What If School Was More Like This?

I ran across this video a couple of weeks ago and it has been rolling around my head ever since.  I love its wordless, captivating, 75 second message - it's been the perfect accelerant to the cognitive kindling I've been trying to spark for weeks now.  As summer officially draws to a close for me this week, I've been trying to light a fire under the mountain of to-do lists that I keep making for myself, and I think this might just be what the doctor ordered.


LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Every time I watch it, I think... "what if school was more like this?" What if?

What if every time we created an environment/opportunity for students we were guided by the desire to make magic; to create an experience our students will never forget; to create learning that is:

• active


• participatory


• messy


• inquisitive


• authentic


• joyful

 What if?

Obviously, we can't travel the 38 thousand miles, or to the 11 countries, it took to create this video as we tackle a new year with our students.  And clearly, it's tough to make magic on a fixed schedule, with no assistant, no budget and [insert obstacle here]. But, frankly, the alternative strikes me as quite a bit harder to swallow.

When I was a first year teacher, my mentor teacher asked me what I thought about giving my students the opportunity to veer away from the whole class novel in favor of choosing their own reading.  I can remember distinctly sitting on the sofa in the back of my room and saying, "I don't think I can do that."  Without judgement, she simply said, "Ok. Let's talk about what you can do, then."  It would be years before I got to the point where I could give up a prescribed common text, but her wisdom has stuck with me.

Recently, Buffy Hamilton has been speaking and writing about enchantment as a force for learning in the library and I believe this a branch from that same tree.  Her message of tapping into student passions as a means of fueling learning is one that resonates deeply with me.  That said, while I may not be able to make every learning experience look like the ones in the video or fill every lesson with enchantment, I'm definitely ready to start thinking about what I can do.

Would You Hire me?

My husband and I disagree.

One of my goals this summer was to update my resume/CV - I'm not looking for another job or anything, but it seems like more and more of the grants I look at require an updated copy, and I'm woefully behind at adding stuff to mine.  So, as summer quickly draws to a close, (and I realize just how many of the things on my summer to-do list AREN'T going to get crossed off), I decided it was time to tackle this project.

The problem is, resumes are boring. 

Seriously, I could barely stay awake, never mind remain energized as I dusted the cobwebs off mine.  What a snoozefest.  The more I tried to bullet point the highlights of my professional life, the more I thought this would be a lot more fun as an infographic - which leads me to my husband, who is the director of career services for a nearby college: in essence a guy who spends much of his life critiquing resumes and helping people put their best foot forward when looking for a job.

Me:  "I'm thinking of making my CV into an infographic."
Hubs:  "It's a fad, don't do it."
Me:  "But... I think people in the library field might be open to it."
Hubs:  "It's a fad, don't do it."
Me:  "But..."

You get the picture.

In the end, though, I just couldn't shake the feeling that if we could use infographics to teach people about our services or convince others that we are relevant, surely this tool could be use to sell, well... ourselves too! And I'm not the only one who thinks so.  In tackling this project, I found lots of other infographic resumes out there - but nearly all of them were for a) graphic artists or b) web designers. (If you know of other librarian resumes that are done this way, please share!)

So, anyway, here it is.  My stubborn attempt to visually convey my professional journey thus far.  Keep in mind, this is really just a first draft - in the words of Lisa Yee, no proofreaders were harmed in the creation of this document. Also, for obvious reasons, I think, I deleted some personal information and left my reference place holders blank for this version.  However, I'm at a point where I'm just looking for feedback - what would you think if a resume like this came across your desk?  Would you see it as innovative and creative?  Or would you round file it for being silly or for seeming like a less than serious attempt?

View more documents from Jennifer LaGarde

PS: It's okay to be honest. You won't hurt my feelings. And if you do, I bounce back quickly. :)

Collaboration: Nourishment for the Professional Soul

Like a lot of teachers/librarians who benefit from having "summer's off," I always head back to school earlier than I should.  We don't officially start back until mid-August, but I've spent the last couple of days there trying to shift my brain back into school mode.  Time at school without other teachers and students can be productive because while I still run around like a madwoman on those days, I get to be the sole director of that madness. Truly, as someone who sometimes thinks "rolling with the punches" should be listed at the top of her job description, the idea of working uninterrupted can be absolutely intoxicating.  However, it doesn't take long before the work I do during those days of solitude reveals itself to be tedious and, ultimately, unsatisfying.  Saying it's too quiet may seem like a throw away remark, but really it's hitting the nail on the head, because the noise we make in the library is evidence of the collaborative relationships that make our work so meaningful.

In her AMAZING Ted-style talk at ISTE this year, (I'm still in mourning that I wasn't there), Buffy Hamilton talked about creating enchantment for our patrons through the relationships we build with them.  She rightfully pointed out that one of the problems libraries face in our efforts to rebrand ourselves is the fact that we are so often associated with things (be it books, databases or eReaders) instead of people and relationships.  (I believe we contribute to this problem in a number of ways, but that's a post of a different color).

In my experience, "collaboration" is a term that librarians most often toss around to describe the work we do with classroom teachers.  However, I think we sometimes leave out the other important collaborations we share with students and with each other.  Perhaps we're all so worried about defending our jobs that we tend to focus on the collaborations that can most easily be tied to student achievement.  Or maybe it's because those "other" collaborations are so fulfilling, so nourishing to our professional souls that they seem too luxurious or frivolous to be really valuable. Hmmmm.  Something to chew on, certainly.

Anyway, a few of these other collaborations have recently resulted in some products that I wanted to share.

First, although  I've posted this before, I neglected to point out that one of the presentations I did for the Teaching Fellows Conference was actually the product of a collaboration between me and a former student.  Several of the photographs I used in this presentation are hers - used not only with permission but with discussion before and after about how and why they could be, and ultimately were, impactful. While I'm glad that this provided her with the chance to extend the reach of her work, I am absolutely in love with the notion of today's students helping to shape the practice of tomorrow's teachers.

Bibliotherapy 2.0

Secondly, while I didn't work on this video, I got to see a sneak preview of it at the P21 institute last month.  On the face of it, it's a delightful piece about encouraging kids to collaborate, communicate, think critically and create.  However, what makes it even more special to me is the knowledge that the product itself is the result of a collaboration between some unlikely co-conspirators in the #edreform revolution.  Educators, politicians, business and non profit leaders all teamed up with the folks at FableVision to make this happen. Again, I am smitten by the knowledge that this product couldn't have been created without the very ideals it promotes.  Plus, its one size does NOT fit all message is just lovely.  Also, just as an FYI, there's a downloadable poster that accompanies this video here.

Finally, I was absolutely knocked for a loop last week when so many people asked if they could share the flyer I made about what teachers/administrators should expect from their school librarians.  But my humbled shock morphed into pure inspiration when Donna Baumbach transformed the flyer into this amazing collaborative document using the tool ThingLink.   I am amazed.  Not only are people sharing some amazing resources/work/examples, but now I simply can't wait to put ThingLink to work in my library.



I end this post with the same feeling I have each year when a new school year approaches:  abuzz with ideas.  Ideas that I wouldn't have had, had I not indulged in the frivolity of collaboration. 

2000 Hours

This summer I am starting 2000 hours project.  2000 hours is the brainchild of a teacher named Chuck who is fed up with the popular misconception that teaching is really a part-time job because, after all, we get to leave at 2pm and get the "summer off." To dispel this myth, he decided to log the number of hours he spends working during both during the school day and during his time off.  I love this idea.   I'm not sure I will continue it for an entire school year, the way Chuck is, but I am definitely ready to commit for summer. For one, I too am becoming grumpy with pundits and politicians who have never set foot in a classroom/school library, but who feel they have the right to comment on what an easy job we have. But also, I'm just interested in finding out how many hours I really do put in during the summer months.  (An aside, my husband is always complaining that I'm really a 12 month employee who settles for 10 month pay, so this summer we're going to see if he's right!) Anyway, I'm so geeked out over this project that I created a couple of items to help chronicle my (and maybe your???) journey.

First, I created this badge for my blog.  If you're gonna log your hours too and want to plaster a badge on your blog, feel free to use it, change it, share it, etc.  (The image is my own - one I took for my 365/Image a Day Project. The text I added using Picnik.)

Second, I created a spreadsheet to track my hours.  I used Google Docs to create the sheet and will use it as my "time card" for this project.  This way, I can access it if I am away from my home computer but still "working."  Plus, this way all the world can keep track of my hours.  Perhaps someone will even start a pool and take bets on just how little actual "life" I have. :)   Anyway, in addition to figuring out exactly how many hours I will spend working this summer, I'm also looking forward to seeing what type of work I do during the (almost) 2 months I have away from school.

However many hours I actually log, I feel like this is a good exercise for me - both personally and publicly. I can only imagine that being honest and reflective about the amount of time I spending working when I don't really have to will be a good thing. Plus, like the creator of this project, Chuck, I'm anxious to dispel a few myths myself.

So... how did I spend the first day of "summer break?"  I updated the library webpage to include a summer reading project and a super cool culminating video for our year end Food for Fines project.   Then I sent out a year end letter to parents inviting their students to participate in said summer reading fun and emailed my principal with an update.  All told, it took me just shy of 2 hours.

Anyway, if you're planning on clocking a few hours this summer, consider this a personal invitation to join the 2000 Hour Club. In addition to whatever updates I post here, I'll also be tweeting about it using the #2000hour hashtag.  So, c'mon!  Join me! (You know you want to!)

(Professional) Beach Reading

My summer office has a GREAT view!

I am very fortunate to live at the beach.  That means I spend lots of my summer complaining about the masses of people who descend on my little town for vacation each year - while, secretly, not being able to blame them.  It also means that when my school district asked me to compile a summer reading list of professional titles for teachers, they referred to the final product as a "beach reading list," which I find endearing.

I don't know about you, but the pile(s) of books I've been "saving for summer" has grown beyond what I'll ever be able to tackle.  Each year I look on, longingly, as many of the superstars on my PLN take on the "Book A Day"challenge that Donalyn Miller issues every summer.  But I know my limits.  Despite my love of the sport, I'm a fairly slow reader and will *never* play in the big leagues.  A book a week, maybe.  But a book a day?  Oi.

Even so, I love passing on the challenge to others and encourage everyone within the sound of my tweets to play along.  As Donalyn rightfully points out, this challenge is as much about connecting with a community of readers as it is about the books you get to mark as "read" on Goodreads.  So, to those who can do it, think they can do it, or at least want to do it, I say go for it!  I'll be sitting on the sidelines cheering you on!

As for me, well… soon the lights in the library will be clicked off for the duration, but only after I've made several trips to the car with boxes and bags filled with summer projects. What I'm looking for this summer is balance.  Rather than making work OR play a priority this summer, I’m shooting for that place in between where I can do the following, if not in equal, then at least in healthy measure.

 

"Balance" http://libgirl365.tumblr.com/post/5284825815

• Heal:  It’s been a tough year for all educators and I need to make time to tend to my wounds.  I’m pretty sure most of us will emerge from this school year with scars. 
• Connect: Both virtually and in person: whether just having coffee or as part of an online book club, I need to cultivate some old and new relationships. 
• Rest:  I will sleep 8 hours per night.  I will.  Really. No, really.  And I will nap too.  So there.
• Share:  I’ve got a few presentations lined up for summer.  I haven’t overbooked myself, but I’ve got a few opportunities to be a part some great conversations this summer.  Can’t wait!
• Create:  I’m not artist, but I like taking pictures and building webpages – I hope to do lots of both this summer. 
• Disconnect:  This might be the hardest of all my summer goals, but I know I need to unplug and go “off the grid” for awhile.  I’m starting to dream in 140 characters; that can’t be good.
• Play:  Enough said.
• Advocate:  I will bedocumenting the hours I spend on work related projects as part of the 2000hours project.  If you are in education,you MUST do this.
• Learn:  There’s so much to learn.  I know I'm a nerd, but this is the part of summer I look forward to most. (This and the napping). Reading, whether online, on an eReader or in the pages of an old school book, summer is a great opportunity to lose yourself in words.

Which brings me back to “beach reading.”  This list is a combination of some titles that were already on my reading list and those that my fantabulous PLN suggested.  I got the idea to crowdsource the list from my friend and mentor Buffy Hamilton who constantly seems to be blazing trails for me to tread.  If you contributed to the list, please accept my humble gratitude.  (And if I didn’t include something you suggested, it’s only because I was limited to a certain # of words by my “editor.”)

A couple of titles that did not make the list that I'm sharing with my district, but that I will for sure read personally are:  The Atlas of New Librarianship by R. David Lankes and The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins.  It's exciting to think about all of these as being part of how I grow and change as a librarian, an educator and as a person this summer. 

All that said, no matter how you spend your summer… whether your toes are in the sand, you're breathing the mountain air or you're simply lounging in your favorite chair, remember:  you’ve earned this break, you deserve whatever pampering you indulge in and after a year spent taking care of everyone else, it’s time to take care of yourself.