Visuwords--A Cool Tool for Word Nerds

I found this site just way too much fun. It appeals to those people who are in love with words, by making the dictionary and the thesaurus into a visual, interactive toy. You know who you are--the ones who people call a walking, talking thesaurus, the ones who read dictionaries (and etymologies!) for fun, the ones who love to play with words.

Here is an example of the view for "school." In the actual site, you can hover over a word in the illustration, and it will provide you with a definition and loads of information. The site automatically loads on library, with the link I've made above.

Enjoy.

Appreciating the "Wonder"-Full

As civilization advances, the sense of wonder declines. Such decline is an alarming symptom of our state of mind. Mankind will not perish for want of information; but only for want of appreciation. The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not worth living. What we lack is not a will to believe but a will to wonder.

( Abraham Joshua Heschel)

The life work of most teachers and librarians I know is to instill in children that appreciation of wonder.

The Politics of Principle

“No one should seek to impose his or her religious convictions on society, but we should seek to bring the insights of our respective faiths to the public conversation about the principles for which we stand and the values we share. That would involve, for the religious groups within society, a shift from the politics of interests to the politics of principle. It is when our horizons extend beyond our own faith communities that our separate journeys converge and we become joint builders of amore gracious world.” (124)

--from To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility, by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

I find this concept particularly important right now, given what is happening in the United States. I care deeply--both as a citizen and as a teacher--about how our country behaves and about how our leaders (and prospective leaders) behave. And I find myself longing for a dialogue of candidates exploring the politics of principle. I want to know how we can all work together, how we can build a community and a world that is founded on respect, where people listen to each other and explore their commonalities.

I think I need to stop watching television. The commercials for the upcoming elections are making me despair that we will never find the ability to have a civil conversation with those with whom we disagree. Instead, people shout, lie, and throw mud. Different is somehow evil. I wish we could all step back, take a deep breath, and say, "Let's be reasonable with each other. Let's celebrate what we share and present where we differ in a calm and reasonable fashion."

I am, at heart, an optimist. That is why I teach. I work to imbue students with these views.

Thoughts on the First Day of School

“We cannot change the world altogether in one go, but we can have an effect, one act at a time, one day at a time, one person at a time. That is what it is, intimates Maimonides, to be awake: to know that our acts make a difference, sometimes all the difference in the world.”

(from To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility, by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, p.233)

The faces are engaged, enthusiastic, excited--whether on the children, parents, or teachers. Being a teacher, an educator, a parent, requires of us the belief that Sacks so eloquently states--that not only can each of us have an impact on another, but we cannot help but to have an effect. To that end, may we keep the hopes, dreams, and enthusiasms of this first day in our hearts to feed our needs as the year progresses.

And may we never forget that "our acts make a difference, sometimes all the difference in the world."

Justice versus Law

As I noted in my last entry, I am currently working through my responses to the book, "To Heal a Fractured World" by Rabbi Sacks. Here is the next quotation I wanted to explore.

“Justice in the Hebrew Bible is thus more than a matter of law. It restores a broken order. By suffering the wrong he inflicted on others, the wrongdoer comes to feel remorse. He or she repairs the damage they have done. Exile ends in homecoming, and something of the lost harmony of the world is restored. Jewish mysticism thus shares with the non-mystical side of Judaism a fundamental vision of order disrupted and repaired.” (77)

This idea of justice is perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of Judaism to me. It isn't enough to say who is right or who is wrong: rather, to achieve true justice, the communal order must be re-established. The people who do wrong cannot just apologise, repent, or serve a prison sentence--they must do everything in their power to mend what they broke. By doing so, they repair the world they disrupted, both by fixing what was damaged and thus thereby reintegrating themselves into the community.

Justice here becomes not just for the victim, but for the villain. The community becomes whole. It is practical, pragmatic, and healing. It is completely focused on THIS world, and the actions are wholly (holy?) dependent on HUMAN, not divine action.



What could be more just and beautiful than that?


At our school, we try to implement this concept of justice with our students and their interactions with each other and the staff. Sometimes it works, often it is difficult and frustrating. Yet I can think of no goal that could be higher and more worthy of us as adults and teachers than to impart such a value and concept of justice.

Deep Thoughts for Summer

I recently finished reading a book that made me slow down and think--always an intriguing thing. The book is "To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility," by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who is Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His web site is http://www.chiefrabbi.org/

I read this book with post-it notes, just like I read back in my somewhat remote academic days. I typed out favorite quotations. Then I decided I need to write about why this book makes sense to me, and how I see what he has written. He writes for all sorts of readers, not just Jewish ones, and his thoughts are profound.

So my goal is to write about some of the quotations until I feel talked out about it. So here goes.

“Biblical faith is not a conservative force. It does not conceal the scars of the human condition under the robes of sanctity and inevitability. There may be—there is—divine justice in or beyond history, but God does not ask us to live by the standards of divine justice for if we could understand divine justice we would no longer be human. We are God’s children, not God. By teaching Abraham how to be a child, challenging, questioning, defending even the wicked in the name of human solidarity, God was instructing him in what it is to be human, keeping ‘the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.’” (26)

This passage resonated for me, as a parent, a teacher, and a human being. Sometimes I have to remember that I can only do what is humanly possible, but that I have a responsibility to do exactly that as well--if something IS humanly possible, and needs to be done, then I have a responsibility to try. I may not succeed, but I should at least try. I also share the view that faith is not conservative. I work as a librarian at a Jewish Day School, and I see the reality of this both in my work community and in my synagogue. I have a duty to challenge what I believe is wrong, and I should work to change it.

Right now my community/synagogue is involved in trying to work for the rights of people our government has chosen to label "illegal aliens." I find it amazing how hypocritical our citizens can be, since none of us (excluding Native Americans) would be here if it weren't for our ancestors arriving from someplace else. Who knows how "legally" they entered this country? Most were doing exactly what these people are doing--looking for a better future, for themselves and their children. Yet somehow, this goal has become worthy of criminal prosecution.

So anyway, I find that this book makes me think about how such endeavors are completely appropriate, and completely within the scope of "Biblical faith." The Bible directs us to remember that we should treat all people fairly because we too were once strangers in another land.

Summertime Travels

British Columbia Vacation 2008,
originally uploaded by librarylady90.

I have had the fortunate experience of traveling some this summer. The photo mosaic here is a collection of my pictures from the first part of my first trip (yes, it is confusing). I had the pleasure of visiting British Columbia for the first time, before the rocks fell and blocked the road to Whistler. This mosaic collects pictures from Shannon Falls and Whistler Mountain, one of the skiing venues for the 2010 Olympics.

Traveling is a good way to gain perspective on life, and mountains are a terrific means to connecting to oneself. In the wind, and the cold, and the vastness, one can only feel the interconnectedness of all.

Wordle art

Yes, it's true. Wordle borders on the addictive. I've posted wordle art based on my delicious bookmarks to the right, and I think it looks great. Could be a creative writing assignment in this--William Carlos Williams as art, perhaps.

The End of School is Coming!

Today I had my last meeting with a group of kids I do enrichment activities with. They were such a pleasure to teach. At the end, they asked if they can meet with me next year. And I didn't know what to say. My time is being cut, down to 50%, and I doubt that having me do enrichment is part of what I will be doing if I only have half time to run a school library. But I told them I would see what we could do. I hope it happens.

On the other hand, I am enjoying the enthusiasm all the children in the building are showing for the nearness of summer. They are like little (0r not so little) animals cooped up, needing to be set free to run and play in the outdoors. I am looking forward to our last day, field day, when we get to do exactly that--run and play outside.

I'm tired, and ready for a break, but I wish I could have just a little more time to put everything in order before hand. Still, maybe it is impossible to have everything organized.

Here's to a summer full of good books, cold ice tea, bright sunshine, cool breezes, and pleasant walks with family and friends.

Natural Pleasures

Yesterday, a friend and I walked around Como Lake here in St. Paul, Minnesota. We saw a Great Blue Heron, a common egret, a number of geese and ducks, and also a mama duck with 5 little feather balls of ducklings.

Then, later in the day, while sitting on my back porch, I watched an oriole moving around my yard and then got "buzzed" by a hummingbird checking out the geranium on the porch.

Today I got to go with about 70 K through 4th graders to a park for lunch and games.

It's fun to watch the wild things in their environment!

Enjoying and exploring

I found this cartoon at the blog, LibraryBytes. Somehow, I couldn't resist including it here.

So I have further used my 23 things: I have chatted via Facebook with my son in Greece (soon to be home in Minnesota for 2 weeks!), I have found lesson plans on water usage and the Jordan River in Israel, and I have become wicked good at bilging on Puzzle Pirates. (Okay, maybe a little TOO good at Puzzle Pirates...)

Seriously though, I have gotten more comfortable and more efficient at finding materials than I was before, and I was pretty good to start with. This past week I even found a bilingual (Hebrew-English) picture book about desert animals in the Negev for a first grade unit on, wait for it, desert animals in the Negev. And it's even adorable.

Well, enough self-praise. But I wouldn't have been quite so successful at this without the 23 things on a stick. So now I almost have time to play Puzzle Pirates again!

May Day Madness

Spring is exploding all around me, and I am sitting at my computer. The only thing that makes it even half-way okay is knowing that today I get to read to preschoolers, do recess duty, and pick up my plants from the school plant sale.

But even though I usually don't like spring (damp, etc.), I love the quality of the sunshine and the energy with which people respond to the world outside.

Here's one of my favorite poems about spring:


in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
whistles far and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's spring
and the goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee

ee cummings


I hope everyone gets to enjoy some sunshine, and sprinkles, and mud...

Wishful Thinking

I find myself wishing that with spring arriving, all would blossom and renew itself, so that all the good things in the world could continue in strength and health. But instead I find myself thinking that wishes alone cannot come true. That I need to work harder, try harder, dream harder, to make the good survive.

I am sure part of my pensiveness is learning that my position is being decreased in percentage time for next school year. I had so many plans and dreams for my students next year, but I will only be able to what I can in a 50% position.

I am grateful that I am not so dependent on my job for its income--that could have been disasterous. But I worry that all the progress I have made in educating students and expanding their minds will fall by the wayside.

So here's to dreams and to work--may they both be enough to increase enrollment so that I can be working more time!

When things go right

Sometimes, I remember why I like with working with children. I work with 3 second-graders as part of their enrichment. We are working in the Jr. Great Books curriculum in the library 2 days a week. Last week we were reading "The Fisherman and his Wife," a typical cautionary tale that warns what can happen if you wish for too much. To prepare for the story, the program suggests that you ask students a number of questions. I loved the answers and rationales I got.

When asked if they would wish for toys, clothes, or games, one child said, "No, I have enough of those." When asked if they would wish again for a million dollars, one was leaning toward "no" when another child said, "Well, I said yes so that I could give it to charity." The first one then said, "Oh, if I can give it to charity, I'll ask for the million dollars too."

Some days, the values we try to teach seem to reach them. On those days, it is easy to love being a teacher.

Life Beyond 23 Things

Today I am trying to figure out just what kind of blog I could create that would be appropriate for my school library. Right now, my best guess is a sort of book review blog; then, if I listed the address with my professional email, I would feel that it would be not only appropriate but useful. I'm not sure that the sort of exploring and play that I have done in this blog would work for a school librarian "official" site.

Anybody out there have any thoughts on the issue? I will post this to the 23 things NING too, so that I can get some advice.

Tired and Musing

Today I am wishing I could spend time looking at fun and interesting things to do with my Library 2.0 skill that I learned. But instead I need to shelve books, process books, and go to meetings. On the plus side, I got to see my son's photos from Pompeii. On the down side, it makes me feel more trapped in Minnesota, the land where winter is seeming to never end.

Sigh... Maybe next week will bring greater optimism.

To Infinity and Beyond

Today I read my feeds on Google Reader, checked my Yahoo account, and checked my Facebook account. I got to see new photos that my son posted from his spring break in Italy (he's studying in Greece this semester), which I wouldn't have known about except for the fact that he posts them on Facebook. I was able to do some quick searching to find an interesting interactive map for our 6th grade teachers, and helped a teacher find some beginning materials for the Junior Great Books program. All in all, a highly successful post 23 things day.

Now if only I could convince the powers that be that staff should all get a naptime...

Thing 23 -- Evaluation

Doing this program has made me much more comfortable navigating some aspects of the web. I no longer assume that my students or children know more about things that I do. In fact, now I can see how much more I do understand than they do. That makes me aware too, though, of how much more I need to teach them. They may be digital natives, but sometimes those of us who are immigrants understand the nuances of language better.

My only disappointment in this program was how little other people seemed to comment on each other's blogs. I only received occasional (2 or 3) comments from people who weren't my friends who were reading my blog in that light. I tried to go out and comment on other people's work, and will continue to do so. I would have benefited from, and greatly enjoyed, more commentary from my professional peers. Perhaps you could try to sort people into groups--school librarians, public librarians, etc.--as a way to create a focus for people to "meet" electronically.

I have enjoyed so much about this program it's hard to be very specific. I found much of it directly linked to teaching that I have been doing or am now planning to do. But for sheer fun, I loved the photo sites like Flickr and Big Huge Labs, and I annoyed my family for several days after playing at being a pirate in Puzzle Pirates. What I have learned is already enabling me to help fellow teachers as well as students, and we are building many of these skills into our curriculum maps for the future.

I do hope to repurpose this blog--or create a new incarnation with a new name. I will certainly post it here if I do so.

It has been a pleasure, and I appreciate having the opportunity to participate in this program.

Thing 22 – Planning Ahead

I find that I will miss the demand of 23 things. It’s easier for me to meet a challenging deadline than it is to make time for things I want to do. But I am glad that I am being asked to create a plan—I do have the capacity to create a plan and stick to it. (Sometimes, anyway…)

So here goes—

1. I have signed up for Web Junction and subscribed to the Crossroads newsletter. That will get me to look in at specific times.
2. I am already enjoying getting emails from the Ning sessions that I commented on. I plan to stop there when I have an occasional question or to see what people are talking about.
3. I have made “iGoogle” my home page, so that I check the feeds I subscribe to on a daily basis (at least). I also can check my Yahoo mail there with a widget and I subscribed to technology and education news sites so that I frequent updates.
4. I will be using many of the early tools on a regular basis. I have already used Flickr and Big Huge Labs for signs, I will be using them for a student project soon, and I will be exploring podcasts in the not too distant future. We will also be considering having our students use Blogger to correspond with our partner school in Israel, since Blogger is Hebrew capable. How cool is that?
5. Given that I am a former writing teacher, I think I will be able to make time for blogging. My only fear is that no one will read what I write. (That is what Site Meter has suggested lately.) Still, that never stopped me before. I may, however rename it or create a new one. If I do, I will put the link into my 23 things blog.
6. I will share with my fellow teachers. One of the best ways that I have discovered to sharpen and to retain my skills in any given area is to share what I have learned. I plan to offer opportunities for the teachers at my school to learn some of what I have learned during this course. They may not be sure at first, but…
7. I plan to teach students how to use some of the tools we have been exploring. I especially want to show them Google Docs and the power of Wikis, the value of using a Research project calculator, and the wisdom of using something like ELM.

I have benefited greatly from the experience of doing these things. I look forward to looking forward to Library 2.0 and counting!

Thing 21 -- Other Social Networking

After reading the articles that you listed, I found myself somewhat curious about how I could use these social networks. I don’t live on line at home, and wouldn’t really want my elementary and middle school students contacting me that way anyhow. (Not that they would want to talk to the librarian outside of school—EWWW!) Anyway, I joined Ning for the 23 Things on a stick Group and the Teacher Librarian Ning. It was pretty interesting to look at and comment on some of the forum issues being discussed. The Teacher Librarian Ning had a forum on blogs, which I both subscribed to and added my own for some more traffic (I hope!).

I think the forum questions and responses might be useful to look at occasionally or to post to if I run into a professional question. But I find the feeds more useful because I can glance through those more easily in the morning when I get to work.

Again, given that I don’t live on line at home, I probably wouldn’t spend quite so much time looking at all this material if it weren’t for doing this program. But I am glad to get the exposure and to know that the opportunity is out there for when the time is available.

I will say that I found these options more useful for what I do and plan to do than Facebook. Being on Facebook simply makes me feel old. Sigh.

Thing 20 -- Social Networking

Whew! I never knew just how big a deal this whole issue is until I (perhaps naively) invited my 14 year old son to be my Facebook friend. He just said, "Mom, all my friends would see. I'm not really comfortable with that." After spending several days as the only person in the world with NO Facebook friends, I invited my 20 year old son who took pity on me. Ah, it sure makes me feel like I'm in the ostracizing land of middle or high school again.

I can, though, understand the appeal, given how my sons use this site. I have been able to view my older son's photos while he is studying abroad, my younger son has stayed in touch with former school mates, and they each use it to connect with friends near and far. When I think about how I fell out of touch with classmates in the various years of education I have gone through, I am glad that this newer generation at least has an easier technology to help them keep in touch, if they choose to.

I joined 2 groups, "Librarians and Web 2.0" and "Librarians and Facebook." I did like a video that I found on the first, which I posted below.

So, please "friend" me so that I don't feel like that sad 13 year old that lives inside all of us!

My Facebook status is:


Lydia Schultz
is learning how to be a true library geek.

Web Tools and Teaching

I found this video posted on the facebook page of the "Librarians and Web 2.0" group. I thought it was interesting and worth sharing further. I have mixed feelings about teaching students only how to do things that are interesting or fun or comfortable. However, I also have issues with doing ONLY things that they find boring or hard or difficult. As a school librarian and teacher, I find that I have to work to find an appropriate balance to make work interesting and challenging without making it only fun or too difficult.

Thing 19 -- Podcasts

I listened to a podcast from MN Public Radio called the "Grammar Grater" since I am a card-carrying member of the Grammar Police. I think that site was the easiest to find a podcast I wanted, given it was clearly organized. I enjoyed the podcast and have subscribed to it. I've included a link here as well. (The title is a hot link.)

I hope to figure out podcasting to do as well. My school has already occasionally posted mp3 recordings, so I think we can do one more formally as well. My teacher-partner and I are going to work on learning this, so if we figure it out, I'll post our effort here.

Thing 17 -- ELM

I was a bit frustrated because I did manage to find the feed information on the ELM site as instructed, but my Google Reader account wouldn't accept the URL as a paste. Still, I find the site useful and as a small private school that can't afford to subscribe to data bases, this access provided by our state government is fabulous.

Thing 18 -- You Tube

A teacher at my school discovered this song explanation to help her math students learn the differences between mean, median, and mode. It was frighteningly effective. I heard fifth graders walking around singing it for days after she showed it to them. It really makes clear what sort of learners our students are!

I guess that experience made clear that You Tube could be helpful. I just find that as a teacher I have to moderate between the students and the site, since there is also much that I would prefer they didn't find.

Thing 16 -- Student 2.0 Tools

I foudn both of these sites marvelous. In my previous life as a college English teacher, I had to break down my writing assignments for my students much as the one from the U of Minnesota does. But how wonderful that someone else can walk them through both the timing and the reading of the assignment!

The Research Project Calculator is also a wonderful tool. The teacher materials are quite helpful and the activities suggested for students are also great. (My tech teacher partner and I are planning to use the one for evaluating web sites today with our 5th graders!) The calculator can help both teacher and student navigate how much time the various parts of the project should take, and that allows students to make good use of their planners (which the school requires) and helps them break up the tasks appropriately.

All in all, a great tool. While time management is one of my strong skills, I plan to pass this tool on to my 9th grade son to help him sort out his assignments.

Thing 15 -- On-Line Gaming

I experimented with Puzzle Pirates. I learned both to bilge and to carpent. I think the games are very appropriate for students in the upper part of my school (5 through 8), but I probably didn't play long enough to get a sense of how the interactions would go. I only interacted with the captains of each ship, and while entertaining, I found that I would forget to respond. I'm more accustomed to participating in games that involve my reading and solving puzzles, but not me interacting with other characters. I could see that this could be fun if people signed up with friends, so that you were interacting together.

Still, I'm not sure how much of a role this can play in school. Any games that are out on the Internet inherently are harder to control, and that makes it harder for parents and teachers to know how appropriate they are.

Nevertheless, I say, "Arggh! The Pirate Shalera bids thee fare well!"

Thing 14 -- LibraryThing

I really like LibraryThing, at least at its most simple. I could see having a library blog with reviews, both of my own and of the ones on the site, which would allow students to see more information than they might otherwise. It could very easily be a way to construct some recommendations for summer reading, or for teachers to collect information on possible books for their students.

Personally, I want to go home and catalogue my own collection. My husband has been bugging me to do this for insurance purposes (I have a Ph.D. in English, need I say more?), so this seems the best tool out there.

It has been fun to play with LibraryThing, and I put two of its widgets on my blog already.

Thing 13

I chose to set up a home page with iGoogle because I had chosen Google Reader earlier for my Rss feed. I also found that it would let me put my yahoo email account on the page, so that made it easier. Unfortunately, I can’t connect to my Outlook calendar because that is protected from my school. I also can’t figure out if I can link my other email account to the site, so I will still have to visit it independently. Since I was able to link to the news through the NYTimes at iGoogle, I have just made it my home page. I condensed four tabs I usually open in the morning to just 2, so I guess that is something of a timesaver.

I don’t think I will use the calendar element much, although if I wasn’t committed to using Outlook at work, I might. I liked that I could link “Don’t forget the Milk” to the iGoogle calendar.

Many of the other items just seem like too much hassle for my everyday life. I can’t really see much use for any of this at my school library either. I think some of the other tools we have been exposed to—Google Docs or PBWiki—are much more useful for my applications.

I did, however, make a customized “gadget” for my remaining 23 Things on my iGoogle page. It was less able to do what I wanted though. I was hoping for hot links to the remaining tasks so that I could just click and work! You can see it on my iGoogle page--There's a link on the title.

Thing 12 -- Digg

I used Digg, because it was the one that seemed easiest to try after the introduction. I did find the attempt at contemporary slang somewhat annoying. And, sorry, I will always find the expression "to pimp" anything to be offensive, given its historical meaning. I can't get past that one.

I can imagine that I could use this site to condense material or collect material if I were working with current events or trying to research a particular event on-line. However, I don’t think it will really be too helpful at my school library. I have bookmarked a variety of sites that I look at when I have time. I don’t really think this would be something I would do on a regular basis.

Still, it might be an interesting way to assemble articles on a particular topic to ascertain whether or not bias is apparent and how point of view influences media stories.

Curriculum Planning and 23 Things

While I am still firmly in the middle of my learning from 23 Things on a stick, I am finding that this progam is helping spur my thinking in how to improve the curriculum for library and technology at my school. Our students (K through 8) need to know these skills to succeed in the world that awaits them.

My technology colleague and I have already thought of many ways to use what I have learned so far.

For example:
* blog in Hebrew with their Israeli partners (Blogger is Hebrew-enabled)
* podcast songs and other materials to help students learn
* compare and teach how to use bookmarks on the desktop vs. del.icio.us
* use wikis or Google Docs for collaborative work

This program has done a great deal to help us think of interesting and fun things to do to bring our classrooms into the 21st century. Thanks for providing me with this opportunity.

Thing 11--Social Bookmarking

I have recommended this process to colleagues before I used it myself. Now I find it especially helpful. We are going to start teaching the idea to our 7th and 8th graders as a way for them to understand the difference between “desktop” bookmarks and “on-line” bookmarks, and to encourage them to use the web based ones.

I haven’t really thought about using these sites for the library itself. I think it might be very useful for our staff and faculty to use a shared site as a way to make available all of the curriculum resources we have found. Maybe if we were a high school or adult library, these sites would make more sense insofar as it could preempt some questions for the reference people.

Thing 10--Wikis

I think wikis will prove a fabulous way to work collaboratively. I like that the changes appear seamlessly. My only issue is that a later writer might not know some of the intermediary steps that happened. I realize that a person can go to the archived versions, but sometimes it’s hard to return to a better phrasing or undo a worse one.

I think that reviews could be an interesting way to use wikis with older students, but I almost think a blog would be better. Because we are in the process of “teaching” students how to be respectful of other opinions and how to use appropriate language when reviewing materials, an intermediary might be important. But for a true collaboration among peers, a wiki could be heavenly.

Wikipedia is a tricky issue for me. I explain to students how it works, and I encourage them to use it only as a preliminary, deep background source. But given the research done on this issue, it has become clear that Wikipedia is about as accurate (and inaccurate) as any other encyclopedia out there.

I edited the 23 things on a stick wiki, in the messed up classics section. But I felt sad about doing it—I liked the messed up versions better!

Daniel's Greece Photos

To those of my friends and colleagues (and anyone from the 23 things too), my son Daniel is spending the semester in Greece. I thought I would share some of his photographs using the tools I am learning.

Thing 9—On-Line Collaboration Tools

I found using Google Docs much easier, probably in part because it actually let me edit and comment on the text. I couldn’t figure out how to make Zoho let me do that, even with the link and with an account. Google Docs just seemed more intuitive to me, probably because it worked more like Word.

As for what the founding fathers would think—

I think that Jefferson would have whole-heartedly embraced the change that has come along in technology. Everything he did in his home and in his professional life indicates that he would love this ability to see and edit material in this fashion. Just think, the whole Continental Congress could have been a webinar or a virtual conference, with no one needing to travel. Think what we might have lost from the correspondence between John Adams and Abigail Adams, though. Their marriage might have been happier, but their legacy from their letters would have been less wonderful.

Thing 8 Overview

It’s wonderful that we can now use on-line resource for drafting a presentation like a PowerPoint, or using one for allowing drafting that can be opened through web browsers, or even the slide shows and photo tools. These tools will increase the ease with which students can collaborate with one another without worrying that they are using the same versions of programs, or that the system will somehow fall apart when they are trying to do a presentation.

I found Picture trail, Google doc, Thumbstacks all easy to use. I will try to do more personally with eFolio, but I didn’t have most of my information handy when I was working on it.

What I am curious about is how easy it would be to incorporate the html from one of these sites into my section of my school web page. Something for a time I have that mythical free time…

Thing 8 Slideshow

I think I successfully posted a slide show of photos from last summer from my backyard and the north shore of Minnesota.

Thing 8

I tried to do a preliminary presentation in Thumbstacks. I think the connection worked. You need to click on the title (Thing 8) and a new window should pop open. I like the idea that one can compose on any computer and access it on any computer with an Internet connection. That could make things so much easier for students who always have issues with compatibility between school and home.

Thing 7

Thing 7—Communication

I work in a small, k-8 school library which also has a specialized library for adults. (It’s a Jewish day school, so we have an adult Judaica section.) Email has not really been used by students, but I do respond to occasional adult requests by email. However, email is critical for my work with my teacher colleagues. It is the fastest and easiest way to make sure someone sees an idea or request without interrupting a class. (Voice mail seems like a parent thing at school, not a colleague thing.)

Right now, I can’t see the Web 2.0 tools being very useful to the students. Our catalogue, while computerized, is not easily accessible by anyone other than me. Our books are not bar coded. I still read Kindergarten handwriting on little cards from book pockets. We hope to upgrade (eventually), but as small private school, costs are somewhat prohibitive.

On the other hand, I found it wonderful to discover the Minitex web conferences. While I couldn’t do a live one, I watched the webinar on del.icio.us and it was wonderful. I immediately went and set up my account and have told a number of teachers about it. I also think that some of these videos we have been directed to would be useful for our upper-school students as part of our technology training.

I haven’t yet tried to use chat, although I am corralling some of my friends into trying it with me. But I steadfastly refuse to do text messaging. My spouse has a Blackberry, and let’s just say it’s a topic I am becoming increasingly homicidal about. ;-)

Thing 6

I found this feature easy to use. I also see a number of applications for signs or promotional materials. I really liked the trading card feature and already talked to our technology teacher about using it with a class doing biographies of Revolutionary war figures--a fun way to share their learning and to learn how to pick and choose important details. I do think, though, I am going to need a strong link list in my favorites to keep track of all the various websites that we are using and perusing as part of this program.

Thing 6 -- School Librarian Trading Card

School Librarian,
originally uploaded by librarylady90.

I had fun playing with creating a Library Trading Card. Since I have studiously avoided having my picture taken--at least at school--I used a cropped version of my avatar to make the card. I like that it is somewhat more "generic."

Thing 5 -- Retrivr Mashup

0119_NNN,
originally uploaded by Yoshihiro.

This photo is by Yoshihiro. I tried to draw a tree and I really liked this image that it gave me. This time the feature worked. Last time it didn't. But I can see that it could be a great deal of fun. It could also help me (or colleagues or students) to find a photo that might represent what they are less able to take or create on our own.

Thing 5 -- Flickr Spelling

Well, with perserverance and some help, I managed to spell out a sign and then paste it into paint and then save it as a jpeg, all so that I could upload it into my blog. (see top of screen). I like the sign, but it was a lot more work than I expected. Still, I suspect it would be easier a "next time" if I try again.

Thing 5 -- Frustration

I have spent a large chunk of time this morning trying to figure out the topics in Thing 5, but nothing I tried worked. I am usually capable of following directions. This morning, though, links didn't work, there were no directions on a site, and nothing did what it was supposed to do. On the other hand, I was able to see photos that my son posted to his facebook account (courtesy of his younger brother's account), so I am feeling at least somewhat competent. I also was able to use Flickr to find photos from his neighborhood in Athens, BEFORE he posted his own photos. That was truly exciting. But I am frustrated about not making any progress on Thing 5. Ah well--it isn't really learning if everything goes smoothly....

Thing 4 -- Story Area

library photos 002,
originally uploaded by librarylady90.

My school library was recreated this past year, and I absolutely love the new space. The bench in this area has shelving on the back, and I love the sun and wood. I'm really enjoying the time I spend at work! I am finding that using Flickr has its moments, and I could see it really helping older students with group projects. I think, though, it has more value to me as an individual, than as a pedagogical tool.

Thing 4 -- My Hometown

New Kensington Pennsylvania by Joseph Nicholson

I looked for images from my hometown, and found a wonderful photo collection on Flickr. My hometown is an old rust belt town that has become, as the photographer calls it, a ghost town. The images are haunting. I can't link to the particular photo, but I am including a link to the set of pictures of the town. The link is ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/joeinfulleffect/sets/72157600225626992/

It's a sad, but moving testimonial to the impact of an industry leaving a one-industry town.

But, lest you think that the area is only sad, I've attached a photo of one of the near-by state parks, called Kooser State Park. My family spent a great deal of time camping in my childhood, and we spent many weekends at this park. The photo is by 1CraftyLady.

Thing 3--RSS Feeds

I am glad that I waited several days before I responded to using RSS, because I find that my reaction has changed. The process of working my way through setting up the reader and figuring out how to include blogs and feeds in the reader, and then trying to post some of them as listings on my own blog proved confusing and difficult. But now that I have waited, I have become more of a believer.

I now have figured out how to list Google reader as one of my shortcuts, and then I can just pop in and read anything new that looks interesting. This morning, I found my son's new posting from Greece (how much travel is he planning while he is there?!), some new 23 things listings in blogs, and an item in the School Library Media that related to curriculum at MY school that I could pass along to the appropriate teachers. And all of this before my first cup of tea at work!

I think that as I know what teachers are planning in their curriculum, I can pick up feeds on appropriate sites to help them find more material. Or, perhaps even better, I can teach THEM how to set up their own feeds so that they can be kept up to date on the material that they are trying to work with in their classes. We are a small school, and collaboration is very much a reality, so I think this idea could be very beneficial.

I am not sure any of the tools or feeds are particularly easy to use, but I did eventually figure them out. I am currently sticking with Google Reader, because that was the one I had the most material in by the time I worked out what I was doing.

The feeds I have found outside of the places the program suggested tend to be related to the specialized needs of my school (or its librarian!): one on Jewish Day Schools and my son's blog from Greece. I am glad that we are able to see each other's blogs--it helps me know where I am in the process. I have listed most of my finds in the folder called 23 Things to the right.

Thing 2 -- More on Library 2.0

I found Stephen Abram's video interesting. Perhaps I am just someone who always likes a challenge, but why would anyone be hesitant to embark on learning this material? I do have concerns--as a former writing teacher and as someone who cares about copyrights--about how people use another person's material, but I think that we need, as the video suggests, to learn by doing. I like the thought of meeting my students where they are, and I confess to finding personal satisfaction in impressing my 14 year old and my 20 year old by having a blog before them. (I did, however, only beat my 20 yr. old by a day or two. He is blogging during his semester in Athens, as the link soon to be posted beside here, indicates.)

The article "The Ongoing Web Revolution raises some of the concerns I have. I like, though, the idea that "trust drives change." As many people have noted, the web is currently like the wild west, with not much in the way of regulation or control. But as time passes, users or netizens will begin to police their own ranks, much as that wild west town chose a sheriff.

I just remembered where I found my analogy above--the UN Guide to the Internet for teens. It's fairly basic and focuses on social networking, but teachers out there might find it useful for the middle school aged student.

Thing 2 -- Responding to learning about Library 2.0

I’ve embarked on this journey of learning about “Library 2.0” via the 23 Things program for a number of reasons.

The Background
I am currently the sole librarian (at 72% time) at a private K to 8 school. Our library is unique insofar it also contains a rather substantial specialized adult collection that is used by our religious community as well as parents and teachers at our school. I am not, by training, a librarian—I have a doctorate in English. The school recently remodeled the library and computer lab to create a “Knowledge Center.” Since the Technology Specialist and I like to work together and to collaborate, the change is welcomed. As part of the process, the whole Knowledge Center is wireless-capable. Our goal as teachers is to make using technology a comfortable, yet safe way to find information while also making clear when books and other reference material might be more appropriate. I also hope to find ways to make our materials (and our skills at finding materials) available to the larger community. As of yet, our catalogue is not on-line.

Goals
I want to become more comfortable with various aspects of how various types of information technology works so that I can be more knowledgeable when dealing with students and their families. Often, students THINK they understand something, when in fact they only have a cursory knowledge. My colleague and I have surveyed students in the upper grades and have discovered that while they are comfortable using GOOGLE, they have no idea how to focus searches, how to evaluate sites, or how to navigate the sites once they find them. Yet students are far more fearless than most of my coworkers in trying the various options that technology offers. Young students are enjoying Club Penguin and Webkins, older students have Facebook accounts and IM, and a few have even experimented with web cams and their own websites. If I don’t become more familiar with the technology my students already use, I run the risk of not truly being able to help them when they need help.

I would like to be able to create a virtual community for our parents and teachers. Families and teachers often have such busy schedules that it is difficult to connect in thoughtful and meaningful ways. If we embrace the technologies that make these virtual connections possible, we might be able to strengthen our community at large.

I hope to continue learning about the ins and outs of research and possibility on the Internet. While I worked on my dissertation (back in the dark ages of the early 1990s), the Internet proved invaluable for me, since my topic was somewhat obscure. I gained a fair amount of confidence in navigating the materials that were then available. Clearly, if I were embarking on the same projects now, I would find vastly more information available. The trick is to keep aware of how to tell the useful from the junk.

Comments on Byberg’s article
Some of the material in this article seems more relevant to public libraries. Yet the uniqueness of my school library also being a community resource makes some of the observations relevant for me as well. I think the very nature of a school library makes it a place of collaboration and interaction. Because the Technology Specialist and I have team-taught the older students, the students have come to see technology and libraries as belonging together. Perhaps in the end, that is the comfortable goal. Now we just have to convince everyone else.

Thing 1 -- Avatar and Photo

It was fun to create the avatar but the choices for us more "mature" types are somewhat limited. I suppose I could have given in to my inner teenager, but no one really wants to see that. Uploading a photo was pretty easy too. Next time I have a chance I will try to add the site meter. So far, so good.

Thing 1--Learning the E-Way

Well, I have moved further down the road of learning by setting up this blog. I hope to use this space to explore the interconnections between my work as a K through 8 school librarian and my own learning in the realm of electronic media.

While I have always considered myself reasonably "tech-literate," the experience of setting up this blog has helped me find compassion and empathy with my students who get confused when they are given a task like scanning a web page or setting up an essay template. It's always good to remember to be humble.