tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71068138968906111342018-01-11T04:13:35.938-08:00Random ThoughtsSuzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.comBlogger243125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-24227752599546803712017-10-18T03:21:00.000-07:002017-10-18T03:21:09.517-07:00Things are Looking Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qYLXhwdsWYs/Wea28JzK_cI/AAAAAAAASQs/fxicOcXcL9IvTS39s6O_735782ecSAxCwCLcBGAs/s1600/Did%2BYou%2BKnow-%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qYLXhwdsWYs/Wea28JzK_cI/AAAAAAAASQs/fxicOcXcL9IvTS39s6O_735782ecSAxCwCLcBGAs/s320/Did%2BYou%2BKnow-%2B%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>The <a href="http://tasltalks.blogspot.com/2017/08/lets-promote-libraries.html">Texas Association of School Librarians</a> has put us firmly on the right track.&nbsp; Their idea is simply to plan on posting a message via social media as to our jobs on the 17th of each month.&nbsp; Conveniently, monthly samples have been provided for us.&nbsp; There is no excuse not to participate in this event.<br /><br />This awareness campaign has distinct advantages over random efforts.&nbsp; A significant factor is that we are all sending the same message on the same date.&nbsp; The result should be a sensory overload difficult for our funders to ignore.<br /><br />The second aspect of the campaign that I like is that it is focusing on the leadership role of school librarians.&nbsp; We need help in this respect, as many of us do not think of ourselves as leaders, and even if we do, others may not, despite the fact that our leadership is in their faces on a constant basis:&nbsp; the preconceived idea of a school librarian that permeates the brain tends to overrule the reality of the situation.<br /><br />As librarians, oftentimes our leadership is not overt.&nbsp; Much of what we do is considered "leading from the middle."&nbsp; We might suggest certain purchases to administrators that leads to product implementation; we test and familiarize ourselves with a myriad of devices and decide their instructional value before we suggest teachers integrate them; we bring people with seemingly diverse goals together in collaborations that would otherwise not have been broached.&nbsp; None of these activities scream, "Hey! Look at me! I'm a leader."&nbsp; Unobtrusive leadership is so subtle that often we miss our contributions ourselves.<br /><br />The monthly themes suggested by TxASL are generally enough to apply to all school librarians.&nbsp; In keeping with the theme, we should drive home the message with pictures and library-specific evidence.&nbsp; What we have done, what we do, is what will deliver the message.<br /><br />I appreciate TxASL's sharing of this campaign.&nbsp; I trust we will all take advantage of their leadership and make this campaign a permanent feature of our advocacy plans.Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-27429973840255839922017-10-05T14:27:00.001-07:002017-10-05T14:27:45.172-07:00What I Did At the West Virginia State Technology Conference.<script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({ google_ad_client: "ca-pub-9469493107441534", enable_page_level_ads: true }); </script><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">In all honesty, I work on "school stuff" all summer. &nbsp;It is ridiculous in some ways, and I am sure my family is more than annoyed when I hibernate in my room and concentrate deeply on some programmatic scheme. &nbsp;I know they don't understand, although they sometimes grudgingly accept, that I get my energy from learning, sharing and considering new possibilities.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Even so, it is hard for me to give up three days in my last two weeks of summer to any organized professional development activity. It's as if I suddenly realized on July 29 that summer, in every meaningful way, is almost over for me. &nbsp;I had a hard time following through with my commitment to attend the West Virginia State Technology Conference, even though it was held just four miles from my home.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I am very glad I made the decision to attend. &nbsp;For starters, I have had the privilege to network with some wonderful people that I have known since library school, my colleagues in the Monongalia County School system, and friends I made while participating in the library media TIS cohort in 2008. &nbsp;I also connected with a couple of our state's new library media specialists. &nbsp;From this standpoint alone, the conference was a success.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The presentations were equally satisfying. &nbsp;</span></div><div><br /><br /></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-38441167073143606972016-07-11T03:57:00.001-07:002016-07-11T03:57:57.252-07:00"For the night is dark and full of terrors."- George R.R. MartinThe title of this post could easily be "Why It Is Important to be a Librarian, Part II," but I will let you arrive at that conclusion on your own.<br /><br />A friend of mine was just censored on Facebook. &nbsp;I don't know what she posted that was found offensive (she is not the least bit vulgar), and that is scary, because the Facebook bar for acceptability is pretty low. &nbsp;I am assuming her post was political in nature.<br /><br />Ironically, I decided not to post a Canva I made yesterday for fear of a) inciting a political rant, and b) possibly being surveiled by the Secret Service. &nbsp;But because of my friend's experience, I will post my Canva here, where I have a better shot at explaining what it means to me.<br /><br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vlMhE9aUmv0/V4NwWZiev9I/AAAAAAAARkc/EWpci4I2fcsmApiPKCSxQ7uo2NhZzC_EwCLcB/s1600/-For%2Bthe%2Bnight%2Bis%2Bdark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vlMhE9aUmv0/V4NwWZiev9I/AAAAAAAARkc/EWpci4I2fcsmApiPKCSxQ7uo2NhZzC_EwCLcB/s320/-For%2Bthe%2Bnight%2Bis%2Bdark.jpg" width="320" /></a>I am sure there are those who see this as a political shot at both candidates, and I suppose in a way it is. &nbsp;The primary thing this means to me is that we have way too many problems for one individual to be accountable. We as a country as ridiculously polarized, and no one political candidate can put this country back together. &nbsp;Congress might have some power, if we could elect people who would vote their consciences and not their pocketbooks, but no matter who is elected president, they cannot reasonably be expected to fix things that have been broken and that have been escalating for years. &nbsp;It does not help that these two candidates are polarizing themselves.<br /><br />So my friend and her friends are righteously angry that her Facebook post has been censored. &nbsp;I suspect we don't know the half of what is being censored and how much we are being watched. I suspect that these activities are going to increase over the next decade as we move closer and closer to a military state. &nbsp;You think not?<br /><br />I wish I knew why there is a disconnect in so many places between the black community and law enforcement, but I don't. I am a member of neither subset and have no right to assert my views as a gospel of the disconnect I believe &nbsp;exists. &nbsp;Dallas, Baltimore, Ferguson, Tavon Martin. &nbsp;Black Lives Matter. &nbsp;So do the lives of the police officers that serve and protect us. &nbsp;I honestly don't know what to say, what to think, what to believe, but I believe the media, including Facebook, feeds my angst and confusion. &nbsp;The government cannot allow this slaughter to continue, and the answer to that is military intervention.<br /><br />Folks walk into movie theaters and schools and open fire with semiautomatic weapons. &nbsp;People argue that if more people were armed, the gunman wouldn't have got off as many shots. &nbsp;Others argue that with more stringent gun control this wouldn't have happened. &nbsp;Perhaps with better mental health care this wouldn't have happened. &nbsp;Who knows? &nbsp;Better mental health care takes time. &nbsp;Military intervention, not so much.<br /><br />Back to censorship. &nbsp;I think we should be prepared for more and that we should seriously question everything we read, see and hear. &nbsp;I would recommend re-reading <i>Animal Farm,</i>&nbsp;because I think like old Boxer, our civil rights are being metaphorically led to the slaughter. &nbsp;Re-read <i>1984</i>&nbsp;and <i>Brave New World </i>while you are at it. &nbsp;Big Brother is watching all of us. &nbsp;And we participate in his watching daily.<br /><br />Back to libraries. &nbsp; There are two theories as to why public libraries were formed. &nbsp;The first is the noble idea of the "people's university," where knowledge can be obtained in any doctrine or discipline. &nbsp;The second theory is that public libraries were established by the elite to give the common folks the appearance of access to knowledge and power, while in fact keeping the most valuable of these among the chosen few. &nbsp;I believe both of these theories are correct, at different places.<br /><br />I leave you with the admonishment that more restrictive times are ahead. &nbsp;Please don't believe everything you hear, see or read, but treat each piece of news you receive as a possibility to be investigated.Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-20481583407881925712016-06-14T14:45:00.000-07:002016-06-14T14:53:59.181-07:00Why It is Important to Be a Librarian<span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">I don't mind telling you I am proud to be a librarian. &nbsp;It is not so much because of the time and money I have invested in my career, and certainly not about the paychecks I bring home as it is the satisfaction of knowing that I could help someone. &nbsp;Sure, there are lots of ways I could help someone. &nbsp;At the risk of perpetuating stereotypes, we librarians mostly do our good deeds in quiet. &nbsp;You don't even know what we do. &nbsp;But you would definitely know if we were no longer around.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><h3><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Librarians organize knowledge</span></h3><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CHyxyMXgzzE/V2B8rtOEn7I/AAAAAAAARh4/rZLQERNjx9sLdOCHpy_3XdgUsf6-xJhpgCLcB/s1600/5%2BRoles%2BofSchool%2BLibrary%2BMedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CHyxyMXgzzE/V2B8rtOEn7I/AAAAAAAARh4/rZLQERNjx9sLdOCHpy_3XdgUsf6-xJhpgCLcB/s320/5%2BRoles%2BofSchool%2BLibrary%2BMedia.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">With the plethora of choices available to us today, it is the librarians who make sense of it all. &nbsp;We index, we study and we know what choices are best for you, based on your needs. &nbsp;We know that you don't want to Google "George Washington" for your kid's fifth grade report, because you will get 10,000-plus hits about everything containing George and Washington, but not necessarily George Washington. &nbsp;We know how to help you evaluate the information you do find to see if it fits your needs.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We create value-added guides to information and help you find the data you need quickly. &nbsp;We know where information is stored, because we stored it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><h3><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We protect intellectual freedom</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">No matter how much of an ass we think you are, or how outrageously ridiculously we might think you are, we will defend your right to your opinion to our death. &nbsp;This does not mean we will put 12 copies of your manifesto in our collection; &nbsp;it simply means that you have a right to publish, research, read and create whatever you need. &nbsp;Our job is not to judge but to make it happen.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><h3><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We keep information free and accessible for all</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">If you believe information is power, than you must believe that in a democracy information must be available to all. &nbsp;Could you imagine if only the select few had information about job prospects, health care, housing choices? &nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><h3><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We help those who cannot read&nbsp;</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Whether a young child or a struggling adult, we help interpret information for those with a need. &nbsp;We provide programs to help those who are struggling become more proficient.</span></div><h3><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We provide access to arts and culture outside our particular area</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We provide concerts, author signings, poetry readings and other events that take us beyond our cultural mindsets. &nbsp;We reach out and branch out to bring the world and its experiences to our community.</span></div><h3><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">We are the People's University</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">You can learn <i style="font-weight: bold;">anything and everything</i>&nbsp;at your public library. &nbsp;Knowledge has no bounds. &nbsp;What we don't have, we can find. &nbsp;We are here to help you reach self-actualization. All you have to do is ask. &nbsp;We will help.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><h4><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">And you probably are thinking, "I know all of that!"</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">I am glad you do. &nbsp;Please know how proud I am to be part of a profession that makes this happen. &nbsp;And when you hear any inkling of proposals to cut library funding anywhere, speak up. &nbsp;We are your voice for information and access, but you are our voice for survival.</span></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-91120553911933253302016-04-13T15:17:00.001-07:002016-04-13T15:17:34.687-07:00A Little Individuality is Nice<span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Recently I prepared a series on Job Exploration for Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library.&nbsp; The workshop was to take place over the course of three consecutive Saturdays and was to focus on three topics:</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;"><br /></span></div><ol><li><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;">Writing a Resume </span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;">Interview Skills</span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;">Dressing Appropriately</span></li></ol><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;">I found many wonderful resources and put together what I feel is a decent subject guide on the library website. Yet what I found, despite how wonderful it was, left a bad taste in my mouth on a number of levels.&nbsp; Here are my reflections.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;">The books on resumes did a nice job of addressing all levels in the workforce, including kids looking for their first jobs, entry level white collar and college graduates, moms going back to work after raising a family.&nbsp; What was really hard to find was job information for felons, but after switching search engines from the one that came with my browser back to the one I love, I found several good sites offering help for that service group.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Almost all colleges and universities have wonderful job search sites that were easily accessible by both search engines. Therein lies the problem.&nbsp; These sites tend to clog the pipe of information for those looking for blue collar and unskilled employment advice.&nbsp; Assuming that those unskilled workers would have more difficulty generating key words, this could be a real handicap.&nbsp; (Of course, that statement may not be accurate; my basis is that those with less formal education might have fewer searching skills.&nbsp; This may be horribly incorrect.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">At any rate, my big pet peeve came&nbsp;from the part about professional dress.&nbsp; Seriously?&nbsp; I watched one expert assemble five matching pieces for business travel.&nbsp; They matched so well I couldn't tell them apart.&nbsp; All professional dress advice talked about the three piece - black or navy, the long sleeve shirt and the conservative tie.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This led me to two conclusions:</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">First, I would never make it in the "business" world, and second, I would be bored to death if I did.&nbsp; Don't get me wrong:&nbsp; I think you should put an effort into your appearance. (Okay, some days I don't.) I just think we should show some personality as well.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(FYI: the suggestion of personalizing your appearance with your fraternity pin elicited a major eye roll.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;;"><br /></span></div><br />Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-14596747663785915132016-01-26T02:03:00.001-08:002016-01-28T01:39:03.038-08:00Back to Roots in More Ways Than One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVWt0smNqww/TIYUm4f9-YI/AAAAAAAAAEg/vb78AB-s4YA/s1600/IMG00309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVWt0smNqww/TIYUm4f9-YI/AAAAAAAAAEg/vb78AB-s4YA/s320/IMG00309.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The last few years have presented me with innumerable challenges, many of my own making and many over which I have had no control.&nbsp; While there have been some daily ups and downs in my professional life, most of my challenges have been personal, causing me to outwardly express more emotion than I felt I would ever divulge.<br /><br />Time has a funny way of surprising you. Time has revealed to me that I am most likely coming into my final years as a school library media specialist.&nbsp; It is not that I don't love the job and the people, because I truly do, but I have realized that I need to pursue other interests that have been tabled for years.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVWt0smNqww/TIYUm4f9-YI/AAAAAAAAAEg/vb78AB-s4YA/s1600/IMG00309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Interestingly and amazingly, things have come full circle for me in many ways.&nbsp; I am working part-time as the Adult Services Librarian at Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library, where I began my library career in 1982.&nbsp; In that capacity, I am working on a series of organic gardening classes, which has reawakened my original passion -horticulture.<br /><br />I believe it was the summers of my seventh, eighth and ninth grade years that I spent a week at VFW Youth Camp.&nbsp; I believe the&nbsp; goal of the camp was to embed a deep sense of patriotism that I never truly bought.&nbsp; What I did give me is memories of lifelong friends - Bob Boyles, Tim Ware and Brian Lantz - and exposure to a myriad of professional possibilities.&nbsp; My favorite activities at camp were target practice and the educational experiences brought to us by the WVU Extension Service.&nbsp; Horticulture was a class I will never forget, as I was told I had a knack for landscape design.&nbsp; I was totally empowered until I returned home and realized I was allergic to everything that came along with my plan.&nbsp; So I settled for suitable female professions - nurse, teacher or hairdresser.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i34hcXbLcXg/VqdC9rknCGI/AAAAAAAARa8/tV8AGooSeXo/s1600/20150507_065419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i34hcXbLcXg/VqdC9rknCGI/AAAAAAAARa8/tV8AGooSeXo/s1600/20150507_065419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i34hcXbLcXg/VqdC9rknCGI/AAAAAAAARa8/tV8AGooSeXo/s320/20150507_065419.jpg" width="320" /></a>My parents never had the financial or information resources to help me realize my dreams, but neither&nbsp;that nor my allergies deterred me from messing around in dirt.&nbsp; I cherished our flowers, annuals and periennials, at our house on Hall Street, and ever since I was little I loved&nbsp;helping Daddy in the garden or sitting with Grandma as she stringed beans.&nbsp; When I moved into my own homes, planting bulbs and designing our landscape was my favorite passion.&nbsp; While I detested weeding, I loved mowing grass, trimming bushes, planting and transplanting, and I loved our vegetable garden.&nbsp; Over the years as I have become busy with other endeavors, I have let this pastime behind. Now that I have been researching organic methods, I am even more inspired to expand my visions in home landscaping.</div><br />And, of course, also coming full circle in a family sense is that my husband and I now own my great-grandmother's farm, which was my dad's biggest comfort and treasure.&nbsp; I am thinking that perhaps in November 2019 I will hang up my school library clothes and move there, where I will have virtually unlimited vistas to design.&nbsp; I am looking forward to digging in and becoming more in touch with God and nature. Hopefully I will keep my part-time gig to fund all the work I hope to do.<br />&nbsp; <br /><br />Closure will be complete.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-14902281505139751642015-07-08T14:12:00.000-07:002015-07-08T14:12:04.975-07:00Three Days In - Summer Reading Program a SuccessI have to admit I was psyched about this year's summer reading program. &nbsp;We were fortunate to partner with our town's new minor league team, the West Virginia Black Bears, so naturally I felt that baseball - "We're All About That Base"- would be a perfect theme, &nbsp;Since I love baseball, this seemed to be a wonderful fit for me.<br /><br />My county hired "assistant teachers" for each library media specialist. &nbsp;I hit the gold mine when Sherri Pisegna agreed to be my coteacher. &nbsp;Sherri was the second grade teacher of both of my children. &nbsp;I generally refer to her as the "best teacher ever." Even though she professes no knowledge of baseball, she immediatelycame up with wonderful ideas for activities and snacks. &nbsp;I feel we have a great working relationship, and planning with her was a pleasure.<br /><br />Still, when Monday morning rolled around, I was apprehensive. &nbsp;Would anyone show up? &nbsp;Would they enjoy the activities?<br /><br />I was relieved to see our attendance figures during the first three days - 20, 21, and 21. &nbsp;Maybe one or two kids came Monday, not Tuesday, but returned again on Wednesday. &nbsp;Monday's survey indicated that parents and students are pleased with the activities.<br /><br />The part I am enjoying most is student buy-in. &nbsp;Regardless of the topic, our kids are willing to share and go deeper. &nbsp;One boy brings his ball and bat everyday. &nbsp;Today he brought the minor league program. and shared information with our group. A parent asked me if her son could share his baseball memorabilia and his experiences winning the Little League championship. Twins told me that the spent the preceding afternoon playing wiffleball. &nbsp;And one girl told me that she read two biographies on Jackie Robinson and watched a movie of him last night. &nbsp;Today, she checked out a biography of Roberto Clemente. &nbsp;I told her I loved her.<br /><br />The feedback from parents has been rewarding as well. &nbsp;I am hoping our final five sessions are as successful. Overall, this experience has encouraged me to look at new possibilities for programming. &nbsp;I am very thankful for the opportunity.<br /><br /><br />Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-44438147631226661982015-06-29T06:22:00.001-07:002015-06-29T06:22:36.441-07:00We Can't Wait Any Longer: Time for a New PlanFor the past two years I have been chair of my state's school library division. &nbsp;From the outset my goal has been to increase communication among school library media specialists and to increase membership. &nbsp;Here is a summary of my goals:<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Increased communication: &nbsp;Fairly successful. &nbsp;I have created Facebook groups and Yammer groups that do see some use. &nbsp;In January I taught an Office 365 class just for media specialists. &nbsp;Have these groups resulted in the full-fledged collaboration I had hoped for? No. &nbsp;Was it worth the effort? &nbsp;Yes.</li><li>Increased membership: FAIL. &nbsp;FAIL, FAIL, FAIL. &nbsp;And it is demoralizing. &nbsp;In an attempt to see why more people did not join WVLA, I conducted a survey of the 300-some SLMS in West Virginia, asking them their thoughts. &nbsp;I received 46 replies. &nbsp;Respondents cited the following reasons&nbsp;for not joining WVLA:</li><ul><li>Cost (15%)</li><li>Relevance or Lack Thereof (13%)</li><li>Other (44%)</li><li>No response (28%)</li></ul></ul><div>Basically, my attempts at unifying our profession and creating dialog have been unsuccessful, and for the most part (72% of the respondents chose Other or did not answer the question) I don't know why.</div><div><br /></div><div>I strongly suspect WVLA isn't working for WV school librarians because WV school librarians are not trying to make it work. &nbsp;I have sat at the table and watched the faces of academic and public librarians who are trying to reach out to include school libraries in the agenda. &nbsp;I have heard them ask how they can help. &nbsp;They have tried. &nbsp;We have not. You can't sit back and expect programming to be delivered to you. You have to be part of the machine that provides that dynamic. &nbsp;As a profession, we have failed.</div><div><br /></div><div>(I feel like the Lorax as he led the animals out of their formerly beautiful home after the last Trucula tree was cut.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Now in the interests of advancing (what do I mean, advancing? Maintaining!) school library media services in West Virginia, I am working with a friend to develop a new association not just for media specialists, but also for technology integration specialists, academic coaches, and technology systems specialists. &nbsp;Here is a rough logo I have devised:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fUeaPhaqB80/VZE8xx2WhdI/AAAAAAAARS0/ytzyReJ2Tjc/s1600/WVISS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fUeaPhaqB80/VZE8xx2WhdI/AAAAAAAARS0/ytzyReJ2Tjc/s320/WVISS.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Is this what I wanted? Not originally. &nbsp;Am I selling out? Possibly. &nbsp;But there are not enough engaged library media specialists to effectively advocate our mission. &nbsp;Need examples? &nbsp;Forty-six librarians took the time to complete the survey. &nbsp;That is 13%. &nbsp;Those 46 responders were asked if they would assume leadership in a new organization just for school library media specialists. &nbsp;Eighteen percent of the 46 responders said they would be interested in leadership. &nbsp;That sounds solid. But 18 percent of 13 percent is not very many people to depend on when starting an organization.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Academic coaches are responsible for carrying out curricular mandates in our schools. &nbsp;They coteach and often buy resources. &nbsp;Library media specialists should be academic leaders in our school, helping implement the mandates. &nbsp;We know what the materials are. &nbsp;We can advise the coaches if we see them as colleagues and not the competition. &nbsp;They need to see we are involved in the total curriculum, not merely recreational reading. &nbsp;We need to agree on ways ethical use of information, citing and paraphrasing are taught. &nbsp;We can help them, and they can help us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Technology integration specialists are responsible for introducing technology support to the curriculum. We do that, too, but we are specialists in resources that are not readily apparent to TISs. &nbsp;We can provide them with more resources to show teachers. &nbsp;Better yet, we can coteach with the TIS and the classroom teacher for exceptionally effective lessons integrating technology and academics. &nbsp;We are partners in technology integration. &nbsp;We bring different pieces to the same puzzle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We need technology systems specialists. &nbsp;We need to articulate our needs and the needs of our teachers and students. We need to understand their concerns in order to propose solutions that better fit our needs,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am hoping that by partnering with TISs, TSSs and academic coaches we can all define our roles without feeling we are in competition. &nbsp;I am hoping we will have more immediate access to information and can be at the table when deciding upon resources and programs for our students. I am hoping that partnering with these groups will elevate our profession as those who choose to be involved will bring a high level of professionalism to our conversations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am not abandoning WVLA. &nbsp;I will continue to be a paying member. I appreciate all the leadership WVLA has provided to help school libraries...without the help of school librarians themselves. &nbsp;I am very disappointed in myself and my colleagues for not doing better. &nbsp;Let me be clear in saying the reason WVLA has not worked for WV school librarians is because WV school librarians, as a whole, have not WORKED with WVLA. &nbsp;Our fault. &nbsp;Mine. &nbsp;Yours.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I am not sitting back and watching library media services for West Virginia children dwindle away due to complacency. &nbsp;I hope everyone who reads this will be joining me as we establish this new group.</div><div><br /></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-71070715061653557762014-06-18T17:16:00.001-07:002014-06-18T17:16:32.286-07:00Sign the Declaration for the Right to Libraries - I Love Libraries<a href="http://www.ilovelibraries.org/declaration/sign">Sign the Declaration for the Right to Libraries - I Love Libraries</a>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-84210753696929171792014-06-11T05:33:00.001-07:002014-06-11T05:33:09.974-07:00We Need Each Other<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past year I have served as chair of the West Virginia Library Association School Libraries Division. &nbsp;I can honestly say I never envisioned myself being in a position that would be making decisions that could potentially impact the future of school librarianship in my state. &nbsp;But here I am. &nbsp;And here we are.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Currently, out of the 340-plus school library media specialists in West Virginia, only 13 are members of our association. &nbsp;There are many reasons for that. &nbsp;I think one of the reasons is that our lack of communication with each other tends to let us forget that the association exists. Another big reason is that school librarians are teachers first, and after paying dues to AFT or NEA, adding an additional membership often seems more of a financial burden than a necessity.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, the biggest reason more school librarians don't join WVLA is that they don't see the relevance of the association to their professional lives. There is a feeling that WVLA is not concerned with school libraries.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can say, after sitting in on Executive Board meetings, attending both the fall conference and Spring Fling, that WVLA is concerned with the needs of the state's school library media specialists. &nbsp;The Executive Board want to know how they can help us. &nbsp;That is a tricky and delicate issue.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see, many librarians feel that any help offered by other librarians, particularly public librarians, may imperil our jobs. &nbsp;In these tough economic times we always feel our jobs are on the cutting block. &nbsp;Heck, we feel that way in good economic times. When I told this to a group of public librarians at Spring Fling and later to the Executive Board, I sensed a feeling of hurt, shock, and insult, as if I was implying that these people had done something wrong.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, they haven't. &nbsp;It's not them, it's us. &nbsp;It is our culture. &nbsp;We work in isolation with generally no empowerment. &nbsp;We attend professional development planned by our districts that generally has no impact on our direct duties. ( I cannot include myself and my county in this last statement, but for many I suspect this is true.) The only person in our building that understands our professional responsibilities is....us. &nbsp;Our priorities, even when aligned perfectly with the school wide plan, are often on the back-burner to activities that "affect student learning."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have a right to that large chip on our shoulders, but here is the truth: mistrust of offers by other librarians is invalid. &nbsp;<b><i>We need to work together</i></b>, building strong coalitions that can provide excellent services and materials to our children. &nbsp;By working together, we can offer our children more than they could ever have if we continue to work in isolation. &nbsp;Obviously we cannot buy ever item our children might want &nbsp;or teachers might need to deliver that curriculum. &nbsp;Neither can the public libraries or the academic libraries. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So how do we deal with the perception (both real and imagined) that we can be replaced by other librarians and their services? &nbsp;</span><br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Refer to the second paragraph. &nbsp;We are teachers first. &nbsp;As such we are the ones who understand the needs of our students and what materials our teachers need to address the Common Core State Standards. Believe in yourself and your value as a professional educator.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reach out and talk to other librarians about how you can form coalitions to provide excellent services to your kids. &nbsp;Work <b><i>together!!</i></b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Join WVLA or, for other readers, your state library association and <b><i>network. &nbsp;These people are allies, not enemies.&nbsp;</i></b></span></li></ol><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would like to hear from librarians from other states on this issue. &nbsp;How do you work with your colleagues from all types of libraries?&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-90837267233752673982013-09-24T17:48:00.004-07:002014-01-21T07:17:55.047-08:00Lessons from Smokey and the Bandit<div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will be the first to admit that my taste in movies is of the fast food variety. &nbsp;</span></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Smokey and the Bandit</i>&nbsp;is one of my all-time favorites. &nbsp;While it may not have won critical acclaim, I find &nbsp;the wisdom in this film helpful in troubling times. &nbsp;This is especially true in regard to our plight of disappearing school libraries.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Towards the end of the film, the Bandit tells Cledus,&nbsp;"l don't like &nbsp;this any more than you do, but we ain't gonna make it, son. We're gonna hang it up."</span></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cledus is morally outraged. &nbsp;"Negatory. Negatory. &nbsp;We say we're doing a job, we're doing a job!"</span></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="caption-line" data-time="10.822" id="cp-2" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/XqtjMtEkDhY?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There have been many times, especially in the last few school years, when many of us have felt like the Bandit. &nbsp;We have done a remarkable job against incredible odds (without benefit of the black Trans Am), and we feel we just can't do anymore to help our profession. &nbsp; &nbsp;When someone like the Bandit says it's time to hang it up, that no one knows we exist - or that our importance to the general education picture is ignored, how fortunate we are for the Cleduses of our profession who boldly proclaim that it's time to "introduce 'em to the boy!" &nbsp;With that, the Bandit and the Snowman made it to the Fairgrounds in time and saved their hides.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We need more Cleduses, and I am urging all school librarians or friends of school libraries to be one. &nbsp;I realize that because of our isolation within our schools we are often too intimidated to draw attention to ourselves. &nbsp;But when all we library media specialists band together and tell our collective stories, our value and prestige will be difficult to ignore.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be a Cledus. &nbsp;Here's how:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Never miss a chance to blow your own horn. &nbsp;No one else will do it, because no one else has a clue what our jobs entail. &nbsp;Talk information literacy standards and how you are helping your students be ethical and savvy users of information.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blog about your daily experiences. &nbsp;And keep blogging. &nbsp;Your blogs may be sporadic, but when you have something to say about a day in our profession, say it. &nbsp;You may think no one cares: it could be that no one cares until you tell them what they need to care about. Blog. &nbsp;And blog some more.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Connect with other school librarians via Nings, Twitter, conferences and any other medium available. &nbsp;Don't stop connecting. &nbsp;We all have different challenges, even within the same counties, even within the same states. &nbsp;We need to know what is happening with each other, so that hopefully we can all devise meaningful ways to help.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Never miss a chance to impress your supervisor and his supervisors. &nbsp;I recently was troubleshooting a laptop/tv setup for an administrators' meeting in the library. &nbsp;Once I had everything connected, I said, "Oh, while you're here, let me tell you about the ebook bundles the PreK-5 librarians selected to support the Common Core." &nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be recognizable by your school community. &nbsp;I have a library Facebook page. &nbsp;I use it to post about curriculum, as well as to advertise upcoming events. &nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Give back. &nbsp;Seth Godin calls this generosity. &nbsp;Doug Johnson calls it being&nbsp;indispensable&nbsp; &nbsp;Whatever it is, give back to the community you serve in a professional capacity. &nbsp;I have open library nights every Wednesday, where the parents are welcome to come in, read with their children and supervise their taking of Reading Counts quizzes. &nbsp;Do I get paid for this? &nbsp;Well, my parents generously support our two book fairs each year. &nbsp;The least I can do is let them experience the library in action. &nbsp;If I am ever involved in another staff cut situation, you can bet your last dollar I will have plenty of parents that come to my defense.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Collaborate with teachers at least on a monthly basis. &nbsp;Seek them out. &nbsp;Go to them rather than expecting them to come to you. &nbsp;Ask what you can do to help them meet their goals and standards. &nbsp;Be willing to teach from their classrooms rather that relying on their classes to come to you. &nbsp;Reach out!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are faced with staff cuts, don't stand in front of the Board and cite the research. &nbsp;The only people who care about the research are those who have money to spend. &nbsp;If a school board wants to cut your job, they don't have that kind of money. &nbsp;So, what should you do? &nbsp;Tell them about how you use evidence-based practice in your school to contribute to student achievement. &nbsp;Show them the data. &nbsp;Get testimonials from parents. Show how your library actually saves the district money. &nbsp;Stay positive and focused.</span></li></ol><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I challenge us all to be Cledus Snows. &nbsp;Start by responding to this blog and contributing to (or challenging) the conversation. &nbsp;There is no need to be shy. &nbsp;We all have professional experiences to share.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/f-beyMTEBys?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally I will leave you with my personal pledge to advancing the prestige of the library media specialists in our state.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Suzie</i></span></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-44360778623905582772013-07-29T05:17:00.000-07:002017-09-08T07:32:35.177-07:00UnPublished Posts of the Past:Over My Head? Self-Doubt About My Latest Endeavor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNimUYxKYv8/UfZQtWi-W4I/AAAAAAAAC-o/AwXkyd8IVuQ/s1600/Over+My+Head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNimUYxKYv8/UfZQtWi-W4I/AAAAAAAAC-o/AwXkyd8IVuQ/s320/Over+My+Head.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Oh, Christine McVie, how you taunt me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Ever since the 4th of July I have been periodically hearing her singing "Over My Head" in the &nbsp;back of my mind. &nbsp;While I have been a Fleetwood Mac fan since I discovered the 'white album' in 1975, I am finding this repetition somewhat annoying. Over the past few days, it has played with increasing frequency and intensity.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Call it nerves. &nbsp;Here we are two weeks from the starting date for teachers, and I am nowhere near ready. &nbsp;My summer reading goals were a complete failure; the lesson plans I had hoped to have completed by now are only partially done. I have been to the farm once --ONCE--this summer.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">But I have been very busy, replacing my original goals with more spontaneous responses to professional development. &nbsp;I have, somewhat accidentally, created and am moderating a Google+ Community to support candidates seeking National Board Teaching Certification in Library Media. This community will replace the Yahoo Group that so many library media specialists, including me, used to help achieve certification. Nationally. Oh, my word, what was I thinking!</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">My role in this group is accidental, in that I was did not start out with the intention of creating and moderating a group. &nbsp;In response to the news that the Yahoo group would close due to the retirement of the Cynthia Wilson, the group owner/moderator, many people expressed interest in maintaining the group in some form. &nbsp;On July 7 I suggested that this might be the time to move the group to another, more evolved forum. &nbsp;Janet Clark suggested Google Hangouts, and while investigating that possibility, I discovered Google+ Communities. &nbsp;I created a community called "Library NBCT Support" and referred it to the Yahoo group for comment. &nbsp;By July 8 we had 17 members and Cynthia's blessing to move the files to our new community. &nbsp;We are now up and running with 48 members and ready to help support new library NBCT candidates this coming school year.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I am thankful, very thankful, to the three people who have jumped in and contributed knowledge to this community: Kim Gunter from Florence, MS; Michael Brocato of Jefferson Parish, LA; and Missy Hinerman of Bridgeport, WV. These three epitomize the sharing that is trademark of the library profession. Without their input, this community would be nowhere near ready. &nbsp;Of course, the creators and contributors to the Yahoo group- Cynthia Wilson, AnnMarie Pipkin and many more- deserve countless thanks for developing this vision of mentorship since it's inception in 2001.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I guess as I am writing this, the self-doubt is melting, knowing that this endeavor is supported by many NBCT library media specialists. &nbsp;As Janet Clark said to me in one of our initial emails, "people will help, and we will learn together." &nbsp;This is a true example of collaboration and mentorship. &nbsp;I am looking forward to our first year.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-83285602175992479342013-07-12T03:26:00.002-07:002013-07-12T03:26:38.156-07:00A Parent's Wishes for His Child's Teachers: Chris Kennedy at TEDxWestVan...<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a wonderful TEDxTalk by a man in the unique position as a parent and a superintendent of schools</span>. <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hope you enjoy his insights.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CzvrDkzKyl8" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-11177873387710941022013-07-06T08:08:00.000-07:002013-07-06T08:08:00.084-07:00I Am NOT Achieving My Goals<div class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ran into a former student and her mother at the store yesterday. &nbsp;It was very nice to see them and catch up. &nbsp;When I asked Kristen how her first year of college went, she sheepishly hung her head and confessed that she had not done as well as she had wanted.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I assured that transitioning to college was an adjustment and that it was not unusual to have a less than stellar start. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then her mother said, "Ask her what she means by not doing as well as she had hoped!" &nbsp;I looked at Kristen.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I only had a 3.4," she admitted. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"A 3.4! &nbsp;That's nothing to be ashamed of!" &nbsp;I told her. &nbsp;I continued saying that there was more to life than studying and that she should, in essence, stop and smell the roses.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later that evening I realized that the same advice applied to me. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I began my summer vacation with a wild list of plans. &nbsp;For starters, here is the list of resources I wanted to read and annotate:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness</i> [Kindle Edition]<br /><br /><i>Breaking Free</i> [Kindle Edition]<br /><br /><i>Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life </i>[Kindle Edition]<br /> <br /><i>Cyber literacy : evaluating the reliability of data</i> <br /><i><a href="http://infogoddesses.pbworks.com/Empowering%20Learners%3A%20Guidelines%20for%20School%20Library%20Media%20Programs">Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs</a> </i>[Paperback] [2009] American Library Association.<br /> <br /><i>The End Games</i> [Kindle Edition]<br /> <br /><i>Facebook House: Insider Tales of Mark Zuckerberg and His Empire's Tumultuous First Days</i><br /> <br /><i>Goal Sticking: How to Go Beyond Goal Setting and Get on the Road to Success (Goal Sticking Series)</i> [Kindle Edition]<br /> <br /><i>The Lightning Thief </i>(Percy Jackson and the Olympians)[Kindle Edition]<br /><br /><i>The Myth of the Garage</i>[Kindle Edition]<br /><br /><i>Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty</i> [Kindle Edition]<br /><br /><i>The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action</span></i></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home</i> (P.S.) [Kindle Edition]<br /><br /><i>Using Common Core Standards to Enhance Classroom Instruction &amp; Assessment </i>[Kindle Edition]</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So far, I am on <i>Empowering Learners. &nbsp;</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next, consider my lesson planning goals: &nbsp;By now I should have completed 10 lesson plans for kindergarten and first grades, and five for second grade. &nbsp;So far: 10 for kindergarten and six for first.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to my Google Tasks list, by the time the weekend is over I should have:</span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w1aHmfPTmxY/UdWPCJh72_I/AAAAAAAACXU/5sX6i7D6L70/s256/Nolan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w1aHmfPTmxY/UdWPCJh72_I/AAAAAAAACXU/5sX6i7D6L70/s200/Nolan.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan is quite a charmer.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">displayed my Big6 posters</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">laminated construction paper for my Reading Counts markers</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ordered digital duplicator supplies for the beginning of the school year</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So why am I so far behind? &nbsp;One word: Nolan. &nbsp;Nolan is my adorable almost 10 week old grandson. &nbsp;He is taking a lot of my time. &nbsp;And I am taking my one advice and enjoying this. &nbsp;On the rest, I will do what I can!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><br /><br /> Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-60403641657298425212013-07-04T06:15:00.002-07:002013-07-04T06:15:46.267-07:00Why the New Header?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I recently changed the header photo on my blog from the stock photo of a beautiful beach to a photo I had taken at my farm circa 1980. &nbsp;I think the change reflects how I have grown (and aged) over the last few years since this blog began.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When the picture was taken, I did not technically own the farm. &nbsp;It was part of the estate my great-grandmother (Ida Knost Burgy) left to my grandmother (Cora Burgy Westbrook) and her siblings. &nbsp;My grandmother died in 1957, passing her interest to my grandfather (Thomas Harry Westbrook), who in turn bequeathed his interest in the property to my father (Harry Clifton Westbrook) and uncle (Darrell Lynn Westbrook). &nbsp;My grandmother's brother (Noah Burgy) passed in 1970, leaving his 1/3 interest with my grandmother's remaining sibling (Marie Burgy Matheny). &nbsp;When Aunt Marie passed in 2002, my husband and I bought the interest from both Aunt Marie's and Uncle Darrell's heirs.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">None of the names listed above are important to the reader. &nbsp;To me, however, they are important in preserving a piece of the past as a wheelhouse to which I can return and center myself. &nbsp;While the beach captured my imagination as a child and young adult, it left little for me to hold onto, aside from memories of vacations past. &nbsp;The beach is wild and every changing. &nbsp;My writing, planning and thinking when I was there was fanciful and based on dreams with no real foundation. The farm is solid and slow to change. &nbsp;It is a place of peace and solitude. &nbsp;I do my best writing, planning and reflecting there, seeded on the solid experiences of the past and nurtured by the thoughtful contemplation of the writings of others.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the most important admissions of learning is realizing that in the total scheme of things, one knows nothing. &nbsp;In my beach days, I knew everything. &nbsp;Today, in my farm days, I realize how little I know. &nbsp;Today, I am much more receptive to the thoughts and experiences of others.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ironically, none of the man-made items in this photo remain. &nbsp;The house was consumed by fire in 1997. &nbsp;The barn fell down years ago, and the garage and the smokehouse were demolished soon after we bought the property. &nbsp;My first car, a 1971 Plymouth Valiant (aka Prince) expired in 1982, and my dogs, Tiny and Mabeline, died in the mid-80s. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I still dream of all of these, the house and my dogs, the smokehouse and barn. I still maintain that Prince was a more rugged and&nbsp;maneuverable&nbsp;vehicle than most four-wheel drive trucks. &nbsp;These are parts of my past that cannot (I hope and pray) be erased by time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What keeps me focused is what remains: my husband (barely visible on the porch) and the land itself. Like &nbsp;my reading, writing and reflecting on my practice as a teacher and a school library media specialist, they require commitment and nurturing, time and care.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That is fine by me.</span><br /><br /><br />Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-68038994836881843442013-07-04T04:53:00.000-07:002013-07-04T04:53:04.133-07:00A Backwards Review of the 100 Most Influential Education Blogs<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On June 18 <a href="http://www.onalytica.com/blog/post/2013/06/18/Top-100-Education-Blogs-June-Update.aspx">Onalytica</a> released its six-month ranking of the 100 most influential education blogs. According to the post the 'influence factor' measures the impact of a blog, popularity measures how well the blog is know by other education bloggers. and over-influence is a measurement of how influential a blog is beyond its popularity. All of this is based on the number and quality of citations a blog receives.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Needless to say, I am unfamiliar with most of these blogs. During the next several weeks I will look at all the blogs in reverse order. &nbsp;I want to see what I am missing!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">100. &nbsp;</span><span style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;"><a href="http://www.michaelkaechele.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;" target="_blank">Concrete Classroom</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If Michael Kaechele's blog is number 100, I can't wait to get to the top of the list. &nbsp;In reviewing three month's worth of blogs I have uncovered many gems. For starters, following a link of the blog I found <a href="http://beta.sanderling.io/?lrRef=EKCIyv" target="_blank">Sanderling</a>, a mobile professional development site still currently in beta. &nbsp;I am excited about the promise of this site, which will allow teachers to track their self-designed professional development. &nbsp;It wpuld be more than wonderful if districts buy in to this concept and at least recognize the self-directed efforts of their employees. &nbsp;Equally interesting was an overview of <i><b>his school's professional</b></i> <i><b>development conference</b></i> that brought in <i><b>nationally prominent speakers</b></i>. &nbsp;I would love to see my district sponsor a conference like this!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems the blog is updated about once a week. &nbsp;Consider me a subscriber!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">99.&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.patrickmlarkin.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Aller-Regular, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Learning in Burlington</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Patrick Larkin is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning in the Burlington (MA) Public Schools. &nbsp;Among other distinctions he serves as Senior Associate for<a href="http://edtechteacher.org/" target="_blank"> EdTech Teacher</a>. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Judging from the content I viewed from early May, Larkin reposts and analyzes posts from other bloggers regularly. &nbsp;This is great, because it initiates a conversation, analyzing the viewpoints of the writers from his own perspectives. &nbsp;So far I can tell that he is quite aware and involved with&nbsp;teachers and students in his district. &nbsp;I am impressed that he, an administrator, takes the time to write this blog. &nbsp;Staying tuned.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">98.&nbsp;<span style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #40b973; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;"><a href="http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #40b973; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;" target="_blank">The Fischbowl</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Karl Fisch, a math instructor/technology specialist from Colorado has been blogging for many years. &nbsp;His writings often involve mathematics, understandably, but also address education as a whole. &nbsp;In one post I read he &nbsp;commented that he did not know whether to encourage or discourage a student who aspired to be a teacher. In another he described the curriculum map he had written to address Algebra I in the Common Core. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2006 Fisch created the <a href="http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/History+of+the+Presentation" target="_blank">Did You Know/Shift Happens</a> slideshow that most of us have seen at faculty meetings and professional development sessions. &nbsp;The presentation that was originally used at one of his staff meetings went viral and has now been translated and adapted numerous times.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think Fisch should be followed because of his reputation as a leader and because of his awesome, extensive Diigo bookmarks that he calls <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/karlfisch" target="_blank">Karl Fisch's Public Library.</a>&nbsp; As I was reviewing the list I was caught up in links and spent at least an hour digressing from this post. &nbsp;It was heaven.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">97. &nbsp;<span style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #40b973; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;"><a href="http://edcetera.rafter.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #40b973; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;" target="_blank">edcetera</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to the site's description "</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17.546875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We blog about education trends and technology for everyone on the college campus, including administrators, educators and campus bookstore managers. Come for the most recent findings in higher ed, stay for the insight and expert analysis."</span></span><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17.546875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17.546875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My immediate reaction was that this was not likely to be relevant to me, and I maintain that opinion. &nbsp;With so many quality options to follow, reading this blog is not the best use of <i>my </i>time. &nbsp;I can see some benefit of following this blog if one is a high school educator. &nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.546875px;">I saw some great links that my CTE friends might find interesting.&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.546875px;">There are many tools and ideas here that can be adapted and used at the secondary level.&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.546875px;">&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">96. &nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://budtheteacher.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.2s; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(64, 185, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #40b973; line-height: 15.75px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;" target="_blank">Bud the Teacher</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The subtitle of this blog is <i>Inquiring and Reflection for Better Learning.</i>&nbsp; The first post I viewed was titled "What Socrates Would Call Wisdom." &nbsp;Without going into further depth, I was hooked.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bud Hunt has an impressive resume as an educator. &nbsp;He left the language arts classroom six years ago to become the technology director in his Colorado school district. &nbsp;He writes about classroom and personal life experiences and how they relate to education as a whole. &nbsp;His beautifully written blog is reflective, inspiring and rooted in improving students' learning experiences. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a new subscriber.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">Moldovan, Andreea. "What Has Changed in the Top 100 Influential Education Blogs Ranking?"&nbsp;</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">Blog</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">. Onalytica, Ltd., 18 June 2013. Web. 27 June 2013. <http: blog="" op-100-education-blogs-june-update.aspx="" post="" www.onalytica.com="">.</http:></span></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-2910242713177399002013-06-27T08:31:00.000-07:002013-06-27T08:31:02.393-07:00ADHD and Gadgets? An Interesting Look at Attention and Devices<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A couple days ago I wrote that my daughter was often upset with me and her husband because of our attachment to our devices. &nbsp;Today, I stumbled across a <a href="http://www.mobiledia.com/news/181304.html" target="_blank">link</a> that looks at device addiction and its relationship to ADHD. &nbsp;I found the article worthy of discussion, and it has raised several questions for me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According the article, when children are engaged with devices, it looks like they are paying attention - and they are -but the attention is different than that tradionally considered necessary for achievement in school. &nbsp;<span style="line-height: 19.98263931274414px;">Christopher Lucas, associate professor of child psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, notes that while attention associated with successful academic endeavors requires sustained focus in absence of rewards, games present on devices provide intermittent rewards in the form of wins. &nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.98263931274414px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.98263931274414px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The brain's reaction to the wins is a release of the feel-good substance dopamine. &nbsp;In other words, &nbsp;a win produces the same effect as Ritalin. &nbsp;Children with ADHD who are engaged with devices are in fact self-medicating without the need for pharmaceuticals.</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.98263931274414px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are many, like my daughter, who see this as a problem. &nbsp;I agree devices can be addicting and over-engagement can lead to antisocial behavior. &nbsp;The author notes that children become agitated when detached from their devices. &nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Others find this effect to be a positive, if educators can use the apps to engage children in learning and virtual socialization behaviors.</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are two very good videos presented in this article. &nbsp;It is recommended for reading and viewing. &nbsp;This article is well-balanced and as I mentioned, thought-provoking.</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are my questions:</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are the differences between engagement with devices and other media? &nbsp;My husband has made fun of me for years for shutting everything else out when I was engaged in reading. &nbsp;Is attachment to devices physiologically so different? &nbsp;If a reader is engaged in the content and making connections, does this not produce a "win" response? &nbsp;Or is it the release from the electronic stimulation what causes the dopamine release?</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.96875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I remember watching television on September 11, 2001. &nbsp;I was overwhelmed by the replaying of images, the interviews, and although I didn't notice at the time, the volume and the rapidity at which the images changed. &nbsp;When I got home that evening I &nbsp;flipped channels and came upon a panel discussion on PBS. &nbsp;I immediately was overwhelmed by a calm and peace. &nbsp;It was then that I noticed the discophany of the CNN broadcast. &nbsp;I couldn't turn away from it, but I didn't notice the stimulation until way after the fact. &nbsp;While this may seem like a digression from the main topic, I am wondering if it is engagement/disengagement that would cause the dopamine release, rather than the medium itself. I wonder if the amount of dopamine released is dependent on the stimulation provided by the medium.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back to kids and their devices. &nbsp;My philosophy is that if a kid who is predisposed to ADHD can self-medicate with his devices, perhaps we all (teachers,parents, medical professionals) should look into a therapeutic method of using these devices to educate and treat those with these tendencies. &nbsp;If nothing else, it is worth a look.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">Rock, Margaret. "A Nation of Kids With Gadgets and ADHD."&nbsp;</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">Mobiledia</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">. Mobiledia, 17 June 2013. Web. 27 June 2013. <http: html="" news="" www.mobiledia.com="">.</http:></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-77884803256853874692013-06-24T07:38:00.001-07:002013-06-24T11:36:37.363-07:00End of the Year Checklist and Reflections, Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7106813896890611134" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KVTQzkPE9rk/UchcOq_gXXI/AAAAAAAACIQ/FmtpaCI6EfQ/s1600/To+Do.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" 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style='color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'>y 29<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'>Inventory FIC and close section<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:black;mso-themecolor: text1'>Run final over due notices <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:black;mso-themecolor: text1'>Write final report<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:black;mso-themecolor: text1'>Send order to Hazel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"; color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:black;mso-themecolor:text1'>Confirm staff development June<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><![if !mso]></td> </tr></table><![endif]></v:textbox></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout; position: relative; z-index: 251659264;"></span>The end of the year brings lots of stress before we actually get to experience the ultimate relief of summer. &nbsp;For me the stress is not so much with keeping children engaged in lessons as it is to catch up on the "last minute" duties that will get the library in perfect shape for next year. &nbsp;I need to run overdues, do inventory (usually a three week job) complete all forms as required by the administration, plan and attend staff development sessions to name a few. &nbsp;Then I have the end of school social obligations: concerts, awards assemblies, fifth grade promotions, and our volunteer breakfast. &nbsp;It is enough to make a librarian's head spin.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Added to this are a plethora of reflections that, with the exception of my annual report, are not required but are important to the growth and health of our library program.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first of these reflections was written by Steven Anderson in <i><a href="http://blog.web20classroom.org/" target="_blank">Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom.</a> </i>In this blog he poses what he considers the most essential questions from the Principals Technology Leadership Assessment. &nbsp;They follow:</span><br /><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To what extent do you compare and align your school technology plan with other plans such as your school improvement plan?</strong><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I think this is a very simple question to answer. As required by the state, our technology plan is a component of our school &nbsp;improvement plan. &nbsp;Each item in the tech plan must align with and support a curriculum goal. &nbsp;I am very proud that before our our plans were combined, our tech plans have always reflected our curricular goals. &nbsp;</span><br /><strong style="border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong><strong style="border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To what extent do you promote participation of your school’s stakeholders in the technology planning process of your school or district? &nbsp;</strong><br /><span style="border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">While I no longer write the technology plan I am consulted frequently by our technology integration specialist. &nbsp;I know she also works closely with our academic coach and with the county technology visionaries. &nbsp;I would imagine that, like me, the other teachers are consulted, if only in regard to the number of work orders they submit. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To what extent did you disseminate or model best practices in learning and teaching with technology to faculty and staff?</strong><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">&nbsp; </strong><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My approach has been to model acceptable use (and best use) of technology every chance I get. &nbsp;For awhile I set up early morning sessions, but after a certain point attendance dropped off. &nbsp;An effective technique to get the teachers to effectively use the resources our library provides is to &nbsp;teach federated database searching to the students. &nbsp;They, in turn, will model it for the teachers, When I asked a third grade teacher to bring her class to the library to finish their research projects, she was amazed at the children's use of OneSearch and the quality sources it was searching. She remarked that all teachers need training on this,, but agreed that all of our staff development time was monopolized by agendas set outside of our school. &nbsp;Hopefully, with her backing, some changes will be made in our staff development schedule.</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Two examples of marketing directly to teachers were very successful. &nbsp;Classes used the library to take the Statewide Writing Assessment. &nbsp;As the students were working I was able to describe the new Nexus 7 tablets that were bought out of library funds and to describe the audio and ebook apps I had installed. &nbsp;At that time I set forth my vision for helping poorer readers enjoy texts on their level. &nbsp;I proposed units of study to my fourth grade teachers, who agreed to act on the collaboration.</span><br /><div><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Another important "point of sale" was my end of year planning collaboration with the fourth grade team. &nbsp;We planned at least PBL units that will incorporate higher level thinking skills and targeted uses of all types of technologies. &nbsp;I showed the teachers how to set up their Destiny Quest accounts, how to create lists, do federated searches and create citation and bibliography lists. &nbsp;After that, I briefly showed them Google Apps, referencing my class lesson site and collaborative editing of documents. &nbsp;This was the most successful collaboration I have had since I worked on my National Board certification.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To what extent do you include the effective use of technology as a criterion for assessing the performance of faculty?</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">&nbsp;</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Technology integration is required by the <a href="http://oepa.state.wv.us/" target="_blank">Office of Educational Performance Audits</a> and is a component of our lesson plans. &nbsp;However, this requirement lacks teeth except for the time our school is actually being audited. &nbsp;The teachers' unions, one of which I am a member, have worked to minimize the actual requirements for lesson plans. &nbsp;Therefore it remains at the discretion of the professional how much data is inserted into our plans. &nbsp;I suspect teachers with fewer than five years experience are held more firmly to this requirement than tenured teachers no longer required to undergo annual performance reviews. &nbsp;Since I believe in full professionalism (except when it comes to attire) my<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/20132104lessonplans/home" target="_blank"> lesson plans</a> include links to applicable technology.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To what extent do you participate in professional development activities meant to improve and expand your use of technology?</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">In short? &nbsp;All the time. &nbsp;I mainly make use of webinars and Twitter feeds to gather information on technology and learning trends, but lately I have been incorporating RSS feeds from EbscoHost in my news feed. &nbsp;Because others may not have the time to sift through the feeds, I post regularly to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, as well as emailing appropriate people. &nbsp;Recently I began a paper.li for WV Library Media Specialists. &nbsp;In less than a week I have 13 subscribers. &nbsp;Not too shabby</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>So what does all this mean for library services to my young patrons? &nbsp;</i>&nbsp;</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">So far, this is telling me what I am doing right. &nbsp;It does not tell me how to improve. &nbsp;That is where reflection comes in. &nbsp;In the next few posts I will look at other checklists and develop a short-term and long-term plan to improve services.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">Anderson, Steven. "Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom."&nbsp;</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">: 5 Leadership Questions To Finish (And Start) The School Year With</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; text-indent: -48px;">. Web. 24 June 2013.</span></div>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-7483832894146808402013-06-23T05:54:00.001-07:002013-06-23T05:54:25.291-07:00Poll: What Is Your Greatest Professional Develo... | Thinkfinity<a href="http://www.thinkfinity.org/polls/2196?pollSuccess=true#.UcbvYk30mO0.blogger">Poll: What Is Your Greatest Professional Develo... | Thinkfinity</a>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-41921025781323064962013-06-23T05:52:00.001-07:002013-06-23T05:52:06.468-07:00Poll: What Is Your Greatest Professional Develo... | Thinkfinity<a href="http://www.thinkfinity.org/polls/2196?pollSuccess=true#.UcbvYk30mO0.blogger">Poll: What Is Your Greatest Professional Develo... | Thinkfinity</a>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-11923297247324698722013-06-20T15:33:00.001-07:002013-06-20T15:33:13.025-07:00Teacher Librarians at the Heart of Student Learning<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JPTqGnCfoMU" width="480"></iframe>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-63659557511746716412013-06-18T13:39:00.000-07:002013-06-18T14:17:07.614-07:00Leave Me to My Own Devices<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My daughter is usually annoyed with me and her husband. &nbsp;She claims that we can't have a conversation without consulting our phones several times. She is right. &nbsp;I am addicted to my gadgets.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This morning I was looking at my night stand and took stock of all the devices I had there. &nbsp;This is ridiculous, I thought. &nbsp;Then I began silently enumerating the advantages of each device. &nbsp;Yes, I need each of them.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My favorite device is my <a href="https://www.google.com/shopping/product/5228718467483803732?q=hp%20pavilion%20dv7&amp;bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&amp;bvm=bv.47883778,d.dmQ&amp;biw=1366&amp;bih=600&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=MaHAUY-WDLKz4APIyYBw&amp;ved=0CJoBEPMCMAA" target="_blank">HP Pavilion dv7</a> laptop with 17" display. &nbsp;I love this laptop. &nbsp;For one thing, it is big but portable. &nbsp;I can see the screen. &nbsp;The color contrast and battery life are good, and it has Beats audio. &nbsp;The HDMI port allows me to project whatever I want on an HDMI TV. &nbsp;I can display anything I want by only using one cable. &nbsp;No projector, screen or smartboard necessary.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This laptop is not without a few drawbacks. &nbsp;For some reason, I have needed the OS reinstalled twice and a hard drive replaced once. &nbsp;The reinstallations were most likely necessitated by user error on my part. &nbsp;No doubt one of the apps I downloaded caused conflict. &nbsp;Nonetheless, being without my laptop for even a short period of time is inconvenient to say the least.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another issue with the laptop is its size. &nbsp;Yes, I love the 17" display, but the size does not lend itself to the easiest portability. &nbsp;The format does not easily fit into any backpack or laptop case I own. When you're carrying this baby around town, you know it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The second device on the night stand is a an <a href="http://shopping1.hp.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/WW-USSMBPublicStore-Site/en_US/-/USD/ViewStandardCatalog-Browse;sid=JcxgNDJDCqVGNGMv61KnoOtM98JYRXHywxU=?CatalogCategoryID=e2QQ7habtgcAAAE7iAgeMkcu" target="_blank">HP 3125</a> notebook. &nbsp;It sports lots of the advantages of its larger counterpart: Beats Audio and HDMI portability. &nbsp;It is only weighs 3.5 lbs, three pounds less than dv7. &nbsp;The drawbacks are that the tiny keyboard takes time to get used to, as does the . &nbsp;11 inch display. &nbsp;However, I am only vaguely aware of it's&nbsp;presence&nbsp;in my purse as I walk to and from a meeting.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rnhCXPOjE2k/UcCltj6j5wI/AAAAAAAAB90/NGCGGO4Z4Pk/s1600/IMAG0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rnhCXPOjE2k/UcCltj6j5wI/AAAAAAAAB90/NGCGGO4Z4Pk/s320/IMAG0003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: &nbsp;HP 3125 is portable but not easy to see &nbsp;Right: HP Pavilion dv7</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next device is my Kindle Fire HD. &nbsp;I love it. &nbsp; I love the predictive text. &nbsp;Yes, I said it. &nbsp;Normally I hate predictive text, but this text is smart. &nbsp;If I type "I want to go" the predictive text autofills "to the." &nbsp;It really gets me. &nbsp;I like that the Kindle reader syncs with the Audible app. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The display is gorgeous! &nbsp;I don't normally see a huge difference between HD and regular displays, but this is an exception. &nbsp;I downloaded an insect video in HD and connected it to my HDTV after a faculty meeting. &nbsp;The teachers who saw the video were blown away by the vivid colors. &nbsp;It was really gratifying to know that paying the extra for HD actually made a difference.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another feature of the Fire that I love is the Kindle Free Time app. &nbsp;This app allows me to set content for my granddaughter and other small people who might use my app. My 20 month-old granddaughter can turn on the Kindle and navigate to her videos. &nbsp;I don't have to worry about her downloading apps or inappropriate content.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fourth device is a Nexus tablet. &nbsp;Why would I need a Nexus tablet when I have a Fire? &nbsp;Well, the Nexus can run the MyOn books that my Kindle cannot. It is also thinner and lighter. &nbsp;There are more apps available for this tablet than for my Fire. &nbsp;But, this tablet is not HD and does not have Beats. &nbsp;The audio is acceptable, but not outstanding.</span><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x7IK8-QE138/UcDK8icvOxI/AAAAAAAAB-E/_IE3iA_PQ24/s1600/IMAG0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x7IK8-QE138/UcDK8icvOxI/AAAAAAAAB-E/_IE3iA_PQ24/s320/IMAG0004.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like using the tablets to play games and check Facebook and mail, but I am not much a fan of composing on it. &nbsp;Fat little fingers with limited manual dexterity do not do well with little AMOLED keyboards.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The final device on the nightstand is my Samsung Aviator. I hate it. &nbsp;I loved my first Samsung phones, but this one just doesn't have the RAM necessary to run all my apps. &nbsp;It locks up and doesn't dial. &nbsp;Then, after I have tried five times to complete a call, it launches five copies of the call. &nbsp;I really want to chuck it. &nbsp;However, I don't have to tolerate it much longer. &nbsp;Today I am getting a new phone. &nbsp;I can't wait to have a new toy!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do love my devices. &nbsp;What were you saying?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-63830986972913080072013-06-09T12:01:00.000-07:002013-06-09T12:01:06.165-07:00Do You Believe in Your Profession?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am spending my Sunday afternoon checking out Web 2.0 accounts I had forgotten. &nbsp;Trying to remember what email account I registered each under is a challenge in and of itself. &nbsp;Thank goodness these tools can email me password</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;resets so I don't have to remember those too!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the accounts I am revisiting is Evernote. &nbsp;I plan to do a lot of reading and writing this summer, and I thought Evernote, with it's Chrome and Android apps, would be a good repository for my notes. &nbsp;Once I logged in, I began going through my old notes to see if they are still relevant. &nbsp;The first note, which I had labelled 'advocacy' caught my eye. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/29/marketing-promotion-small-business-owners-forbes-woman-entrepreneurs-careers-passion.html?feed=rss_home" target="_blank">The Four Myths of Self-Promotion</a> by Kelly Watson was published in June 2010 by Forbes. &nbsp;Aimed at the small businesswoman, the article encourages women to become their own advocates by negating the four top reasons not to self-promote. &nbsp;Here is my Evernote synopsis from the article:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>The Bitch Myth</b>--"Self promotion will make me look arrogant." &nbsp;There is a difference &nbsp;in&nbsp;braggadocio&nbsp;and marketing strategy. &nbsp;</span></span><br /><br clear="none" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>The Princess Myth</b>--"If I'm good enough, people will hear about it." Most people are too busy doing their own work to notice that of others. &nbsp;This&nbsp;definitely&nbsp;includes those whose financial decisions could impact your future work. "&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Survival depends upon taking action to get noticed."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>The Friends and Family Myth</b>--"Others should talk about my accomplishments, not me." No can speak as knowledgeably about your work and your qualifications as you. "By delegating promotion to others, you're taking away your best opportunity to demonstrate your value."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>T</b></span><b style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">he Martyr Myth</b><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">--"You can't control what people think anyway." It's true that you only have one chance to make a good first impression, but you can build upon that reputation each day; &nbsp;Let people see what you want them to see, and leave the rest of the stuff at home.</span><br /><br clear="none" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Bottom line: "The myths you believe often mask a deeper insecurity about the value you place on what you have to offer." If you don't fully believe in yourself, who will?</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I believe these myths deserve great scrutiny by library media specialists. &nbsp;Stereotypically, we are portrayed as shy, introverted and retiring. &nbsp;This fits very few library media specialists I know, yet this is the perception that persists. So, against this handicap, I invite my media specialist friends to evaluate the degree to which they are defined by these myths. &nbsp;I'll go first:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Bitch Myth:</b> &nbsp;I don't find myself worrying much about being perceived as a bitch. &nbsp;I think I am only touchy when on the defensive, a position I don't find myself in often. &nbsp;I think by trying to be proactive with most projects, I am viewed as helpful, if not nice. &nbsp;If people do perceive me a bitch, I would like to know why. &nbsp;I may not change, but it would be helpful to understand the rationale.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Princess Myth: &nbsp;</b>&nbsp;Cinderella, I am not. &nbsp;If I were Cinderella, I would have been out of there the first time the evil stepsisters suggested I be their servant. &nbsp;Still, I do hope that people think positively about my work. &nbsp;The bottom line here, however, is that no one <i style="font-weight: bold;">really</i>&nbsp;knows what my work is. &nbsp;The public only sees part of what I do. &nbsp;This blog post, a small part of my attempt at library advocacy, is seen by very few and probably would not be viewed as an integral part of my professional responsibilities, although anything I can do for the profession is exceptionally important to me and hopefully, if my words have any influence, &nbsp;will help ensure a library media presence in more places for many &nbsp;years. &nbsp;I cannot wait for folks to notice my impact when other agencies with more money are screaming for attention.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Friends and Family Myth: &nbsp;</b>Okay, I buy into this just a little, because I know how much my friends and family support me. &nbsp;Recently my daughter became offended when someone asked her if "her mother worked the same schedule teachers did." &nbsp;Lora, bless her heart, righteously informed the person that her mother was a teacher, a National Board Certified Teacher at that! &nbsp;I can't help but admit I was pleased. &nbsp;Similarly when I was nominated for selection in our newspaper's 100 Most Influential one year, I honestly believe I got as far up as I did on the list because of my work with one of the editors children.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do value the opinion of my family and friends, and my school families as well. &nbsp;But again, most people do not know my job. &nbsp;I need to market what I do so as not to be marginalized in any specific&nbsp;category. &nbsp;When a parent asks, "Do you need to go to college to do your job, I am happy to tell them how much college I have had to do this job. &nbsp;I explain to anyone who asks that you have to be a teacher first, and that librarianship is specialized training on top of that. &nbsp;I don't mind letting people know other things I do to remain fresh. &nbsp;As soon as I finish with this blog, I will use social media to tout its existence!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Martyr Myth: &nbsp;</b>Please. Having gone through (and survived) as many RIF and transfer hearings as I have, I know better than to be silent. &nbsp;I try to always be aware of my impact and to make everyone I work with understand that impact as well. &nbsp;My work is too important to my students and teachers to be taken for granted or to be minimalized. &nbsp;Remember that squeaky wheel that keeps getting the grease. &nbsp;I am that squeaky wheel!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In conclusion, I advise all school library media specialists to keep themselves front and center in the conversation of our school communities. &nbsp;What we do is important and with the implementation of Common Core State Standards, vitally important to our children and our schools. &nbsp;Don't allow our profession to be minimalized. &nbsp;Stand up and speak out!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-67249253479828954702013-06-04T18:30:00.000-07:002013-06-04T18:30:17.867-07:00What I Want To Do on My Summer Vacation.I am very thankful to work in a wonderful job with wonderful coworkers, children and their families. Just like the kids, however, I can't wait for the official start of out summer vacation. I have many goals to accomplish.<br />First, of course, I want to spend some time at the farm. &nbsp;Not only do I relax there, but the farm is where I do my best writing. Mostly I want to write really good lesson plans for all levels. I also want to keep up my blogs and wikis, writing about my summer reading. I want to blast Facebook and Twitter with relevant information about libraries, technology and summer reading.<br />And so, of course, I will be reading. My Kindle is full of fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. &nbsp;In have RSS feeds on Common Core and school libraries. I follow many leading library professionals whose works I follow on Twitterbs<br />BF I want to learn from these people and pass my learning on.<br />In between all this, I will need to work on library decorations for the upcoming school year.<br />And above all, I want to spend time with Eowyn, Carter and Nolan.<br />I think I needs bigger summer!<br />GH :-)Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106813896890611134.post-35252902681820731172013-05-12T02:25:00.000-07:002013-06-02T06:44:32.936-07:00Why I've Changed My Mind about "Library Skills" Instruction<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back in the day, I had vociferously argued that library skills instruction is child abuse, that being part of a "specials" or "planning period" rotation was a waste of my time. &nbsp;Now I am begging my principal to "let" me be in the specials rotation for fourth grade everyday next year.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's changed?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lots of things.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shift from Worksheet-Based Instruction to Project-Based Learning</u><br /><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the most exciting changes in education is the continuing emphasis on project-based, active learning where students will work on a project in which they will create real meaning. &nbsp;This is immeasurably preferable to worksheets where students would perfect skills on using the library without actually using it. &nbsp;How boring are guide words and alphabetizing to the third letter! &nbsp;But how easily acquired are these skills when they are being used as a means to a learning goal! Students take their work much more seriously when they know their work will reach a public audience, and a public audience is a key component of project-based learning.</span><br /><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></u><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emphasis on Higher Level Thinking Skills and Critical Meaning</u><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hand in hand with the shift to project-based learning is the emphasis on higher level thinking skills, collaborative learning and critical thinking skills. &nbsp;Life skills such as planning time, public speaking and targeting an audience are also emphasized. &nbsp; When a child utilizes these skills to achieve a learning goal, he not only conquers content but also becomes better prepared for life beyond school.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Availability of Resources</u></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the old days of "library skills" taught in isolation, children were asked to use print sources such as the Reader's Guide to direct them to resources that were more than often not available in the library. &nbsp;A student wanting to find information on a topic of personal interest was often disappointed to learn that his favorite athlete did not have an article in the 20 year-old encyclopedia. &nbsp;Hitting dead ends left students (and this teacher) hopelessly discouraged about the value of library skills. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Compare the previous scenario with our present day situation. &nbsp;Musty, &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; misfiled catalog cards that searched an outdated collection have been replaced by automated systems that permits federated searches of all available resources. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The availability of so many sources in full text, online resources is much more gratifying for students searching for &nbsp;- and actually finding -information. &nbsp;The increasing availability of laptops and other mobile devices has made information even more accessible. &nbsp;Children are encouraged to seek information outside their school walls. &nbsp;Librarians across the county are willing to share resources with children they do not know.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Need for Resource Evaluation and Ethical Use of Information</u></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the increased publication, interlibrary loan capabilities, and access to electronic media comes a new problem: &nbsp;too much information. &nbsp;Yes, students can find -readily- information on any topic, but not all information is equal in terms of quality. Children&nbsp;must learn to be critical users of information. &nbsp;They need more and more assistance reading for a purpose and&nbsp;paraphrasing&nbsp;information. &nbsp;They need help synthesizing information from all kinds of different media (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transliteracy" target="_blank">transliteracy</a>) into one cohesive package of understanding.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally, kids need to be ethical users of information. &nbsp;They need to understand copyright use and limitations to avoid snafus in their personal and&nbsp;professional&nbsp;lives. Students will see their own works published online. &nbsp;They will need to learn how to protect their own work as well as respect the rights of others.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I may regret this decision to push to be included in the skills rotation, but ultimately, I think it is important. &nbsp;I want a balance of fixed vs. flexible scheduling, with the majority of time flexible. &nbsp;But I need to step up my game.</span>Suzie Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15019493183228708059noreply@blogger.com0
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