It's Time for a Change: Follow-up Part 1

The last few days of each school year are always spent in a flurry of packing, moving, trashing, sorting, and basically running around like a chicken with your head cut off. That's such a pretty picture. You've heard the saying, "There's no tired like end-of-the-year-teacher-tired.". Let me tell you, this year was particularly rough on me.

It was decided early on in the school year that we were definitely going to be moving the computer lab into part of the library that was utilized as a storage space, making it a true LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER. So, those last few days of headless-chicken-teacher-tiredness were coupled with removing and entire room of shelving, storage items (many were so out-dated that the dumpster gobbled them up), and rearranging.

We had planned to remodel the library when I decided the old decor needed to go last summer. I put some students to work (with supervision, I assure you) taking down the wall decor and scraping the glue away from the cinder block. They asked to do it, it was in no way, shape or form, punishment!

     Before

     After

I have some ideas rolling around on a Pinterest Board of what I hope and dream for the wall repaint. Luckily, I have my amazing Art Teacher and super talented daughter gnawing at the bit to get their hands on some paint brushes and a gallon or two of paint.

Now for the fun moving of the lab. I visited earlier this week and again today to see the progress. I'm a very hands-on kind of person, so when the electricians and cable guys are telling me they have it all under control, I worry. Plus, Denise and I really wanted to have a say in how the lab turned out. I mean, we are the ones going to be using it after all.

So far, it's a blank canvas! We had the cable guy come sketch a mock-up of what we wanted, and it seems to all be right on track.


   
View from the left side front (entrance to Guided Reading book room)



View from the back. The shelving along the wall has been removed. The projector and screen will be on the front wall where the shelf and green/purple crates are. Sadly, the shelf has to go, but we will be replacing it with an identical one that is shorter. You can't see it, but it's on the wall right behind those shelves.



View from the doorway behind my circulation desk. The middle marker board has been removed to accommodate a monitor. Please ignore the art supplies hanging out in the back! For some reason we also have the pottery kiln in the library back there.

I'm very excited to have this opportunity to remodel and redesign our space a bit. I know that it won't all be brand new or 100% what we envision. But it's a start! I'm hoping to see circulation and library usage increase with the redesign of the space. Large grade-level groups utilized the library for presentations last year, and I'm hoping to draw more into the area this year with a more fun, funkier feel!

I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Professional Organization Site Hack by ISIS

Earlier this month, I was notified that the Arkansas Library Association's site was hacked. We knew that our stored information (work address, email address, etc.) was compromised. Our site administrator began to take every precaution he could to update the site. At the time, we did not know who was responsible for the hack, just that it had happened.

Earlier this week, our Executive Director was contacted by the FBI. Apparently there had been multiple hacks into small rural organizations by ISIS that appear to have no connection. The FBI does not seem to be too concerned but have said to keep an eye out on your accounts and change your password for the site. The site's URL has been relocated and updated. Every precaution has been taken to keep our members safe.

If you notice any suspicious activity, please contact Ron Russ and Lynda Hampel.

To read the Newsweek article, click here. 

Students' Right to Vote: Selecting an Award-winning Book

                                                       

Here in the state of Arkansas each year, students have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. During each school year a set of books that have been nominated for the Arkansas Diamond Children's Book Award and Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award are made available. These books have been selected by a committee through the Arkansas State Library. The criteria for voting is also set by the same organization: be a student in the state of Arkansas and read at least three books from the current list. Students are able to vote each spring. *I'm so glad the committee pushed the voting back last year until May (testing season ruined our voting the previous years.*

 

This year, during voting season in our library, I decided to add a little ~flare~ to our system. When adults vote, they receive a sticker to wear proudly proclaiming that they, as American citizens, have exercised their right to vote.

                                     

 I decided that we, as students in Arkansas, should have that same option! So, I created a simple sticker using an Avery Label template and some printable labels. I really wish I could have printed in color; however, printing 537 labels in color would have used quite a bit of toner. The kids seem to be just as happy with a plain Jane black and white sticker.


They have been so excited to proudly wear their sticker and tell everyone "I voted today"!

Our voting procedure for Arkansas Diamond:

1. We read books in the library, computer lab, and other classes.

Art class read The Blessing Cup and did a project with it. Computer lab read My Lucky Birthday and created invitations; they also read The Day the Crayons Quit and wrote letters to their favorite crayon. Some students even wrote to the crayons in the book to apologize for Duncan's behavior.

2. We vote using Popsicle sticks.

Each student is given a stick. They place their stick inside a cup that has been set in front of each book. I count the sticks each day and tally them at the end of the week.

3. Students get a sticker for voting!


Our voting procedure for Charlie May Simon (4-6 grades):

Students utilize a Google Form to vote.

I Guest Lectured a College Course....and Survived!

We all have our fortes in teaching. Some school library media specialists are fantastic story-tellers. Some are great at teaching research skills. Some are great at giving book talks and encouraging students to step out of their comfort reading zone (this is me). Some are great at teaching the tiny humans in kindergarten and first grade (not particularly me). Some are great with the sarcastic, somewhat strange middle school aged children (this is me).

A colleague of mine teaches an Intro to Education class at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB). One of her lecture periods was intended to be for "Grouping Strategies and Technology in the classroom". She asked if I would be interested in guest lecturing since I am a Library MEDIA Specialist. I agreed, all the while questioning my decision. Why in the world would these new teacher candidates want to hear ME speak about technology in the classroom and grouping strategies? It's a good thing I'd just attended the AAIM Conference!!!

I survived lecturing for over an hour on different websites that teachers can utilize for grouping, creating random name generators, and creating seating charts. I also included some really cool web tools that are just plain fun to utilize in the classroom.

Check out my presentation below.

Conference Planning

Well, this is the first time I have ever been in charge of something this big; and let me tell you, it hasn't been the easiest thing I've ever done.

BUT I am proud to announce that this year's annual Arkansas Library Association conference will be held in Little Rock at the Holiday Inn Airport Conference Center on July 21-22, 2016. I am excited to say that Nikki Robertson, co-founder of #tlchat on Twitter, will be one of our keynote speakers.

Dinner this year will take place on Thursday July 21st at the Little Rock Zoo and feature an animal Meet & Greet, Zookeeper Chat, and keynote presentation! I have also been working with the Hillary Clinton Children's Library on setting up a tour of their campus since it is right around the corner from the LR Zoo.

The conference will provide a possible 12 hours worth of professional development opportunities to attendees, not to mention the collaboration, networking, and sharing that goes on between sessions. Sessions and topics are still in the planning stage. So, if you have some fantastic ideas, lessons, activities, websites, or gadgets you would like to share with your colleagues, be sure to complete a Session Proposal Form. And, as always, we welcome and love vendors!

Can't wait to see you all this summer at conference!

#DLDay 2016

Digital Learning Day (#DLDay) is February 17, 2016. So, what is Digital Learning Day? Read the following exerpt from Digital Learning Day's Website to learn more...

What do we mean by digital learning? 

Digital learning is any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student’s learning experience. It emphasizes high-quality instruction and provides access to challenging content, feedback through formative assessment, opportunities for learning anytime and anywhere, and individualized instruction to ensure all students reach their full potential to succeed in college and a career.
Digital learning encompasses many different facets, tools, and applications to support and empower teachers and students, including online courses, blended or hybrid learning, or digital content and resources. Additionally, digital learning can be used for professional learning opportunities for teachers and to provide personalized learning experiences for students.
Digital learning advances school reform by increasing equity and access to educational opportunities, improving effectiveness and productivity of teachers and administrators, providing student-centered learning to ensure college and career readiness for all students, and recognizing teachers as education designers.

Why celebrate Digital Learning Day? 

With so many new types of digital devices, educational software and mobile apps continuously developed, it’s hard to keep up with the latest and greatest advancements in educational technology. In some classrooms and out-of-school programs across the country, educators are doing some pretty amazing things with technology. Yet, these pockets of innovation are confined to a small number of schools and communities. Digital Learning Day was started as a way to actively spread innovative practices and ensure that all youth have access to high-quality digital learning opportunities no matter where they live.
Started in 2012, Digital Learning Day has provided a powerful venue for education leaders to highlight great teaching practice and showcase innovative teachers, leaders, and instructional technology programs that are improving student outcomes. This grassroots effort blossomed into a massive nationwide celebration as teachers realized that Digital Learning Day is not about technology, it’s about learning. It’s not about laying off teachers for laptops, it’s about enhancing the role of the teacher in America’s classrooms. Digital Learning Day promotes the effective use of modern day tools afforded to every other industry to improve the learning experience in K-12 public schools.
- See more at: http://www.digitallearningday.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=71#sthash.c7ZFketm.dpuf

To celebrate here at West, I've created a video of some of the amazing things we have done in the Media Center and through collaboration with classroom teachers to create digital learners.

Enjoy!

Read Aloud with Arkansas Diamond

Each year, our kindergartners through third graders read books that have been nominated for the Arkansas Diamond Children's Book Award. It is inevitable that some students will miss hearing one or more of the books if they are absent. This year, I decided to create a playlist of the books so that students can go back and listen to those stories that they miss. This has also been helpful for students needing to reread a book before taking the AR quiz.



Our students are proficient at navigating to our school's website, particularly the Computer Lab and Media Center pages. We utilize that virtual space often to host our lessons and utilize our online subscriptions.

I've been adding books to the playlist as we read them in the library, computer lab, or art class! I'm happy to work in such a collaborative teaching community that assists me with the reading and voting process of the Arkansas Diamond Award.

I have been able to find some read alouds on YouTube; however, some have not been available, so I have created a video for those. My new document camera records (yay for new technology)!

You can also find the presentation for the Charlie May Simon nominees, as well as, my favorite books and other trailers by clicking on the link embedded in the above picture!