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?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
11.5, Thing # 2
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.
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.
Monday, August 24, 2009
11.5 More Things. Thing 1.
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?
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?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!!!!!
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, ..........
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, ..........
Friday, August 29, 2008
Unintended Consequences
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!
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!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Little Engine that Could meets Virginia
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!
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
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.
Spent over an hour trying to upload to the blog. Nope.
I think we can do this at school.
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