I started this blog back in 2011 when I was a younger, fresh-faced, librarian. A few things have changed since then, but one thing that hasn't is that I still love my job. I've moved on from middle school and have been at Burbank High School since the fall of 2016. While I enjoyed my time at middle school - especially with the Scrabble club I developed, I absolutely love being at the high school. I tried to get Scrabble going there, but it just never took off. Instead, I have a Harry Potter club, go figure.
So why blog again? We are now a month into lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic and I guess I just needed something else to do. It's not that I don't have enough to do, it's really just another distraction. I still have another 300+ devices that I need to enter and check out in the library catalog, I have a presentation on resume writing that I'm doing next week, and I'm still the go-to person for tech issues. I know that being forced to stay home has been difficult for most people - especially those who are more extroverted, but I'm completely okay with it. Of course, I've only been fully home for just over a week now. I was dealing with the distribution of devices for the first three weeks. As an introvert, I'm perfectly fine not having face to face interactions. In fact, I find that I'm being quite productive without all the distractions that I normally deal with. Sure, I do miss the students and seeing my colleagues, but I'm not going crazy because of the lack of interaction. Before all of this, I was not a fan of online meetings, but I've come around to the idea and most aren't that bad.
Well, I guess I better get back to work. I have a few ideas for new blog posts so stay tuned.
Friday, April 17, 2020
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Scrabble - OMG!
I know I haven't written in forever. My job keeps me on my toes most days! Last year I started a Scrabble club at my school. It was fairly successful with about 25 active students. We had a lot of fun and I was able to receive a grant that has allowed me to purchase more boards, new tiles, and dictionaries. I started up the club again this year and it has simply exploded. Today alone, I had 66 students come to a meeting. I have a lot of new ideas that I'm incorporating this year. I just hope I find time to keep up with it all. One of the counselors approached me today and asked it I was interested in having a Scrabble class for next year. Once we talked about the logistics, I told her that I was interested. I would be able to hand-pick the class. I could really focus on a lot of vocabulary development and potentially groom students to be more competitive. It would be a lot of work. I would have to create a curriculum for it. It would take time out of my day. When I'm gone, we'd have to figure out a substitute situation. But I think it might be cool to give it a try. Now I just have to figure out how to deal with the 66 that are participating right now!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A need to clone myself
I love that the library has become the "happening" place in the mornings. Most mornings I have 25-30 students in here. Many are playing Scrabble, others are looking for books, working on library club projects, or just hanging out. My problem is that there is only ONE of me and I'm constantly pulled in several directions. The Scrabble players want help playing the game. Other students need help finding a book or want to check out a book. Some students are working on art projects (decorating their own Scrabble racks or creating book art) and often need assistance with supplies. On top of all that, I have to act as the doorman because the outside doors to the building stay locked until the 1st bell rings so I constantly have to let students in the building and deny entry to those who only want to use the bathroom or avoid the gym. Luckily it's only about 45 minutes in the morning, but by the time the bell rings (and after I've checked out a dozen books at the last minute), I'm relieved that I can just sit at my desk for a few minutes during the announcements.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
What do I do all day?
That was a questioned asked of me by a student today. My answer was that today I was processing new books that arrived and that I always have something to do. His response was that it sounds boring. I would have to disagree though. I happen to love my job. I love the fact that I always have something to do and it often changes. I rarely, if ever, have down time in my library. If I did, I would probably read. So what is that I do all day?
Check books in and out. Sometimes it's just one or two students in here, while at other times it might be an entire class. Regardless, one of my main jobs is to check books in and out to students as needed.
Shelve books. Having an assistant would really help with this endeavor. Luckily I have a volunteer that comes once a week on Mondays and handles most of my shelving for me.
Print and distribute overdue notices. When I do have a moment where I'm not doing a million other things, I try to get overdue notices out to students. Printing the notices is relatively simple, but then I have to cut them apart and put them in piles for teachers to distribute. Sometimes I cut corners by just sending out a PDF file to teachers and ask them to let their students know that they need to return books. Unfortunately, that method isn't as effective in getting books back.
Place orders for books and other materials. Even though sometimes the budget is limited, I do have to spend time working on orders which takes more time than one might think. Luckily in the past couple of years, we have had some budget increases which in turn means it takes more time to place an order. Often we have specifications to follow in terms of ordering materials so that plays a part in choosing materials. I can easily spend $500 in a day, but spending $5000 takes me a week or two.
Process new books/magazines. Magazines don't take very long to process once they're in my system. Any magazines that gets checked out regularly, gets barcodes added. New books, however, takes considerably more time. Once an order comes in, I write the acquisition date, the vendor, PO number, the fund, cost of the book, call number, and barcode number in every single book. After that, I also have to stamp the book in several locations. Once that is done, I upload the Marc records into the system so that they are ready to check out.
Library orientation & lessons. At the beginning of the year, I usually meet with all the ELA classes and go over information on using the library. At other times during the year, I will also do other presentations such as working on dictionary skills or help classes with research projects.
Make book recommendations. Being able to make recommendations means that I have to know my collection pretty well. It also means I should read more than I do. Imagine me not having enough time to read with everything else I have to do! Right now I'm trying to get my students to make some of the recommendations by creating an animoto project.
Manage textbooks. This could be a separate blog all by itself. Textbooks take up a considerable amount of time at the beginning and end of the year. Luckily it's a little easier with the TipWeb program we use, but it's still a huge headache.
Troubleshoot and resolve technology issues. Since I'm the Campus Technology Rep, most people come to me to fix technology related issues first. I can usually deal with small issues like not having the monitor plugged in,setting up printers, and replacing LCD projector bulbs, but when I can't fix it, I submit help desk requests.
Update the school website. Now that I have the basics of our districts web design program down, it doesn't take me long to do updates on the website. I do wish, that I had more time to really work on it's organization and revamp the design - but maybe some day.
Run the Scrabble club. This was something I started this year and I thought I might have a dozen kids that wanted to learn to play Scrabble. Now I have 45 members enrolled with about 30 active players. Running the club means I often go from table to table as they play making suggestions and helping students figure their best plays. During official meetings I go over strategy and after playing each day, I record their points and averages in an excel spreadsheet. I post the results and students earn their own racks when they achieve 500 points.
Library Club. As if I didn't have enough to do, I also started a library club this year. I wanted it to go beyond a typical book club because I wanted to do more than just read and discuss books. So far students have created book marks, written a request letter to their favorite celebrity, and they are currently creating animoto book reviews. Up next will be book art creations and maybe a reader's theater presentation if we have time to get it in.
Create lessons. Sometimes teachers come to me with the idea that they want to do a research project so I will often sit down and help them create a lesson. I have also created lessons on the spur of the moment when I don't get any advanced notice. Eventually I intend to put lessons online so teachers can access them as they wish.
Fixed Assets. Unfortunately, this task also fall to me. Technically the administrative assistant is supposed to help, but she is as busy, if not busier than I am. Last year it took me three weeks to find and count everything on the campus. Hopefully this year, it will take less time.
Testing. Like any other educator in the state, we having testing going on several times a year. I'm always involved in some way.
Subbing. Unfortunately there are times that we have several teachers absent and subs that don't show. Luckily it is rare, but there are times that I have to act as a sub when there are not enough available.
Monitor hallways & bathrooms. I'm always out in the hall during passing periods monitoring the students.
Set up equipment for presentations. When we have PTA meetings or other presentations, I'm the one that sets up the equipment necessary such as a projector, screen, and laptop. It is helpful when I get advanced notice, but there are times it is a last minute set up.
Deliver dictionaries for testing. This is self-explanatory, but can be tedious during testing.
Staff training/surveys. Sometimes I'm able to train staff on library resources at faculty meetings. At some point I would like to offer more training sessions to staff on various technology and research tools, I just haven't found a way to work it into my schedule yet. I'm also responsible for make sure that district required staff and student surveys are completed. I also have to complete surveys and some online training which sometimes takes an entire afternoon.
Digital Citizenship lessons. This takes about 2 weeks to prepare and teach at the beginning of each school year. I have to do this lesson with every student on campus and I cannot take them out of core classes which makes the process more difficult. Luckily, I'm figuring out ways to make it more efficient, but it still just takes time.
Go to meetings. I have LMS meetings monthly. On top of that I have meetings for UIL, Campus Technology Representatives, Textbooks, and PBIS. I also attend other functions such as the Library Round Up, TLA convention, and training sessions. This takes me off campus a few times each month.
Print & laminate posters. The poster maker and laminator are in the library so I'm often asked to do this for teachers. Most have learned the process by now, but sometimes they can't get here so I take care of it. When I'm swamped with other things, it's not a priority, but I don't mind usually as it doesn't take long.
Discard technology and other equipment. I have a conference room full of equipment I need to get rid of. It has not been a priority to deal with it, but at some point, I will work on all the paperwork required to get it off campus. Of course that doesn't mean it will be picked up right away, but at least I can hope.
Manage student behavior as needed. Last year, it seemed every time I walked in the hallway during the spring semester I had to deal with a student misbehaving. I even had to break up my first fight last year. It's not the best part of the job, but sometimes you just have to deal with the unpleasant tasks. I wish I could say that all the students here are well behaved, but the fact that they are middle school aged, I think that's enough to know that there's always going to be discipline issues.
UIL coordinator and coach. This could also be another blog post entirely, but as UIL coordinator, I work to get other faculty to volunteer as a coach, chaperone, or competition judge. I coordinate the travel and food arrangements. I also coach several of the events. (Last year it was seven.) As a coach, I work with students on their events and help them prepare for competition. On top of that, I also volunteered to run the speaking events at the tournament since I have experience in running speech tournaments.
These are just a few of the responsibilities that I handle as the librarian. It doesn't include little things that crop up each day. Some days it can be overwhelming, but most of the time I'm just busy which is a good thing. Sometimes when I need the down time, I read a little or work on a creative project. I would love to spend more time with other activities such as book talks, collaborative lessons with teachers, and reading. I do love my job and I'm thankful that I finally am working in a field that is truly my calling.
Check books in and out. Sometimes it's just one or two students in here, while at other times it might be an entire class. Regardless, one of my main jobs is to check books in and out to students as needed.
Shelve books. Having an assistant would really help with this endeavor. Luckily I have a volunteer that comes once a week on Mondays and handles most of my shelving for me.
Print and distribute overdue notices. When I do have a moment where I'm not doing a million other things, I try to get overdue notices out to students. Printing the notices is relatively simple, but then I have to cut them apart and put them in piles for teachers to distribute. Sometimes I cut corners by just sending out a PDF file to teachers and ask them to let their students know that they need to return books. Unfortunately, that method isn't as effective in getting books back.
Place orders for books and other materials. Even though sometimes the budget is limited, I do have to spend time working on orders which takes more time than one might think. Luckily in the past couple of years, we have had some budget increases which in turn means it takes more time to place an order. Often we have specifications to follow in terms of ordering materials so that plays a part in choosing materials. I can easily spend $500 in a day, but spending $5000 takes me a week or two.
Process new books/magazines. Magazines don't take very long to process once they're in my system. Any magazines that gets checked out regularly, gets barcodes added. New books, however, takes considerably more time. Once an order comes in, I write the acquisition date, the vendor, PO number, the fund, cost of the book, call number, and barcode number in every single book. After that, I also have to stamp the book in several locations. Once that is done, I upload the Marc records into the system so that they are ready to check out.
Library orientation & lessons. At the beginning of the year, I usually meet with all the ELA classes and go over information on using the library. At other times during the year, I will also do other presentations such as working on dictionary skills or help classes with research projects.
Make book recommendations. Being able to make recommendations means that I have to know my collection pretty well. It also means I should read more than I do. Imagine me not having enough time to read with everything else I have to do! Right now I'm trying to get my students to make some of the recommendations by creating an animoto project.
Manage textbooks. This could be a separate blog all by itself. Textbooks take up a considerable amount of time at the beginning and end of the year. Luckily it's a little easier with the TipWeb program we use, but it's still a huge headache.
Troubleshoot and resolve technology issues. Since I'm the Campus Technology Rep, most people come to me to fix technology related issues first. I can usually deal with small issues like not having the monitor plugged in,setting up printers, and replacing LCD projector bulbs, but when I can't fix it, I submit help desk requests.
Update the school website. Now that I have the basics of our districts web design program down, it doesn't take me long to do updates on the website. I do wish, that I had more time to really work on it's organization and revamp the design - but maybe some day.
Run the Scrabble club. This was something I started this year and I thought I might have a dozen kids that wanted to learn to play Scrabble. Now I have 45 members enrolled with about 30 active players. Running the club means I often go from table to table as they play making suggestions and helping students figure their best plays. During official meetings I go over strategy and after playing each day, I record their points and averages in an excel spreadsheet. I post the results and students earn their own racks when they achieve 500 points.
Library Club. As if I didn't have enough to do, I also started a library club this year. I wanted it to go beyond a typical book club because I wanted to do more than just read and discuss books. So far students have created book marks, written a request letter to their favorite celebrity, and they are currently creating animoto book reviews. Up next will be book art creations and maybe a reader's theater presentation if we have time to get it in.
Create lessons. Sometimes teachers come to me with the idea that they want to do a research project so I will often sit down and help them create a lesson. I have also created lessons on the spur of the moment when I don't get any advanced notice. Eventually I intend to put lessons online so teachers can access them as they wish.
Fixed Assets. Unfortunately, this task also fall to me. Technically the administrative assistant is supposed to help, but she is as busy, if not busier than I am. Last year it took me three weeks to find and count everything on the campus. Hopefully this year, it will take less time.
Testing. Like any other educator in the state, we having testing going on several times a year. I'm always involved in some way.
Subbing. Unfortunately there are times that we have several teachers absent and subs that don't show. Luckily it is rare, but there are times that I have to act as a sub when there are not enough available.
Monitor hallways & bathrooms. I'm always out in the hall during passing periods monitoring the students.
Set up equipment for presentations. When we have PTA meetings or other presentations, I'm the one that sets up the equipment necessary such as a projector, screen, and laptop. It is helpful when I get advanced notice, but there are times it is a last minute set up.
Deliver dictionaries for testing. This is self-explanatory, but can be tedious during testing.
Staff training/surveys. Sometimes I'm able to train staff on library resources at faculty meetings. At some point I would like to offer more training sessions to staff on various technology and research tools, I just haven't found a way to work it into my schedule yet. I'm also responsible for make sure that district required staff and student surveys are completed. I also have to complete surveys and some online training which sometimes takes an entire afternoon.
Digital Citizenship lessons. This takes about 2 weeks to prepare and teach at the beginning of each school year. I have to do this lesson with every student on campus and I cannot take them out of core classes which makes the process more difficult. Luckily, I'm figuring out ways to make it more efficient, but it still just takes time.
Go to meetings. I have LMS meetings monthly. On top of that I have meetings for UIL, Campus Technology Representatives, Textbooks, and PBIS. I also attend other functions such as the Library Round Up, TLA convention, and training sessions. This takes me off campus a few times each month.
Print & laminate posters. The poster maker and laminator are in the library so I'm often asked to do this for teachers. Most have learned the process by now, but sometimes they can't get here so I take care of it. When I'm swamped with other things, it's not a priority, but I don't mind usually as it doesn't take long.
Discard technology and other equipment. I have a conference room full of equipment I need to get rid of. It has not been a priority to deal with it, but at some point, I will work on all the paperwork required to get it off campus. Of course that doesn't mean it will be picked up right away, but at least I can hope.
Manage student behavior as needed. Last year, it seemed every time I walked in the hallway during the spring semester I had to deal with a student misbehaving. I even had to break up my first fight last year. It's not the best part of the job, but sometimes you just have to deal with the unpleasant tasks. I wish I could say that all the students here are well behaved, but the fact that they are middle school aged, I think that's enough to know that there's always going to be discipline issues.
UIL coordinator and coach. This could also be another blog post entirely, but as UIL coordinator, I work to get other faculty to volunteer as a coach, chaperone, or competition judge. I coordinate the travel and food arrangements. I also coach several of the events. (Last year it was seven.) As a coach, I work with students on their events and help them prepare for competition. On top of that, I also volunteered to run the speaking events at the tournament since I have experience in running speech tournaments.
These are just a few of the responsibilities that I handle as the librarian. It doesn't include little things that crop up each day. Some days it can be overwhelming, but most of the time I'm just busy which is a good thing. Sometimes when I need the down time, I read a little or work on a creative project. I would love to spend more time with other activities such as book talks, collaborative lessons with teachers, and reading. I do love my job and I'm thankful that I finally am working in a field that is truly my calling.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Workplace Distraction
There are a lot of reasons why I love being a librarian. For one, I'm always busy with something. It's never the same thing day after day. If I'm bored with something I'm doing, I put it on hold and do something else. I love being surrounded by books as well. But at the same time, it does distract me from my work. I just got in a huge order of books and I'm processing them. This involves writing inside every book information about the order and other important details. The problem is that I find myself getting caught with looking at the books for an extended period of time. In fact I ordered a book for myself over the Christmas break that I didn't realize I had also ordered for my library. So it may take me a little longer to get the books on the shelves, but at least I know a little about some of the new books that I can make recommendations on them to students. Yeah, that's my excuse for looking at the Guiness Book of World Records for 30 minutes yesterday!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
A Clean Desk
I don't know about anyone else, but it seems impossible for me to keep my desk clean. Now my "desk" is really the front counter of the circulation desk. I do have an office and we really shouldn't go there as to it's condition. I rarely use it because without a library aide, I need to be stationed out front most of the time. I've visited other libraries and they always have a neat, clean circulation area. Of course the times I've visited have been for meetings so perhaps they tend to be like me and just clean it for "company." That's how I operate at home sometimes. I have a party or dinner with guests to make sure that I get my house clean. But back to the desk - sometimes I get productive and get it nice and clean and it stays that way for maybe 15 minutes. It seems the piles always build up in no time. Stacks of magazines that need to be processed, piles of papers that need to be filed or tossed, catalogs, scissors, labels, it just seems to reproduce "stuff" on it's own. I guess it's because I'm always busy and I'm always multi-tasking. When I have a clean area, I feel like I can get more done, but alas, that rarely seems to happen. So my goal before Christmas break is to clean my desk and have it nice and neat so that when I come back I can be productive for all of 15 minutes until it becomes a disaster again!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Finally Reading
You would think as a librarian, I would have all sorts of time to read some of the exciting new titles in the young adult genre, but sadly, I have to admit that last year, I didn't get a chance to read much of anything. Though I never have time to actually read during school, I have recently made the time to read some of the new books we've gotten in. The first book I read was "The Future of Us" by Jay Asher and and Carolyn Mackler. I really liked Jay's book "13 Reasons Why" so I was looking forward to reading this one. I liked the premise of the story - two teens in the early 90's just finding their way to an online world suddenly discover their future selves on Facebook. They realize that little things they do have an effect on their futures as their future facebook statuses update. Overall the book was interesting though I found my own personal flaws with some of the writing. I do think any teen that understands facebook would still enjoy the book. I have also discovered a new triology series by Ally Condie. The first book is called "Matched" and it is almost like a cross between "The Giver" and "The Hunger Games" with its dystopian society. The first book was an enjoyable read so now I'm on to the second book. The 3rd will be published sometime in November so I will need to add it to one of my order lists.
Though I think in general I'm a pretty good librarian. I'm great at organizing, technology, and research. I think I did well with my big orders last year as I'm noticing a lot of those new books getting checked out. I am getting to know the collection fairly well as I've updated it and am starting a large weeding project. I think my biggest weakness is in knowing the current literature in order to make recommendations. Unlike elementary level books, much of the books in my collection take more time to read. Though I'm a fast reader, I find that I typically don't take the time to read as much as I should. So my goal for this year is to read at least two new books a month. I think that is somewhat reasonable and gives me a place to go. But I also need to make sure I go beyond those books that appeal to the female population. I'm also going to get my library club involved in reading and making recommendations as well.
Though I think in general I'm a pretty good librarian. I'm great at organizing, technology, and research. I think I did well with my big orders last year as I'm noticing a lot of those new books getting checked out. I am getting to know the collection fairly well as I've updated it and am starting a large weeding project. I think my biggest weakness is in knowing the current literature in order to make recommendations. Unlike elementary level books, much of the books in my collection take more time to read. Though I'm a fast reader, I find that I typically don't take the time to read as much as I should. So my goal for this year is to read at least two new books a month. I think that is somewhat reasonable and gives me a place to go. But I also need to make sure I go beyond those books that appeal to the female population. I'm also going to get my library club involved in reading and making recommendations as well.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
A New Year
Well, I had high hopes to blog regularly. You can tell that I didn't get a chance to last year. This year is starting off just as busy. People often ask me what I do all day and it is really hard to answer because I do a lot of things. Getting set up at the beginning of the year was daunting because I had to store every piece of computer and technology equipment in the library over the summer. Normally we don't have to do that, but because of school renovations, we had to get everything out of the classrooms. My first week back was spent putting all the equipment back in the classrooms. Luckily, I didn't have to set anything up. Most teachers could handle that themselves. After that, it was dealing with all the textbooks that were pulled out at the end of the year. Thankfully, I was able to send back about 30 boxes of books and get everything back in my textbook room so that I don't have to pull out books at the end of the year any more. That task took a few weeks to accomplish. In the meantime, I dealt with other issues such as printers that wouldn't print and spending $5000 on books that had to be ordered in a short amount of time. I just finished processing about 250 books that came in over the summer and finally have those on the shelves. I still have a set of Encyclopedias to process, but now I've started weeding the collection. Though a few of my non-fiction sections increased slighty by age with the order of new books, it is still quite dated. I've discovered that there are still many books that are quite old in the library. I'm torn between wanting to get rid of everything more than 15 years old and keeping those of some significance. There are several older books that are Newbery or Caldecott awards that may be worth keeping. I can't actually get rid of ALL aged titles, because that would cut my collection by more than a third. My goal this year is to weed about 10% and then see where I stand. I get the feeling that there hasn't been a deep weeding in many years.
I did a presentation on using online organizational tools at the Region 20 Library Round-Up this year. I thought that it went pretty well and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about it. I had another idea that I will try to develop for next year. I have a wiki page that I would like to spend more time developing, but that is on the list of things to do when I have time. Right now I need to work on sending out invitations for the Library and Scrabble clubs that I'm promoting this year. It's not as though I really need something more to do, but I want to get more students involved in the library and I think it will be fun. I've had several students ask when we are going to get started so I need to send out some invitations pretty soon. I suppose I should get back to work and get that done!
I did a presentation on using online organizational tools at the Region 20 Library Round-Up this year. I thought that it went pretty well and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about it. I had another idea that I will try to develop for next year. I have a wiki page that I would like to spend more time developing, but that is on the list of things to do when I have time. Right now I need to work on sending out invitations for the Library and Scrabble clubs that I'm promoting this year. It's not as though I really need something more to do, but I want to get more students involved in the library and I think it will be fun. I've had several students ask when we are going to get started so I need to send out some invitations pretty soon. I suppose I should get back to work and get that done!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
College Searches
A few weeks ago, the AVID classes were doing college searches. They were supposed to find a college/university that interested them and then create a jeopardy type of powerpoint about the institution that they chose. Since many students weren't really sure which college they might be interested in, I put together a list of webistes for general college searching to help get them started. I thought I would post the list here as well. This list is for general information or comparison searches. Once a search has been narrowed, it is advisable to search the actual university website to get updated information regarding things like tuition costs, admission requirements, and degree programs.
Texas Monthly College Guide: This guide focuses only on institutions that "award bachelor’s degrees, own its own facilities, are SACS accredited, and are Texas-based" according to its website. This means it does not include 2 year colleges and may exclude other 4 year universities. There are 72 colleges that can be compared and up to five can be compared at one time.
U.S. News College Ranking List: This site provides ranked institutions across the U.S. but also allows for searching based on location, enrollment, and tuition costs. It has a variety of lists including Best Value Schools (high quality/lower cost) and A+ Schools for B Students.
Peterson's: In addition to offering college search capabilities, this site also provides many helpful articles that offer advice when choosing a college or university. It also offers some career planning tools, test preparation guides, and scholarship information.
CollegeBoard: Like Peterson's, this site provides other useful information beyond the college search. It also allows students to save searches and make lists. It's search feature also offers a college match-maker with 3,800 schools in its database.
CollegeProwler: This site is based on actual student reviews as opposed to outside expert opinion. It boasts 7,769 colleges reviewed and offers a search feature based on majors.
Christian College Guide: This site is sponsored by Christianity Today International providing searches based on denominational affiliations. Be aware, however, that it covers only Protestant faiths.
Catholic Colleges Online: This site is specific to Catholic colleges and universities offering searches and information on 160 member instutions.
Texas Monthly College Guide: This guide focuses only on institutions that "award bachelor’s degrees, own its own facilities, are SACS accredited, and are Texas-based" according to its website. This means it does not include 2 year colleges and may exclude other 4 year universities. There are 72 colleges that can be compared and up to five can be compared at one time.
U.S. News College Ranking List: This site provides ranked institutions across the U.S. but also allows for searching based on location, enrollment, and tuition costs. It has a variety of lists including Best Value Schools (high quality/lower cost) and A+ Schools for B Students.
Peterson's: In addition to offering college search capabilities, this site also provides many helpful articles that offer advice when choosing a college or university. It also offers some career planning tools, test preparation guides, and scholarship information.
CollegeBoard: Like Peterson's, this site provides other useful information beyond the college search. It also allows students to save searches and make lists. It's search feature also offers a college match-maker with 3,800 schools in its database.
CollegeProwler: This site is based on actual student reviews as opposed to outside expert opinion. It boasts 7,769 colleges reviewed and offers a search feature based on majors.
Christian College Guide: This site is sponsored by Christianity Today International providing searches based on denominational affiliations. Be aware, however, that it covers only Protestant faiths.
Catholic Colleges Online: This site is specific to Catholic colleges and universities offering searches and information on 160 member instutions.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Brain Based Teaching - Social Networking Through Teams
I'm part of a librarian book study in which we are reading the book Brain-Based Teaching in the Digital Age by Marilee Sprenger. The first few chapters discuss the effects of technology on student's brains covering research on the brain itself. For those that aren't familiar with such research, it is truly fascinating to learn about the effects of technology on the brain itself. Living in a digital world demands changes in teaching because of the shift in student learning. The second part of the book delves into using this knowledge in the classroom itself. Though I hope to cover the other chapters at some point, I am presenting in our LMS meeting today about chapter 5 which deals with social networking through teams. Today's blog topic highlights the information from this chapter.
I think the most thought-provoking idea is the noted concern about teens' lack of communication skills and shorter attention spans that result from their involvement in digital media outlets. Because of this, students have a need to create relationships with others in real life. To achieve this, the author suggests that teachers create power teams in their classrooms. Teams differ from groups in that as a team, the students are "equally committed, are mutually accountable, and have complementary skills" (Sprenger, 58). When students develop a deeper commitment and want to grow and succeed as a team, they become a power team. Though there may be concerns about classroom management and students with learning difficulties, the author notes that when done correctly, the teams actually lessen such problems.
Here are the suggested steps for integrating teaming in the classroom:
1. Form the Teams - This can be done randomly through playing cards or by birthdates, but one might also consider grouping according to learning styles, interests, skills, or abilities. Teams should be four to seven members.
2. Learn About Each Other - Students should focus on deeper information about their team members beyond what they may already know about them. Questions asked of teammates should allow for expanded answers rather than closed, short answers.
3. Choose Team Leaders - Students should volunteer or choose their team leaders and they can change from week to week. After being asked "Who is willing to make a strong commitment to the team and be its leader?", students must only offer an explanation if they say they are not willing. Celebrating the chosen leaders with music and recognition helps foster the commitment.
4. Foster Team Spirit - This is done through activities such as choosing a team name, creating a team cheer, selecting team colors, a mascot, or creating a logo. Teachers should allow limited time to complete these activities which make them more challenging.
5. Set Individual Goals - These do not have to necessarily be team oriented, but simply show that goal setting is important. The following seven steps are suggested for this process:
8. Create Team Scorecards - Create categories of team and teacher expectations and mark scores on a weekly basis to show their progress. The chart should include percentage amounts of the team's goals created in step 6.
9. Make Public Promises - This is simply a statement that each member the team makes in regard what they will do for their team such as being on time or completing homework.
10. Make a Composite Scorecard - This could be optional depending on whether it acts as a motivational tool or stirs unnecessary competition. This is a chart that shows how each team is doing each week based on their scorecards.
In the end, teaming in the classroom should create powerful collaborative relationships. It is important to remember that the team must have something to achieve, a space to do their work, and freedom to communicate at their pace. While it is important to build the face-to-face communication skills, teams can also integrate technology in the process. Wikis might be used to keep up with research or planning. Final projects might be technology based. Teachers must become facilitators of learning rather than simply providing knowledge. Teaming will help students help themselves and provide the social interaction they need.
Sprenger, M. (2010). Brain-based teaching in the digital age. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
I think the most thought-provoking idea is the noted concern about teens' lack of communication skills and shorter attention spans that result from their involvement in digital media outlets. Because of this, students have a need to create relationships with others in real life. To achieve this, the author suggests that teachers create power teams in their classrooms. Teams differ from groups in that as a team, the students are "equally committed, are mutually accountable, and have complementary skills" (Sprenger, 58). When students develop a deeper commitment and want to grow and succeed as a team, they become a power team. Though there may be concerns about classroom management and students with learning difficulties, the author notes that when done correctly, the teams actually lessen such problems.
Here are the suggested steps for integrating teaming in the classroom:
1. Form the Teams - This can be done randomly through playing cards or by birthdates, but one might also consider grouping according to learning styles, interests, skills, or abilities. Teams should be four to seven members.
2. Learn About Each Other - Students should focus on deeper information about their team members beyond what they may already know about them. Questions asked of teammates should allow for expanded answers rather than closed, short answers.
3. Choose Team Leaders - Students should volunteer or choose their team leaders and they can change from week to week. After being asked "Who is willing to make a strong commitment to the team and be its leader?", students must only offer an explanation if they say they are not willing. Celebrating the chosen leaders with music and recognition helps foster the commitment.
4. Foster Team Spirit - This is done through activities such as choosing a team name, creating a team cheer, selecting team colors, a mascot, or creating a logo. Teachers should allow limited time to complete these activities which make them more challenging.
5. Set Individual Goals - These do not have to necessarily be team oriented, but simply show that goal setting is important. The following seven steps are suggested for this process:
- Tell how, what, when, and whom.
- State the goal in the positive.
- Be sure you have what you need to meet your goals.
- Ask, "Do I have control over the situation?"
- Make the goal the right size.
- Decide how you will know you've reached the goal.
- Will your actions match your values?
- They must be stated positively.
- They must be specific.
- They must be measurable.
- They must be agreed upon by the whole team.
8. Create Team Scorecards - Create categories of team and teacher expectations and mark scores on a weekly basis to show their progress. The chart should include percentage amounts of the team's goals created in step 6.
9. Make Public Promises - This is simply a statement that each member the team makes in regard what they will do for their team such as being on time or completing homework.
10. Make a Composite Scorecard - This could be optional depending on whether it acts as a motivational tool or stirs unnecessary competition. This is a chart that shows how each team is doing each week based on their scorecards.
In the end, teaming in the classroom should create powerful collaborative relationships. It is important to remember that the team must have something to achieve, a space to do their work, and freedom to communicate at their pace. While it is important to build the face-to-face communication skills, teams can also integrate technology in the process. Wikis might be used to keep up with research or planning. Final projects might be technology based. Teachers must become facilitators of learning rather than simply providing knowledge. Teaming will help students help themselves and provide the social interaction they need.
Sprenger, M. (2010). Brain-based teaching in the digital age. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Research and Citations
Having just graduated with my master's degree, I'd like to think I'm pretty good at research. Afterall, I wrote numerous papers during my three years of graduate school including the dreaded Capstone experience where I had to write three major papers - all with proper citations - in the course of one week. In college, we were required to use APA source citations, but I think most middle and high schools use MLA format. Regardless of the format used, citing sources is a difficult task for most students. It's hard enough to remember to write down the details of each website used, book accessed, etc. It wouldn't be so bad if we just had to write down the name of the book or website, but most source citations require many more details. Not only that, sometimes it is hard to find all the information required. Many websites don't have an obvious author and the date the site was published can be difficult to discern. On top of everything else, MLA format wants them in a particular order with proper punctuation.
One of the great things about today's source citations is that most no longer require complete URL addresses. I think they figured out that some URLs are very long and separating them into two lines can be complex in addition to the fact that many sites simply aren't static. The link that worked last week may not work this week due to site updates and such. So we at least don't have to write down the lengthy URLs, but how do we help students get the information needed?
First we have to demonstrate. If the information is from a book, we need to show students where to find the publication information that is usually on the back of the title page. If it is from a website, we have to show them how to dig a little to find an author. This can turn into a lesson on credibility of the website. When it is difficult to find the person or organization responsible for the information on a site, one should be a little leery of its information. For each type of source, we need to show examples and the proper format.
In world where copy and paste is king, I'm a big fan of having students hand write their notes. At this point, it is important to teach students the difference between direct quotations (copying something word for word) and summarizing or paraphrasing information. Using index cards is a great way to keep track of information, but making sure that students also get the source citation information may be difficult. For me, I prefer a little more hand-holding (at least at the middle school level) by providing fill in the blank source citation cards for notes. I created notecards printed on a full sheet of paper that can be cut into quarters for research. They can be printed on cardstock but paper also works. So far I have cards for book, web, and the online World Book Encyclopedia student edition, but will add more for other types of sources later. The example below shows 1/4 of a page of the book card.
One of the great things about today's source citations is that most no longer require complete URL addresses. I think they figured out that some URLs are very long and separating them into two lines can be complex in addition to the fact that many sites simply aren't static. The link that worked last week may not work this week due to site updates and such. So we at least don't have to write down the lengthy URLs, but how do we help students get the information needed?
First we have to demonstrate. If the information is from a book, we need to show students where to find the publication information that is usually on the back of the title page. If it is from a website, we have to show them how to dig a little to find an author. This can turn into a lesson on credibility of the website. When it is difficult to find the person or organization responsible for the information on a site, one should be a little leery of its information. For each type of source, we need to show examples and the proper format.
In world where copy and paste is king, I'm a big fan of having students hand write their notes. At this point, it is important to teach students the difference between direct quotations (copying something word for word) and summarizing or paraphrasing information. Using index cards is a great way to keep track of information, but making sure that students also get the source citation information may be difficult. For me, I prefer a little more hand-holding (at least at the middle school level) by providing fill in the blank source citation cards for notes. I created notecards printed on a full sheet of paper that can be cut into quarters for research. They can be printed on cardstock but paper also works. So far I have cards for book, web, and the online World Book Encyclopedia student edition, but will add more for other types of sources later. The example below shows 1/4 of a page of the book card.
Using these cards serves multiple purposes. First, the source information is written down before getting any information. Writing information on a smaller card instead of a full sheet of paper forces students to get the important points rather than trying to copy every single thing down. Of course these types of cards would be used for ongoing research - potentially from multiple sources. I think mini-research projects such as those presented at the ESC Region 20 Library Roundup by Linda Holder this past year are also a great way to go. I think the important aspect is to get students used to the concept that we must always give credit to our sources, and writing down this information again and again will help them figure this out.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Library Websites
I've been itching to put together an amazing library website with all sorts of interesting links and information on it. I've spent much of the day trolling tons of other library websites and making lists of things I would want to include on mine. I've printed pictures of different sites and how they're organized, I've bookmarked links of sites that I like, and now it is almost too much information. I can't decide of if I want to start from scratch and design a site outside of the SAISD web domain. If I stick with the Joomla web design features, I'm going to be limited as to what I can do with the site. But then again, if I venture outside of using Joomla, I probably cannot keep it updated as much assuming I would need to design much of it from home. It is certainly a conundrum. I will mull it over the next few days and then get started on it. There is just so much information out there - I have to find a way to organize it where it is easy to locate whatever information someone might want. One of the keys to a great website design is the ease of finding information. I also want to incorporate some good design features such as consistency and simplicity. I don't like those websites that look like they are just thrown together - a mishmash of links with lots of silly animations, flashing messages, and colors out the wazoo.
I don't know if anyone is reading this blog yet, but I would love to have input as to what features you think a good school library website should have.
I don't know if anyone is reading this blog yet, but I would love to have input as to what features you think a good school library website should have.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Cool Online Teaching Tools
In this month's School Library Journal, there is an article that refers to online tools that can be used for visualization of information. I checked a few of them out and I think they are worth mentioning.
Google Documents - If you haven't figured this out yet, Google provides an online method of creating word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database documents. It also creates forms that can be used for surveys or tests. For those that don't have the luxury of Microsoft products, but do have internet access, it is a great way to be able to create documents. They can be saved and emailed.
Flubaroo - Working in conjuction with Google docs, this program makes grading assignments easy. Basically you create a test (using the Google doc forms) online and email it to your students. (Or if you have a webpage, you can create a link to it.) Students take the test. You create an answer document and install the flubaroo program and it will automatically grade the tests. You need to be a little tech saavy to use it, but once you have tests created with answer documents, you can use them year after year.
Google Fusion Tables - This feature can be used to create visualization tools like maps, charts, and graphs by uploading data, but can also be more advanced by allowing multiple users to add information for comparison purposes. See this example from the Texas Tribune. This could be easily integrated in math, science, and social studies classes.
Other graphic options include Hohli and Many Eyes. My personal favorite visualization tools, however, are creating word clouds. There are several options available to create word clouds and it just takes some playing with each program to to create what you want. They are fun to create and it is a great way to visualize information. The text can be pasted into programs, typed from scratch, or linked to another website by putting in the URL. Here are the choices for creating word clouds:
Wordle: Easy to use with no software installation required. Limited design flexibility. Cannot create custom shapes. Do not have to sign up with an account.
Tagul: Users are required to set up an account and an email address is necessary. Software not required for basic creations. Custom shapes require additional software and you are charged for custom shape creation.
Tagxedo: Requires software installation to use. Once installed, it is easy to create custom shapes with no fees. (I made a t-shirt with the shape of Texas made out of a bunch of different words once.) Files can be saved as .pdfs. I prefer this program when it works. Had issues using it on a Mac computer. Would be difficult to use in SAISD due to software installation requirements.
If you get a chance, check some of these out and see if you might integrate them into your instruction.
Google Documents - If you haven't figured this out yet, Google provides an online method of creating word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database documents. It also creates forms that can be used for surveys or tests. For those that don't have the luxury of Microsoft products, but do have internet access, it is a great way to be able to create documents. They can be saved and emailed.
Flubaroo - Working in conjuction with Google docs, this program makes grading assignments easy. Basically you create a test (using the Google doc forms) online and email it to your students. (Or if you have a webpage, you can create a link to it.) Students take the test. You create an answer document and install the flubaroo program and it will automatically grade the tests. You need to be a little tech saavy to use it, but once you have tests created with answer documents, you can use them year after year.
Google Fusion Tables - This feature can be used to create visualization tools like maps, charts, and graphs by uploading data, but can also be more advanced by allowing multiple users to add information for comparison purposes. See this example from the Texas Tribune. This could be easily integrated in math, science, and social studies classes.
Other graphic options include Hohli and Many Eyes. My personal favorite visualization tools, however, are creating word clouds. There are several options available to create word clouds and it just takes some playing with each program to to create what you want. They are fun to create and it is a great way to visualize information. The text can be pasted into programs, typed from scratch, or linked to another website by putting in the URL. Here are the choices for creating word clouds:
Wordle: Easy to use with no software installation required. Limited design flexibility. Cannot create custom shapes. Do not have to sign up with an account.
Tagul: Users are required to set up an account and an email address is necessary. Software not required for basic creations. Custom shapes require additional software and you are charged for custom shape creation.
Tagxedo: Requires software installation to use. Once installed, it is easy to create custom shapes with no fees. (I made a t-shirt with the shape of Texas made out of a bunch of different words once.) Files can be saved as .pdfs. I prefer this program when it works. Had issues using it on a Mac computer. Would be difficult to use in SAISD due to software installation requirements.
If you get a chance, check some of these out and see if you might integrate them into your instruction.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
An Introduction
Today is a slow day in my library. No classes coming in and nobody using the computer lab. The school website is updated and I only have a few books to shelve. I've been thinking about doing a library oriented blog so today is the day. I'm not new to blogging. I've actually been a blogger since 2004; however, I wanted to develop a blog that covers the interesting things I discover in this new career as a librarian. I'm not sure where this blog will go and how often I will update it, but my hope is to share it with students, teachers, and other librarians. I may do my own book reviews, highlight technology tools, or just talk about my day. I guess we'll see how it goes, but first I should tell you more about me.
My real name is Jennifer and I am a middle school librarian in San Antonio. This is my first library job. I graduated with my master's degree in library science from UNT in May. Before that I was a high school teacher and I taught speech, English, and yearbook classes. Before that I worked in the yearbook industry as a sales associate. And before that I taught junior high speech, yearbook, and visual media classes.
I had always thought about being a librarian since my first teaching job. I tried to use the library's resources regularly and would often assist the librarian with some of her technological issues. At that point, it nothing more than a passing thought, however. After five years of teaching junior high, I decided I wasn't cut out for that level of teaching so I moved on to my next career as a yearbook associate. I loved the creativity and flexibility of that job. I set my own schedule and helped yearbook staffs with their yearbook covers, pages, and deadlines. I worked in that field for six years but after getting divorced and losing health insurance, I had to return to teaching. I found a high school job where I was groomed to be the coach of the speech and debate team. I really enjoyed that part of my job but it was very time consuming and there were still other things that I did not enjoy doing as a teacher. I made the decision to pursue my library degree after a trying day that involved a parent meeting. I wasn't sure if I could afford to go back to school, but I figured I could get student loans if needed. I signed up for the GRE on that day in the spring of 2008. I started classes that fall and never looked back.
My original plan was to stay at the school where I was teaching. The librarian was planning to retire within a few years so I thought I would be a shoe-in to replace her. That was the plan at least. But with the state budget cuts, the district cut library positions and another librarian already within the district moved up to the high school. At that point, I put my application in at several places all over Texas. I ended up interviewing at two places locally and two places out of town. Luckily San Antonio was interested in me and I found a job at a middle school. I have to say that I think this is where I'm supposed to be.
There are many reasons why I became a librarian. This job encompasses many things I love. Of course there's the books. I have always enjoyed reading, but as a teacher I didn't find time to read as much as I would have liked. I think reading is a fundamental skill that must be nutured. When I moved to San Antonio, I packed over a dozen boxes of books - and that's after attempting to downsize my collection. Technology is also a big part of librarianship these days. I love and embrace technology. It allows me to be creative, cut back on paperwork, and opens a much bigger world of information. It is satisfying to resolve technology issues and to show people better ways to use it. I also love research. I like being a know it all. I research everything. If I plan to buy something major - I research it. Before each of my job interviews, I researched the schools and districts. I have always loved learning and acquiring information. I often call myself a fount of useless knowledge. Finally, I wanted a job that I could leave the work at work at the end of the day. I didn't want to go home each night and still have papers to grade, lessons to plan, and take home the weight of teaching frustrations on my shoulders. In the end, I think I've accomplished it. So far, I love the job. Sure there are small frustrations that crop up from time to time, but overall, I love what I do. I stay busy each day and yet don't have the frustrations I did while teaching. I also sleep better at night. For me, it is a win-win situation. I hope it stays this way.
My real name is Jennifer and I am a middle school librarian in San Antonio. This is my first library job. I graduated with my master's degree in library science from UNT in May. Before that I was a high school teacher and I taught speech, English, and yearbook classes. Before that I worked in the yearbook industry as a sales associate. And before that I taught junior high speech, yearbook, and visual media classes.
I had always thought about being a librarian since my first teaching job. I tried to use the library's resources regularly and would often assist the librarian with some of her technological issues. At that point, it nothing more than a passing thought, however. After five years of teaching junior high, I decided I wasn't cut out for that level of teaching so I moved on to my next career as a yearbook associate. I loved the creativity and flexibility of that job. I set my own schedule and helped yearbook staffs with their yearbook covers, pages, and deadlines. I worked in that field for six years but after getting divorced and losing health insurance, I had to return to teaching. I found a high school job where I was groomed to be the coach of the speech and debate team. I really enjoyed that part of my job but it was very time consuming and there were still other things that I did not enjoy doing as a teacher. I made the decision to pursue my library degree after a trying day that involved a parent meeting. I wasn't sure if I could afford to go back to school, but I figured I could get student loans if needed. I signed up for the GRE on that day in the spring of 2008. I started classes that fall and never looked back.
My original plan was to stay at the school where I was teaching. The librarian was planning to retire within a few years so I thought I would be a shoe-in to replace her. That was the plan at least. But with the state budget cuts, the district cut library positions and another librarian already within the district moved up to the high school. At that point, I put my application in at several places all over Texas. I ended up interviewing at two places locally and two places out of town. Luckily San Antonio was interested in me and I found a job at a middle school. I have to say that I think this is where I'm supposed to be.
There are many reasons why I became a librarian. This job encompasses many things I love. Of course there's the books. I have always enjoyed reading, but as a teacher I didn't find time to read as much as I would have liked. I think reading is a fundamental skill that must be nutured. When I moved to San Antonio, I packed over a dozen boxes of books - and that's after attempting to downsize my collection. Technology is also a big part of librarianship these days. I love and embrace technology. It allows me to be creative, cut back on paperwork, and opens a much bigger world of information. It is satisfying to resolve technology issues and to show people better ways to use it. I also love research. I like being a know it all. I research everything. If I plan to buy something major - I research it. Before each of my job interviews, I researched the schools and districts. I have always loved learning and acquiring information. I often call myself a fount of useless knowledge. Finally, I wanted a job that I could leave the work at work at the end of the day. I didn't want to go home each night and still have papers to grade, lessons to plan, and take home the weight of teaching frustrations on my shoulders. In the end, I think I've accomplished it. So far, I love the job. Sure there are small frustrations that crop up from time to time, but overall, I love what I do. I stay busy each day and yet don't have the frustrations I did while teaching. I also sleep better at night. For me, it is a win-win situation. I hope it stays this way.
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