Jenn was awarded the2012 Outstanding New Media Specialist Award presented jointly by the Indiana Library Association and the Association of Indiana School Library Educators (ILF/AISLE). Currently, she is the Treasurer for AISLE.
In a short time-span, Mrs. Brower has established herself at her school as a energetic and knowledgeable leader who is willing to share and collaborate. She is one of the organizers for the Fort Wayne Edcamp and the Fort Wayne K12 Edtech Monthly Meetups
Learn more about Jenn at http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/brower.html
Jennifer will lead off with her response to the startup question - "What is the most important part of your school library program at New Haven High this year?"
Hello, everyone!! I am excited to participate again this year!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the most important part of my school library program?? My students and staff! The answer seems pretty obvious, but it can actually be quite a challenge to keep my students and staff as the focus with other responsibilities sucking away all my time.
This year I have decided on 3 areas to work on in order to balance these duties with teaching and leading.
First, I have started a Makerspace in my library. I re-purposed an area, adding tubs of supplies, boxes of recyclables, plenty of weeded books, and old tech. I wanted to create a space where my students could come and create, tinker, imagine, and more. A place where they aren't told what to do so much as they are given the opportunity to learn and apply new ideas/information. So far the Take-a-Part Tech station has been a hit! We will soon start a "Make Time" once a week after school with a different topic each week. My first one will be led by a student wanting to share how to upcycle old tshirts!
Second, I have started a school-community wide reading challenge. Reading and books has actually been pushed very low on the priority list the last few years, so I wanted to spark a change in our reading culture. To do this, I created a video to advertise and a google form for tracking. We just kicked it off this week. The challenge: 2 books read by every student, every staff member, and as many community members as possible. Every book counts no matter the size or reading level. Academics put restrictions on reading...we do not! Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4BWAqsrrOs
Third, I want to guide my teaching staff on their Professional Learning paths. This past summer I created a private facebook group for any teacher that wanted to join and share. I will soon be surveying all teachers to find out what areas they are interested in developing. I expect this area will be very broad as some are ready to take their flipped classrooms to the next level while others are still trying to figure out how to implement iPads in meaningful ways. I'll be hosting Tech Smackdowns/Playgrounds/Share Time where they can share what they are doing in their own classrooms.
I am excited to see where each of these three areas lead me this school year! I can tell you that the reality is, being a 1:1 iPad school where I manage and trouble-shoot 900+ iPads can really put a damper on how I want my days to go....BUT....a little determination and creative thinking will make it happen. :-)
One last thing: I did forget to tell Larry that NHHS Library has gone social this year! You can check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I linked the accounts using IFTTT. @NHHSlibrary
Thank you for spending your very precious time sharing with us. Your challenge video was fantastic and looked like the students had a blast making it.
DeleteI was also curious about the iPad implementation. From what you have written it sounds like the classrooms are provided them, but not all of the teachers know exactly how to use them to their potential. How are the classrooms using them so far, and has the implementation improved collaboration between teachers and yourself as a SLMS? Finally, what types of training occurred before implementation, and did that job fall on your shoulders?
Thank you again.
Evie
Thanks! The students and staff actually didn't know exactly what they were doing, so it was fun to see it all come together. :-)
DeleteLet's see here...so far they are mostly used as a research tool, sometimes for paper writing, more and more often for quick responses through apps like Geddit, and a way to collect assignments. I feel like we are still scratching at the surface of possibility as we enter year 3.
Sadly I feel that I have had less collaboration time with the iPads around. The first year with iPads, teachers knew how buried I was with ipads that needed to be fixed. To say it was a stressful year is downplaying it. They were kind...which unfortunately means they didn't want to "bother" me and didn't ask for much help. I am working on changing that, letting teachers know I'm available to brainstorm, coteach, and lead on lessons. It is getting better!!
Training was somewhat limited. There were opportunities for teachers to go to trainings over the summer between getting their iPad end of May and school, but schedules tend to be hectic and full. There have been tutorial videos and a few other opportunities. I started a once-a-week My Big Campus support group after school until the Tech Coach took over. There are only 2 tech coaches in a 5-feeder area school district, so needless to say our teachers would get a lot more if the SLMS was allowed more time with staff and students and less time on fixing ipads. We do what we can with what we have, though!
Let me know if you want more details!
Does your school district have a school wide IT department? Do you have an onsite tech for the other computers and printers in the building? It seems so overwhelming, the thought of being responsible for lessons, collection management and ALL the i-pads.
DeleteOh, and I really like your Facebook page. Our school has one, and our PTO has one, but I hadn't thought about the Media Center having its own. That's a great idea! In our case, with elementary kids, it would be more to inform and engage parents and staff, but I think that was a creative use of social media. Did you have to get permission from your administrator to implement it? Does he/she review posts you make or do you have autonomy over the page?
DeleteMy high school students do not want to be anywhere that we adults are. Fewer and fewer keep up facebook pages. Facebook is definitely for the parents. :-) Twitter is a little for them, but it hasn't really caught on. Thanks to IFTTT, I can post to all 3 areas with just one post. If I start seeing interest grow in one area or another, then I'll start changing up how and what I post.
DeleteAsk permission?? What?? ;-) We do not have social media restrictions other than we are advised not to friend current students. If I had to wait on admin to give permission or review it, it would never happen. I control all areas, and, actually, a school board member promoted my facebook page on his New Haven news site as the place to go for what's going on. Go me! Of course, now the pressure is on to post more often if not daily! ;-)
As a parent of an elementary kid, I WISH her school would use Facebook to connect with parents. I have actually talked to the principal about it as I used to work for her. The superintendent is too scared of what might happen. Yes, people can get stupid with comments, but the CONNECTIONS they would make!!! Look at Eric Sheninger!! We don't have to be afraid of social media; we just have to be smart and exert our ability to delete inappropriate comments. ;-)
We have an IT department as we are around 9,000+ students, 5 high school feeder areas. There will soon be 1 tech per feeder area to do work orders for computers, projectors, etc. I am still the go-to person for when someone is in a pinch. There is a help desk person who can possibly remote out or help with some easy issues. Then there are 3 engineer types, 2 tech coaches, and the director. It really isn't near big enough for what all they are responsible for. There are only licensed librarians in 4 of the high schools, so some buildings have a CRT that is supposed to be their go-to person. My amazing media para at my MS is both CRT and media para taking care of all the iPads, etc. I think that is just wrong as she is paid so much less to attempt to do what I do with a masters degree. That is how things are, though.
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DeleteI am seeing what you mean about teenagers with my own sons (15 and 19). They use their facebook less and less, lately. Mostly they text and Skype with the occasional tweet. Our school and PTO Facebook accounts have been a great way to keep the information flowing. I think I'm going to approach my boss (the SLMS) about having a MC Facebook page.
DeleteAs far as being spread thin, I think it's an epidemic. I wonder how many districts think about the whole cost of implementing new programs and technology. Those of us in the trenches just to the best we can.
Forgive me if this is obvious, but what does CRT stand for? I think I get the idea, but I don't think the initials stand for "Cathode Ray Tube" (Google :P )
You gave fantastic information, thanks. I am amazed your administration has been so lax about social media. What sort of regulations does the district have in regards to internet safety/ access in regards to the iPads? Do the iPads go home with the students?
DeleteEvie
Evie - I don't think it is that they are lax. They do a fairly good job of treating us like adults as well as acknowledging the amazing connections social media can offer. However, we strongly discouraged from friending current students on FB or following through other media. The district did attempt to get teachers and admin on Twitter, but those pushing it didn't really understand the full possibility and it floundered.
DeleteAs for the iPads, they are restricted way more than I wish. Tech does not allow students to have email on any school device. This is frustrating as sometimes the easiest way for kids to get things to teachers or ask questions would be through email. Social media is blocked for the most part, but you can't possibly keep up with all the apps. The App store and/or app creator may deem a research app as 12+ (currently, even my high schoolers can only get 9+ apps) while texting and social media apps (that require you to be 13+) are set for 4+. Trying to stop students from having these apps is nearly impossible unless we completely restrict.
iPads go home with our 7-12th graders. 4-6th grade have 1:1 but stay at school. K-3 have 4:1 ration that stay in the classrooms.
I thought they may over restrict. When I taught at a preschool our computers wouldn't let us on any site that advertised. It was frustrating that we had to get permission to add educational sites. It seems like Internet security blocks so many useful things and yet leaves loopholes. Thank you for writing back. We have been reading about these issues. It is sad students are unable to email at school. That was a complaint with other 1:1 schools.
DeleteEvie
Evie, it really is a complicated topic. You never know what might pop up on advertisements. I've had nearly-nude pics pop up in advertisements when I am showing kids different sites. (eek!) However, nearly all the good, free websites have advertisements to offset their costs.
DeleteIt does seem overly restrictive to not allow email at all. My kids have school issued email accounts. They can use it to communicate with their teachers and even coaches in off hours. It is often very helpful, especially when issues with online textbooks arise while trying to get homework done. They don't really use to communicate with others students. That is all texting.
DeleteKelly Hand
Ah, but I have worked in a school district that allowed even less than where I am at. No email, no youtube, no social media at all, many more websites blocked for students, and staff were under the same filter. This school district seems much less restrictive after going through that. ;-)
DeleteI absolutely LOVE your video for your 2-Book Reading Challenge! Just watching the video makes me realize that for kids or adults it is a much better way to promote a reading incentive program than simply sending information home on paper or in a newsletter. I noticed you mentioned in your introduction that you created a Google form for tracking. Would you be willing to show that or explain how that works? I am learning in our class that it is very important to collect data to show support for the library program. Would you please share any ways that you collect data to show support for your program? Are you required to provide an annual report?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
Tonja Clary
Thanks! It is something that I know and understand well (visuals speak volumes), but I often fall back on regular announcements and posters. I decided it was time to do more!
DeleteGoogle forms are ah-maz-ing!! They have simplified my life by allowing me to track different things in a simple little "choose an answer" type form while gathering it into a spreadsheet. It also offers me a quick view with graphs. Admin love graphs!
I used Google forms last year to track my time with iPads. While some things were missed, I was able to tell my admin that at least 80% of my time was spent on fixing iPads where students deleted their own profiles. (Thank you, Apple, for finally allowing us to control our devices and stop that this year!) I used the forms and my other tracking info to provide a monthly update on iPad stuff.
I also use a Google Form for students to sign in to the library. Again, it isn't perfect, but it is way more accurate than the paper sign in plus gives me a searchable spreadsheet and quick view graphs.
I am not required to do an end of year report, but it is something that I know I really need to do and must find a way to get it together this year. I'm hoping to use the 3 forms I have going to help with this along with my Destiny catalog system data. I probably should start one more form or at least spreadsheet to track the other extras I do!
Let me know if you want further clarification!
Thanks for the information on Google Forms. It sounds like they really work for you. I am going to try to learn more about them.
DeleteThere is a lot of discussion regarding the 1:1 technology. My kids' high school has a BYOD (Bring your own device) program; however, it is only for students with AP classes. If something breaks, it is our responsibility. There are some extra/backup laptops for when there are problems while at school. Our school corporation has done much research and feels that with BYOD, students are already familiar with their own devices, and smaller groups of teachers are able to be trained to use the technology properly. They plan to add another group of teachers/students using BYOD each year. They feel that with 1:1 technology, too many teachers would not use the technology in a meaningful way. Personally, I have been frustrated to NOT have a 1:1 program for each of our 3 HS kids; however, with seeing some of the comments and discussion, maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all... Knowing what you know, what is your opinion on this? If you had to choose, which do you feel is better? The BYOD program would only work in an area in which most students would either have a device or be able to afford one. I don't know what happens at our school if a student is not able to provide a device. That is the most interesting part for me when thinking about this.
Thanks!
Tonja Clary
Oh! I meant to ask one other thing before posting/publishing... I noticed on your website that there was a link to Newsela. I had just looked into that, emailed the 4th grade teachers about it, and was learning more about it. (I am working as a media specialist this year in an elementary school; however, at this point, my degree is only elementary education)! Newsela looks wonderful. How do you use it at your school? Do you do something with it through the media center? Do teachers use it to track student progress, or is it just there for students to enjoy? If the teachers do not pursue it, do you see a good way for me to use it in the media center with all 4th graders? Also, I looked everywhere that I could find, but I couldn't tell if there was a cost or not. It says that I am in a free trial for Pro Newsela, but I can't tell if that means "regular" Newsela is free??? Are you able to tell me this info?! Thanks so much!
DeleteTonja Clary
Tonya, what website did you see that on? I have no idea what Newsela is....how embarrassing is that? LOL
DeleteNote to everyone: I'll finish my responses later this evening. Swamped at school and now time to take my girls out for a dinner and movie night. Looking forward to continuing the conversations!!
Tonja,
DeleteI could name off pluses and minuses to both 1:1 and BYOD. There really isn't a right or perfect answer as there are many factors to be considered.
My school definitely can not afford a BYOD. It would definitely be a case of the have's and have not's. However, if students and parents had more invested in the devices, I wonder if theft and breakage would happen as often?? (Then again, they are still teens, so the numbers might not change, but the level of investment from the school would decrease. We spend a lot of man-power and time on fixing devices, tracking devices, etc.)
I often wonder what it is like in a BYOD school as my students really do not know how to use tech as well as adults assume they do. Sure, there are some students that can jailbreak a device in no time. However, I am amazed at how many kids still do not know how to do basic trouble shooting on the iPad or on the computer. I can only imagine the challenges that would come with trying to offer a help desk without really knowing all the devices. I also wonder about the challenges for the teacher in having a way for all types of files and projects to be submitted no matter what device. iPads are very proprietary and don't always play well with others. Even with just iPads and a plan to turn all things in through My Big Campus, students will have problems getting their final project turned in.
In the end, it should not be about the device but rather about the students and their learning. It is also about getting parents and the community on board. If they are not behind the plan, the school will constantly be battling negative publicity and nay-sayers.
I can tell you that my friend's school had iPads for their dual credit students. However, those students shared classes with "regular" students, leaving teachers not able to really utilize the devices without giving the dual credit kids an unfair advantage. It caused jealousy as well.
I know people with laptops, pladlets, chrome books, and various other devices. No one is over the moon about their situation. Each one has their own challenges.
I don't want to sound all doom and gloom as I still think there is a lot of potential out there yet to be discovered!! Just attend ISTE one year, and you will be blown away by what is happening in schools around the world with technology and education! When I can get away from the "problem" side of iPads and get into the classroom, I LOVE that the kids can go through the websites with me, do quick responses through apps like Geddit, and so much more. :-)
Thanks for your response on the BYOD. I think you are correct... there is no perfect plan. I think there are issues no matter what!
DeleteSo, my reply box with my reply completely disappeared up above regarding my Newsela question! You made me laugh when you said you had no idea what I was talking about! So, I thought I must have been on some other New Haven HS from another state!!! I DID look it back up and I DID find it on your site! HaHa! I will direct you there and then see if you know what I am referring to.... I have it as Newsela... and you have it as News ELA on your site... so maybe that is what is confusing! Or, maybe someone else put it there. Go to your HS website. Choose Follett Destiny. You will see Welcome to New Haven Library. Under Research and Projects you will see News ELA (Newsela). It is a program in which teachers assign non-fiction current event articles to students to read. After students read, they take a quiz. The teacher is able to track progress. If you look this up and see which program I am talking about... let me know if you see a great way to use this in the media center (with 4th graders)... if my teachers decide not to do it. It seems like a great program to me!
Thanks.
Tonja Clary
Tonja,
DeleteAh...yup...sometimes really awesome resources come your way....you share them....and then you totally forget about them. ;-)
I found it and do recall adding it. My home catalog page along with any other page online is sadly not updated. I am going to have to look into it again. I know one of my teachers was using it at some point, so I added the link. I'm still hoping to create Symbaloo's for the library page and then the different departments. If only I had time!!! :-)
Thanks for reminding me about it!! ;-)
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to talk to us! I’m glad to have the chance to pick your brain about what it’s like to be in the profession right now. Plus, I went to Norwell High School so I know the New Haven schools well! :-)
I love the Makerspace idea (did you come up with that?), and I love that you're working on creating a culture of reading in your school. The video is great! What other ways of promoting reading have you found that work?
My other question is about the iPads. I have heard that some media specialists who deal with technology support feel overwhelmed by the amount of time it takes up every day, and I get the impression you feel the same. How do you deal with that challenge?
Again, thanks for your time!
Lynn Werckenthien
You are more than welcome! And...hello to a FW area grad! :-)
DeleteI so did not come up with the MakerSpace idea. While I have used some of the concepts when in the elementary classroom, I had never thought of such a thing in the library. This is a HUGE trend right now as public and school libraries are getting on board. I have heard quite a bit but still wasn't sure until I attended ISTE this summer. (BTW, ISTE is completely and totally worth the big $$ to attend as it is an outstanding opportunity to learn, connect, and grow with thousands of other like minded educators.)
Anywho, I was able to hear Sylvia Martinez talk about the "why" makerspace. She has co authored an amazing book, Invent to Learn, that really gets you behind the movement. There were several sessions and people talking about it. It finally took me hearing Nicholas Provenzano (aka The Nerdy Teacher) say something to the affect of "your students can't wait for you to get off your butt and do it"...or something more eloquant than that. ;-) I decided I was going to jump in and see what happened! I did also buy Leslie Preddy's book, School Library Makerspaces, as I love her and her books. They give you a "here, do this and this" type approach when your brain is already overwhelmed.
Whew....ok...now about reading....want to hear something sad?? Books and reading have really been stomped down by the all empowering and amazing iPad and technology. Considering that I have not been a librarian long enough to know LBI (life before iPads) and have time to establish anything great, I only offered out state's high school reading list books and gathered votes from the few that were self motivated to turn them in.
That is why I decided to go all out with a video and a ridiculous challenge (ridiculous as in how attainable it really is and ridiculous in that I challenged everyone I could think of....LOL). I so wish I could have gotten this off the ground sooner, but I know my English teachers are in as well as a few teachers in other subject areas. Whereever we end up this year will be huge as we were at 0 (technically since there was no challenge) last year!
Finally...how do I deal? Some days not very well, and other days with a sense of humor. ;-) I'm lucky in that I do have 3 other licensed librarians in my district. We share ideas, tips, tricks, and more constantly. While we still do a lot of things our own way, we would all still be struggling without the contributions from one another. We created forms of all kinds to track and document. We meet with tech once a month to share the latest concerns and do what we can to advocate for our students and staff. (Well, this is an area that our opinions vary greatly...but our hearts are all in the same place.)
In the end...nearly all schools feel the pressure to go 1:1 with some sort of device. Some jump faster than others, and most don't have a solid plan in place...even when they think they do. They also do not hire more staffing to keep up with all of those devices. Roles change, duties are added on, and you just figure out how to balance your role the best you can. I am particularly lucky in that my admin greatly values me and will listen when I say "enough!!". :-)
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DeleteFirst of all, I put those two books about Makerspaces on my Goodreads "to read" list! I visited Leslie Preddy's library once, so I will read hers first. All of these ideas are getting me so excited for having my own library, because I feel a bit limited to what I can do with my English classroom!
DeleteThanks for all of the feedback about the iPads. My school (Sheridan Community Schools) is transitioning to BYOD, and, like you said, it takes up a ton of time and energy...but it is a wonderful opportunity as well! I like the idea of using Google forms, so I will have to mess around with those for a bit so I can get the hang of it.
I hope your challenge to read books goes really well! It was funny because when I was watching the video I saw my husband's friend's sister...her maiden name was Hoyt, but I don't remember her married name. Small world!
Speaking of getting English teachers on board, do you collaborate with teachers in any other way? It sounds like you're spread thinly enough as it is, so I was wondering if you ever found time for it!
Thanks again!
Lynn, it really is a small world! :-) She is Duckett now. She is always game when it comes to doing videos. If you look at our youtube channel, you will see our "said no teacher" videos from last year. She was in that as well. ;-)
DeleteMy in with English teachers is mostly through research. I am working on changing that, but since they haven't known me beyond craziness, it has been limited. I've worked hard to let them know that even though I am an elementary teacher, nearly everything I taught in 5th grade relates to what they are teaching in high school. (Minus the classic literature. Confession time: I hate the majority of classic literature!) I'm mostly invited into the English classroom for some element of research. AP especially likes me to do my lesson over deciding if a website it CRAAP or not. (IPFW libraries came up with that acronym. Thank you, Tiff Adkins!!) I show them several websites that are truly amazing either because they are faked so well or because they are hard-to-believe-yet-true. A few have me go over different resources to use when researching. I recently got invited in my Science teachers to cover specific places to do research and how to get it started.
This year I decided to finally participate in Dot Day. (http://thedotclub.org) I was able to talk to 4 freshman reading classes about how education can help them make a positive mark on the world. That was amazing, and now I want more!! The teacher and I talked about continuing it, guiding students into making a long-term plan and researching how to make their dreams come true.
In the end, you have to decide what to let slide for the day or week in order to add something to your plate. Any time spent teaching and being of value to my students and staff is time well spent. Matter of fact, one of the licensed librarians in my district struck a deal with her MS English teachers to teach a lesson, covering one of their standards each week. She got way behind in fixing iPads, BUT the teachers loved what she was doing so much, she was voted the Teacher of the Year in her building. That is HUGE as most don't see us as teachers.
I know that your blogging time is over, but I wanted to say thanks again, and that I love the CRAAP acronym. I always used CARS, which is basically the same thing, but CRAAP is much catchier. I am going to use that! :-)
DeleteHello! Thank you for visiting the blog to answer our questions. I love Makerspaces in libraries, so I think it's great that you have one there! Can I ask what sorts of things your students have been doing with the space?
ReplyDeleteMy big question is about the iPads. I'm curious to know what were some of the major, perhaps unexpected bonuses and bumps of the one-to-one iPad program, either in getting it started or as you have been working with it for a while.
Thank you!
Kjersten Hild
No problem!
DeleteSo far I'm still working on getting iPads out into students' hands. (You would think 7 weeks in I'd be past this point!) The take-a-part tech station has several items which the kids love to mess around with. (BTW, I learned that TVs are not safe until an electrician removes/discharges the capacitor...thankfully I was told this and didn't learn this one the hard way. Yikes!) I have one student actually trying to build something while the others are just doing "stuff". Starting next week I will hold my first "Make Time". The focus will be on upcycling old tshirts and actually will be led by one of my students!!! See...I don't have to be an expert! I just have to find others to be the teachers!! :-) I also believe I will be doing more with video production as kids want to all be in my Channel 86 group. This will allow them to learn the skills to improve their chances...plus it is just fun! ;-)
As for iPads, bumps...oh boy...the truth according to Jenn is that Apple did not make iPads for schools. They did not build them to be used by students or to be used by several different kids. (I am in a transient school where one iPad may be in 2-3-4 kids' hands in one school year.) Many of our stumbling blocks have been because of Apple's restrictions on how the school can control the device and how the user can control the device. Theft has also been a reality in my building. Kids leave their iPads just sitting around and are surprised when someone takes it. They are teens...taking care of an expensive device that was handed to them is the least of their concerns.
I'm not sure about unexpected, but the biggest bonus to any 1:1 is that students have equal opportunity to continue working on typing papers or doing tech-related work from home. Not all have wifi, so that can still be an issue. We have more video projects and picture projects happening. I love to see that!!
Thank you! It's nice to have a heads up on things I will have to think about as more schools go 1:1. I can totally see Apple's restrictions being a problem. Even just transferring a departmental iPad between two grad students was a pain! Have you come up with any ideas about getting the kids to take better care of their iPads?
DeleteI have a couple questions about the Channel 86 group as well. Did you start that? If yes, how long did it take to get up and running? How much time do you put in vs. the kids put in? I always think student produced videos are so fun and engaging.
Kjersten Hild
I could go on about the weird issues the iPads have due to Apple's rules, but it luckily is not the majority of my iPads. It just happens that a few iPads take up the majority of my time, therefore becoming my world. LOL
DeleteIdeas...well, our district created tutorials and videos on how to take care of your iPad, how to use it, and more. The kids h.a.t.e. them!!! So, my CH86 students have helped add a little comedy to the message. For example, this semester we introduced iPad Security Guy. We demonstrated 5 different typical situations for iPads to go missing. iPad Security Guy would save the day in the end, but it hopefully made at least a few think before leaving the iPad setting around. (maybe??) We have had skits to demonstrate all kinds of boring rules and what not in an entertaining yet educational (hopefully??) way. My favorite was when a higher skilled student created a video where the iPad turned on him because he wasn't taking care of it. Let's just say I had to assure the admin that the student was never in real danger of being hit by a car. LOL (If I can find that video, I'll def share!)
Speaking of CH86, it has definitely become one of my passions...and the funny part is...I have NO IDEA what I'm doing! I volunteered to take over because the program was floundering, and I had ideas on how to bring it back to life. The studio is also in a room connected to my library, so it seemed meant to be. I quickly studied up on rules of third, lighting, and camera angles. Youtube is super helpful in this area! I have worked to find ways to fund better equipment. I also have pushed the students to do more and can be described as getting very "intense". haha
I'm definitely the most passionate about CH86 and know what can happen if the students don't hold up their end of the bargain. However, I try to guide and teach until they can take over. I have seen the program go from the then-current 86ers telling me "no one will ever fill out an application" to having 50+ applications and at least 30+ show up for the auditions. I only take 5-7 students as I found anymore than that, and they start getting lazy and pull the others down. We shoot during 4th period as we get a solid hour of work time no matter what..3 lunch periods no matter if their is a delay or different schedule for the day. We shoot a day ahead in order to edit and get it uploaded to youtube for the next day.
Now here is where we are currently challenged...our current school computers cannot run Adobe Premiere Elements v11, which I bought 2 licenses of for school. Instead, for the past 1.5 years, I have dragged my personal laptop in every day so they can edit. If it doesn't get done, I end up finishing it. This crew is just about to the point where I should only have to upload when home (school doesn't allow wifi on personal devices).
The first 2 (semester) crews included students that were part of the group before I took over. They were more resistant to the changes I brought. I forced a few things to happen as I saw little team work or effort into making the news something students and staff would want to watch. My last 3 crews didn't know the difference and have really taken well to bringing the 4 functions of media to life: inform, educate, interpret, and entertain.
Thank you for being a blogger for class!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you whole heartedly about the 1:1 ratio with technology really putting a damper on things. At Southport, we are transitioning to 1:1 with Chromebooks and as a librarian, I felt like it took time away from everything else that I wanted to do. What were some of the creative thinking ideas that you had? We are transitioning to Google so using that is a HUGE piece of my job.
My second question relates more to what sorts of programs do you put on in your library? Do you subscribe to what publishers send you? I ask because I just received a "Hello Kitty Day" kit for high schoolers...and I'm not sure if it'd go over well, unless I transitioned it into something else (ideas?). Just wanted to see what your thoughts were :)
Thanks again for your time and volunteering to do this!
Tara Foor
@Tara_Foor
Glad to participate!!
DeleteCreative thinking...finding time for other things mostly came from my students begging me to do something and my decision to just ignore iPads for a period..or...gasp...a whole day!! :-) Honestly, the only reason my library saw big structure/setup changes the first year we has iPads was because my students insisted it still happen as planned the previous year. I had one student draw up a blueprint, and then a few others started taking shelves apart and clearing out junk left by the previous LMS. The absolute best things happen when your students take the lead. It isn't an exaggeration (well, maybe a tiny bit of one) to say we pretty much destroyed my library and put it back together in a day. ;-) It was amazing!
I have a book club, albeit tiny. The only reason I have a book club is because 2 girls wanted to have one. So, they set the meetings and pick the books.
Heck, I wouldn't even be starting my Make Time in the makerspace next week if it wasn't for one of my girls asking me if we were every going to do it.
I am just trying everything I can to stay relevant to these kids and my staff. Being able to fix their iPads is nice, but that isn't what they really need in the big picture. Even if I'm just squeezing a TED Talk in during lunch here and a lunch time activity here, the students see me trying and seem to appreciate it.
I don't subscribe to any programs nor do I really pay much attention to what publishers send me. BTW, what the heck is a "Hello Kitty Day" kit as I'm now super curious!! ;-) I tend to politely turn down publishers as I just don't have time to wrap my head around what they are selling. I am probably missing out on some neat things, but I also have a very limited budget with some lofty goals.
I feel like I have a lot more to say here...but to be honest my brain is done for the day. ;-) Let me mull this over, and please feel free to ask more questions....and for the love of pete, please tell me what this Hello Kitty thing is!! LOL :-)
It sounds like you have some really involved, take charge kind of students. That's really nice to see. It is great that you are so encouraging to them. It sounds like you are having a great impact on their lives and helping them to become adults with a can do attitude.
DeleteKelly Hand
Kelly, I appreciate your kind words! On some days I get overwhelmed by all the "stuff" that I have to do. Then I remember the kids that stopped by to harass me. High schoolers only do that if they like you. haha
DeleteI hope I can continue to encourage students to take charge and make good things happen!
Hello! Thanks for sharing your time with us. I work in an elementary school media center and while I love it, I think I would really enjoy the older kiddos.
ReplyDeleteMy question is about your numbers and your collection. How many students and faculty do you serve and what is the size of your collection? Also, can you guesstimate the percentage of fiction vs. nonfiction on your shelves?
Oh my goodness...I WISH I was in the elementary!!! Don't get me wrong; I love my kids! We have had some pretty awesome and sometimes deep conversations, plus they get my sarcasm more. ;-) However, I strongly believe our kids would benefit more from a strong LMS at an earlier age. My 5th graders knew more about organizing their files and how to cite sources than my high schoolers. That has much to do with the fact that elementary students look to you as the expert and do as they are instructed (mostly). High schoolers will listen and then go right back to google, even though you just proved that other resources are faster. ;-)
DeleteAnywho, back on topic...My 9-12th grade high school has dropped from around 1100 to around 960 the last 4 years. With Indiana giving vouchers to go to private schools and charters, some have left. There are around 80 staff members. Collection size, honestly, doesn't really matter to me as I inherited an out-dated and out-of-touch collection. When I came in, all fiction was filed away in the 800s in a manner that students didn't understand how to find what they wanted to read. The collection needed to be badly weeded and the fiction wasn't what I would have bought for my students.
I'll try to remember and look up my data tomorrow on what my numbers were coming in and where they are at now. I know that my fiction section has easily doubled if not trippled as I put the majority of my funds into books the kids were more likely to read. I am not done weeding nonfiction by far! I believe in quality vs. quantity. I also believe in marketing! There are some gems hidden among ugly, old books. :-)
Students do not come to the library for nonfiction books for research anymore. They go online to databases, ebooks, websites, etc. Nonfiction is also expensive. Many of us in my circle no longer have a reference section (moved out to general nonfiction). One of my friends that has been in her library longer has a fiction section that easily out numbers nonfiction. We will see where I end up after a few more years. :)
We weeded our reference heavily two summers ago. The Media Specialist worked to find more non-reference, non-fiction that can be circulated. Quality is better than quantity in non-fiction resources, for sure. In our case, if it's not visually interesting and quick to get to the point, it doesn't circulate well. We have a pretty extensive selection of non-fiction because our teachers use them for lessons and stations. Much of our non-fiction is picture book style and great for younger children and even read alouds. Until we really get into research in with the 4th and 5th graders and teach them to find solid online sources, they still need the books to get their information.
DeleteIt blows my mind that someone actually put the novels in the 800s! I mean, I know that is where they belong according to Dewey, but I don't think I've ever seen that!
It's sad to hear the story of dropping numbers at your high school. I think I will check to see if the numbers are trending in a similar fashion in our district. Also, I wonder about the wisdom of online school for many children. I was actually discussing that with my boss the other day. I wonder if these students will be prepared for college and the professional world without a variety of teachers and the healthy dose of academic rigor that comes from interacting with trained instructors that have high expectations.
We have the opposite problem where I work. We are bursting at the seems.
Kristen,
DeleteHe was so old school, he even had them broken down to 4 decimal places. I couldn't find anyone that could tell me what they all meant as hardly anyone does 800's past 2 places. ;-)
Here is the ironic thing. No one knew how to find books, so another librarian assisted me in moving them over to a fiction section. (Many books didn't make the cut as no high school needs 50+ Danielle Steel books let alone nearly all adult titles.) We moved so fast, I didn't think about how the books were arranged.
I end up genrifying my fiction section the second year (again, only because a couple students said, 'quit talking about it, and we'll help you do it'). When I did this, I realized he had the books genrified in the 800s! Too bad he didn't just use better signage and let his students know!
Yeah, but...Danielle Steele? Ha!
DeleteWe have a few with 4 places that have come from Follett, I think and many with 3 places. I haven't taken the class on cataloging yet, so I'm interested to see why those choices get made. I think in many cases, 2 places or maybe 3 is just fine. 4 just becomes a pain to shelve and in a library of only 18,000 books, it's really not necessary.
DeleteI agree. In a school library with limited collection, it is rarely necessary to drill it down to a super detailed placement. The other thing about Dewey is there is a lot up to the cataloger's opinion and interpretation. Then you add the part where is the majority of school libraries, you are the "everything". You don't have the time to do proper cataloging.
DeleteThank you so much for talking with us.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to drag you back to the 1:1 topic again but this is something that hits close to home for me. My own children's school district in Munster, IN went 1:1 a number of years ago. My kids have $900 parent purchased laptops however. The idea was that these would replace textbooks but that hasn't exactly happened. My kids carry 30 pound backpacks to and from school everyday. 80% of your time being spent dealing with iPad issues is amazing, but from what I've seen in my kids' schools, not unbelievable. I don't know how you have managed to get so much else done. My question relates to laptop versus iPad. Do you know what the decision process was on which to select? How much functionality is achieved with the iPads? Have textbooks been replaced? Do the students take them home? Are they able to use them for word processing? Is battery life an issue? How much of all of these types of things impact you?
Sorry forgot to sign. Kelly Hand
DeleteKelly,
DeleteHoly cow...I definitely have never lived or worked in a district where parents could afford to make such a purchase.
First, a thing about the promise of textbooks on the devices. When I attended ILF (which I highly recommend anyone in Indiana attending!!!) the year before iPads, I didn't even know we were considering devices but decided to check out a session on electronic textbooks. I was super disappointed as I was told that this was not really an option for K-12 as publishers had not really developed them yet. Fast forward from November to April, and the district made the final decision to get iPads because Apple announced the wonder of iBooks. Now, 2.25 years later, we still only have the math ibook with lots of loading issues. While there are some etext options out there, the question still comes back to whether we even want textooks or a collection of websites and online resources.
As for iPads versus laptops, our tech director pointed out many times how a laptop has many components within it that can break or go wrong. An iPad is pretty basic and straight-forward. He liked how it was more portable. iPads battery life is much longer than a laptop. Schools that he visited with laptops would have a safety hazard as laptops are plugged in all around the room. iPads are also easier to shoot video and take pictures for projects.
Our 7-12 students do take them home as they are expected to do their work on them. We purchased the iWorks suite which includes Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. Some students are totally fine with typing papers on their iPads, but there are still enough wanting a keyboard that English teachers especially schedule lab time.
I know that in my elementary classroom days, I would have LOVED to have iPads and not laptops. In the high school, I don't know. I'm the gal that has my laptop with a 15" screen to do many projects, including anything requiring lots of typing. I will have my iPad out for searching websites, catching up emails, and taking notes. I'll also have my phone out to do quick checks on apps or social media. I can literally have all 3 out around me as I'm working. ;-) Each has its strong points and downfalls.
Back to textbooks on the devices, our director also sold the iPads to the school board by saying all textbooks would be on there. The publishing market is just not producing what schools need. We just aren't there yet.
I don't think there were any parents in my district that were gung ho about the laptop fees, and some students do qualify for free ones I believe, but yes Munster is an upper middle class town. The idea is that the computer will last 3 years, so that $900 fee is spread out over that time, thankfully. Plus, I get a discount for my third child. Part of what makes the laptop so expensive is that it has a 9 hour battery. The students are supposed to come to school with it fully charged each day. This eliminates the cords all over the room, but results in many kids visiting the media center to check out a replacement battery when they forgot to charge at home.
DeleteFor my kids, math and science are on the computer and for those two they have no other book, just lots of handouts. For the first time this year, social studies is on the computer but they still have the full SS textbook too. Spanish is part computer, part workbook. The two biggest drawbacks for my kids, besides computer problems, are the weight of what they must carry all day and the structure of the online "books." There is very little text in them. Every lesson is video based. They can never refer back to something without having to watch the video again. As a parent, if my child needs help, I can't just help find the right section to refer to. I have to watch the dang videos.
iPads sound nice because they are so much smaller and lighter. I'm sure I myself would miss the keyboard but I bet my kids wouldn't. They are more used to using a touchscreen. I'm thinking that your district made the wiser choice.
Kelly Hand
When my daughter was in 8th grade, she was on the technology team with a BYOD program and took an IPAD. My son has a laptop this year for his AP classes (BYOD). Comparing the 2, especially for High School, the laptop with the full size keyboard has worked much better. The Ipad also seemed to have some limitations on many video links that were brought up in class. They both worked, but as much as my son has to do with his laptop at the HS and as much as he has to type, I would vote for the laptop for sure. (Just thought I would share my opinion on this discussion since we have had 2 of our kids using each of the 2 devices that you were discussing!!! :)
DeleteTonja Clary
Kelly and Tonja, thanks for your personal experiences! I look forward to the day where I hear parents, staff, teachers, and school boards are all happy with the decision made. ;-)
DeleteThanks Tonja. That is very valuable input from a parent who has done both!
DeleteKelly Hand
Just a comment about reference and non-fiction. I work in an academic library. We got rid of our reference collection completely maybe 7 or 8 years ago. There was a lot of backlash from faculty and I myself was very hesitant. I must say though that in all these years I've have very rarely seen a need for it. We do still buy non-fiction, non-reference books, but book circulation has certainly taken a backseat to online research. Most students don't seem to want to take the time for a whole book of information. They want very focused information that is easily accessible.
ReplyDeleteKelly Hand
They are want their information the way they want everything else....fast and easy! ;-) Spending big $$ on reference books that won't hardly be used just doesn't make sense.
DeleteYou are so right. The big money now goes to databases. Who could really even afford to invest in a reference collection anymore with so much money being spent on online resources?
DeleteKelly Hand
Oh how I wish we would invest in databases!! We were going to get GALE's Opposing Viewpoints in Context when the decision to get iPads was made. They said we didn't need the database because we were going to have ipads. Yup
DeleteI love databases. I wish we had more for our kids. While I also love tech, a lot, I think the databases would have been a better investment. That being said, the textbook industry need to move forward with e-books more quickly. There is no need for all the weight and waste of physical textbooks in a school with 1:1 tech, which is being implemented more and more.
DeleteOpposing Viewpoints would be great at the high school level. So would CQ Researcher or SIRS Researcher. They are so good at providing comprehensive background info and showing both sides of the coin on issues. I am very spoiled in the academic libraries that I work at. We are very database rich, but by necessity.
DeleteKelly Hand
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for spending precious weekend time to chat with us.
I had a few questions about budgeting. Do you write up a yearly budget for the SLMC or does your administration write up a budget? If they just allocate funds, do you make all decisions or utilize an advisory team? I noticed that you have discussed weeding you collection of both fiction and nonfiction; have you been using a tool such as collection mapping to aid in decision making or a different system? In our grad school program we have written collection development plans, have you created one for your school? if so, how has it guided you thus far in your career?
Thank you so much:)
Evie
My administrator sets the budget. When my previous school closed, and I came to this building with around 500 students, the budget did not change. While that was very disappointing, I am currently down 150-200 students and my budget hasn't changed.
DeleteI make all the decisions for my budget. I have tried to create a student advisory group, but it just hasn't taken off as of yet.
While having a collection development plans are something I should have, this job has been full speed ahead. I asked the other 3 licensed librarians in my district about what we had set up already. I've been told there are official documents, but no one has ever actually shown me these because they are way out dated.
When I did grad school, I was in an elementary classroom. I pretty much focused all of my assignments around an elementary library scenario so I could apply what I knew and use the lessons with my students. Unfortunately, getting an elementary licensed position in Indiana is next to impossible. I now wish I would have focused more on high school so I would have something to work with and adjust to my current situation!
You know what they say, hindsight is 20/20. ;-)
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteThank you for blogging with us and answering so many questions. You do amazing things with your school, and I can understand how precious your time is and how focusing on students learning takes precedence. I was hoping one day to work in an Elementary level, and it is sad to hear those positions are few. Thank you so much for answering my questions!!
Evie
A few last thoughts and tidbits on our last day "together". :-)
ReplyDeleteEach and every LMS position is different. Even with 4 licensed LMS in my district, all dealing with iPads, we have different responsibilities and expectations.
When you do take a position, you have to find a balance between wanting to 'make your mark' and respecting what is already in place. It took me 3 years to finally not be responsible for the copy center! 4 years in, and I'm still supposed to be the person updating the website even though I obviously do a terrible job at it. Now that I have a makerspace, I partially regret throwing out so much of the random junk and tinkering things the previous guy had. ;-)
Last, get connected!! There are several Twitter chats each week focusing on school library issues. Every Monday night there is a TL broadcast. (Indiana was the guest for last Monday's TL News Night, and I was lucky enough to share!) Join your professional organizations. ILF/AISLE here in Indiana has been a huge support. ISTE/Librarians Network has also been a huge support for me and my tech-heavy position. Want to do a makerspace in your library? There is a Facebook group for that.
In addition, if you are in Indiana, you have 2 great conference opportunities coming up this Fall. ICE (Indiana Connected Educators) is October 15-17...preconference has Sylvia Martinez!!! ILF is Nov. 17-19th. I'll be presenting along with Michelle Houser from Belmont on the changing role of librarians in a 1:1 environment.
Here are links to the above information:
http://tlchat.wikispaces.com/
http://tlvirtualcafe.wikispaces.com/TL+News+Night
http://www.iceindiana.org/
http://www.ilfonline.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/librarymaker/
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us. You are doing wonderful things for students and staff members at your school. They are fortunate to have you!
DeleteThanks, again.
Tonja Clary
Thanks so much for sharing with us!
DeleteThanks, again for your time and expertise.
ReplyDeleteThanks, ladies! I enjoy connecting and sharing! I hope to see you soon, whether virtually or physically as you get connected!
ReplyDelete