ISTE 13: My Delayed Ah-Ha Moment!!

This was my first trip to ISTE. I dreamed of attending ever since Maureen Brunner shared at an ILF (Indiana Library Federation) conference session 2 years ago. I literally felt myself drool at the possibility of being surrounded by educators who saw the wonder and potential in using technology as a tool to further our students' education. After watching two ISTE's come and go, I knew it was time to make things happen. After working on my husband for months, planning out how to make the trip as affordable as possible since my district was unable to send anyone, I finally won his support. I was bound for ISTE13 in beautiful San Antonio!!

I arrived early where I was able to participate in HackEd. I was not a stranger to unconferences as edCamps in Indiana are finally taking off. However, I was amazed at how many educators sincerely looking for ways to improve were all there. (More to share in a later post!)

The next day the conference officially kicked off. As someone who is NOT a fan of large crowds, I found myself distracted by the fact that I was surrounded by people that "get it"...and, even better, were friendly to boot! Sunday rolled into Monday and then Tuesday. By then I was still waiting for my "ah-ha" moment. Don't get me wrong. I was attending some great sessions, visiting numerous poster sessions with great ideas, and even sessions held by vendors that were well worth my time. Wednesday also was a great day, but by this point I was on information overload...in a good way. I had no direction yet a million ideas I wanted to share. (Again, more to come!!)

Leading up to the conference, many veteran attendees warned about the sheer-vastness of it all. The SIGMS (ISTE special interest group - media specialists)held a preconference webinar where the ladies all advised taking time to decompress and sort out what all you have learned. I did just that these last couple of days since coming home.

AND.....I HAD IT....MY AH-HA MOMENT AT LAST!!!


As I was mowing, racing the incoming huge gray rain clouds rolling in, I started mulling over all the ideas that I picked up from different sessions. Slowly, those pieces started coming together into an idea that I can run with starting NOW!


I shall become a Google-Form Goddess (or something like that)

Here are the problems I keep coming back to...all of which could be simplified with a google form!

Problem #1: Ironically, going 1:1 with iPads meant I used more paper than ever in the library. We need paperwork to track the ipad coming in. We need paperwork for when it needs to be repaired. We need paperwork when it needs to be charged overnight. Without paperwork, we quickly lost track of what needed to be done for each iPad. All of this while I was cheering teachers to "Go, Paperless, Go!!



Problem #2: I was having interns backlog ALL of that paperwork into a spreadsheet where I could tell if Joe Shmoe is having a reoccuring problem or if this is indeed the first time his profiles magically disappeared. We fell behind, embarrassingly so. Plus, the spreadsheet was unfocused and chaotic at best. It did not easily pull together into usable data. Much of this had to do with us learning what we needed to do for iPad support on the fly.

Problem #3: Many students would wait weeks before getting help or turning in a broken iPad. The number one reason: not enough time to stop by the library and fill out the paperwork. Some were too shy (been there, done that). Others were worried about being late to class. (Yes, some students actually do worry about this.) :-)

Problem #4: I encourage students to read and vote on the Eliot Rosewater novels. Their vote really does matter in choosing the award winning book! I make a special display every year, put voting slips in each book, and even track down kids who read the book but didn't submit the slip. This takes a lot of time, and I still do not get very many votes in despite how many kids read the book.

Problem #5: Keeping up with all the discipline referrals is not an easy task for my administrators. The forms we use currently are huge files that often lock up their emails. Each individual form then has to be documented on a separate spreadsheet or filed so that the various administrators can look at past history.

Problem #6: This is a "good" problem. I have LOTS of student interns that help through out the day. I also have many students that volunteer to help out with various projects in the library. However, when each day is a whirlwind, I find myself not taking advantage of this help. I have found out in the last week of the semester that one of my interns has a particular knack for organizing or creating awesome signage. By this point, it is too late to make use of these awesome skills.

What do all of these problems have in common?? Data collection! And a google form can do just that for me. Even better, it will collect the information and put it in a pretty organized form and even graph it!

So...I have had my first ah-ha moment, and I'm positive it will not be my last! Now to make it happen....who can help??  Have suggestions?

Reply below, contact me on Twitter @cybrarianjenn

Monitoring our Teens Online Behavior: Protecting their "digital tattoos"

When internet access was still fairly new and online access was limited (remember when dial-up was practically your only option?), police agencies and parent groups campaigned for families to monitor and restrict their children's access. Families were warned to keep the family computer out in a public area, know their children's passwords, and check in on their activity often. Community meetings were held, educating families on the dangers and how to protect our children.

Fast forward to today, where our preteens and teens have smart phones, gaming devices with internet access, laptops, and even school devices that give them the means to peruse the internet and social media unmonitored. Even when schools try to block access or parents put restriction codes on devices, our clever children find ways to get around these roadblocks. Parents express that they do not feel they have the understanding, or even more alarming, the "right" to control their children's access.

Then we have social media. Social media gives our children a platform to share, share, and share some more. When they have good news, they share. When they are bored, they share. When they are having fun and want to show how awesome they are, they share...even if it involves illegal activities.

I just perused through some Vine videos. I have heard people talking about it, and it sounded like fun. One parent even told me about her daughter's humorous posts. Some really were humorous and innocent. However, some posts I stumbled upon (no account necessary to see anyone and everyone's videos as this is a Twitter app) were like "really?!?" as they show off their cussing skills, or were reputation-damaging videos that ranged from highly suspicious (looked drunk, had alcohol or drug paraphernalia in background...to out-right-future-damaging evidence of demonstrating their ability to roll a joint, take shots straight out of the bottle, etc.

Side note: Vine is a Twitter app that is supposed to only be downloaded by 17+ as it has no rules against porn, illegal activities, etc.

Not all were that bad...but there were still concerning videos. One video had a teen recording himself talking to the camera (while driving) and then video taping something being held up in front of....wait for it....a don't text and drive air freshener. Hmm....message not received by what is otherwise a really great kid, and he wasn't the only one taping himself while driving.

What all this leads to is this: WE HAVE TO DO BETTER FOR OUR YOUTH!

Parents - MONITOR YOUR CHILDREN'S ONLINE ACTIVITY!! Adults, if you see something that would concern you as a parent, do something about it. Friends with their parents? Say something as simple as "Hey, did you see that video/post/picture? I was concerned for so-and-so's safety and thought you might want to know." Friends with the kid? Offer sound friendly advice or heads up that that video/post/pic can be seen by more than just their friends and can have ugly consequences. If it contains illegal activities, and especially if you work for schools, we have a professional duty to report what we see. Why? First, we are supposed to be looking out for the best interest of the child. Second, if that child ever does have something happen due to their online behavior/sharing, and it is found that we knew about it and didn't report it, we can lose our jobs.

Adults need to STOP turning a blind eye to this damaging behavior. We need to step up and educate our youth on how to behave socially responsible online. Even better, we need to DEMONSTRATE responsible behavior online.

What can I do? First, I have already starting talking with my 6 year old about what is appropriate and what isn't. How some things are private and shouldn't be shared with the world. Second, I need to step up my game at school, educating both staff and students how to be responsible for their "digital tattoo".

Resources:
http://www.netsmartz.org/
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/
http://ciese.org/internetsafety.html

Book Review: Wishing for Someday Soon by Tiffany King

Wishing For Someday Soon by Tiffany King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where do I begin? I now realize I have been reading way too many drama-filled, waiting-for-the-stuff-to-hit-the-fan books. Every time I turned the page, I waited for the bottom to fall out (which literally happened in their mother's car).

While the story lacked major drama on every page, what I did find was a heart-wrenching, anger-inducing story of a young girl doing everything she can to take care of her little brother, surviving her mother's wrath just to get them to their "someday soon" fantasy. How any parent can treat their children like personal slaves, beating them when the mood hits is beyond me, but I know this is the reality for some children and quite possibly some students in my own school.

Katelyn has mastered the art of laying low, keeping the "system" at bay for fear of being separated from her little brother. Having attended more schools than actual years going to school, this hasn't been hard. When she hits the tiny town of Four Corners, she finds she can no longer hide in a school that hasn't seen a new student in six years AND only has one small class per grade level.

Why 5 stars? I have a feeling this is going to be one of those stories that sticks with me. I also think this is a story my teens will love. Katelyn's perseverance and self sacrifice along with Max's determination to love and protect her combine with the majority of the characters refusing to let stereotypes define. I believe this will win over many readers wanting to see the good in this world. But....don't be fooled...things aren't all sunshine and lollipops.

Personal Connection: I had a student my very first year of teaching that started late, clearly tested well behind second grade peers (easily understood after seeing the number of schools already attended), and left after only a few weeks. Ten years later I became a librarian at a high school in a different town. I kid you not, I recognized the student the moment I saw her. I hadn't and still do not have any suspicions of abuse like Katelyn experiences in the story, but I wonder how many schools she has been to and whether she has discovered her "someday soon".

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Book Review: Beta by Rachel Cohn

Beta by Rachel Cohn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I picked up this book off of my TBR pile, not expecting much. I do find novels with cloning to be intriguing, and this particular twist with the souls of the "firsts" being extracted to keep the clone pure of any real emotions or memories was especially interesting.

I end up really enjoying this book. Without giving too much away, you can count on this teenage girl-clone not just sitting back and taking it.

We are left to wonder what exactly were the Water Wars, but perhaps there will be a prequel someday? You can definitely enjoy the storyline and anticipate what a possible clone revolution will bring without konwing those details.

Will I read the sequel? Absolutely can't wait!! While this novel is definitely giving you a set-up for an entire series, you can read this one alone and be satisfied with a great story.



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Proving and Getting a Grade for Reading in High School

I was asked to look into Accelerated Reader (AR) or any other source that would allow a reading teacher to give grades for personal reading choices. 

The Details: Students are part of the Title 1 program, read well below level (therefore, they don't like to read), and are in a high school "reading" class in addition to their grade level English/Language Arts class. All students in our building take SRI assessments (Scholastic Reading Inventory).

My problem with reading assessments like AR: limits choices and relies on fact-based-recall.  However, I get it.  The teacher needs to give grades.  First, she allowed students to read whatever they wanted to, but she had no way to know each and every book nor could she determine if they were doing anything more than just reading the spark notes on the book.  They switched to reading a class novel, but this is part of the reason so many of the kids don't like reading: being forced to read a book not of their choosing or interest.

My Ideas:  Sometimes I can be pretty thick.  I was an elementary teacher, which means I am armed to the teeth with ideas on how to teach and improve reading skills.  Then there is the fact I am a librarian who loves finding the perfect book that students will WANT to read.  However, up until this question was asked of me...I hadn't even thought about sharing the strategies in my back pocket.  There is this rift between elementary and high school, each level believing the other's situation is TOTALLY different, when the reality is our students learn the same way.

First Step:    The first thing I did was what any intelligent school library media specialsit would do: I turned to my AISLE listserv full of amazing men and women all willing to share their ideas and experiences.  Within an hour I had several responses.  Here is a brief breakdown of what they shared.

Many mentioned AR requiring a minimum of 250 students.  I only have 15-20 students in the reading class. This means we either need to look into offering this program to more students or see if there are other options for such a small group.

Some see value in AR.  One librarian said, "If you are utilizing it with the Title I kids and the AR tests are used with fidelity in conjunction with their suggestions on the reading program, it could bring about change. You are right, it is a tool. It has possibility." 

However, several pointed out the cost, one librarian sharing this, "I have VERY mixed feelings about AR (that differs from some of the teachers in my building) but this is a pretty high price for the product you get and the value it adds to students, in my humble opinion."  This of course is a concern as money is very tight.  If we are to spend a large sum, we need to see great benefit.

A few offered alternative assessing ideas. 

• One school has actually put a LOT of time and energy into writing their own quizzes to go with a variety of books.  She was kindly willing to share.
• One mentioned http://bookadventure.com, although it is targeted for K-8.
• Someone said I should check out http://www.quizwik.com/.
• Another suggested Scholastic Reading Counts for this reason: "I prefer Scholastic Reading Counts – In AR all of the student’s take the same test, while Reading Counts varies the questions, teachers have more options in # of questions, ability to make adjustments for special needs, advanced, etc."

Next Step:  I will explore these other options and share with the teacher and Title 1 Coordinator.  I am also going to pull out some of my reading strategy books and offer my services to the teacher. 

We all know reading, and reading a lot, is the most important strategy.  We need to let go of the idea that novels are the only way for students to improve their reading skills.  Magazine articles, websites, and nonfiction books need to be among their choices.  We can work on fluency and increased vocabulary.  Instead of always turning to fact-recall quizzes, students can do book talks, create book trailers and write reviews.

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If anyone has any additional ideas or suggestions, comment below!  Thanks for your time!

edCamp Fort Wayne: Are YOU registered yet?

When? Saturday, May 4th, 8am-3:30pm --Register Today at http://edcampfw.wordpress.com/registration/

Where? New Tech Academy @ Wayne HS, Fort Wayne

What is edCamp? IMHO, edCamp = awesome (free) PD time! Think "participant-driven" and "organic".  You won't find an "expert" presenter here that takes up the entire session with talk-talk-talk, leaving no time to ask questions and collaborate.  Don't see a session you are interested in?  Propose one!  More information, videos, etc.: http://edcamp.org/

Who are the presenters? You!! Let's face it. We have all attended a conference where experts were paid to present, and yet we felt like nothing was gained. Or maybe you attended a session where you were just dying to ask some clarifying questions yet time ran out, and you were shuffled on to the next session. At edCamp, someone comfortable with a topic volunteers to lead the conversation. Questions, comments, and shared experiences from everyone are encouraged!

Who should attend edCamp?? Any educator that wants to get real, find solutions, and get inspired! Spread the word, especially in your specialty area, because the more people that attend, the more experts we will have on hand.

What if I can't attend this edCamp? -or better yet- What if I love this edCamp so much I want to attend another?? Stay tuned for the 2nd annual edCamp Indy sponsored by AISLE this June!!!  Don't live close enough to join us in Indiana?  Check out http://edcamp.org/ to find out when an edCamp will be in your area!

Book Review: Splintered by A. G. Howard

Splintered by A.G. Howard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


How do I express the amount of love I have for this book?!?

First of all, the cover is just plain awesome. How could I NOT pick up this book to read? Second, I will admit I am a sucker for books that reimagine fairy tales we all grew up with and loved. The idea of Alice leaving Wonderland forever altered (not in a good way) therefore cursing all her female descendants was too good to pass up.

Will I read the sequel? Yes, YES, and yes. Which reminds me...I hate reading really awesome books in a series before the series is complete. However, I recommend you DON'T WAIT! The book was satisfying to read as a solo novel. Unlike some books in series that leave you totally suspended to the point you are now angry you read the book before having the next book in hand...you will not regret reading this book now.

The best part of all, a student actually told me I HAD to read this. I love it when my high schoolers find me great books to read!



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Book Review: Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'm left wondering...did I love this book?

What I definitely liked: idea of all kids having some sort of super-human ability while not being truly supernatural; also liked her determination to solve the mystery of her parents murders, even if it ends up being her or her brothers as the guilty parties

What left me wanting: another "setup for the series" book, lots of story building without much action or excitement

Will I read the next book in the series? What can I say? I'm a sucker for a series, and my students LOVE James Patterson. I did find this to be intriguing and see the potential for excitement. Mysteries left unsolved. But considering how long I will have to wait until the next book, it is likely I'll pass it for the next new series.



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Digital Learning Day!!!

I am declaring it here....My high school library WILL participate in Digital Learning Day this year!


I'm excited! How about you? Are you an educator? student? parent? anyhow involved in young people and their education??? You can sign up, too! There are lots of great ideas ranging from tiny to heavily involved. Check it out: http://digitallearningday.org/

My first year as a librarian, I was at Paul Harding High School. I pulled in a smartboard during lunch time and showed students how to protect their Facebook information and other online information. I handed out bookmarks on Social Networking and other "be smart online" type items.  I did the whole "Be a Smarty (smarties candies), not a Dumb-Dumb (dum-dum suckers)". 

Last year I totally failed. My excuse: at previous library, I took over for a Library Media Specialist (shout out to Michelle Houser @mrshouser68) that had already spent 2 years whipping that sorry place into shape.  I inherited lunch-regulars and a willing staff.  Last year I switched to my current library, and, well...it was my turn to do some "whipping".  Time got away from me, I let myself use sorry excuses, and then I was left with nothing but regrets.  I mean, the beauty of Digital Learning Day is it doesn't have to be complicated!

So, this year, it is on!  What do I focus on? 

• social networking - keeping your private life private?
• iPads (1:1 in my district) - maybe an app-related event (Tap that App or Appy Hour...too controversial for a high school or just right to pull those teens in??)
• maker-stations - I have a green BRAND-SPANKIN-NEW green screen with lights...maybe create videos, ebooks, or...*insert awesome idea here*
• Wii tournament - pull them in with games while surrounding them with awesome "did you know" techie/digital footprint/iPad type facts
• Skype - with another library, school, author, cool person?  Of course, my kids can't have Skype on their iPads, so I'm sure that will bring up drama.  Hmm..maybe turn that into a "why some things are blocked and what we, as students, can do to regain access moment??

What do you think?  What are you doing?  Remember, there are lots of ideas on the website, Twitter (#DLDay2013), and Facebook!

Book Review: The Theory of Everything by J.J. Johnson

The Theory of Everything by J.J. Johnson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


You know that type of book that is really good, but when it comes time to be responsible and go to a bed at a decent time, you are able to put it down and come back to it later?

Yeah, this isn't that type of book, especially when you get about half-way to three-fourths of the way through it.

I didn't even skim-read as I usually do when a book is getting good. I needed to read and feel and experience what Sarah was going through as she continues to struggle with the horrific loss of her BFF.

The realness of this book, the deep-felt guilt, the desire to be ok yet not be able to pull yourself above water....all combined with boyfriend and parent complications made for a book that has jumped to my top big impact YA books.

In addition, this book is being added to my "unique feature" list. Each chapter starts with a visual representation of Sarah trying to make sense of her life through a series of graphs and diagrams.

Who should read it? Anyone wanting a book with a tough, real, sometimes heart-wrenching topic. Be warned that it doesn't end all tied up in a nice bow...which a book like this shouldn't, IMHO.



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Book Review: Dark Star by Bethany Frenette

Dark Star by Bethany Frenette

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I really did enjoy this book. I was pulled in, wanted to keep reading, couldn't wait to find out how the "mystery" of Leon's overly-concerned behavior towards her and what power was buried deep in Audrey. I quickly realized that this wasn't a superhero story at all, but the idea of the "kin" using their gifts to protect humans was very intriguing.

But then, the big moments came...and I was let down. It became obvious as to what this book is...a setup for the series.

Will I read the next book when it comes out? Absolutely! I still have high hopes, and by no means was the ending bad. One disappointing ending won't keep me away. Just hoping the author gives us a little more excitement and teenage agnst! LOL



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