Browse our pictures galleries of cool men's hairstyles containing men's short hairstyles, men's long hair styles, popular mens curly hair styles, conrow hair styles, latest haircuts ideas for men, old men's medium hairstyles, emo hair styles for guys, 2008 mens hairstyles photos and more
As I prepare for some sessions later this week during which I will get to work with new teachers on the fine arts of collaboration and personal learning, I've been busy making stuff.
The first is the "Bibliotherapy 2.0" wiki that i solicited help for a few posts ago. Though I ended up deciding to make the wiki more of a web/conversation curation tool than an actual bibliography, I will be adding the titles so many of you suggested to the discussion portion of the wiki. THANK YOU! In the meantime, I'm ready to share the product as it currently looks. I welcome feedback and will happily grant requests to join if you'd like to be a part of contributing to this resource for new (and not so new) teachers.
The second is a webmix of tools to help new teachers create and contribute to a Personal Learning Network. This was a lot of fun for me to put together, but I'm sure I'm missing one or two or twenty resources.
Some points of conflict for me are these: a) I had originally planned to group the content of the webmix a bit more systematically, but I'm still chewing on that. b) I'm also on the fence about including must read blogs - once I start that, where do I stop?
For now, I'm just anxious to roll up my sleeves and start making mischief with the group of new teachers I'll be working with this week. Until then, please feel free to make suggestions for improvement or addition. Your feedback will not only help me but also the fledgling teachers I'll be corrupting working with soon.
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!)
Recently, Andy Woodworth posted a series of TED Talks that he felt all librarians should read (and why!). I'd seen a couple of his choices before (like Ken Robinson's incredibly influential talk about how Schools Kill Creativity) and really enjoyed watching the ones I'd never seen. In particular, I loved watching William Kamkwamba's 6 minute talk "How I Harnessed the Wind." As Andy points out, the underlying message from this talk is that information access matters - and it does. It really, really does. If you've only got time to watch one of Andy's selections, I'd watch that one. (Ok. You should watch Ken Robinson's too). (And since you're already there, go ahead and watch the others as well).
I guess it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that I love TED. Not only have some of the Talks they've captured influenced thinking around the world, but they've both inspired and justified the ideas that a) it is really cool to be smart and b) sharing your ideas is essential to the evolution of our species. No matter what your, profession, I think there's something to be learned from TED.
That said, since Andy's post, I've been thinking about some of the other TED Talks that librarians, specifically school librarians, should watch. So... I've compiled a list of my own. And here they are (in no particular order):
"the way progress happens is because new generations and new eras grow and develop and become better than the previous ones. It's the reason we're not in the Dark Ages anymore. No matter your position of place in life, it is imperative to create opportunities for children so that we can grow up to blow you away."
In Creating Minds, Howard Gardner posited that one of the common traits that all geniuses possess is the ability to look at the world in the way a child does. Specifically, Gardner suggests that somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lose the ability to ask fantastic, foolish questions - intimating that it is schooling and adult expectations for "grown up" behavior that ultimately kill the very intellectual curiosity that sparks discovery, creativity and invention. In this talk, Adora Svitak challenges all adults to rethink their of definition of what it means to be "childish" and to allow kids the opportunity to think like, well... kids. As school librarians we need to ask ourselves if we are cultivating a culture of participatory experiences for our students - experiences that encourage them to learn by asking questions, solving problems and dreaming big. If not, what are we cultivating?
"So what did we learn from all this? Life is messy. It took us 85 takes to get it on film to our satisfaction. Of those 85 takes, only three actually successfully completed their run. We destroyed two pianos and 10 televisions in the process. We went to Home Depot well over a hundred times. And we lost one high-heeled shoe."
The big take away for me, from this Talk, is the idea that success requires planning, patience, tenacity and a willingness to see failure as a necessary part of the process. Plus, there's an amazing Rube Goldberg machine at the heart of the Talk, which I find to be the perfect metaphor for teaching. Think about it. Every lesson is like a Rube Golberg machine - as teachers, we push down the first domino - which, with any luck, sets the bowling ball into action, which knocks over the can of marbles which... well, you get the picture... until somewhere near the end a light bulb comes on - preferably right above a student's head! But what if it doesn't? Do we just scrap the idea and head to the vending machine for a Diet Coke? Do we toss out the first plans and redesign the thing from start to finish? Or do we cock our heads and try to figure out exactly where the connection isn't being made? As school librarians, what we can take away from this Talk is that learning is messy and we rarely get it right in one take.
"...if we continue to look at education as if it's about coming to school to get the information and not about experiential learning, empowering student voice and embracing failure, we're missing the mark."
I love this talk because it tackles the culture of "one right answer." In her unique (I'm so excited to be a) teacher voice, Diana Laufenberg recounts her own journey as an educator - celebrating her failures and successes and encouraging all teachers to let go of the notion that there has to be a "right answer" in order for real learning to take place. In the end, I think this short Talk is an important one for school librarians because if we can learn to accept and even embrace our own missteps then surely we can do the same for our students.
"...your filter bubble is your own personal unique universe of information that you live in online. And what's in your filter bubble depends on who you are, and it depends on what you do. But the thing is that you don't decide what gets in. And more importantly, you don't actually see what gets edited out."
This talk, was put on my radar by Buffy Hamilton, who tweeted and blogged recently about its importance. Watching it reminded me a little of the InfoWhelm video that explores the amount of information being produced today and the skills needed (by both kids and adults) to interpret and analyze it. However, what this Talk effectively illustrates is that it's not simply the amount of information that our students have to sift through that makes information literacy important, it's the bias that's being built into the very search engines we use to access it that makes viewing the process with a critical eye absolutely essential. As Buffy put it on her blog, "merely providing students access to the Internet is not enough." This is an especially important Talk for school librarians because it illustrates just how essential it is for us, the information experts at our school, to emphasize critical thinking as THE skill when teaching our students to evaluate not just information, but the means by which we access it.
"Last year, Pew and the Colombia J-School analyzed the 14,000 stories that appeared on Google News' front page. And they, in fact, covered the same 24 news events. Similarly, a study in e-content showed that much of global news from U.S. news creators is recycled stories from the AP wire services and Reuters, and don't put things into a context that people can understand their connection to it. So, if you put it all together, this could help explain why today's college graduates as well as less educated Americans know less about the world than their counterparts did 20 years ago."
This, under 3 minute, TED Talk blew my mind. If there's one thing the Internet is credited for, it's busting down the walls around information - allowing anyone with a computer and a modem the ability to learn about the world without someone like Ted Koppel acting as the go between. Unfortunately, as Miller points out, while the delivery method may have changed, the same filters continue to limit what and who we learn about. For school librarians, this provides another great example of why we must teach our students to ask bigger, tougher questions about information than the standard "how do I find _______?"
"Nothing ever turns out as planned ... ever. And the kids soon learn that all projects go awry -- and become at ease with the idea that every step in a project is a step closer to sweet success, or gleeful calamity."
And finally, I just love this Talk because it's so full of joy. In his "aww shucks," deeply understated way, Tulley reminds us that a) there is a huge difference between learning a thing and being taught it and b) when teachers provide guidance and encouragement instead of just knowledge AND kids are given the freedom to explore, create and problem solve.... magic happens. If we let this be (at least one of) our guiding principle(s), our libraries will truly make the shift from that room with all the books to the laboratories of learning that our students need and deserve.
/end
Anyway, as Andy said at the end of the post that inspired this one, there are probably a bajillion other TED Talks out there that could/should inform librarianship. Given my love for TED, I'd be thrilled to hear about the ones I've missed.
"Now one of the perks of being a lexicographer -- besides getting to come to TED -- is that you get to say really fun words, like lexicographical. Lexicographical has this great pattern -- it's called a double dactyl. And just by saying double dactyl, I've sent the geek needle all the way into the red."
Though there's a case to be made for this Talk being important to librarianship because it explores the evolution of a beloved, and dare I say, oft romanticized information source, I'm including it simply because it's just so geek-a-licious! Not only do Erin McKean and I have the same glasses, but she's quirky and snarky and a wonderful example of why geeks rule! Enjoy! :)
As the sun sets on another year, it's only natural to reflect on what's transpired over the last 12 months and to then look ahead to the 12 on the horizon. Indeed, many of the blogs I read are currently sporting New Year's Resolution posts and it's been inspiring to read what others are reaching for in 2011. It is in that spirit of healthy self refection and in knowing that, as someone "of a certain age," writing things down is always a safe bet, that I too started making a list of professional goals for the coming year.
For me, 2010 has been a year of extreme professional growth. Even though the connections I've made have been almost entirely virtual, I feel more connected to my colleagues than ever before. What's more, these connections keep me constantly striving to do and be more. These days, it seems like not a day goes by when I don't find myself inspired to try something new or to push myself one step further. I love that feeling, but there are things about it that make me nervous too.
Being something of a librarian newbie, (this is only my 5th year in the library, after 10 years in the classroom), sometimes I worry about leaping before really looking - that is to say, diving into to new programs/projects without fully exploring the *why* of it. This is compounded by the fact that, more often than I care to admit, the time I need, post lesson, to truly reflect on student learning is simply not there.(I'm hearing Mr. Schu's Metacognition song in my head even as I type this). If nothing else, I am desperate to be purposeful in my practice. Even if I can't be as formally reflective as I'd like to be, I *can* act with intention.
And so, here I am, with a goal setting itch that needs to be scratched.
The Goal
The Why
1. Explore/begin using Evernote & Diigo: I know there are plenty of high schools that have integrated both of these tools as a part of their instructional programs, but I'm unaware of middle school examples. That said, I'd like to take the Evernote plunge PERSONALLY and implement it as a cloud replacement for MS OneNote (which has, sadly, gone from life changing to increasingly clunky as of late) but also as a research tool for my students.
I feel that one of my strengths as a librarian is teaching students how to locate and evaluate resources - particularly those online. However, I also know that I am weaker at showing them how to stitch all of of the information they find together together into a useful, ever evolving tapestry of resources. I believe (hope!) a tools like Evernote & Diigo might help me help my students collect and organize information. This has been on my radar for awhile, but 2011 feels like the year to do it!
2. Increase visibility/validity of library Facebook Page: I've already taken the plunge and created a facebook page for our library, but in 2011 I'd like to see the followers increase to 450 (half our students population) and I'm committed to updating the page at least once per week.
I'll admit the why of this goal is partly selfish. I believe strongly that this kind of promotion and branding of our library will be an essential part of our survival as we head into budget talks this year. However, I'm also committed to connecting with students in the digital world where they already live and to proving that social media can be a force for good in education.
3. Complete 365 Photo-A-Day Project: As a part of our library's FB page, I'd like to start a photo a day project (Diane Cordell Style) to include as part of the FB feed. Some of the photos may be personal, but I'm planning to make those taken on "school days" in particular related to the library so that they can become a feed for students to access.
There are so many opportunities for me to enhance the connections I make with students via digital images. As I'm planning to have students both access and contribute to the feed, I'm hopeful that this project will provide another avenue for students to feel connected to the library, its resources and to me.
4. Explore/Implement QR Code program: Truly, I need a whole other blog post to talk about how excited I am about QR Codes, (thank you, Gwyneth Jones and Steven Anderson - and thank you Ryan Redd for showing me the way) but I plan to integrate them into NUMEROUS collaborative projects *and* as a means of transforming my library into a creation station - (more on this later).
Following Joyce Valenza's assertion that the library is a place to learn and create, I believe QR Codes will provide my students with a creative, innovative means of sharing their digital, "library-made," creations. I can't wait!
5. Continue to grow Nook program, explore other options for student use, grow Nook wiki: Project Nook will continue in 2011. As they cannot be checked out in my district, my work will be focused on their continued integration into content area instruction. Further, I want to grow the Nook wiki to include student and teacher reflection videos.
I believe our Nooks provide the perfect opportunity for students to engage in open choice reading. Following Donalyn Miller's example in The Book Whisperer, it's my goal to both encourage and actively collaborate in literature projects that afford students the opportunity to choose what they read. Frankly, this will require a shift in thinking for some of our teachers, but I'm ready to "direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant, and shape the Path" in order to make this a reality.
6. Continue to grow "You Might be a 21st Century Librarian in NHCS" wiki: I have the specific goal of increasing participation in my district's "You Might Be A 21st Century Librarian" wiki to 80% by the end of the school year. I will also add pages for links to artifacts (with a nod to Kathy Kaldenberg for the idea!)
Like many districts around the country, ours is facing even deeper cuts into budget and personnel next year, I believe our wiki will provide us with a means of focusing our instructional efforts and provide documentation of our "value added" for shareholders. Plus, I love reading about what others are doing and implementing some of those same ideas with my own students.
7. Continue to grow/promote Gators Read Everywhere Project: I have the specific goal of increasing participation in my Gator's Read Everywhere Project to 250 students with at least 10 classes having used instructionally - by the end of the school year.
I love this project and want so much to see it grow in 2011. I started the map because I truly believe that the Gators Read map is the perfect marriage of 21st century skills, reading promotion and connecting the library to the learning that goes on in every class.I feel there's so much potential in this project, I just need to stoke the fires a bit.
8. Help Develop and grow a long distance Collaborative Book Club: I wish to implement a collaborative book club with at least one other librarian and his/her students in 2011.
I have learned so much by connecting with others from around the world, I can only believe that the same would be true for my students. Plus, collaborating with other libraries from around the country/world would provide my students with another opportunity to use tools like wikis, blogs and skype as a part of the book club process.
9. Maintain and update Library Girl blog with more frequency: I have the specific goal of updating this blog once per week.
This blog provides me with a platform for reflection. It's a place when I can think about my own learning (queue Mr. Schu again). I believe this makes me better at what I do. At least, I hope so. :)
10. Write monthly "Professionally Reading" column: I have the specific goal of contributing one review, of a professional resource, to our district's employee newsletter - our district PR officer has named this column "Professionally Reading w/Jennifer LaGarde"
I often joke that I never read books for anyone over 4ft tall. This project gives me an excuse to step out of the world of YA fiction and read some of the professional titles that I've been longing to dig into, but that I keep putting off!
Since my last post, I've learned a few things about our Nooks that seem worth sharing:
The Nook must be powered on or in "sleep mode" when charging. If you're Nook is powered completely off, charging is disabled. (You'll know you're okay if the Nook screen saver appears).
Ordering eBooks is easier, and more fun, with two people. While one person spends the money, the other can update the Nook library and confirm that the book has magically appeared.
There MUST be a credit card on file during the entirety of the download process. If you remove the credit card info immediately after purchase, but the eBook is still making its way to the Nook, the process will be stalled. So, keep the CC info in there until after your eBooks are completely installed.
When you upload content from places other than B&N, they show up in "your documents" - as opposed to in your "B&N Library."
The Nooks claim to support titles from Overdrive (which our public library uses to distribute content), but we've yet to explore that option.
Needless to say, there's a lot I'm still learning.
For example, it's taken me awhile to wrap my mind around the whole cataloging aspect of this. Because we're physically checking out the devices, as opposed to the individual titles, clearly, the Nooks themselves have to be cataloged. However, if you want your patrons to be able to search for eBook content via the OPAC, then you've gotta catalog the eBooks too. Couple this with the fact that we've yet to locate even one existing MARC record for any of the eBooks we've purchased, and you've got a recipe for disaster a big fat disclaimer! :) And here it is:
Anything I share here a) is definitely a work in progress, b) is free for you to use, edit, adapt and share c) wouldn't exist without the work of Buffy Hamilton at the Unquiet LibraryN and d) is in desperate need of your feedback.
Procedures for Setting Up Nooks for Circulation:***
***We print these on half page labels for the inside cover of each folder.
Nook eBook Inventory Form
So... what's next? What happens when Nooks and Kids collide? (Answer: Magic!)
I'm so excited to be casting my virtual ballot for the Edublog Awards this year. There are so many wonderful bloggers out there -from whom I learn so, so much. Honestly, it's tough to pick just one for each category, but, in my opinion, these folks represent the gold standard in each category. Really. If I had a dollar for each time I referenced or shared a link from one of these people, well.. you know the rest. To sum up, they are definitely what I aspire to be if/when I grow up. It is my pleasure to recognize them (in this small way) for helping me become better at what I do. Both I, and my google reader, thank you! :)
Please feel free to visit all these fabulous blogs.....
NOTE: If you didn't see your blog this time around, it may appear in the next 'Thank you' posting! If you want to have your blog HIGHLIGHTED here, just feature any of my work from my Made by Girl shop. It has to be featured from today on to be mentioned.
The good merry people behind Style Characteristics have kindly listed us under their fashion blog directory - apparently they know good things when they see it!
Check them out, they're pretty stringent in their criteria which means that the blogs they listed up are of pretty good quality. And definitely the same applies to Style Damsel too
