O.K. I jJust Got So Exited

I've learned so many things and there are things that I would like to share with others.

1.  Blogs and their purpose (classroom blogs, Teacher blogs, ect.)
2.  Social Bookmarking--Diigo has so much more to offer.
3.  You-tube to edublogs.tv.  Need to practice again and share
4.  Generators
5.  Short applications
6.  Wikki

For summer teacher institute--1day--bookmarking, Jog the Web, and other 4teacher tools.

Where have I been?

It has been soooooooo long.

School Year has started--Professional Growth Plan

It seems to be weeks, but the vacation was much needed. Between camp, vacation, and the first days of school, time has disappeared.



This past week, I had to share my professional growth plan...and of course, being the over-achiever (yes, I will complete the 23 ) I had put more on my plate then I needed to do--so my plate has been emptied and the two things that remain are:

1. Development of a common assessment just for research skills.


2. Developing library relationships through curriculum meetings.

Common Assessments--I'm going to begin with building a common assessment first--since we,the librarians will be working on this as well.

Common assessments--For some reason this seems to be a difficult task for some. Maybe I have the wrong idea. In my mind, a common assessment is one that can be used across the curriculum, not just used in communication arts,etc. (maybe it should be renamed to a Universal or District or School assessment).

One example would be that someone would write the common assessment for how map questions should be answered. This same assessment would be used on history, science, health, facs, and other class tests. It seems that the assessments only stay in the arenas of where they were created.

As an example for the library, I could create an assessment that can be used by all forms research. Research is Research and the steps are the same no matter what the subject. (o.k. I use the big6 approach to life--it works for me...unfortunately, the librarians can't get the teachers to use any one particular style...but again the steps are the same..).

I can use this assessment this week with the German research and use it again for the American History class the followin week. I can always highlight just those steps that the teacher wants to assess or have me assess.

So...

Beginning with the tradtional route--I'm beginning with the literature. Although I have my traditional printed tools, I'm also starting to look at the assessment tools that are available to teachers.


My favorite assessment tool is rubistar: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php


Here I can use what is available or modify to my needs. As a librarian, I have used this method for my research classes and independent research class. I have also created student assessment of the library, and a self assessment of research skills.

The goal this week: Create the assessment-and then meet with the teachers to get their ideas and modify the assessment if needed. Hopefully this will be posted next week...See you then!

O.k. it is Sunday evening...It's created. Now the meetings.

Independent Research Project

Curriculum meetings.

Library meeting--Share and update.

History, Science, Math, Health, and Foreign Language--Bringing your class in for Research. These are the skills I can teach (what skills and guidance would you like me to provide) and here is how these skills can be assessed.

23 Things #8 and #9

8. Learn about RSS feeds and set up your own Bloglines newsreader account. First I tried the Bloglines account. For some reason it never sent the verification emails. I even changed the address a couple of times. So....I've opened a google reader account. I'm still playing with it, but as you can see on the page.

9. Locate a few useful library related blogs and/or news feeds. There are a couple of the feeds that I have found. I know that there are other blogs that I would like to add. I just need to find them...Some are on my del.icio.us bookmarks, and others I have found through other blogs. So this will continue to be a work in progress.

Reminder

Activity completed

Work to be completed

23 things to learn and 30 continued

Your probably wondering if I am going to complete the 23 tasks. I didn't forget. I left off with number 5. I would like to go and get pictures of my library...unfortunately...I'm not sure if they have finished cleaning the place...so the pictures I take will be after my vacation...

That doesn't mean I can't look at the others:

5. Explore Flickr and learn about this popular image hosting site. Still working on this.
6. Have some Flickr fun and discover some Flickr mashups & 3rd party sites. The different Mashups are pretty cool, I'm still looking at those. To the left you will see the trading card that I created. Wouldn't it be great to create a deck of all of the teachers at school. Address to d this: http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/deck.php

7. Create a blog post about anything technology related that interests you this week. This is a living blog of almost everything I've discovered. I actually began my journey into technology in March or April, but found it difficult with teaching and the other things that I was doing. In fact, I have a few places that I need to get rid of blogs or wiki's that have been abandon. As I continue with these 23 things to think and do, I will share what things have already been finished.

I hope to be setting up an afterschool or plan period learning time for teachers to look at some of the different tools that would be immediately applicable to them.

For example: They could be using social bookmarks for sites relevant to their classes. I use Delicious--I will also check into other sites that maybe helpful. I think that a curriculum bookmark would be great for each to contribute to. HMS--American History, HMS--Math, HMS--Health, HMS--Communication Arts, etc.

16 more things to do--I'm doing them a few at a time :)

Project Based Learning

From the George Lucas Educational Foundation --Utopia web site I found the recent article on Project Based Learning which is what I base my Learning in Action class for students (also known as Independent Research Projects or Library Research Class). The only difference is that the article deals with collaboration projects with students on real time issues. The project is 3 to 8 weeks with lessons and assessments scaffold (write words?) in to help with their learning.

The Format:

1. Create teams of three or more students to work on an in-depth project for three to eight weeks.
2. Introduce a complex entry question that establishes a student's need to know, and scaffold the project with activities and new information that deepens the work.

3.Calendar the project through plans, drafts, timely benchmarks, and finally

4.the team's presentation to an outside panel of experts drawn from parents and the community.

5. Provide timely assessments and/or feedback on the projects for content, oral and written communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and other important skills.
(Need to create worksheet that includes the big essential question, members responsibilities, calandar of benchmarks, assessments for projects--ect.)

According to the article it will help increase test scores--(maybe this is the PLC group that I should be working with?).

This would be an excellent format for the enrichment classes held at the school.

It all started with School Library 2.0 (California)

School Library 2.0 23 Things (1-5)
Another list of things to try...(yes, I think I can't stay somewhere long--I think there is an article about this somewhere)

23 things to think and do:
(1) Read the School Library Learning 2.0 Blog

(2) 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Life-Long Learners
1. Goals (I can easily do this--my problem is too many goals at once--I WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD)
2. Accepting the responsibility for my own learning (yes, I do this!)
3. View Problems as a Challenge (I would tell kids to think of it as a game!)
4. Have confidence in yourself as a confident and effective learner.
5. Create your own tool box? (can't read my notes)
6. Use technology to your advantage
7. Teach or Mentor others (This is probably the hardest for me when adults are invovled. I think that why I "teach" in bursts with teachers. I think this is why I shy away from team and curriculum leaders. This is whati I hope to be doing this school year).
7 1/2. Play (which I have done alot of)

(3) Create a Blog
(4) Register the Blog This is from the California School Library Association, so I don't think that I can do this. However, I woud like to publish this blog in other places. So I will be working on this. Right now the purpos of this blog is to be used as an artifact for my evaluation. However, Teachers and friends can use it for their own uses. Hey maybe they would like to do the 23 things.
(5) Explore Flcker and learn about this popular image hosting site. (Need to explore more) There are two assignments--explore and create. I hope to do this in the next week