucky stiff who just auctioned off 301 pennies for ten million dollars!

An observation on postings. I Google Blog searched SBISD and found an article on a recent school bus shooting. The comments were almost as frightening as the shooting. I saw racism, vulgarities and just scary stuff. What was it a colleage called it last week? Cyber bullying or Cyber trash?

I can see curling up with a couple of search parameters and looking for people who have already answered the questions I am just now thinking of. Like I have that much time.

By the way, for those who miss the train, our second graders still get a kick out of running the train when they earn the time. I entrust the remote to my more trusted readers and let them supervise the others. So far the train has not left the tracks (that are over 6 feet above the floor).

The district will be replacing the carpet in my library this summer, so all furniture, including the book shelves have to come out. That also means the train must be disassembled this May. Wish I had paid more attention to how I built it!!

Blessings upon all

Thing # 8 RSS

2008-02-20T18:24:00.000-08:00

RSS Means Really simple syndication, but that doesn't mean anything to me. Really simple stuff might work.

Anyways, I created an account in Google, added several library blogs, my preacher's blog, and a library comic strip that hasn't really impressed me, yet.

What do I like about it? It's easy to do.

How do I think I might use it at school? I might look for blogs about grants, Accelerated Reader, and read-a-louds. I am interested in a project where we would try to help parents become readers to their children. I hate to re-invent the wheel, so I will look around for others who are already doing this.

With a little work, I think I could assemble a number of worthy feeds that could provide useful info to me without me having to search for it.

It's worth a try.

Why I am a Librarian

2008-02-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

Last week I had an experience akin to a father teaching his daughter to ride a bike, or the first time a grandfather plays catch with his grandson.

I couldn't find the book I had intended to read to my Kindergarten classes, and the first class was on the carpet, criss-cross, indian style. In desperation I grabbed the first book I recognized, and headed for my seat.

Keep in mind that I am from a middle-class background where we five children were surrounded by books, picture books, chapter books, grownup books. (Dad's Clancy and Grisham collection is here for safe keeping, Mom says they are out of room!) We subscribed to the monthly Beginner Books in the early 60's.

So, anyways, here I am with a book I assume every 6 year old has memorized, since my 4 year old sister actually did.

Those of you who work with underpriviledged kids will understand when I tell you I actually introduced 200 children to "Green Eggs and Ham"!! They had never heard of it! What a rush!! Of course they loved it! We made it into a shared reading, I would stop and let them finish each line. When our protagonist (does he have a name??) fell into the sea, I held my nose and gargled "Sam, I Am". The place fell apart every time.

I have introduced my 4 year old granddaughter to many books, but last week, I did it for over 200 children!

This is supposed to be a post about technology, but if my Kindergarten and 1st graders have never had their parents read to them from the good Doctor Seuss, I have a bigger calling.

Did you realize there are only 50 vocabulary words in the whole book? Seuss was challenged by his editor to write such a book, on a bet, and set up a whole industry.

In the Spanish edition, Sam I Am become Juan Ramon, which does rhyme with "Juevos Verde con Jamon", the title.

I have actually eaten green eggs. It happens in the Army when scrambled eggs spend too much time in the field warming containers, known for some reason as mermite cans. I have eaten them in a box, and in a house. I'm pretty sure I've eaten them with a mouse. The mouse was present, not part of the meal.

We are trying to establish a reading culture in the library. Our 2nd graders are major players in Accelerated Reader, a program where you read a book and then take a test over it. The computer awards points based on your score. Our second graders know how many points their classroom champion has, and also track the progress of neighboring classes. Dog tags for 50 and 100 points are worn proudly like Olympic medals. Friday afternoon there was real buzz among the dozen youngsters who were testing in the library when Christian, a precoucious Kindergartener, stepped up to the computer and took his first test of the day. All crowded around to see if the lad could do it. 100%. He tested on his second book. 100%. Whispers and comments of admiration and respect. A Kindergartener!

I actually get paid to do this. Life is good.

Thing # 7 Google and other venal sins

2008-02-11T16:12:00.000-08:00

OK, boys and girls, I'm back. Bless me Father for I have sinned. It's been a month since my last posting. After getting set upon by two colleagues at today's library meeting over being AWOL, I am back.

But now I remember why I was gone. Google. My assignment is to play in Google.

So I tried to do Google notebook. A friend said I would like the features. I suppose I will when I can find the instruction book. Google has spent so much time shoving the toolbar at me, they forgot to tell me what to do or how to do it once I get into the notebook.

Now, I have looked at Google Maps, I go there all the time. I like to look at airfields and harbors on satelite, realizing that the images are about two years old, based on progress on the Katy Freeway.

I plan to use Google Maps and the satelite feature with my classes. I will start with the image of the US, zoom in on Texas, then to Houston, and finally to our school neighborhood. I dont' think many of my kids understand how their neighborhood fits into the Very Big picture.

So now that I have vented my frustration over Notebook, I am going back in. Someone cover me. Make sure the rope around my waist doesn't get tangled around my neck!

Blogs that make money

2007-12-31T04:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! In this morning's Houston Chronicle, taking up much of page D-1, is an article entitled "Blogging for a few extra bucks. " http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5409461.html

This guy blogs about cheap lunches in midtown Manhattan and advertisers pay him for every reader who clicks in. He's not getting rich, but he's taken a weekend trip to the Caribbean off of his profit.

He spends about 2 hours a day blogging about his passion (local food) and has found new friends.

The article goes on to say that 39 % of Internet users, or 57 million American adults, read blogs. and that figure is a year old. Where have I been?

Back to Thing # 5 and Flickr

2007-12-28T20:34:00.000-08:00

Got me one of them digital cameras for Christmas. Yeah, I already had one, but it's one of those less expensive ones that don't do much, expecially in the zoom category. And try catching a child, especially my 4 year old grand daughter, with the digital equivilant of a Brownie Star Flash!

I still have to be careful. I had to replace my first digital after a field day at school. They just don't bounce well.

The new one hangs around my neck, right on top of my chest. The princess was not amused when she flew up to hug me at the playground and found my camera with her head! Such the drama queen!

So, now, Flickr starts to make a little more sense in the usefulness department. Just from pictures of the princess opening presents I can fill an album!

So, back to playing.

Thing # 6 Mashups and other things

2007-12-27T08:19:00.001-08:00

This is getting even more overwhelming. All of this wonderful technology assumes you have enough style and imagination to arrange things. I can't arrange the drawer at my work station!

But, If I can figure out how to go a little farther, wouldn't it be fun to give out Author Trading cards?

I picked RL Stine as my first attempt because my kids really like him. One of the bios off of Talking Books touts him as the best-selling children's author of all time.

Now I have to see if I can put multiple cards on one sheet of cardstock.

Another idea would be to make a card for each of my AR 50 point readers.

I think I could learn to use Mosaic Maker as a way to display pictures of The Princess, also known as She Who Must be Obeyed. We may have to look at that a little more.

Gifts to Librarians

2007-12-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

The Houston Chronicle recently ran an article (not talking about my school!) about how some parents are getting carried away with gifts to the teachers at this time of year. Yawn. Some are even setting up a gift registry. Double Yawn. I got a beautiful tie and a big jug of Christmas cookies. I wear the tie proudly and am almost through with the cookies.

I got other gifts this year far more important than anything a parent could afford. I get hand-drawn Christmas cards from kids who cannot spell Christmas or librarian, sometimes with leftover Halloween candy taped (not glued) to the paper. I get flying gang tackles (hugs) from 6 year-olds as I attempt to walk the hallways, all the time.

My best gift this year was a thank you note, written in Spanish, in various colors, and translated by a teacher. In the note the student, a recent arrival to our shores, thanks her invisible mentor for the money that allowed her to join her classmates at the book fair. In it she also says it is nice that someone cares about her. If you are not tearing up right now, put in Charlie Brown's Christmas instead of Nightmare before Christmas.

We librarians have an opportunity not given to most teachers. We can touch all the students, for good or for bad. Let's hope when we look back on it all, we can say we made the library a haven, rather than hell.

Last year we built a railroad over non-fiction. It was a lot of work for this sometime hobbyist. Many a weekend was spent cutting lumber for bridge supports. We now have a train (are you familiar with garden railroads, LGB, #1 guage?) that runs on an oval of track 14 feet by 7 feet and crosses four different types of bridges. OK, a Bridge to Exemplary was our school theme last year (fine by me, I like bridges), but it still stands, and it is still fun. The kids earn time at the controls through reading success. Sometimes, especially while shelving the 400 b00ks a day, I run the train just because I can.

If you want to put a value on the train, picture this: Two second-grade girls, taking a break from being library helpers, sitting on top of a non-fiction counter (please, no mail, I don't usually let them sit there) with the remote control in their hands, with grins bigger than the Union Pacific! OK, so we have now had a conversation about not throwing the train into reverse while it has a full head of steam up, but you know, there are no cynics at the helm of a powerful locomotive, and sometimes just having fun in the library is OK.

So, now, back I go into the Internet to learn about things I never knew existed, but am told I cannot live without. Who knows?

Thing # 5 Flickr

2007-12-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

OK, now here is a thing that truly overwhelms me. Put all your digital photos on the web and let up to 20 million of your closest friends have access.

I can see some applications for my school right now. We have a photography class after school. If everyone uploads their pictures each week to one group in Flickr, then all can access, comment, share, without having to worry about whether they are on the same laptop as last week.

The tag function could quickly get out of hand. This starts to sound like marc records, where you can attach up to 50 tags to each photo, supposedly helping you categorize and organize. One gentleman (who definitely needs help) uploads a picture of every tie he wears to work, tagged by which day he wore it so he won't repeat too often.

I remember some years ago when the little woman and I set out to take pictures of every courthouse (254 active ones) in Texas. For some reason we did not keep a journal as we traveled, so the longer it took the little lady to organize the photos at home into a scrapbook, the less we remembered about the photos. Most are still in shoe boxes. Maybe this is a strong argument for taking a laptop on vacation with you.

But this vast ability to upload every picture taken in the world, and in some groups, share it with absolutely everybody, just makes my head swim. I will still need organizational skills and a sense of balance, color, and arrangement in order to use this "vacuum cleaner" of a storage device.

Now, when they make a digital camera with a voice module where you can add tags as you take the picture, count me in. Click. "picture of Austin County Courthouse, notice the bell in disrepair." Maybe that would help.

Before I join a library group and share pictures, I would have to answer concerns about posting pictures of my students on the net. My library looks so antiseptic without the kids. Of course, you probably are already pointing out that there is a child on my main page. Yeah, go figure.

Thing # 4 Register the Blog

2007-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

OK, then. We are registered. Sometimes we need to just follow directions. Don't think too hard, it will cause headaches. Once I quit thinking so hard, Things # 3 and 4, were easy.

Our Granddaughter is coming over this afternoon to stay the night, so I may not get much farther this weekend.

Thing # 3: Create the Blog

2007-12-22T10:12:00.001-08:00

Actually, I created the blog last night, but I am trying to follow the idea of one post per thing #.

OK, it can be done. I'm a little leary about some of the settings, but it works.

I do not care for any of the avatar choices I have seen so far, so I have not yet created one. The avatar world seems to assume that no one is fat, or over 25 years old. So, we will stick with Goat for the time being.

Thing # 2

2007-12-22T05:09:00.000-08:00

Comment on the 7 1/2

I think I can easily deal with most of the 7 1/2 habits. I am taking responsibility for my own learning right now, and this is part of the most difficult habit, using technology to my advantage. I have had many arguments with my boss and mentor over technology, since I am so swamped with the low-tech aspects of my job that I cannot usually see the utility of going after method for which I cannot currently see a use.

My first school library job came open because the incumbent did not want to learn all of the technology that had just come to the school in 1998 with the installation of T1 lines and library automation. The automation package was sitting on the counter when I came to school the first day, literally. It took us 6 weeks to get it fully installed. My techie and I learned by doing. This is how I learn. By doing. Theory means very little to me, and I will not learn it until you can show me how whatever you have will benefit my students, my teachers, or me.

I started to show a young autistic child how to manipulate an e-book the other day. He pushed me aside and took over the computer. And I mean he literally pushed me from my seat. All he needed was someone to show him the technology. He already knew he wanted it.

Now the final one - have fun. My current favorite author (this month) is Jarrett Krosoczka, author and illustrator of Punk Farm. I shared his book with my kids, adding the rock music from http://www.punkfarm.com/. This makes for a loud, wild story time, but my primary goal is to show that reading really is a contact sport. Picture a 55 year old, overweight librarian jumping up and down, playing air guitar and drums. Goat, the bass player in the book, is next to this missive, as my photo.

The really cool thing about Punk Farm, is I am using it as an incentive. Classes who want to experience the sequel, Punk Farm on Tour, must earn 100 Accelerated Reader points since December 1. We are seeing great progress, and are having fun at the same time.

But my biggest challenge will be to incorporate some of this technology. I have to see another purpose besides just using another technology.

We shall see.

Thing # 1

2007-12-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

OK, I read a little more of the instructions. I need to comment on each thing.

I think this little adventure, Library2Play, will be fun. Just remember that I still own a typewriter, which may give you an idea of where I usually am with technology!

Most of the other things are talking about stuff that might as well be in Urdu, it's way outside of my understanding. But, I can be taught.

Stand by for Thing # 2

First Posting

2007-12-21T18:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it! Got myself a blog. Not necessarily willingly, but nonetheless, I got me a blog.

Our district has invited us to dabble in some new ways to share information. I miss the spiral notebook, but here goes.

You noticed the train. Early each year I bring the train to school and offer "The Little Engine that Could" to Kindergarten. We have emphasized the letter "T" when the curriculum did that. Now-a-days we work on "I can", also "Si Puedo" for the majority of my students.

Did you know that once you let a five year old ride a train in the library, you just became her favorite person?

Things are not real quiet in this library. Part of that is me. I am not real quiet. The other part is the misguided architect who thought it would be fun to build a library without walls, but with a high, live ceiling. Eight hallways open into this library. I really am the Man in the Middle. All halls really do lead to the library!

When I can find a decent picture of it, I will show the railroad that operates over non-fiction. Students can earn time at the controls by reading.