What Student News Has Taught Me and My Students.

This past month, I have started working on daily video announcements. These video announcements begin as a script typed in Google Docs. The script is printed and two 5th grade students practice for a couple minutes before they are recorded using an iPad Air 2. The video is then edited and additional videos are added in iMovie on the iPad Air. This project has been a learning experience for my students and for me.

I began this project by working with each 5th grade class on how to collect the information for the script. Students learned where to find the weather forecast, school lunch menu, and Monticello sports schedule. The students then got into pairs and practiced by using these tools to create a mock script. The students created these scripts on paper, but the actual scripts are recorded in Google Docs.

After each class created their practice scripts, students were chosen based on their effort to write out the script or record the video. A schedule was also created of when each pair of students would do each job. This was another learning opportunity for students. As pairs they began to learn how to log in to Google Docs and edit the script for the next recording. Some students quickly logged in and got to work. Others had some technical difficulties. Over this process, I have realized that it is important to get the typers set up sooner and with more guidance.

As we began recording the videos, we noticed that some students were a little more enthusiastic and artistic (you know the ones born to be goofy actors/actresses) while others were a little more hesitant.
This is one of the more interesting recordings:

We started out with sound issues. The iPad Air took great video, but some students were really quiet and the sound effects that were later added were almost deafening in comparison. We tried a couple microphones, but have ended up using an iPhone 6 to record the sound and adding it in later. I also learned how to adjust the sound in iMovie so that sound effects aren't as loud. The students also began to realize that they needed to speak more loudly and not read off their scripts by simply watching the way the students before them handled the announcements.

As we continue learning how to create quality student announcements, I am hoping to move into having students do some editing. I would like to see these kiddos take as much ownership of this project as possible. I believe that one of the best parts of a Media Program is empowering children,

Library Catalog 2.0

Many people know that the library catalog is what is used to keep track of books. In the old days, we had card catalogs. I'm not going to tell you how those work because I have no idea. Those are before my time, but Pinterest certainly has some interesting ideas on how to reuse those cabinets. We have been using online catalogs for as long as I can remember. I'm sure you all know that the catalog can be used to look up books, place books on hold, and add books to a list, but were you aware that with Destiny Library Catalog you can review books, recommend books to friends, and add books to "Want to Read", "Now Reading", and "Have Read Shelves." The library catalog has become an interactive reading tool.

This past month I have begun using ChromeBooks in the Media Center. I began with the third graders. My goal was to get them oriented in using the Chromebooks. I thought about different ways I could get them started. I also wanted to show them all the things that they could do on Destiny. It was a perfect time to do both. I created a guide for the students to follow in logging in to the Chromebooks and finding their way around Destiny.

When students first enter Destiny, they see 3 lists. The first list is the most popular books right now. The second is a list of resource guides to different topics. The third list is 15 of our newest books. This gives students some suggestions on what to read.

Once students log in, they see their inbox if they have any personal requests and see their updates if they do not. Their inbox will have the recommendations from friends and invites to be friends. In updates, the students see book reviews their friends have made and which books they have put onto their shelves.




Students are able to search for books and drag them to their shelves. There is a shelf for books you have read and books you want to read.







This was an amazing experience. In other schools, I have seen kids try to send messages to each other about what they were going to do after school, but this group of kids was talking about their books! Students were sharing the books they loved and other students were asking questions about these books. One student moved a Goosebumps book to their "Have Read" shelf. Other students were immediately asking if it was a good book, if it was scary, and questions about the characters. Students were able to get an idea of what books to read next.

My next goal is to create a screencast for the teachers explaining how to use Destiny to interact with their students. I know many of them will not have the time to go into Destiny, but it means a lot to the students when they see what their teachers have read and when the teachers comment on their reviews. If taking 5 minutes of the day to log in and comment will encourage a student to read more, it is worth it.

Legos in the Library

Over the weekend, I attended the 2015 Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota Conference. I came back with many ideas for how to make our Library Media Center into a fun innovative learning space. One of the ideas I loved the most was the idea of Legos in the library. Legos are one of my favorite toys. I love to build with them. I really believe they can inspire students and help to build their creativity and imagination. I learned that Lego even has an education branch with lesson plans and curriculum using Legos to support the Science and Technology standards and the English Language Arts standards. I suppose I should have realized this since we hear about Lego robotics competitions all the time, but it just never clicked for me.

As a School Library Media Specialist, one of my most important roles is to collaborate with teachers to support reading and writing skills. I am very excited to have learned about Lego's Story Starter Kits! These kits contain over 1000 pieces selected and sorted in a large bin to support the creation of a story with Legos. There is also optional software that allows students to create books with their creations, or even stop animate their stories. The kits come with a curriculum pack and lesson plans to support the English Language Arts standards and reinforce skills like beginning, middle, and end. I am so excited to use these kits with my students. I can just see this opening up a whole new world of learning for my third and fourth grade students, especially the boys.
If you would like to learn more about the Lego Story Starter Kits, visit https://shop.education.lego.com/legoed/en-US/catalog/product.jsp?productId=prod120008*

*I am not an associate of Lego and am not paid to endorse their products. I just think this is super cool!*

Pinewood Elementary Named a "Reward School"

The school I am now working at was just named a Minnesota Reward School! I am so excited to be working in such a great school! The designation of "Reward School" is given to Title I schools that score in the top 15% of the Multiple Measurements Rating. This means that our students have scored well on tests demonstrating exceptional student outcomes. This also means that the school has been successful in closing achievement gaps. There are a number of reasons that schools reach this achievement.

Title I is a federal funding program that provides funding to help provide for academic support for students that may be at risk for any number of reasons. This funding is mostly based on the socio-economic status of the area. Title I funds are used to purchase books for schools, provide trainings, and fund salaries for reading teachers. Title I teachers help the disadvantaged students to succeed. Title I was developed in 1965. These funds certainly help our students to perform better, but there are other factors as well.

In the week since I started working in the Monticello School District, I have seen how all the staff are committed to providing students with the best education possible. This starts with the very dedicated superintendent and goes all the way down to the cafeteria workers, custodians, and paraprofessionals. The district is determined to hire the only the best individuals. I think they have succeeded. This dedication to building a positive learning environment no doubt makes a huge difference in helping the students to achieve.

Other factors that I believe make a difference in schools includes various specialists carrying on the teaching from the classroom, a supportive curriculum director, lots of staff development, and community involvement.

Transitioning Between Schools

I am so excited, because I have accepted a Media Specialist position at a new school! When I was in college, I really felt that middle school was my sweet spot for teaching, but as I have gone forward in my Media Specialist career, I have found that the elementary level really fits me best. I have worked at both the middle school and elementary levels, but truly have enjoyed the elementary level most. I am excited to start this new job in the fall at a Kindergarten through 5th grade elementary school closer to home. As I transition into this new position, I have been reflecting on the job transitions I have made in the past. What was hard? What was easy? What would I do differently and encourage others to do?
The hardest part of job transition for me is leaving behind the students I have come to love. Without any children of my own (read about that struggle here), I really do develop a love and attachment to these children. They are my kiddos and all I want is to see them succeed. I know that consistency is important for children and I hate that change seemed to be such a common thing in the schools I have taught in. These kids really needed to know that someone would be there to help them throughout their school careers. They needed someone to depend on, and I really tried to be that. When I chose to leave, I felt a bit of guilt at turning my back on these children. The hardest school for me to leave was Kennedy Elementary in Willmar. The students and staff there had created a true community. Everyone had a place they fit in and we were all working hard toward the same goal. I cried as I left the school that last day.
The easiest part of the job transition for me was knowing that the school I was going to would really fit the type of environment that I needed. Almost every job transition led me to a school that was a better fit for me. I loved my first year at Epiphany Catholic School. I was able to discuss the Catholic faith with students and incorporate it into daily lessons. I felt like I was truly making a difference in the same way that I felt our community had made a difference at Kennedy Elementary. I look forward to continuing to build up students at Pinewood Elementary this coming school year.
Finally, if I were to do things differently, what would my job transitions have looked like? As I reflect on this, one of the things I would do differently is be more selective on the jobs I chose to apply for. Each year when it comes time to get an updated contract I begin to panic that I haven't done enough to merit another year in my current position. I should have updated my bulletin board more. I should have followed up with parents more consistently. I should have... I should have... I should have... In my panic, I begin to apply for any open position I find. Now that I'm married and own a home, it has become anything within an hour of home. Prior to that commitment it was anywhere in the state. This lead to a lot of wasted time and miles driven. In the future, I plan on doing the best job I possibly can. If I do receive that pink slip, I'm going to apply for schools within a reasonable distance that will fit with my strengths. I know that I have plenty of great references, so I have no reason to panic.
 If you are looking for that perfect job, hold out for it! Don't apply for and accept a job you are going to hate! Apply to jobs you know you'll love. Put together a great resume. Research the school and do a practice interview so you can put your best foot forward. Spend a little money on the perfect interview outfit and set aside extra time to get ready. The right job will present itself at just the right time. It might mean that you have to work as a substitute for a year, but that can be a great learning experience and a foot in the door. I thought I had interviewed for every possible position when I finally got the call from Pinewood. After the interview, I am convinced it is a perfect fit. The wait is definitely worth it. Good luck in your job search,

ELL Collection

After attending the AASL Conference this fall, I have been working hard to put together a collection of books for my ESL/ELL students. The population of ELL students in my school are primarily Russian, Arabic, and Spanish. I have been ordering more Graphic Novels to help them out, and in turn have helped out my lower level readers. The graphic novel has grown so much this year that it barely fits in the section of shelves it is currently on. I have also moved the picture books from the teacher resource room to the Media Center shelves, and have seen those checked out. I have playaways of many popular titles, and have added titles as I have had funds. My final touches are going to be adding a collection of Orca and Stone Arch books, as well as books in the students native languages. I am having trouble finding good books in Arabic and Russian, but I will keep looking until I am satisfied. I have been working with the ESL/ELL teacher, and she is very excited to see these final touches. I have the principal on board and we are getting ready to submit a proposal to the district to see if we can get some extra funds from the ELL budget to start up this collection. I am really excited to see all my hard work paying off. What are some special projects you have undertaken this year? Do you have a native language collection in your Media Center? How did you start it, and how have you kept it up?

Presenting Budgets and Staffing Proposals

I am currently working at two middle schools. When I started working at the schools, I realized there was a large discrepency in the money in the budgets. For example, my budget for books at one school was almost twice that at the other school. I have asked my building principals if I would be able to present sugested budgets to them for next year. I am working on these presentations now as both principals agreed to hear me out. I am planning on creating an excel spreadsheet of what would be purchased from each budget, and an accompanying Word document backing up the use/need for each item and state standards regarding these items as appropriate. Have you submitted a similar proposal to your administration? If so, how did you present it, and what were the results?
Being split between two schools makes it hard for me to collaborate with teachers because I have a fixed schedule. I am at one school in the afternoon and the other in the morning. Since I am in a middle school, this means that I miss some periods of English classes, and some periods of other classes as well. In order for me to teach research methods to my students I have to coordinate with my support person at each school. This can be a pain if teachers need to reschedule or wait until the last minute. I am proposing that rather than having my time be split between both buildings each day, that I would have a full time support person in each building to free up more time for collaboration and technology integration. I am going to submit this as a Word document backed up by research by Keith Curry Lance and MEMO standards. Has anyone else done something similar? Can you give me any pointers?

My First Year

As a brand new teacher, I knew what to expect in some respects, but in others I did not. I knew that as a Media Specialist I would be called upon for technology support, but I never realized how hard fixing minor problems could be when you don't have the administrative rights to download a simple update. I also did not know what to expect when going into a position split between two buildings. I didn't realize how two administrations could have totally different management styles. This has been the most difficult thing for me, trying to fit into two different schools with completely different atmospheres. I also didn't realize how little the teachers would come to me to collaborate on research projects. This is something I really want to do. I want to share my knowledge of resources and technology to help the students create a really cool end project where they learned a number of skills, and a large amount of information along the way. I am slowly starting to settle in, and some things are going better than others, but overall, I love my job and I adore my students. Are you split between multiple schools? How do you deal with the differences, and how do you prioritize to give the best you can in all schools?